MPH 204
Two advert cards from Pastiglie Valda on Cirenaica and Tripolitania. B
Price: $90.00
Photos and Postcards
MPH 202
Italian humor postcard showing a Turkish nobleman being chased by an Italian easter egg, with the caption, “happy easter”. B
Price: $50.00
MPH 199
Set of 7 photos on postcard stock titled Costumi Tripolitania. Shown are a travelling salesman of men’s clothing and accessories, punishment, travelling performers, female of Fezzan, woman with child, female of Ghadames. B
Price: $150.00
MDH 032
MDH 032
MDH 032Album of 23 photos on postcard stock of an Italian hospital caring for soldiers wounded in the 1911-1912 Libyan war. Each photo contains images of nurses or doctors. B
Price: $460.00
IEAPC 137
An Italian patriotic postcard of Libya, 1912. M
Price: $40.00
IEAPC 136
A 1937 postcard showing the Italian air force in Libya. M
Price: $90.00
APH 280
APH 280
Diary of Captain Oreste Mariotti, who commanded the 4th company of the 3rd Indigenous (Eritrean) battalion during the invasion of Libya, 1911-1912. The diary covers the period October 1, 1912 – May 16, 1913. The remarkable attribute of this diary is that it lists the names of every Eritrean serving under him, broken out by 8 platoons. He lists the Eritrean NCO’s separately as well. Struck out names indicates those killed or wounded. It also lists the material under his command. He makes detailed lists of monies spent on his men. Much of the daily recordings are about the activities of his men, with actual names indicated. 107 written pages in total. Also included are his personal photos while in Libya, transfer to Eritrea in 1913 and his participation in the invasion of Ethiopia. This includes a number of postcards written by him. There are a few items from his time in World War 1. The photos are rich, showing aerial bombardment in Libya, hanging prisoners, Mariotti at the head of Libyan cavalry, Mariotti with his Eritrean ascaris, Libyan militia, senior Italian offers, his time in Eritrea in 1913, and a small collection of photos from his time in Ethiopia (including his tombstone). Roughly 100 photos, including a few postcards written by Mariotti. A number of photos are captioned. SOLD
APH 280
APH 280
Price: $3000.00
Note: Oreste Mariotti (1874-1937) commanded Eritrean and Libyan troops over his military career. He was captain of the 4th Company of the 3rd Indigenous Battalion during the invasion of Libya. He then served as the commanding officer of the 17th Eritrean Battalion from 1919-1923 based in Eritrea. In 1935, during the invasion of Ethiopia he was the commanding officer of the Eritrean Eastern Lowlands Zone, reporting directly to General Santini, commander of the Northern Front. From 1936 to his death of illness in 1937 he commanded the 9th Colonial Brigade. During the invasion of Ethiopia he had the following units under his command: XXIV Battalion indigeni (Eritrean Ascari), XXVI Battalion indigeni (Eritrean Ascari), Libyan Battalion, Massaua Irregulars Band, Northern Dankalia Irregulars Band, Southern Dankalia Irregulars Band, 7th Artillery Battery, 37th Artillery Battery. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Azbi, of which, the New York Times had this to report on February 4, 1937 as part of his obituary:
APH 280
APH 280General Oreste Mariotti, who commanded the Italian column which crossed the Danakil Desert in the advance on Makale in the Ethiopian campaign, died today at the age of 54. He led his troops in a pitched battle at Azbi in that advance.
General Mariotti collected a force of 2,000 Danakil and Askari warriors from Eritrea and began a march westward toward Azbi from the Eastern border of Ethiopia in the Fall of 1935. His artillery was mounted on camels and mules. The column traversed unexplored territory, suffering the intense heat of the Danakil Desert and later the bitter cold of the 7,000-foot mountain ranges west of Danakil Province. At one time the soldiers were four days without food or water. The stiffest resistance to the Italian invasion was offered by 5,000 Ethiopian troops, who ambushed General Mariotti’s men in a narrow mountain gorge on November 14, 1935, near Azbi. The battle raged seven hours, the Ethiopians withdrawing after nightfall. Eighty-seven were killed and 150 wounded on both sides. That engagement virtually accomplished the conquest of Danakil Province and the territory immediately to the west of it.
APH 279
Four homogeneous photos of frontier life for the Italians during the 1911-1912 invasion of Libya. Ascaris interest. M RESERVED
Price: $80.00
APH 277
APH 277
Vellum covered photo album with GUERA LIBICA 1911-1912 stamped into the cover. 84 photos in all, glued on one margin only so captions on reverse are accessible. Good quality photos measuring 8x14cm. Shows navy landing at Bengazi, bombed mosque at Sidi Hussein, navy personnel under attack on land, battery at Tobruk, visiting arabs, local arab dignitary, Libyan colonial troops, arab prisoners at Tobruk, barracks at Tobruk, Italian fort, redoubt at Tobruk, General Caneva with Guglielmo Marconi, several photos of Marconi, wireless station at Derna, Turkish prisoners, arab dead at Bengazi. Also photos taken at the newly acquired Dodecanes Islands: Symie, Patmos, Rhodes, Kos, Klimnos, Notia and another named island in the chain. Many photos with captions. This album appears to combine his time in Libya during the invasion of Libya and it then appears he is part of the entourage of the royal inspection of the newly acquired islands in the Aegean. The Duchess of Aosta…….a cousin of the king by marriage is on that tour, along with other women. A rare album. M SOLD
Price: $900.00
 APH 277 |  APH 277 |  APH 277 |  APH 277 |
MPH 192
8 colonial period postcards of Libya issued by missionary societies. Most with handwritten notation on reverse. As Libya was an Italian colony for less than 30 years, there is not much in the way of missionary material. B
Price: $240.00
 MPH 192 |  MPH 192 |  MPH 192 |  MPH 192 |