Italy, Kingdom. A Medal for the Fascist Campaign "Italy Now and Always" 1923, Bronze Grade

Medaglia commemorativa della campagna. Instituted in 1923. In bronze gilt, obverse illustrating a nude man on horseback, the two figures on a rocky outcrop, a spirit in the man's right hand summoning up a standard and fasces and engraver marked "SJ" (Stefano Johnson), reverse with rows of hands horizontally from the left and right either side of a flame, inscribed below "PER L’ITALIA ORA E SEMPRE" (For Italy Now and Always) above a line with a circular scroll at either end, measuring 32.2 mm in diameter, scattered gilt wear, original ribbon, near extremely fine.

Footnote: The medal was created in 1923 after the coming to power of the Fascists in Italy, on the first anniversary of the March on Rome. Although not officially authorized, the medal was worn in the same way as other campaign medals and awarded to those who had participated in the Fascist rise to power from the formation of the Fasci Italiani di Combattimento (Italian Fighting League) by Benito Mussolini on February 23, 1919, to the Marcia su Roma (March on Rome) of October 28, 1922 and Mussolini’s assumption of power in Italy three days later.