Of the highest quality manufacture, this fez belonged to Italian Foreign Minister and son in law of Il Duce, Benito Mussolini. The exterior presents the finest black flannel, the front presenting a gold embroidered Roman eagle of the M.V.S.N on a red felt background, one side bearing the insignia of rank for generals in gold and silver bullion, and the other bearing golden cap cord wound into two doubled knots. The top has been adorned with a tassel-style decoration of a braided cord with a thick bush like array of twisted tassels which hang over the side. The interior features a creme coloured silk interior marked S.V. Prescuitti Via Leccosa 4 ROMA, with a leather sweatband measuring 47mm in width around the entire circumference, the side of which is impressed with the crowned initials G.C di. C. The fez measures 210mm in diameter by 130mm in height. The interior circumference measures 560mm. The hat bears light wear and fraying around the central eagle and on the golden cord, interior with minor wear, slightly misshapen but retains integrity, an extremely rare and important piece of headgear, in extremely fine condition.
This fez was previously presented by Andreas Thies Auktionhaus in December 2020.
Footnote: Galeazzo Ciano, born March 18, 1903, was an Italian diplomat and politician who served as foreign minister in the Government of his father-in-law, Benito Mussolini, from 1936-1943. The son of Admiral Costanzo Ciano (a founding member of the National Fascist Party), he took part, alongside his father in Mussolini’s march on Rome in 1922. Ciano served in the Italo-Ethiopian War which resulted in his appointment of Foreign Minister. In 1943, Ciano was a member of the Grand Council of Fascism that forced Mussolini’s ousting and subsequent arrest. He fled to Germany but was apprehended and returned to Mussolini’s new regime, the Italian Social Republic. Ciano’s death was ordered by Mussolini, and he was executed by firing squad in January 1944.