Esposizione Universale di Roma MCMXLII XX E.F. a cura del Commissariato Generale

Large folio (580x450 mm). 87, [3] pp. The first leaf is a blank and is followed by the half title, the title page, the index, a portrait of the king, a portrait of the duce, and a facsimile of Mussolini's autograph letter (dated Rome, 26 December 1938 – XVII). Colophon on the last leaf: “Questo volume di presentazione della Esposizione Universale di Roma è stato stampato a cura del Commissariato Generale con carattere Paganini su carta a mano di Fabriano in milleduecento esemplari. Finito di stampare il 4 aprile 1939 – XVII”. The volume contains  27 illustrations in text, of which 4 are double page, by Mario Sironi, Adalberto Libera, Ludovico Quaroni, Virgilio Marchi, and others. Publisher's illustrated red morocco binding,  original printed cloth box.

This is the deluxe edition, meant as a gift to the authorities, of this work celebrating the 1942 Rome World's Expo, which never saw the light of day but is at the origin of today's EUR Roman neighborhood. Printed in 1,200 copies, the outbreak of World War II caused its printing to be suspended, making the work much rarer than the print run indicated in the colophon would suggest.

Italian Union Catalogue, IT\ICCU\UBO\0288185.

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