Italy's 150th birthday

There are many celebrations taking place throughout Italy this year because it is the 150th anniversary of its unity, which, ironically, is being challenged at times these days by some of its internal political parties.  However, it is a pleasure for me to watch some of the special programs transmitted by Italian TV for this occasion, and also some movies about the valiant history and the political intrigues of those days.

The central figure instrumental in creating the unification of what is known today as Italy, was Giuseppe Garibaldi, a charismatic hero with a long, adventurous life that traveled to and fought also in the American continents, but made the Isle of Caprera, located near Sardinia, his home for many years until death.

This latter fact brings to mind that the maternal side of my family dealt directly with this great Army General, also known as "Hero of the Two Worlds" , who purchased from one of my ancestors the land where he built his house in Caprera.

When I lived as a child in northern Italy, I remember well seeing in my household two mementos of Garibaldi's life, which unfortunately got lost when I moved to the U.S. They were the remnant of a cream medication (in a tube) that Garibaldi used to heal the leg wound he received during the famously fierce battle of Aspromonte, and an iron ring worn by the 'Carbonari" legion, the secret revolutionary society that he belonged to, and sought the creation of a liberal, unified Italy.

Back to Caprera though, I can say that the largest owner of land in that tiny island in those days, was a certain Lady Collins, who was Lady in Waiting to Queen Victoria in England.  She was the aunt of my maternal grandmother, who became her heir in the early 1900's, and, in turn, I feel honored to be still the proud caretaker of several of the items that belonged to her. Two of them that I cherish are pictured below.     

An English Naval eyeglass and her fan (made of white ostrich feathers on ivory bases)