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A Soldiers Camera (Part 2)


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Gene these are wonderful!

 

The first series is taken in Naples, I recognize the view from San Martino of the Bay of Naples. The last few ones appear to be taken in Rome (which I still try to consider Home...), easily recognizable is Piazza del Popolo, with the twin churches and the obelisk with the lions around it.

 

That kid being dragged around and propped on fountains could easily be my dad! If you need a better recognition of the places in the pictures I could probably help you out. Just let me know!

 

No doubt when these pictures were taken..early post-war Italy 1943-1944, wonderful stuff!

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I tend to disagree with Marco - Pictures #2 to #4 don't seem Neaples but rather the fortress in Gaeta (on the coast between Neaples and Rome). The fortess was a military prison at the time, which would explain the curious uniform of the armed man (clearly not a military but a police/security guard). All the rest is Rome . Shots #6 to 9 are Villa Borghese, 11 and 12 Piazza della Repubblica (a.k.a. Esedra), 13 Via Veneto, 14 and following Piazza del Popolo. Almost certainly summer 1945-
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Thanks Ezio, I believe you might be correct the shot of the bathers is certainly not Naples the bay is way too small! But I didn't imagine Gaeta as being such a big city...

 

Piazza Esedra and Via Veneto I had recognized but wasn't 100% sure..I'm guessing in the Via Veneto shot the American Embassy (current location) sits right behind the palm trees on the right...

 

To connect this back to classic cameras, the Piazza Esedra picture shows a small sign that reads "FOTO" I believe this to be the location of an historic camera store (now closed) that sold by mail order and produced yearly multi-page hardbound catalouges that are excellent reference guides to techincal specs and italian period pricing.

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Yes Marco, Palazzo Margherita (the US Embassy) is just to the right behind the palm trees. He was the US Embassy even at the time the photo was taken, because Queen Margerita died in 1929 and the Embassy has been located there since 1931. I imagine the palace was vacant in 1941-44, but by summer 1945 they were certainly back.
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You folks ever think a Digital image would last this long? I bet in the future all of those cards and cameras will be cleared out before they are sold on E*Bay2077 and end up in the in the classic Digital Camera Forum. This is another reason we have to keep film alive. Damn sorry I am thinking again.<div>00Calw-24211184.jpg.57b573d3d5dcdc05c908cd1b238aa0cb.jpg</div>
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