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Benito Mussolini's uniform sells for $6,325 at auction... to a dedicated follower of fascism

By Daniel Miller
Updated: 08:05 EST, 19 September 2011



A military uniform belonging to Italian WW2 dictator Benito Mussolini, which sat in a New York cupboard for 65 years, has sold for $6,325 at auction.

The uniform along with a dress were discovered in a suitcase by partisan troops who captured Mussolini and his mistress Claretta Petacci as they tried to flee the country in April 1945.

The suitcase was later presented to Col. Charles Poletti, a regional commissioner for the Allied military government, who was stationed in Milan. Annexed: Mussolini's military uniform and a dress belonging to his mistress have sold for $6,325 at auction

Poletti, a former New York Governor, handed the suitcase to his personal Secretary Paul Moriconi instructing him to 'dispose of these articles as he saw fit'.

Moriconi promptly mailed the suitcase to his mother in Rochester, New York.




The jacket had no medals attached and a tuxedo stripe running up the side of the trousers had been removed. It carries no identifying marks linking it to Mussolini. Fascist: Mussolini (pictured in 1940) was captured by Italian Partisans attempting to flee the Allied invasion

However the tale of how they came into Moriconi's possession was recounted in a letter Poletti sent on request to his former personal secretary in 2001.

Moriconi, a doctor and the son of Italian immigrants, died last year at the age of 87.

Once in the 1950s, he wore the uniform at a Halloween party, but he typically had to be persuaded to show off the clothes to friends.

His widow Regina said: 'If we were having a dinner party, it was usually me who coaxed him.

'He was the type of fellow who never wanted to draw attention to himself.

'He realized the great value the uniform held historically. I think he felt more fortunate than proud or tickled that he was in a position that he could own these things.'

Heritage Auctions in Dallas Texas had hoped the grey military tunic, matching riding pants, khaki Italian military shirt and a rust - coloured woolen dress would fetch up to £10,000.

Greg Martin a specialist in antique arms, armor and historic memorabilia who sold a globe that once belonged to Adolf Hitler for $100,000 at a 2007 auction in San Francisco, said 'the provenance of this material is impeccable.'

Martin said he first learned about the clothing from Moriconi about a decade ago.

He said: 'I reached out to other military collectors who all said, "Yes, this is definitely the type of uniform Mussolini wore and the type of dress we've seen pictures of his mistress in." On parade: Mussolini steps out with Adolf Hitler and Herman Goering in February 1932

'We're in a period of time where a lot of these old guys who brought relics back are passing them on.

'If this had been a third-party or fourth-party handover, you could possibly be suspicious.

'But this is actually from the fountainhead itself, taken at the time, and that's about the best provenance I think you're going to get.'

Christopher Duggan, a professor of modern Italian history at the University of Reading in England, said Mussolini's capture took place during the war's chaotic finale.

He said: 'The situation on the ground was so confused with no really strong, clear chain of command and so many partisan bands operating against each other, that it's very hard to verify what really is genuine among wartime artifacts.

'I'd want to know a lot more before risking my money.'


Italy's wartime leader Benito Andrea Mussolini was born in 1883 in Predappio, Northern Italy.

The son of a poor blacksmith he moved to Switzerland in 1902 to seek work where he became influenced by socialist ideas.

After serving with the Allies in World War One he abandoned his early socialist beliefs and got a start in politics with a £100 weekly wage from the British MI5 security service.

In 1919 he formed the Italian fascist party and began creating armed squads of war veterans called Blackshirts who fought street battles with communists, socialists, and anarchists.

The fascists became part of the coalition government in 1921 and the following year Mussolini seized power to become Prime Minister of Italy in a coup d'etat known as the March on Rome.

By 1925 Mussolini had effectively dismantled Italy's democratic political system and installed himself as the nation's dictator taking the title of 'Il Duce'.

In 1935, Italy invaded Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) which became part of the Italian Empire. Mussolini also provided military support to Franco in the Spanish Civil War.

In 1939 he signed the Pact of Steel with Nazi Germany and began to introduce anti-Jewish legislation in Italy.

He declared of war on Britain and France in June 1940 but Italian forces suffered a series of defeats in Africa and the Balkans.

In 1943 Mussolini was overthrown and imprisoned by members of his own fascist government after Allied troops landed in Sicily.

He was rescued in a daring raid by German commandos and installed as the leader of a new Italian Government. However he had little power.

As the Allies continued to advance northwards through Italy, Mussolini fled towards Switzerland but was captured by Italian partisans and shot on 28 April 1945.


Benito Mussolini's military uniform sells for £4000 at auction
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