Between the Covers

Hardcover. Oblong folio. Red morocco decorated and titled in gilt. Modest rubbing, mostly along the spine, else near fine. A wonderful collection of 29 large gelatin silver and gold-toned gelatin images, each measuring approximately 9" x 6.5", mounted on thick card, concerning Woodrow Wilson and his visit to Italy in 1919. Handwritten title page in ink, and three additional internal pages lettered in ink. Each image is neatly captioned in ink. Most of the images depict Wilson and other notables riding in Fiat touring cars, a few are of a small fleet of the cars unoccupied. Wilson spent six months, roughly the first half of 1919, in Europe for the Paris Peace Conference, becoming the first U.S. President to travel to Europe while in office, and the first to visit the Pope. The title page dates to Wilson's arrival in Rome on 3 January 1919. The first section depicts Wilson's triumphant arrival parading in Rome (nine images); the fleet of automobiles lined up outside a Fiat dealership or showroom in Rome (two images); Wilson's Tour of the Monuments of Rome in his Fiat Cars (12 images); and his arrival at the Vatican on January 4th (six images). Whether this album was prepared as a gift to Wilson, or perhaps issued in very small numbers for Fiat automobile officials we do not know, although we can find no other copies in *OCLC* or any other library catalog, including all of the major European databases.

Item #399757