Original Italian Pre-WWII Libyan Police Pith Helmet with Bullion Badge

Original Item. Only One Available. The Italian colonization of Libya began in 1911 and it lasted until 1943. The country, which was previously an Ottoman possession, was occupied by Italy in 1911 after the Italo-Turkish War, which resulted in the establishment of two colonies: Italian Tripolitania and Italian Cyrenaica. In 1934, the two colonies were merged into one colony which was named the colony of Italian Libya. In 1937, this colony was divided into four provinces, and in 1939, the coastal provinces became a part of metropolitan Italy as the Fourth Shore. The colonization lasted until Libya's occupation by Allied forces in 1943, but it was not until the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty that Italy officially renounced all of its claims to Libya's territory.

This is a very interesting Pre-WWII Italian pith helmet which does not follow the M1928 Pith helmet standards, so we believe it to pre-date this. The badge to the front appears to be for the Italian Libyan police, and this is what the helmet came to us identified as. However, there is more research to be done, as there is very little reference on Italian pith helmet variations.

The helmet’s shape is in disarray with heavy crushing at the crown as shown. However, you can push it into place and it should sit fine for display, but it will fall back down eventually. The badge to the front is bullion with a 2 device inside. There are no markings inside and the lining is torn, showing the cork construction underneath. Any sweatband or liner is gone, and there is some cork falling out.

A heavily worn Italian pith, ready for further research and display.