Description:

Victor Emmanuel III
Rome, Italy, December 27, 1934
Mussolini and V. Emmanuel Rare Dual Signed Letter of State to Cuba, Seeds of Fascism and Communism
LS

Victor Emmanuel III (1869-1947). Manuscript Letter Signed, "Vittorio Emanuel," 1p, in Italian, on bifold laid paper measuring 9" x 14", Rome, Italy, December 27, 1934. Additionally signed by Benito Mussolini as "Mussolini." Inner pages and verso blank. Central horizontal transmittal fold with separation. Expected age toning and scattered foxing. Minor curling to top edge. Accompanied by the original transmittal envelope addressed to Carlos Mendieta y Montefur, with a perfectly intact Great Seal of the Kingdom of Italy adhered at back flap. Small tape remnants at verso of letter and recto of envelope. Both letter and envelope are penned in an elegant secretarial hand, with very large and bold signatures by V. Emmanuel and Mussolini. In very good plus condition.

A remarkable, historically significant official diplomatic letter jointly signed by Victor Emmanuel III and Benito Mussolini, extending personal congratulations to Carlos Mendieta y Montefur on his recent appointment as Provisional President, and expressing Italy's desire for continued strong relations with Cuba. Reading in full and translated to English:

"Victor Emmanuel III
By the grace of God and the will of the nation
King of Italy
To Mr. Carlos Mendieta y Montefur, Provisional President of the Republic of Cuba, Greetings.

Dearest and good friend, we have received the letter in which you were pleased to announce your election as Provisional President of this Republic.

We express our heartfelt thanks for this courteous communication and we heartily congratulate you on the honorable testimony of esteem and trust that you have deservedly received from the suffrage of your fellow citizens.

We are pleased to assure you of our feelings of perfect esteem for your person and of our strong desire to see the relations happily existing between Italy and Cuba further strengthened, to the mutual advantage of both countries.

Offering our prayers for the prosperity of this Republic, we pray that God may keep you, dearest and good friend, in His holy keeping."

Victor Emmanuel III was King of Italy from July 29, 1900 until his abdication on May 9, 1946. A member of the House of Savoy, he also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and King of the Albanians from 1939 to 1943, following the Italian invasions of Ethiopia and Albania. During his reign of nearly 46 years, which began after the assassination of his father Umberto I, the Kingdom of Italy became involved in two world wars. His reign also encompassed the birth, rise, and fall of the Fascist regime.

During the early 1920s, several short-serving prime ministers, including the well-respected Giovanni Giolitti (1842-1928), serving an unprecedented fifth term as prime minister, could not unify the country in the face of the growing Italian fascist movement. Strengthened by the economic downturn facing the country, the National Fascist Party led the March on Rome, and Victor Emmanuel appointed Benito Mussolini as prime minister. He remained silent on the domestic political abuses of Fascist Italy, and he accepted the additional crowns of the Emperor of Ethiopia in 1936 and the King of Albania in 1939 as a result of Italian imperialism under fascism. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Victor Emmanuel advised Mussolini against entering the war. In June 1940, he relented and granted Mussolini sweeping powers to enter and conduct the war.

Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who was the dictator of Italy during the Fascist period, which lasted from the March on Rome in 1922 until his overthrow in 1943. He founded the National Fascist Party and served as Prime Minister of Italy from 1922.

Carlos Mendieta y Montefur (1873-1960) was a Cuban politician and interim President of Cuba. A chief opponent of Gerardo Machado, Mendieta was installed as interim President of Cuba in 1934 by a coup led by Fulgencio Batista. During his presidency, women gained the right to vote and the Platt Amendment was rescinded. Mendieta resigned in 1935 after unrest continued.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 9" x 14"
  • Medium: LS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

January 7, 2026 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000