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Wonderful original group of 12 vintage sepia postcards depicting Sorrento, Italy, published by G. Di Maio of Piazza Tasso, Sorrento.
The reverse publisher marking reads:
EDIZ. G. DI MAIOPIAZZA TASSOSORRENTO
This is a particularly attractive matched series documenting Sorrento during the great era of early Italian tourism.
The 12 views include a wonderful assortment of Sorrento landmarks, grand hotels, gardens and coastal panoramas.
Among the identifiable subjects are:
• Grand Hotel Vittoria• Piazza Tasso and Grand Hotel Vittoria• Albergo Tramontano• Hotel Sirena• Sorrento coastal panoramas• Gardens and hotel terraces• Historic church/architectural views• Monumento ai Caduti / war memorial• Views toward the Bay of Naples and surrounding landscape
The postcards have a beautiful uniform sepia photographic appearance with printed captions along the lower margins.
AGE
No exact publication year is printed on the cards.
Based upon the postcard format, typography, printing style and subjects, this series appears consistent with the interwar period, approximately the 1920s-1930s.
They are therefore described conservatively as pre-WWII rather than assigning an unsupported exact year.
HISTORICAL INTEREST
Sorrento was already internationally famous during this period as a resort destination overlooking the Bay of Naples.
Several cards document the town\'s historic grand hotels, including the Grand Hotel Vittoria and Albergo Tramontano, while others preserve panoramic views of the coastline, gardens, Piazza Tasso and surrounding architecture.
The cards therefore provide a wonderful visual record of prewar Sorrento and the development of Italian tourism between the World Wars.
SCARCITY
Individual vintage Sorrento postcards survive in reasonable numbers and are not considered rare.
What makes this group more desirable is the survival of 12 matching sepia views from the same G. Di Maio, Piazza Tasso publishing series.
Current research located numerous individual vintage Sorrento postcards but did not locate another identical 12-card G. Di Maio group currently offered together.
The group is therefore best described as an uncommon/scarce surviving matched series rather than a rare postcard issue.
Excellent material for collectors of:
• Sorrento, Italy• Bay of Naples• Vintage Italian postcards• Pre-WWII Italy• 1920s and 1930s travel• Grand Hotel Vittoria• Hotel Tramontano• Historic hotels• Italian tourism history• Sepia photography• European travel ephemera• Italian architecture
A beautiful matched group that should be kept together rather than separated into individual postcards.
Carefully researched and offered by Echoes of WWII.
