Pompeii Gladius of Air Marshal Italo Balbo of Fascist Italy

Editor's Note: This example bears reseamblance to an Ancient Roman style of sword not only superficially with regard to its using the Pompeii style of blade but also has a similar hilt to a style of sword carried by Roman Officers and Officials see example here:

sword-site.com/thread/299/roman-sword-spatha-semispatha-paraspatha

sword-site.com/thread/108/roman-tribunes-paraspatha-parazonium

Air Marshal Italo Balbo - a gift sword of the Camicie Nere (Blackshirts)

Made in the style of a Roman gladius of Pompeii type. The broad blade with deeply engraved and gilt dedication "Italo Balbo" and "Al Governatore Generale della Libia le Camicie Nere D'Africa offrono Tripoli Gennaio 1934". Gilt eagle head grip of the Roman imperial swords, applied to the box-shaped cross-guard Savoy eagles sitting on fasces. The black leather covered scabbard (losses) tied with laces, applied brass mounts. Length 65 cm. Gilding partially over-polished.

Italo Balbo, 1896 - 1940, head of the fascist militia since 1924, 1926 state secretary of the Professional Association of Aviation, 1929 air minister, 1933 air marshal. Considered to be the creator of the Royal Italian Air Force. He gained international acclaim for his spectacular crossings of the Atlantic with his seaplane squadron. He was transferred to Italian Libya in 1934 as governor general after severe differences regarding domestic affairs. At the beginning of the war he clearly resented the idea of a pact with Hitler and supported an alliance with England. Shot down by an Italian flak near Tobruk on 28 June 1941, supposedly an accident, which still gives cause for many speculations.

Source: www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/hhm67.pl?db=kat67_m.txt&f=ZAEHLER&c=462&t=temartic_M_GB&co=2