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Miniature bronze-edged white enamel Greek cross with integral loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a bronze eagle perched on a fasces imposed centrally, its wings spread, an escutcheon with red enamel quarters on its breast, a plaque below inscribed ‘IIIº CORPO / D’ARMATA A.O.’; the reverse plain bronze with copyright statetment ‘DEPOSITATO A TERMINI DI LEGGE / STAB. ARTISTICI FIORENTINI FIRENZE’; diameter 21.79mm (0.86 inch); the two left-hand red enamel quarters of the escutcheon of the face now absent; on original ribbon. Commemorative crosses for the various units involved in the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935-1936 were issued in 1937, that for the 1st corps in blue enamel, the 2nd corps in red, the 3rd, as here, in white and the 4th in green. Similar crosses were also issued to the cavalry, tank squadron and air force. This miniature is not often found.
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