Our association in collaboration with the Emporium Philatelic Circle, as part of the “Emporium 2012-XXI Collector’s Exchange”, celebrated, on September 15th and 16th, the “44th Aerofilatelia Day”, at Palazzo delle Esposizioni , recalling the centenary of “Pro Flotta Aerea” events which were held in 1912 in various Italian cities including in Tuscany, Florence and Siena, with the aim of raising funds for the purchase of aircraft for the homeland.
A dutiful applause to the Empolese Philatelic Circle and its President Franco Moscadelli, who prepared the event with an excellent organization and a cordial welcome towards all our members, who found themselves at ease among friends. A sincere thanks also to our vice-president Lino Lensi who, on site, collaborated with Franco Moscadelli for the realization of the event.
Saturday 15, at 9.00 the philatelic exhibition was open to the public where the 18 collections of our associates were displayed (see below the list) plus one representing the Circolo Empolese and that of the guest of honor Guido Lèvera, consul honorary of the Republic of Lithuania in Milan. Next to the philatelic exhibition, in a large hall, also the XXII Exchange which featured many philatelic-numismatic dealers.
In another hall an exhibition of drawings inspired by flight was set up by the students of SS. Annunziata from Empoli and, among these, the design chosen for the cancellation, used by the Post Office located at the Exhibition, to cancel the correspondence presented there.
The Post Office itself had a second special cancellation, prepared by our association. There were also two special postcards (see images below) published for the occasion by the two organizers. On the same Saturday morning the advisors present held an assembly to examine some topics that could not be deferred.
For the ladies accompanying the participants, a guided tour of the historic center of Empoli, the Collegiate Museum and the Glass Museum has been arranged.
In the afternoon, the award ceremony of the participants in the Philatelic Exhibition followed with a beautiful souvenir prepared by the Empolese Philatelic Circle, to whose president, Franco Moscadelli, was then donated, by the president of AIDA Costantino Gironi, the painting that was used for the realization of our postcard. In the evening social dinner at the restaurant “Il focolare”, in the countryside of Montespertoli, where diners were able to taste genuine dishes of the Tuscan tradition, including the famous “Florentine steak”.
In the early afternoon of Sunday, the Exhibition closed its doors and the exhibitors present were able to collect their collections. Overall, the event was very satisfying, also due to the presence of several members, including some of the latest members, who were able to note the good reception of our large family.
Here is the list of exhibitors:
Guest of charge:
LEVERA GUIDO, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Lithuania in Milan, with the collection “In the sky of Lithuania”, which presents a selection of documents transported by air between the 1920s and the end of the 1930s.
AIDA members:
• AMOROSO ANDREA: “Pages of Aviation – selection of postcards and erinnofili from 1906 to 1914”
• BINI ROMANO: “Giovanni Agusta aeronautical construction”
• CATTANEI RAIMONDO: “Flights ITALY – SWITZERLAND”
• CORSARI BRUNA: “Newspapers by air”
• DI MENTO ELIGIO: “First flights in the Val di Mazara”
• GIRONI COSTANTINO: “Italian Air Mail – The two-year period preceding the Second World War”
• GOTTARDI ROBERTO: “From the Vatican to 3 Zone”
• LENSI LINO: “Happy Holidays”
• MERELLI GIOVANNI: “Fifth selection of suggestive air postage stamps during the Kingdom period”
• GREPPI ITALO: “Selection of first flights to and from Italy carried out by Italian and foreign airlines”
• MILANESI CARLO: “The balloon: siege of Paris and the Franco-Prussian war (anniversaries)”
• MONTAGNA EMANUELE: “ll Boeing 747”
• POGLIANI PAOLO: “Transpolar flights”
• BRLINO REITER: “Aircraft & Sport”
• RICCITELLI FLAVIO: “Mail on board on civilian airlines”
• STRAZZERI LUIGI: “Polarfahrt – The Arctic expedition of Graf Zeppelin airship”
• VALCARCELL NICOLA: “150th anniversary of Count von Zeppelin birth”
• VIGO RICCARDO: “The Days of Aerophilatelia from 1971 to 2011”
Representing the Empolese Philatelic Circle:
- • LARI PIETRO: “Leonardo da Vinci”