Italy, Kingdom. An Early Fascist Party Overseas Cap Fasci di Combattimento, c. Early 1920

A black wool overseas cap measuring 25.5 cm in length by 12 cm tall and sized 49, constructed in fine early-period wool typical of the first-phase Fasci di Combattimento apparel before the standardized MVSN uniform reforms, the exterior displaying the sharply folded traditional overseas-cap form with tassel used by early Fascist squadristi, the interior lined in plain black cloth without any maker marks, date stamps, or issue identifiers as produced in this formative period, all stitching consistent with early 1920s hand-finished construction, the crown and body showing the clean lines and minimalist style characteristic of pre-regimentation Fascist organizational garments, the overall surface displaying age-appropriate wear from storage and handling, and one moth hole on the left hand side. .

Footnote: The Fasci di Combattimento, founded in 1919 by Benito Mussolini, adopted a variety of non-standardized black garments in the early 1920s, before the establishment of the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN) in 1923 introduced regulated uniforms. Overseas caps of this type—simple black wool, unmarked, and sized according to contemporary Italian civilian measurement systems—were commonly worn by early squadristi prior to formalization of insignia, making them representative of the movement’s formative paramilitary phase rather than later institutional production.