Ales - Lot: L'Armata Sarda e le Riforme Albertine 1831–1842 / Dall'Armata Sarda all'Esercito Italiano - 1987

Lot: The Sardinian Army and the Albertine Reforms 1831–1842 / From the Sardinian Army to the Italian Army 1843–1861

1. The Sardinian Army and the Albertine Reforms 1831–1842
This volume is devoted to the reign of King Charles Albert (Carlo Alberto), who profoundly reformed the army and brought it up to the technological standard of the 19th century.
The Albertine Reforms: meticulous documentation of the structural modernization of the troop branches. The book shows the transition from a rigid Restoration army to a more agile military structure influenced by Prussia and France.
The invention of the Bersaglieri: A central core of the book is the historical birth of the famous elite unit Bersaglieri (founded 1836 by Alessandro La Marmora). It describes their revolutionary tactics, armament and equipment.
Specialization of the weapon branches: The textual section details the expansion of the technical troops, the engineer units (Pioneers) as well as the profound innovations in artillery and the royal cavalry.
Visual appendix (93 plates): Brandanis color plates document the shift to the characteristic, more functional uniforms of this era. Famous are the depictions of the early Bersaglieri with their distinctive plume hat (Vaira) as well as the detailed insignia distinguishing the various infantry brigades.

2. From the Sardinian Army to the Italian Army 1843–1861
With about 619 pages this is the most extensive and monumental work of the entire series. Illustrated by Massimo Fiorentino, it covers the Risorgimento era (King Victor Emmanuel II and Count Cavour) as well as the actual combat deployment of the army.
The Wars of Independence (1848–1849 & 1859): The book documents mobilization and the structural transformation of units for the First and Second Italian Wars of Independence against the Austrian Empire.
The Expeditionary Corps in the Crimean War (1855–1856): A highly interesting chapter is devoted to the organization, logistics and uniforms of the Sardinian troops who fought in the Crimean War alongside France and Great Britain against Russia.
Technical evolution of equipment: The work lists in detail the introduction of rifled rifles, new artillery systems and field-ready marching gear.
The birth of the Italian Army (1861): The text ends with the bureaucratic and organizational feat: the merger of the Sardinian Army with the troops of the annexed Italian micro-states and Garibaldi’s volunteers into the new Regio Esercito Italiano.
Visual appendix: The monumental plate section by Fiorentino is regarded by historians as the nonplusultra for this era. It shows in detail mud- and field-uniforms from the trenches of Sevastopol, the parade uniforms of the generals, as well as the field-gray-blue coats of the infantry in the battles of Magenta and Solferino.

Condition: light signs of use on the cover, interior: clean and with firm binding