A rare collection of early aviation glass lantern slides documenting the long-distance flights of Italian aviator Carlo Francesco Lombardi will be offered for sale at Roseberys London, UK, on March 11. The group of historic photographic slides, estimated at £800–£1,200 ($1,071–$1,606 approx.), is believed to represent some of the earliest surviving examples of aviation photography.
The collection includes around 200 gelatin silver glass slides along with a hand-built wooden slide viewer. According to the auction house, the material comes directly from the Lombardi family. Lombardi, often known as Francis Lombardi, was an influential figure in the development of Italian aviation during the first half of the 20th century. He began flying during World War I, serving as a fighter pilot at the age of 17. During the war, he was credited with eight aerial victories and received three Silver Medals for Military Valor.
In the years after the war, Lombardi became closely linked with Italy’s early long-distance flight efforts. During the 1920s and early 1930s, he flew the Fiat AS.1 on several ambitious routes, including a flight from Rome to Mogadishu, a circuit of the African continent, and a journey from Vercelli to Tokyo. Beyond his flying career, he also founded Azionaria Vercellese Industrie Aeronautiche (AVIA) in his hometown of Vercelli, where the company focused on the design and production of light training and touring aircraft. After World War II, Lombardi played a role in rebuilding parts of the Italian aviation industry. Among other projects, he helped convert surplus military aircraft such as the Macchi C.205 and Fiat G.55 for civilian use. He remained active in aviation for many years afterward.
The glass slides themselves carry individual captions that document Lombardi’s travels and flights. Among them are slides labeled “Arrivo a Mogadiscio,” showing his arrival and reception in Mogadishu, and “Arrivo a Tokyo,” recording the end of his journey to Japan. Another slide titled “Roma-Mogadiscio” shows a route map of the African flight with a table listing its stages, while an aerial photograph captures Lombardi’s aircraft in flight with the registration I-AAVE visible over a town below.
Additional slides depict aircraft and crowds at the Mogadishu airfield under the caption “Mogadiscio,” along with a group photograph titled “Lombardi e piloti,” showing Lombardi and other aviators standing in front of an aircraft in flying gear. “The Lombardi slides are very early examples of aviation photography; they capture flying at a moment of transition, when long-distance flight was moving from experiment to viable reality. The survival of such a large, coherent group from a single aviator’s career is exceptional, particularly with direct family provenance,” said Anna Evans, Head of Fine & Decorative at Roseberys.
Glass lantern slides date back to the 17th century, although they became far more common during the late 19th and early 20th centuries after the development of photography. Gelatin silver slides were widely used beginning in the 1890s for lectures, scientific demonstrations, and educational presentations. The images were produced by contact-printing a photographic negative onto a light-sensitive gelatin layer, which was then sealed between two pieces of glass. When projected through a magic lantern using candlelight, limelight, and later electric illumination, the slides allowed audiences to view distant events and locations decades before motion pictures and modern projection systems became widespread. Their use continued into the 1940s before being gradually replaced by film.
The auction also includes a selection of Lombardi memorabilia connected to his aviation career. Among the items is a silvered bronze and verde antico marble trophy awarded after the 1929 Challenge International de Tourisme. The trophy is topped by a winged figure of Nike and bears an inscription to Lombardi. Other pieces in the group include framed materials documenting Lombardi’s flights and aircraft. One highlight is a large route map showing several of his major journeys, including Vercelli–Tokyo, Rome–Addis Ababa, Rome–Mogadishu, and the Periplo Africano, with distances and dates marked.
The lot also contains photographs of the Fiat AS.1 monoplane, a Savoia-Marchetti S.71, and Lombardi’s Fiat 501 during the 1922 Circuito del Garda. Additional images show the AS.1 with aircraft from the Frecce Tricolori flying behind it. The group further includes a studio-style frontal photograph of a single-engine aircraft, a reproduction of an early photograph of a pioneering biplane in flight, and several other aviation-related images connected with Lombardi’s career. For more information about Roseberys London, click on this link: www.roseberys.co.uk.
Amreetam Basu is a Content Manager at Vintage Aviation News with more than four years of experience in editorial roles. He began his career covering automobiles before moving into aviation, with a focus on aircraft history and design. His experience spans both news and feature content, with an emphasis on clear, well-researched reporting. When he is not reading about aircraft or editing stories, you will likely find him behind the camera or planning his next trip. For queries or story ideas, you can contact Amreetam at [email protected].
