HIRIART Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali D'Eritrea (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

Hiriart has two sets of Italian Ascari colonial troops in its catalog: 1290 ASCARI SOTTO IL TRICOLORE 1898 and 1291 ASCARI LIBICHE 1929. The first set are Ascari from Somaliland while the second set are Ascari from Libya---except they aren't. Last month when I received the first half of my 2016 order, it included nine sets for three collectors of six different Libyan battalions. When I ordered the I Battaglione with black and received scarlet, I knew something was wrong. It turns out that the set has been mislabeled all this time because the Ascari are actually from Eritrea not Libya. The Eritreans wore their native headdress, a tall red fez called a Tabusc while the Libyans wore their native headdress, a Takia which was a dark red skull cap with a long blue tassel.

The Eritrean Ascari battalions each had a unique color for their tassels, waist sashes, and flags. The Libyan Ascari did likewise for their sashes and flags, but not their tassels. In any case, Hiriart is making new labels for the set 1291 Battaglione Eritreo. I am attaching a chart showing the correct battaglione colors for the Eritreans. For example, I Battaglione Eritreo is scarlet, II Battaglione Eritreo is blue, III Battaglione Eritreo is red, etc. There are also some interesting Ascari postcards from the 1930s attached.

Subsequent posts will show each of the nine Eritrea Battalion sets made so far. There are three collectors who are acquiring the first ten battalion sets (i.e., I through X). The only one not yet made is the VIII Battaglione Eritreo which has blue and red vertical colors.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the I BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with scarlet tassels, sashes, and flag.

 

[DMNamiot]

Now those are some interesting looking troops! Thanks for sharing them.

 

[ucla1967]

Now those are some interesting looking troops! Thanks for sharing them.

Thanks Dave and you're welcome. There is something special about colonial troops, isn't there? I guess that is why three Hiriart collectors are ordering the first ten Eritrean battalions. They should make an interesting display especially if they are coupled in a parade with set 1198 CACCIATORI D'AFRICA, ADDIS ABABA, 1936. Better yet, there is also a CACCIATORI band set and I would also include set 1207 ANSALDO CV-33 TANKETTE, desert version, in the parade.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the II BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with blue tassels, sashes, and flag.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the III BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with red tassels, sashes, and flag. The stock photo shows only eight figures; it missing one of the men.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the IV BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with black tassels, sashes, and flag.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the V BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with tartan tassels, sashes, and flag.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the VI BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with green tassels, sashes, and flag.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the VIII BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with blue and red tassels, sashes, and flag. NB: Hiriart has not made the VII battalion yet which has red and black colors, but it is on order for 2017.

 

[DMNamiot]

Can't wait to see them on parade together with a few tankettes and a camel or two...

Again thanks for sharing all of these really interesting regiments.

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Can't wait to see them on parade together with a few tankettes and a camel or two...

Again thanks for sharing all of these really interesting regiments.

Dave

That would be an interesting display. You're welcome Dave. Hiriart really does make a lot of interesting regiments which is probably why Bob and I have around 500 Hiriart sets in our collections.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the IX Battaglione Eritreo with red & white tassels, sashes, and flag.

 

[ucla1967]

This is set 1291 the X BATTAGLIONE ERITREO with blue & white tassels, sashes, and flag. It is also the last Hiriart Eritrean set in this ten set series. NB: Some of the stock photos showed the sets with only eight figures, but they should have nine.