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Lot Essay
BUILT BY THE BRITISH SHIPBUILDER, W. BEARDMORE OF DALMUIR, ON BEHALF OF THE LLOYD OF SAVOY. LAUNCHED IN 1925 AND COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR, SHE COMPLETED HER MAIDEN VOYAGE FROM GENOA TO NEW YORK ON NOVEMBER 27TH. SHE CONTINUED IN THE GENOA-NEW YORK SERVICE UNTIL 1932 WHEN SHE OPERATED ALONG THE ROUTES FOR SOUTH AMERICA. IN 1935 SHE WAS USED BY THE ITALIAN NAVY AS A TROOPSHIP OVER TEN VOYAGES TO EAST AFRICA. IN 1937 SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE LLOYD TRIESTINO LINE AND COMPLETED ONE TRIP TO SHANGHAI BEFORE GOING IN FOR A RE-FIT. IN 1939 SHE WAS CHARTERED BY THE ITALIAN LINE FOR THE GENOA-BUENOS AIRES SERVICE.
AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR IN 1940, THE CONTE BIANCAMANO TOOK PART IN THE RESCUE OF THE ITALIAN LINER ORAZIO BEFORE SHE WAS LAID UP IN COLON AFTER ITALY ENTERED THE WAR. IN DECEMBER 1941 SHE WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE US GOVERNMENT IN BALBOA, AND CONVERTED INTO A NAVAL TROOPSHIP HOLDING 7,000 TROOPS, AND RENAMED THE U.S.S. HERMITAGE (AP54). THROUGHOUT THE WAR, THE 'HERMITAGE' TRANSPORTED TROOPS TO BOTH PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC THEATERS. THE CONTE BIANCAMANO WAS RETURNED TO ITALY ON AUGUST 1947, AND RESTORED TO HER ORIGINAL NAME. THE CONTE BIANCAMANO WAS COMPLETELY REFURBISHED: INTERIOR DECORATION BY WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS LIKE CAMPIGLI, SIRONI, AND CRIPPA WHO DID THE PAINTING, AND PULITZER AND GIR PONTI WHO SAW TO DECORATION AND FURNISHINGS. THE SCULPTURES, INCLUDING THE WORK DEPICTING THE MYTH OF JASON AND THE GOLDEN FLEECE, DECORATING THE WIDE CEILING OF THE BALLROOM, WERE MADE BY MARCELLO MASCHERINI.
ONCE COMPLETED IN 1948 SHE WAS RE-INTRODUCED INTO SERVICE AS A PASSENGER SHIP OPERATING ALONG THE ROUTES FOR SOUTH AND NORTH AMERICA. WHEN THE CONTE BIANCAMANO WAS LAID UP IN 1960, SHE HAD 364 SCHEDULED VOYAGES, AND 353,836 PASSENGERS TO HER CREDIT. IN 1961 THE SHIP WAS STRIPPED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE COLLECTION STAFF OF THE MILAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. BY 1964, SHE WAS REASSEMBLED IN THE MUSEUM'S AIR & SEA TRANSPORT BUILDING (UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THE TIME). THE BRIDGE REASSEMBLED IN THE MUSEUM IS MADE UP OF THREE FLOORS, AND IS 16 METERS HIGH. IT INCLUDES THE FLYING BRIDGE, A FEW STATEROOMS, AND THE BALLROOM WHICH USED TO BE SQUARE-SHAPED BEFORE BEING CONVERTED INTO THE CURRENT ROUND HALL.
AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR IN 1940, THE CONTE BIANCAMANO TOOK PART IN THE RESCUE OF THE ITALIAN LINER ORAZIO BEFORE SHE WAS LAID UP IN COLON AFTER ITALY ENTERED THE WAR. IN DECEMBER 1941 SHE WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE US GOVERNMENT IN BALBOA, AND CONVERTED INTO A NAVAL TROOPSHIP HOLDING 7,000 TROOPS, AND RENAMED THE U.S.S. HERMITAGE (AP54). THROUGHOUT THE WAR, THE 'HERMITAGE' TRANSPORTED TROOPS TO BOTH PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC THEATERS. THE CONTE BIANCAMANO WAS RETURNED TO ITALY ON AUGUST 1947, AND RESTORED TO HER ORIGINAL NAME. THE CONTE BIANCAMANO WAS COMPLETELY REFURBISHED: INTERIOR DECORATION BY WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS LIKE CAMPIGLI, SIRONI, AND CRIPPA WHO DID THE PAINTING, AND PULITZER AND GIR PONTI WHO SAW TO DECORATION AND FURNISHINGS. THE SCULPTURES, INCLUDING THE WORK DEPICTING THE MYTH OF JASON AND THE GOLDEN FLEECE, DECORATING THE WIDE CEILING OF THE BALLROOM, WERE MADE BY MARCELLO MASCHERINI.
ONCE COMPLETED IN 1948 SHE WAS RE-INTRODUCED INTO SERVICE AS A PASSENGER SHIP OPERATING ALONG THE ROUTES FOR SOUTH AND NORTH AMERICA. WHEN THE CONTE BIANCAMANO WAS LAID UP IN 1960, SHE HAD 364 SCHEDULED VOYAGES, AND 353,836 PASSENGERS TO HER CREDIT. IN 1961 THE SHIP WAS STRIPPED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE COLLECTION STAFF OF THE MILAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. BY 1964, SHE WAS REASSEMBLED IN THE MUSEUM'S AIR & SEA TRANSPORT BUILDING (UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THE TIME). THE BRIDGE REASSEMBLED IN THE MUSEUM IS MADE UP OF THREE FLOORS, AND IS 16 METERS HIGH. IT INCLUDES THE FLYING BRIDGE, A FEW STATEROOMS, AND THE BALLROOM WHICH USED TO BE SQUARE-SHAPED BEFORE BEING CONVERTED INTO THE CURRENT ROUND HALL.