Name Box from Italian Cruiser Luigi Cadorna

An Italian Condottieri-class light cruiser, which was launched on 30 September 1931 with a crew numbering 507. The ship was named after Italian Field Marshal Luigi Cadorna who was commander in Chief of the Italian Army during World War I. She served with the Regia Marina during Spanish Civil War and in April 1939 she participated in the occupation of Albania. When World War II broke out she was a part of the 4th Cruiser division and saw action in various theatres. On 9th September 1943 she sailed to Malta to surrender to the allies. For the remainder of the war she was used as a transport ship by the Allies and for the repatriation of Italian troops. In 1947 she was one of the few ships to remain in the Italian Navy where she was used as a training ship. After a long and varied career she was finally scrapped in 1951. We have no idea if our box was used on board or the brass plaque was recovered from the cruiser when she was scrapped and made up as a piece of trench art by a crew member. The ships name Cadorna is very finely cut into the brass in a deco style. The box is nicely made in oak and has an opening rear door and measures 12" X 5.5" x 4.5" (31 cm x13.5 cm x11 cm). A most unusual, decorative and scarce souvenir from a capital ship of the Regina Marina.