Vintage Cars & Berets

Opel 4-14 PS

Ford Eifel Cabriolet

 

Lancia Dilambda Berlina

Cycling

 

Eva Marzone

Boinera Eva Marzone (aka Eva Ollearo) was nicknamed “the Birusa” (in Piedmontese “fast” and “audacious”) not only because in the ’20s and’ 30s a woman driving a motorcycle is an unusual sight, but because she participated successfully in competitions.

Eva was born in Piverone in 1906 and as an adolescent, left for Paraguay as a nanny. Back in Italy she married Neftàli Ollearo, a motorbike manufacturer since 1921.

She participates in hill climbs and races, achieving good results. When the motorcycle industry suffers during the recession, she works as a civilian at the “Amione” military barracks in Turin, where she continues to deal with means of transport.

Eva Marzone was a woman who knew how to conquer the typically “male” roles, anticipating the times and interpreting at best her commitment in the commercial sector.

Calmos

Calmos is a 1976 French film directed by Bertrand Blier. A comedy that explores the battle of the sexes, often explicitly, it satirises both the rise of feminism in France and traditional attitudes of Frenchmen.

Certainly from a very different period (and not vegetarian friendly…)

159° Régiment d’Infanterie Alpine

The 159th, the famous "Snow Regiment" marked the history of the city of Briançon for over a century.

The "159th Alpine Infantry Regiment" (its official name) was dissolved in 1994 and its memory is recalled each year by the association of former members of the 159th and its historical group who organize the "Edelweiss Festival".

Edelweiss, the rare flower growing in the high mountains, was the badge of this regiment evolving at altitude.

Buffalo Nichols

After years of watching white artists and fans dominate a genre pioneered by Black people, artists like Buffalo Nichols are trying to bring the music they love back to its roots.

Nichols is unapologetically blunt when he discusses the way the music he loves has become disconnected from its cultural roots. Nichols is rattled by what the traditional blues scene has become.

“So much damage has already been done that getting somebody under 35 to even consider listening to the blues is such a struggle,” he says. “From where I’m sitting, there’s a lot of great potential, but the potential is limited by the old guard, all the older white guys who have been doing it. They’ve ruined it for everybody else. And they’re still there and they’re still taking up way too much space, and they’re still making terrible music.”

Citroën B2 (and Kégresse)

The Citroën B2 is the second model produced by Citroën. It is therefore the second European car to have been constructed according to modern mass production technologies. It was produced at André Citroën's factory in central Paris between May 1921 and July 1926.

The car was manufactured, just five minutes from the Eiffel Tower, in the 15th arrondissement of central Paris at the famous factory in the Quai de Javel (subsequently renamed Quai André-Citroën), which by 1925 was producing at the rate of 200 cars per day, applying techniques then known as "Taylorism" which André Citroën had studied personally and in depth during a visit to Dearborn that he had undertaken during the war in order to master the techniques being applied by Henry Ford for the production of the Model T.

Advertised fuel consumption of 8 litres per 100 km converts into a remarkable 26 MPG (using US gallons) or more than 31 MPG (British gallons). The car quickly gained a reputation for robustness and economy.

The Half-track cars that gained much media coverage by crossing the Sahara Desert in 1922 were based on the Citroën B2. André Citroën knew the value of publicity, and this was, unsurprisingly, the first crossing of the Sahara by this method.

In 1924 Poland bought 135 complete chassis of the B2 with Kégresse track (known as Citroën-Kegresse B2 10CV). Some were converted to all-terrain lorries while 90 were converted to Samochód pancerny wz. 28 armoured cars.

The Truffle Hunters

The Truffle Hunters is a 2020 documentary film directed and produced by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw.

Deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, a handful of men, seventy or eighty years young, hunt for the rare and expensive white Alba truffle—which to date has resisted all of modern science's efforts at cultivation. They're guided by a secret culture and training passed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly trained dogs.

They live a simpler, slower way of life, in harmony with their loyal animals and their picture-perfect land, seemingly straight out of a fairy tale. They're untethered to cell phone screens or the Internet, opting instead to make their food and drink by hand and prioritizing in-person connections and community.

The demand for white truffles increases year after year, even as the supply decreases. As a result of climate change, deforestation, and the lack of young people taking up the mantle, the truffle hunters' secrets are more coveted than ever. However, as it soon becomes clear, these ageing men may just hold something much more valuable than even this prized delicacy: the secret to a rich and meaningful life.

Thanks Emile

Sam Hoevens

Sander Wilhelmus (Sam) Hoevens (1905 - 1934 ) was a Dutch cyclist .

Like his contemporary Klaas van Nek Jr., Hoevens specialized in pursuits and pair races; he supplemented that with the sprint.

In September 1934, while traveling by car from a competition in Leeuwarden to a competition in South Holland, together with fellow racers Klaas van Nek Jr., Flip Reijnders (24) and their masseur Ridel, the car had to cross the tracks of the Alkmaar - Schagen Tram Line. Van Nek, as driver, did not hear or see the tram coming. After the collision, the tram dragged the car for approximately 70 meters. Police officers who patrolled the scene immediately noted that three of the four people involved had died, the car a complete wreck.

Every Scrap of Paper Helps Victory

Peggy Chester - Cover of Woman's Illustrated Magazine, incorporating Eve's Own - photography by Nancy Sandys Walker 1944.

Layton Williams

Layton Williams (1994) is an English actor, singer, dancer and musical theatre performer known for playing the role of Stephen Carmichael in the television series Bad Education and his work in the West End theatre.

His first job was at the age of twelve playing the title role in Billy Elliot the Musical in London's West End.

During his childhood, he also played Young Michael Jackson in Thriller – Live musical, Kylie in the BBC series Beautiful People and featured in the CBBC documentary series School for Stars, which documented life at the acting school Italia Conti.

From 2016, he began playing Angel in the 20th anniversary tour of Rent around the UK. Williams is a strong supporter of the charities Stonewall and Ditch the Label. He is the director of 'Pros From The Shows', which holds dance, singing and acting workshops across the UK.

The Olsen Twins

Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (1986), also known as the Olsen twins, are American fashion designers and former actresses. Mary-Kate and Ashley made their acting debut as infants playing Michelle Tanner on the television sitcom Full House (1987–1995).

As they grew older, they began starring in other television shows, films, and media through their own production company, Dualstar. The twins became preteen icons, and some of the wealthiest women in the entertainment industry at a young age.

The Olsens stepped away from acting in the mid-2000s and entered the fashion design industry. They founded their own luxury fashion label in 2006, The Row, based in New York City. They have won several awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

Abdulah Sidran - In Memoriam

Only today, I learned about the passing of Abdullah Sidran, earlier this year. 

Abdulah Sidran (2 October 1944 – 23 March 2024), often referred to by his hypocoristic nickname Avdo, was a Bosnian poet and screenwriter.

He is considered to be one of the most influential writers in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and the former Yugoslavia.

Sidran is best known for writing the 1993 poetry book Sarajevski tabut, as well as the scripts for Emir Kusturica's films Do You Remember Dolly Bell? (1981) and the Academy Award nominated When Father Was Away on Business (1985).

He was a member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Sidran died at the age of 79 following a period of poor health. Shortly after, many prominent Bosnian politicians and public figures reacted to his death and offered their condolences.

He was buried in the courtyard of the Ferhadija Mosque in Sarajevo on 27 March.

Good News From Europe #3

As if the previous 2 posts aren't convincing of the beret's revival, it is heartening to see the presence of berets in soft toys, contemporary art, signage and t-shirts.