Well, yes, the Conte di Savoia was scuttled and came to rest in relatively shallow water on an even keel. Her hull was in good condition and there was talk of restoring her as an austerity one class liner for the South American trade. But Italia, wisely, learned a lesson from the mediocre business done by the superliners and the excellent business done by the high quality midsize liners, and decided to go for a modern fleet of purpose built small mid-size ships like Antoniotto Usodemare, Augustus, Andrea Doria and Cristoforo Colombo. So the restorable Conte di Savoia was, in the end, scrapped. If you look closely at shipyard photos of the 'new generation' Italia ships being launched, you can often see the Conte di Savoia in the background on the right side of the frame in bow-angled shots.
Conte Di Savoia and Rex
- Thread starter David Whan
- Start date
Thanks Jim, I shall be checking my books later! Its a shame that she wasnt rebuilt - even the Greeks gave her a once over and they were experts in liner conversions. Alas, all I will have are pictures
I recall seeing a photo of her with a shell hole through her bow. Rex was simply burned by British incendiary rockets while the Nazis tried to move her into a channel as a block ship. She was going to be destroyed by one or the other. Very sad, the total destruction of art by war.
Hi everyone
am new to this but am hoping that I might be able to find out some information. I'm currently tracing my family tree and today discovered that my husband's great grandfather travelled from Naples to New York in August 1937 on the Conte di Savoia, from what I've seen so far it's quite a posh way to have travelled? just thought i'd see if anyone had any info?
Thanks
Gem
am new to this but am hoping that I might be able to find out some information. I'm currently tracing my family tree and today discovered that my husband's great grandfather travelled from Naples to New York in August 1937 on the Conte di Savoia, from what I've seen so far it's quite a posh way to have travelled? just thought i'd see if anyone had any info?
Thanks
Gem
Dear Gemma,
There are many excellent and informative photographs of the interiors of the Conte di Savoia in a book of the interior design projects of Gustavo Pulitzer Finali which he wrote and compiled: "Navi e Case: Architetture Interne, 1930 - 1935," (Trans: Ships and Houses: Interior Design)with an introduction by Antonio Maraini. It was published by Hoepli, Milan in 1935. From time to time, individual images are offered on ebay.
There are many excellent and informative photographs of the interiors of the Conte di Savoia in a book of the interior design projects of Gustavo Pulitzer Finali which he wrote and compiled: "Navi e Case: Architetture Interne, 1930 - 1935," (Trans: Ships and Houses: Interior Design)with an introduction by Antonio Maraini. It was published by Hoepli, Milan in 1935. From time to time, individual images are offered on ebay.
Am I in error, or do I detect similar external styling in the "Rex" as in the later "Andrea Doria", "Cristoforo Columbo", and "Leonardo DaVinci"?
Hi, Richard; There are certain design elements that somewhat correspond between the two generations of ships. The design of the Italia postwar ships is of prewar origin~ I cannot post the photo because of copyright reasons, but in the catalogue of the Italia art show held in Genoa a few years back there is a photo of a cabin mock up from the late 1930s and one of the artistic touches in the room is (what appears to be) a metal inlay of a ship that looks exactly like one of the post 1950 Italia liners. BTW- was that you on the EAL 401 board?
