Rinaldo de Sterlich - Il Re Vittorio Emanuele nella sua vita intima - 1878

(Biography; bindings:illustrated: first editions) FAUSTO (RINALDO DE STERLICH) (1840 c.-?)
Il Re Vittorio Emanuele nella sua vita intima. Bozzetti di Fausto Roma, Tipografia Elzeviriana nel Ministero delle Finanze, 1878
Small 8°( 140 x 90), 180 pp, , magnificent purple velvet contemporary binding, crown niicely giltstamped on bot covers, nice and well preserved copy.
First and only edition. Written as a commemorative work, on the occasion of the death of Vittorio Emanuele II in 1878, the author demonstrates a profound knowledge of the affairs of the Royal House. Almost nothing is known about the author, Rinaldo de Sterlich, who calls himself “Fausto”; the few available information available can be found in De Cesare and describe him as in 1859, then a young of sixteen and an aspiring student at the ministry of finance, Rinaldo was accompaning the old Jesuit, father Cutinelli, writing letters for him, lovingly assisting him and was with him during a visit to the king of Naples. “The “guaglione” [young man], as the King had called him, later had an adventurous life. He made balloon ascents, toured Europe for Congresses, was a firefighter in Rome and a close friend of Vittorio Emanuele, he went to Egypt in the Ismail police; and back from there, poor like Job, he works, keeping all his spirit. He is Rinaldo de Sterlich, son of Alessandro, who in 1848 was the official in charge of the ministry of agriculture, was dismissed for political reasons, and was afterward deputy to Parliament and general treasurer in Naples of the vacant benefits.” (De Cesare, p. 210-211, translated). Few more information can be find in the website of the Fondazione Franco Fossati (translated): “He writes a poem (nine sestines) in good Neapolitan dialect “A S.M. Vittorio Emanuele II Re d'Italia. Augurio de lo suddeto fedele R.C. de Sterlich pe lo juorno de Capodanno 1863” (To His Majesty. Vittorio Emanuele II King of Italy. Wishes from the aforementioned faithful R.C. de Sterlich for the New Year 1863), Naples, Luigi Gargiulo Typography, Strada Speranzella 95. He will also ask Alessandro Manzoni permission to dedicate his book of poems to him, but Manzoni politely declines.” Some works can be found in public libraries under the names Rinaldo de Sterlich and Rinaldo Cesare de Sterlich.
 Raffaele De Cesare La fine di un regno (Napoli e Sicilia) Parte I Regno di Ferdinando II Città di Castello, Lapi, 1900; Fondazione Franco Fossati, http://www.lfb.it/fff/umor/aut/f/fausto.htm