Alterocca is one of the eldest Italian postcard publishers. The publishing house introduced the scenic postcard in Italy. Alterocca also published many film star postcards during the 1910s and later it had success with pin-up postcards. This is the last post in a series on postcard publishers
![Lina Cavalieri]()
Lina Cavalieri. Italian postcard, no. 1750. Photo: Alterocca, Terni.
![Gaby Deslys]()
Gaby Deslys. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 6144.
![Ermete Novelli]()
Ermete Novelli. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 513.
![Ermete Zacconi]()
Ermete Zacconi. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 2379. Photo: G. Rossi. Card dated February 1904.
Virgilio Alterocca (1853-1910) founded the first company for illustrated and photographic cards in Italy in 1897. He had already founded a typographic company in 1877 working for newspapers and producing posters.
Around 1896, thanks to modernising techniques in phototypography from Germany and Switzerland, he was able to make photographic cards a booming business.
Virgilio had many different activities. He worked as a teacher, publisher, politician in the ranks of the local Socialist Party, and was a benefactor.
In fact, his name is connected with the birth of the Professional School of Terni established in 1909, with the assistance of the city and of the most important industries in Terni.
From 1886 to 1892 he was also owner of the Arena Gazzoli, now known to Terni as the cinema Politeama. Thanks to his foresight there is the facility of telephone service in Umbria, which he started in 1887.
![Dagli Appennini alle Ande cover]()
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni. This is the cover of a complete series of 8 postcards regarding the 1916 Gloria film production Dagli Appennini alle Ande, based on the homonymous story by Edmondo De Amicis from the volume Cuore (Heart), directed by Umberto Paradisi, and starring Ermanno Roveri as little Marco.
![Dagli Appennini alle Ande 1]()
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni, for the film Dagli Appennini alle Ande (Umberto Paradisi, 1916), starring Ermanno Roveri. Caption: He filled a sack with clothes for him, and gave him the address of the cousin.
![Dagli Appennini alle Ande 3]()
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni, for the film Dagli Appennini alle Ande (Umberto Paradisi, 1916), starring Ermanno Roveri. Caption: “Well, then,” said the laborer, “keep straight on through there, reading the names of all the streets on the corners; you will end by finding the one you want.”
![Dagli Appennini alle Ande 8]()
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni, for the film Dagli Appennini alle Ande (Umberto Paradisi, 1916), starring Ermanno Roveri. Caption: She stretched out to him her fleshless arms, and she burst into a violent laugh.
The passion for typography Virgilio Alterocca had inherited from his father Ferdinand, owner of a small stationery. He was at the helm of the newspaper L'Annunziatore Umbro Sabino in the period 1883-1888 .
Alterocca's first postcard was dedicated to Cascata delle Marmore. In the following decade he won many international awards fo his work.
His aesthetic is also expressed in the building of the firm, when he commissioned the young architect Cesare Bazzani to build the new factory on the main city street in Liberty style.
In politics, he held the role of Councillor for Education in the town of Terni, in the period between 1902 and 1903. In 1908 he was awarded the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro.
His life came to an end in 1910 in the village of Arrochar, near his hometown, Terni, struck down by a stomach cancer. He was survived by his wife Ezzelina Alterocca, and his children Silvia and Fernando.
![The Girl in a Swing]()
Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. A 4060.
![Kiss Me Again]()
Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 32994.
![Mario Girotti (Terence Hill)]()
Terence Hill. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni.
![Bud Spencer]()
Bud Spencer. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni.
This was the tenth and final post in a series on film star postcard publishers. For earlier posts, see the links at right under the caption 'The Publishers'.
Sources: Wikipedia (Italian).
Lina Cavalieri. Italian postcard, no. 1750. Photo: Alterocca, Terni.
Gaby Deslys. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 6144.
Ermete Novelli. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 513.
Ermete Zacconi. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 2379. Photo: G. Rossi. Card dated February 1904.
Booming Business
Virgilio Alterocca (1853-1910) founded the first company for illustrated and photographic cards in Italy in 1897. He had already founded a typographic company in 1877 working for newspapers and producing posters.
Around 1896, thanks to modernising techniques in phototypography from Germany and Switzerland, he was able to make photographic cards a booming business.
Virgilio had many different activities. He worked as a teacher, publisher, politician in the ranks of the local Socialist Party, and was a benefactor.
In fact, his name is connected with the birth of the Professional School of Terni established in 1909, with the assistance of the city and of the most important industries in Terni.
From 1886 to 1892 he was also owner of the Arena Gazzoli, now known to Terni as the cinema Politeama. Thanks to his foresight there is the facility of telephone service in Umbria, which he started in 1887.
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni. This is the cover of a complete series of 8 postcards regarding the 1916 Gloria film production Dagli Appennini alle Ande, based on the homonymous story by Edmondo De Amicis from the volume Cuore (Heart), directed by Umberto Paradisi, and starring Ermanno Roveri as little Marco.
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni, for the film Dagli Appennini alle Ande (Umberto Paradisi, 1916), starring Ermanno Roveri. Caption: He filled a sack with clothes for him, and gave him the address of the cousin.
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni, for the film Dagli Appennini alle Ande (Umberto Paradisi, 1916), starring Ermanno Roveri. Caption: “Well, then,” said the laborer, “keep straight on through there, reading the names of all the streets on the corners; you will end by finding the one you want.”
Italian postcard by Stabilimenti Alterocca, Terni, for the film Dagli Appennini alle Ande (Umberto Paradisi, 1916), starring Ermanno Roveri. Caption: She stretched out to him her fleshless arms, and she burst into a violent laugh.
Passion for typography
The passion for typography Virgilio Alterocca had inherited from his father Ferdinand, owner of a small stationery. He was at the helm of the newspaper L'Annunziatore Umbro Sabino in the period 1883-1888 .
Alterocca's first postcard was dedicated to Cascata delle Marmore. In the following decade he won many international awards fo his work.
His aesthetic is also expressed in the building of the firm, when he commissioned the young architect Cesare Bazzani to build the new factory on the main city street in Liberty style.
In politics, he held the role of Councillor for Education in the town of Terni, in the period between 1902 and 1903. In 1908 he was awarded the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro.
His life came to an end in 1910 in the village of Arrochar, near his hometown, Terni, struck down by a stomach cancer. He was survived by his wife Ezzelina Alterocca, and his children Silvia and Fernando.
Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. A 4060.
Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni, no. 32994.
Terence Hill. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni.
Bud Spencer. Italian postcard by Alterocca, Terni.
This was the tenth and final post in a series on film star postcard publishers. For earlier posts, see the links at right under the caption 'The Publishers'.
Sources: Wikipedia (Italian).