In early 1939, just a few months before the outbreak of World War II, Malta participated in the 13th International Tripoli Fair with its own national pavilion.

On inauguration day in February of that year, General Attilio Teruzzi, the Undersecretary of State of Italian Africa, ended his long-winded speech (reproduced in the official brochure) thus: “...in the name of the victorious King Emperor and the will of il Duce, founder of the empire, I declare open the 13th commercial Fair of Tripoli.”

After the speech, a delegation of officials visited the national pavilions, including Malta’s. The entourage included the Italian Governor General of Libya, the officials of the Italian Fascist Party and military officers from Nazi Germany. In a striking photo, the entourage can be seen approaching the Malta pavilion (above).

I have looked at several photos in the 1939 fair brochure and I could not see a single Libyan official in the entourage on opening day. The Italian Fascists were indeed the colonial overlords of Libya.

Among the exhibitors at the Malta pavilion was a stand displaying Art Deco furniture as well as mirrors (tinted blue or pink), shaped like butterflies and crescent moons, manufactured by my father’s mirror and glass firm.

The wooden furniture had a surface of thick, glossy, cream-coloured glass, bordered with black glass. The contrast between the cream and black glass was very appealing.

The furniture included a large, diamond-shaped mirror resting on a fan-shaped frame on the dressing table. This elegant piece of furniture could have graced the boudoir of Greta Garbo or Marlene Dietrich in a 1930s Hollywood movie.