Signed Postcard Gino Bartali – Technical Director G.S. Eliolona – Cycling 1960s – COA Included

The autographed postcard of Gino Bartali as Technical Director of G.S. Eliolona: an extremely rare autograph of an absolute legend of Italian sport

An exceptionally rare and historically valuable official black and white promotional postcard: the image portrays Gino Bartali — nicknamed Ginettaccio, an absolute legend of world cycling — not as a rider but in his role as Technical Director of Gruppo Sportivo Eliolona, the Lombard cycling team whose jersey he proudly wore. Alongside a radio operator with helmet and headphones in a race direction scene, Bartali observes with the concentration and authority of someone who experienced cycling as an absolute protagonist. The "Eliolona — Sole e Casa" logo stands out in color at the top right, while the printed caption at the bottom officially reads: "GINO BARTALI — Technical Director of G.S. ELIOLONA". Its dimensions of 16.5x11.7 cm make it a compact piece but of extraordinary historical density. Gino Bartali's original autograph is affixed with fuchsia ink in the center of the image, large and perfectly legible. Excellent condition for a document of this rarity.

The legend: Gino Bartali

Gino Bartali (Ponte a Ema, July 18, 1914 – Florence, May 5, 2000), nicknamed Ginettaccio, was one of the greatest cyclists in history. Professional from 1934 to 1954, he won three Giri d'Italia (1936, 1937, 1946) and two Tours de France (1938 and 1948), as well as four Milan-Sanremo and three Giri di Lombardia. His victory at the 1948 Tour — achieved ten years after his first, a still unbroken record — is considered one of the most extraordinary sporting acts of all time. His career was heavily affected by World War II, which occurred during his best years. In 2013, he was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for his clandestine activities in favor of persecuted Jews during the Nazi-fascist occupation. An autograph of Gino Bartali, who passed away in 2000, is now a collectible of rare availability and invaluable worth for any sports history collector.

COA Certificate of Authenticity

This autograph comes with the MTM Letter of Authenticity (LOA) included free of charge and the COA Certificate of Authenticity issued exclusively by the most authoritative independent third-party certification bodies in the world of collecting (PSA, JSA, Beckett, Epperson, Autograph COA or Associazione Autografia) — both included in the price.

What is an original autographed photograph?

An original autographed photograph is a unique historical document where the protagonist's signature was affixed directly to the print in certified presence, without intermediaries. In the case of great deceased champions — such as Gino Bartali, who passed away in 2000 — every authentic autograph becomes by definition unrepeatable: no new ones will ever exist, and existing ones are destined to decrease over time, with a constantly growing collectible and market value. The MTM Letter of Authenticity (LOA) included free of charge and the COA included in the price guarantee the authenticity of the autograph with the highest internationally recognized protection.

Authenticity and MTM guarantee

MTM Memorabilia is the Italian benchmark for demanding collectors of authentic sports memorabilia. Each piece is selected with rigorous quality and provenance criteria by our experts. The originality of the medium is guaranteed directly by MTM, while the provenance and authenticity of the autograph are declared by the MTM Letter of Authenticity (LOA) included free of charge. Every shipment is made with rigid, shockproof, and humidity-proof packaging to ensure maximum protection during transport. Express courier with delivery within 24/72 hours of payment confirmation, both for Italy and abroad.