A slight disagreement has broken out between members of one of Rome's leading families the Torlonias. over a collection of certain pieces of antique and historical sculpture. In actual fact, this relates to the largest privately owned collection of ancient antiquities, including over 600 pieces of sculpture, in the world, said to have an estimated value in the region of £1.6 Bllion.
The collection of artifacts from the ancient world is kept in various palaces, including the Villa Albani (above) which lies within the city of Rome. The collection was seized and impounded by court order and will be the subject of an inventory. This action came about after the challenge of one Carlo Torlonia, a Prince, who is said to believe his other family members were trying to break up the collection and sell them off. In recent years various attempts by the government to buy the collection have come to nothing.
The family came from France in the 18th century, they then worked in various money markets including money lending and banking, then eventually earned a title through the Vatican, after looking after their finances, The family then built up their collections from various sources, including, buying up private collections and even excavating certain items, from their own extensive land holdings.
During the period of the 1920s Villa Torlionias was leased to a certain Benito Mussolini, whom. among other things, added an air raid shelter to the extensive cellars.
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