Collezione Antonio Belletti e Case Tolleranza, Norme e Comportamenti Specifici
Lot composed of: Teca con Grida, Pannello Bertiera della casa via Bertiera 5A Bologna in wood and marble, an Orinatorio cardboard panel, a venereal danger panel, a low framed landscape, a flit, a lamp dancers, Since the fourteenth century the houses of tolerance were controlled by the State, which required a license, but in later centuries, due to the tightening of laws and the vision strongly impregnated with religion, began to close. Prostitution remained a sector controlled by the State and the Church, through the display of notices and cries, such as these of the 1600's, which indicate the behaviour to behave in certain areas of the city or in certain periods, such as during the patronal feasts, when the "trade" could not be exercised. In the mid-1800s, due to the spread of venereal diseases, the houses reopened until 1958, the date of definitive closure with the Merlin Law. There were many rules that regulated their development and covered many areas, such as the one adopted during the war, when it was forbidden to light the red street lamps indicating the houses, because of air raids. But as the saying says "Once the law was made, the deception was found" some houses were equipped accordingly, like the Bertiera house in Bologna (also called "la Nonna", given the advanced age of the maîtresse) where the plate of the bell was pierced and, behind it, a small red light was lit. An important rule was that of the fortnight, regulated with the passing bass, documents for the movement of the "girls": every 15 days there was the obligation to move, managed by the police headquarters, which kept for itself a copy of the bass, one copy remained at the house of departure and one at the house of arrival. The owners, who often had other houses, took advantage of the continuous renewal of the staff, so as not to bore the clients and to avoid the creation of sentimental ties, so much so that in many cities the new "girls" arrived on uncovered means of transport, to attract attention and have the clients transported to the houses as a welcoming committee. This was an opportunity to light special lamps, like this one with the dancers that was lit when all the girls were busy and the mechanical dancers started to twirl.