Physical description: Advertisement for the Italian American Bank from Giovianni Perilli's 1922 book the Italians in Colorado. The ad shows (in photos) officers of the bank: C. Frazzini Vice President, P. Frazzini President, F. Frazzini Cashier, S. Nigro Asst. Cashier, Frank J. Buchen Auditor. Location of the bank notes as 2134-15th St. Denver. Capital noted as $100,000 and Surplus as 14,000
This photograph is a digital scan of an original photograph lent for copying during the Italians of Colorado project. The original photograph is not owned by History Colorado. The digital scan was donated with permissions (see permissions in Registrar's file) and accessioned into the History Colorado collection.
Project description:
In 2002, the Colorado Historical Society (now known as History Colorado) founded the Colorado Italian American Preservation Association (CIAPA). A volunteer organization, CIAPA’s mission is to work collaboratively with the Society and other organizations to develop, support and coordinate projects that preserve, promote and celebrate Italian American culture and heritage. Since 2002, CIAPA has carried out its mission by meeting with people from the Colorado Italian American community, recording their stories and creating an archive of research materials that includes oral histories, photographs, moving images, sound recordings and artifacts. To date, CIAPA has helped the Society acquire over 200 oral histories, 600 artifacts and nearly 6,000 photographs. Since 2002, CIAPA has developed over 4,000 research files, all of which document the history, culture and traditions of Italian American families in Colorado.
Notes:
See MSS.02595 Italian American Bank files for additional information and images.
From the book Italy in Colorado by Alisa DiGiacomo:
The Frazzini Brothers
Prospero Pio Frazzini was born in southern Italy to Nicolangelo and Francesca (Carlino) Frazzini. He arrived in New York in 1883, and by 1890, had sent for brothers Cesare, Felicito “Felix,” and Antonio to join him. By 1902, the brothers had settled in Colorado where they owned and operated a number of saloons in Denver, as well as a grocery store.
In 1909, the Frazzini Brothers opened the Italian American Bank; Prospero was the bank president and cashier, Cesare and Felicito were vice presidents, and Antonio was an assistant cashier until his death of appendicitis in 1912. The brothers—with several other Frazzini family members—expanded their ventures to include a merchandising business, importing company, printing office, appliance store, saddle-making store, bakery, and coal mines at Frederick and Firestone, Colorado.
The brothers received many honors for their success, including one of Italy’s highest honors, the Cavaliere Officiale to the Italian Crown for Prospero and Cesare. Prospero and Cesare were also knighted by King Emmanuel for their service to the Italian Red Cross. Prospero also served as president of the Saint Anthony of Padua Society and won election to the Colorado Legislature.
In 1925, the Frazzini brothers’ success story ended when Denver newspapers reported that the Italian American Bank had closed its doors due to insufficient cash as a result of Prospero’s loans and investments totaling $237,000 (including the $87,000 he invested in the International Fuel Corporation, which subsequently went bankrupt) and that Prospero, the bank’s president, had disappeared. When he finally surrendered, he pled guilty to charges of embezzlement and grand larceny and was sentenced to five to seven years in prison. Many people lost their savings.
With the closing of the bank, Cesare Frazzini operated a candy store for four years prior to his death in 1929. Prospero died in prison in 1926. Felicito went into the tailoring business and died in Denver in 1937. All were buried in a family plot at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Related materials: PCCLI0206, 0405, 0417, 2008.71.1, PCCLI2560, 4088, 5696, 6048 and 6049