The rare images seen here give a precious insight into the court dress of the Court, namely the hereditary Maresciallo (Marshal) of the Holy Roman Church, also known as the "Guardian of the Conclave" (Custode del Conclave), a lay role that had prominent ceremonial importance upon the death of popes.
His role included the important duty of turning the key to the Sistine Chapel and sealing the door shut, effectively locking in the cardinal electors until a new pope was elected.
This position was last held by Prince Sigismondo Chigi della Rovere Albani (1894-1982), seen below, with his ancestor Pope Alexander VII Chigi. His wife was American and he was Marshal of the Conclave in 1958 and 1963. His ancestors succeeded in this role after the extinction of the Savelli family in 1712.
Also in the below images can be seen his flag, with the coat-of-arms of the Chigi Albani della Rovere family, combining the familiar emblem of the oak tree with that of the mountains of Siena with the familiar star. His costume and matching hat are unique in the Court dress of the Vatican. He last wore this in 1963 before his office was sadly abolished in 1968 with the motu proprio Pontificalis Domus. He still helped in the 1978 conclaves.
In the final image are chairs that the cardinal electors sat in during twentieth century conclaves in the Sistine Chapel. There were 70 of them, matching, with the arms of the cardinal that was to sit in them hand painted on the chair, indicating who was to sit in which chair. The cardinal electors sat rather uncomfortably in these small chairs, an intentional gesture to speed up the voting process. These three have been preserved because the men sitting in them were elected pope: Pius XI, Pius XII, and John XXIII.
These items are today on display at the papal summer villa of Castel Gandolfo.
