I1AY 1946 Italy

I1AY was Pippo Fontana, who was one of the founders of A.R.I. in 1927, and was also a designer and manufacturer around that time with the Italian Geloso radio company.
The crossed out call I1TKM is on Hamgallery as a pirate call from 1934. There are also 2 cards on Hamgallery from Pippo 1AY from 1925 & 1926. If Pippo was I1TKM in 1934, why the pirate call? (The letters TKM relate to the name Tutankamen).
I have noticed that while I have many pre-WWII cards from all over Europe, I have very few Italian cards from the 1930's (although quite a few from the 1920's).
Was there a restriction on radio operating in Italy in the 1930's?

QSL & Info G4UZN Collection