Timclymer....

It isn't crazy at all.  Collect what YOU want, and find, appealing.  Treasures are recognized because someone took the time to notice.  How many great figs are in someone's yard waiting to be discovered?

What you are about to read, will probably not help, because it's anecdotal, but here it is anyway.

Back in 2007, a man gifted me three rooted twigs that he called "Red Italian" figs.  He was a fig grower, but not, the fig collector type.  He told me that the tree "came from Italy"  I knew absolutely zero about figs at that time, but I loved the idea of growing my own fig trees.  And so the saga began.  The three rooted twigs were growing in a container, which I placed in my small garden, and I basically forgot about them after a few weeks.

The three twigs grew into 6 ft. tall trees.  After the roots escaped the original small container, the growth was explosive.  The young trees produced a large breba crop...which I always nipped off, and produced hundreds of quarter-size dark, mahagony-red figs, that are very nice, sweet, and jammy...but will split in rainy weather when ripening.  It is very vigorous, disease-free, and very hardy in my Zone 7b area.  I never protected, nor stored, these trees.  They grow stronger every year.

I have no idea if the "Red Italian" from Almost Eden is the same variety...but the leaves do look similar.  Actually my trees almost look exactly like "Hardy Chicago", or the "Red Sicilian" photos posted on this form no too long ago....so, who knows?  When my trees start producing figs, I will try to get pictures posted so we all can play the guessing game...maybe my trees will resemble a recognized, known, and grown, variety.

Sorry, I couldn't help you.

Frank

No, no it's not...

Virtually all of the big names in black figs, excepting figs like Maltese Falcon, are well known and commonly cultivated where they first acheived their popularity.  I think it's very likely that RdB, for example, will become a meh cultivar, once there are enough little figlets for everyone.

On the other hand, there will be new dynamics, as there are more people in various areas of the countries, and we develop a better idea of which fig for where.  I think that will be a bigger thing than rare cultivars, it seems really hard to find materially better figs than the ones already well known.  Odd flavors like Zidi, or ornamental figs like Ice or varigated fruit figs will be a more prominent thing, for curiosity...

Dalton Durio has started cuttings from my "Red Italian" wood that I sent him earlier this year.  Also, cuttings for "Golden Atreano"/Belleclare...via Zaino's Garden Center.

Frank

I am not familiar with the 'Red Italian' from Almost Eden.

All I can say is that the RI I had was a Brunswick variant and
I dumped it. All Brunwick fruit, while ripening, do sour heavily
with just a hint of any extra moisture in the air...

I concur Gorgi findings!.
Yet some people think that REd Italian is interchangeble with REd Sicilian,and that they are the same cultivar,but they are distinct cultivars,with Red Sicilian as a better cultivar,in most areas.

There are a couple of Angelo's dark floating around.  Both are available from here. 

If you got it from Bass, you would need him to confirm, but it may be from Angelo, the grower he knows in Bethlehem, PA.

There is another Angelo's dark from the brother of F4F member "Vito" which originated from a small town near Palermo,  Sicily.  His brother (Angelo) got it several years ago and it's hardy enough that it overwinters outdoors in Staten Island, NY.  Fruit is reported to be medium to large, very sweet and dark figs. A family member's ex originally gave it to his brother.  Pics here:  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1268903636&postcount=31

Thanks for the input.  I'll be interested to see what I have and hopefully I can eventually get them all to fruit.  I believe Bass mentioned that his Angelo Dark came from a grower in upstate NY.

Bass, can you provide a bit more information about this fig?

The Red Italian didn't appear to have Brunswick style leaves but I'll have to double check and reconfirm toward the end of the season.  

Haven't seen any mention of Zeke's Black anywhere, so who knows what it is.

As Jason mentioned the Angelo dark came from Vito's brother, which came from Sicily. It's a really tasty fig as he mentioned, I didn't get figs on mine yet. 
Zeke's Black came from JassBass Ricci, I remember him mentioning that it is a Turkish fig. I had the tree and it died. 

The "Red Italian"   ( Post #2 and #4 )...is not a Brunswick varient.  Leaves look like "Hardy Chicago"  and/or "Red Sicilian" grown by Marius.

Original tree from which my cuttings were taken, still grows in Mount Vernon, NY.

Frank

My "Red Italian" is really an unidentified variety, at this point.

Thanks all, I appreciate the info.  I'll keep both in pots and may try my hand at grafting this year to produce backups or get a head start on next year.

John from Almost Eden is a friend of mine.  He has some interesting figs from time to time.  I've purchase several of his "new" figs this year and can't wait to see how they turn out.  I am very excited!  I think everyone here is very passionate about figs and the story behind them.  I know I am!  When you grow up only tasting a BT fig you're shocked to hear that they're other different kinds of figs out there and you want to know more! Figs are a mystery.  There is so much we can learn from each other about figs.  I have Bisirri, Red Italian, Delcon and Yellow Magnolia from AE.  I will post pictures this Fall as my trees grow.  I wanted an Angelo Dark and Zeke's Black but they were gone before I got a chance to order one.  If anyone has one of these and want to get rid of it, send me a PM. 

Also to add to more fig mystery and confusion, there are alot of other figs floating around.  Dalton also has or had these varieties too:

Green Paradise
Green Italian (a very early ripening fig!)
Tony's Brown Italian

I picked up a few of these when I visited him in March.  I have no idea what they truly are.  Dalton did say that Green Paradise is the same fig as Battaglia Green.  How bout those figs!!!!!!!