Topic: Solved: Wendax 3383 - Fiat 1100 Giardinetta (or Giardiniera) by Monterosa

[Wendax]

Spacious.

For one point, please respond and identify this car.

[Alfa_Japan]

Fiat 1500 Giardinera carrozzeria Viotti?

[Wendax]

It is a Fiat, but not a 1500 and not by Viotti.

[Alfa_Japan]

Fiat 1100 Giardinera. The Viotti version looks similar but indeed differes sin some details with the main one imo being the tailligfht light section. Therefore I would say Fiat 1100 Giardinera carrozzeria Monterosa?

[Wendax]

I have it as a Giardinetta instead of a Giardinera, but otherwise correct. One more point for you.

[Alfa_Japan]

Thanks for the point. Did Fiat use the name Giardinetta? I though Fiat only used Giardinera and Alfa used Giardinetta?

[Wendax]

Perhaps our Italian specialists can enlighten us.

[Carnut]

Viotti registered "Giardinetta" as their own trade-mark so only they were entitled to use it.
Hence Fiat and others had to invent their own word, which was "Giardinera"!

Here's the document registering the trade-mark to Viotti:

[Hiawatha]

Please note correct spelling is Giardiniera.
In Italy Giardinetta is much more common than Giardiniera.I had a Topolino Giardiniera, but for me it was
always La Giardinetta.

[Carnut]

Yes, in fact Viotto were so successful with their "Giardinetta" invention that it became generic, like "Hoover" for a vacuum cleaner.
So although such a woodie was referred to by all and sundry as a Giardinetta no manufacturer other than Viotti could actually officially name their product a Giardinetta!

[Alfa_Japan]

Thank you very much for the interesting information on the naming!

[Alfa_Japan]

The trademark paper looks "photoshopped" with the naming being crooked and with a different background colour, however that could very well be due to period limitations on establishing a uniform document or perhaps a picture was added to the form. Anyhow very interesting information.

[Carnut]

It's not a photoshop. It comes from Viotti's own archives and in the picture I have it looks like the word "GIARDINETTA" has been cut out and stuck on with glue.
Technology was a little less advanced back in 1946...!

[Carnut]

The title should be changed to Fiat 1100 Giardinera!
I don't think Monterosa called it a Giardinetta...

[Alfa_Japan]

Thanks for the interesting elaborations on this thread. Highly informative.

[thorax]

Monterosa Giardinetta....

[Carnut]

I saw in The Encyclopaedia of Italian Coachbuilders that the Monterosa cars were called 'Giardinetta'.
Did they then pay a royalty to Viotti?
Or did they just fly a kite?!