Visconti serpent, Milanese cross

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

In AD7-1103 David Ross, questioning Fiat's "protection" of the Alfa logo, 
(which was exercised against the US AROC as well as the Australian clubs) 
writes "surely Alfa can't protect the cross and serpent logo (except maybe in 
some very specific version) since it has been on the Visconti coat of arms 
for centuries"  

According to Fusi (and others) Romano Cattaneo thought of using the 
visconteous adder on the badge, and he and Merosi together made a sketch 
adding the cross of Milano, the Savoy knots, and the legend ALFA MILANO. The 
adder, swallowing the Saracen, was indeed on the arms of the Visconti, and 
should be in the public domain, but its use directly in conjunction with the 
Milanese cross was a new combination in 1910, probably entitled to copyright 
protection, however unwise as PR.

John H.

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End of alfa-digest V7 #1104
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