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MMD > Archives > January 2012 > 2012.01.01 > 02Prev  Next


"Mod. Brev." Stands For "Modello Brevettato"
By Matthew Caulfield

Patent terminology confusion & a mosque question

In the 111207 MMD I wrote about the rampant confusion found on the
Internet about the term "breveté."  That same confusion cropped up
again in connection with the words MOD. BREV. found on the base of
a musical mosque (cigarette holder) that is stamped "Made in Italy"
but is otherwise unidentified.

From my experience with "breveté"  I suspected that the phrase MOD.
BREV. represented some Italian words indicating patent protection.
Googling the term (and also the variation MOD. BREVET.) brought up
a miscellany of irrelevant hits, inaccurate hits, and only a very few
hits that led to the correct answer.  This was the same situation that
I encountered last month when searching for the meaning of "breveté."

The irrelevant hits stemmed from the slang usage of "mod" to mean
"modern" and also from the fact that "mod," "brev," and "brevet" are
all Danish words meaning respectively "towards," "letter," and "the
letter."   To zero in on the answer one has to cull out all the Danish
language hits and all the YouTube videos involving Mod performers.
But several antique dealers who ought to know better treated "mod.
brev.' as if it were a manufacturer or part of a brand name.  There
are postings for "Gucci mod brev" leather goods, for example.

The truth of the matter is that "mod. brev." is Italian shorthand for
"modello brevettato," which means "design patented" and is sometimes
followed, as on some of the Gucci products, by a patent number.

It would seem to be time for a Wikipedia article discussing the various
European terms used for patent statements, including "breveté," "mod.
brev.," "DRP" (Deutsches Reichpatent), etc.

Now for the mosque question that brought all this up.   Someone posted
a question to the MBSI about his four-door musical mosque, which he
described as a musical cigarette dispenser.  It is 11" tall and very
heavy, made of marble.  When the knob at the top is turned, four doors
with pockets backed with red velvet that can hold cigarettes or small
cigars open up.  As they open and while they are fully open, music
plays.  Once the knob is turned again and the doors are closed, the
music stops.

The mosque is unmarked save for the "Made in Italy" and the "MOD. BREV."
stamping on it.  Unlike most musical mosques, this one is stopped and
started by a knob on the top of the mosque, whereas most have a lever
on the base to do that.

Would any MMDer recognize the maker of this mosque?

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York


(Message sent Sun 1 Jan 2012, 21:06:38 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Brev, Brevettato, Mod, Modello, Stands

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