Pinin Farina Trunk Badges

     Millenove author Hans-Jürgen Döhren sent us this tip: those cute little crossed-flags badges on the trunklids/bootlids of Pinin Farina-bodied 1900s, both cabriolets and coupes, are derived from naval signaling flags. When the carrozzeria was known as "Pinin Farina", one flag had the Alfa Romeo logo over the signal flag for the letter "A", and the other flag carried the Farina family logo on the signal flag for the letter "F". 

     But when the name was changed to "Pininfarina" around 1961, the Farina crest was retained but applied to the signal flag for the letter "P". The same flags were also used on Ferraris, Fiats and Lancias and, like Touring badges on Alfa 1900s, both versions are seen on restored cars, some correctly and some incorrectly.

     (You may notice that while the badge colors on the "A" flag are correct, they are reversed left-to-right when compared to the signal flag sheet. My guess is it's because on the badge one is simply looking at the opposite side of the flag from what is illustrated on the chart. But why is the "A" signal flag v'd on the blue edge and the badge "A" is not? For symmetry, probably, so both flags would have the same shape.)

 Click a picture to see a larger view.
ENLARGE
 Naval Signal Flags
CORRECT
Alfa 1900 PF; A for Alfa, F for Farina
INCORRECT
Alfa 1900 PF; A for Alfa, P for Pininfarina
CORRECT
Alfa 1900 Ghia-Aigle; A for Alfa, G for Ghia
CORRECT
Ferrari 250GT: F for Ferrari, P for Pininfarina
INCORRECT
Ferrari GTO: F for Ferrari, F for Farina
CORRECT
Fiat Spider: F for Fiat, P for Pininfarina

Lancia: L for Lancia, P for Pininfarina