Today it seems to be commonplace that without a patent system people would be less motivated to invest time and resources into making inventions that may foster technological progress. What is less clear is where the origins of this concept should be traced. Ancient Greece, which made so many contributions to knowledge, neglected the practical application of knowledge. As regards Rome, which laid the foundations of civil law systems, the concept of “intellectual” property was unknown. This is quite amazing, taking into account the vast contributions that the Roman civilization left us in so many different fields.
Patent law did not see the light in the Middle Ages, either, which is not surprising, taking into account that the Middle Ages are normally regarded as an age of darkness. The patent system finally found its roots in the Italian Renaissance. The first patent is reported to have been granted by the Republic of Florence in 1421 to the architect Filippo Brunelleschi for his ship Il Badalone (“the Monster”), which was meant to transport the Carraran marble used to build the dome of the Florence cathedral. It is doubtful whether the Monster would have met today’s patentability requirements, as it sadly sank in the Arno River near Empoli: not a good start for the patent system!
_____________________________
To make sure you do not miss out on regular updates from the Kluwer Patent Blog, please subscribe here.
Kluwer IP Law
The 2022 Future Ready Lawyer survey showed that 79% of lawyers think that the importance of legal technology will increase for next year. With Kluwer IP Law you can navigate the increasingly global practice of IP law with specialized, local and cross-border information and tools from every preferred location. Are you, as an IP professional, ready for the future?
Learn how Kluwer IP Law can support you.
