WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW about French Patents : "S.G.D.G." This appellation can be seen on early patents (starting from 1800) and was a commonly used acronym in the early literature. It can also be found on the back of some early photographs and photomechanical reproductions. It refers to "sans garantie du gouvernement" (without government guarantee), meaning that the French state did not check the validity of the inventors' claims before they were granted a patent. For much of the XIXth century, anyone could claim just about any invention. As a matter of fact, frivolous claims were not uncommon. Despite the cost of patent registration, the required annual fees, the risks of litigation and dubious prospects of profitability, many "inventors" kept plagiarizing existing inventions and patents. But the sheer number of patents offering slight variants enables us to identify the inventions that were considered the most important. Moreover, advertising patended products required the mention "S.G.D.G." to protect the French state against prosecution. 7th January 1791 law (in the original French) 25th May 1791 law (in the original French) 5th July 1844 law (in the original French) Most French patents were handwritten until 1880. At first, only patents granted to companies and wealthy inventors were letterpress printed. By 1900, most patents were similarly printed.
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