Archive Fonds
Piaggio's first project aimed at reconstituting material records of the company's history began in 1993, when the Piaggio historical archive was set up. Over the last decade, about 150,000 documents, essentially from the Pontedera and Genoa factory offices, have been classed in 13 archive fonds.
The Historical Archives comprise the following sections:
Acts and Deeds
Contains official acts and documents regarding the history of ownership, the Book of Members (1920-1992), share certificate lists (1920-1966), Book of Debentures (1934-1981). This section also contains the complete series of company balance sheets from 1921 to 1996, minutes of board meetings (1921-1992) and company statutes (1956-1973).
Managing Director's files
Period from 1921-1987. This section contains administrative documents collected in letter-books and single documents. One part of the correspondence regards external relations and relations with companies, banks, dealers and subsidiaries. The most recent part, relative to the 1980s, collects information issued by the company regarding employment measures.
Lanzara
This is a complete section, containing material found when the Archives were originally set up. These documents span an arc of time starting from the 1930s and going on to 1983 and relate to the management of the Pontedera factory. The subjects range from product design and new product studies to manufacturing, cost analyses, industrial accounting and investments. This section also includes the personal documentation of Enrico Piaggio (mainly correspondence), and material relating to the engineer Corradino D'Ascanio, who collaborated with Piaggio starting from the decade preceding World War II. There is also a consistent series of photographs relating to the pre-war period and the post-war reconstruction.
Human Resources section
A comprehensive collection of files on Piaggio employees from the 1920s to the 1980s (charts of fired workers, personnel-related methods), containing documentation on training and selection, social activities, HR organisation and administration.
Marketing section
Material from Piaggio's marketing, press and communication department, as calendars, advertising campaigns, advertising receipts, sales organisation, various items, press and communication (1946-1990).
Production and design
Contains documentation on the organisation of the design and production departments from the post-war period to today. Includes registration data for manufactured vehicles and homologation plans for each model with technical and user's manuals (1930-1980).
Iconography
Contains photo material and videos of diverse origin. Many hundreds of photos relate to the activity of the Vespa Clubs staring from the late 1940s and witness the spread of Vespa mania in the world from the post-war period to the 1960s. A second part of this section is composed of plates, prints and transparencies used in advertising campaigns, for the calendars and various promotional publications. The old storeroom of the sales department contained tens of old films, which have been transferred onto 34 tapes in U-matic or VHS form.
O.M.A.O.
Contains documentation on the Addis Abeba factory, Enrico Piaggio's correspondence with the Aeronautics Ministry and files concerning compensation for damage caused by the war and the dissolution of the company.
SARPI
Contains administrative documents of the "Società Anonima Rappresentanze Prodotti Industriali", the company that managed the sales of Piaggio products from 1948 to 1961.
Gilera section
Material from Gilera's Arcore factory comprising a large number of photographs, user's manuals and homologation plans for motorcycles destined for the Italian and foreign markets (1935-1987).
Filippetti section
Originals of historical Vespa advertising campaigns (sketches, prints, proofs) donated and autographed by creative designer Gilberto Filippetti (1967-1996).
Confindustria section
Material collected by Francesco Lanzara on the activities of Confindustria (confederation of Italian industry) committees.
Lanzara section miscellany
Material collected by Francesco Lanzara relating to his studies and posts held at the University of Pisa, the confederation of Italian industry and the Enrico Piaggio Centre (1946-1990).
