The Historical Archives Portal (covering 19th-century patents and trade marks) of the The National Industrial Property Institute of France (INPI) is now available in English for international audiences. This new version invites you to explore France’s rich heritage of innovation and to browse our virtual exhibitions.
Explore two hundred years of historical patent and trade mark archives, discover the outstanding results of inventive minds, revolutionary innovations, and inspiring figures. Explore the exclusive collections preserved by INPI, and take a journey through its online exhibitions.
About INPI
Since its creation, INPI has become one of France’s key repositories for innovation, carefully preserving a vast collection of industrial property documents: patents since 1791, trade marks since 1857, and designs since 1910.
The purpose of the Historical Archives Portal is to make these archival materials more accessible. The portal provides data and digital copies from two major collections:
- Patents granted in France between 1791 and 1901, comprising almost 410,000 original files.
- Trade marks registered in France between 1857 and 1920, consisting of more than 460,000 original documents.
Who Should Visit
The portal is designed for researchers, historians, and professionals working in archives, documentation, museums, and heritage sectors. It is also open to anyone interested in French innovation. Its goal is to help visitors discover this remarkable heritage and gain a deeper understanding of the history of industrial property.
