This is what the Fiat logo looked like in 1899. The inscription reads:
"FABBRICA ITIALIANA DI AUTOMOBILI TORINO FIAT ?" It's pretty easy to decipher even without knowing Italian:
Fábrica italiana de automóviles, Turín. Fiat.
Italian automobile factory, Turin. Fiat.
But the last letter right after FIAT has me wondering. Can anyone guess what it is and what it means?