Since I made some big progress in my database of Italian FP producers, I thought it would be a good idea to post it in a new thread. For completeness, the previous is here.
I hope you'll enjoy reading as I did to wrote it.
Introduction
To trace a complete picture of the Italian production of FP from its origin it’s almost an impossible task. Letizia Jacopini did already an outstanding job in this in her work “The history of the Italian fountain pen, 1900 – 1950” [Editore O.P.S. Milano, 2001]. The main difficulties lie in the economic and productive characteristics of Italy. Italy is no home of “corporate identity” or organized industrial activity. Italy economic strength always lived in the singular ingeniousness of its people. Individual risk propensity, flexibility, ability to quickly apt to market conditions or supply changes are the characteristic of such industrial structure. This ultimately led to business fragmentation, small size companies, short time lived brands, lack of documentation and so on…
Therefore my goal here is “only” to describe as better as I can the currently (2008) existing Italian Fountain Pen producers or brand.
As general pattern, we can split the history of the “product” fountain pen in Italy as follows:
- 1900/1918 – The only fountain pens available in Italy are foreigner, mainly German or American. Few sellers and repairers get acquainted with the new imported product and start to experiment;
- 1920s – This decade represented the real start of a national business. Most of the historical producers and brands started during the 20s by simply copying the most known models: notably the Waterman 42 and the Montblancs. In the later part of the decade the Duofold was the reference model. Celluloid was introduced in the same period replacing ebonite (hard rubber);
- 1930s – The 30s represented for the fountain pen the definitive consecration on the Italian market: new professions transformed the pen from an elite instrument to an indispensable day-to-day tool. Additionally the government, taking pride on the “italianess” of the economy, push customers to buy Italian products. As the demand increase, producers grew in numbers and the prominent of them launches brand new products, never seen on the international scene;
- 1940s – From the second half of the 30s to the end of the war, the international sanctions and embargoes push the producers towards “autartic” products: gold is replaced with various leagues in pens. The war represented the first filter for such a large number of producers. Most plants were damaged or closed.
- 1950/1970 – These years represented a slow but unstoppable fall in both market popularity and overall quality (to compete with cheap BP the producers move in the low fork of the price range). Increasing popularity of BP is the second main reason for closing plants/companies.
- 1980/1990 – The 80s seen a turnpoint in the market: FP stopped to be perceived as a commodity and started to gain the “fashion” or “luxury” label. Slowly the supply adapt to this new image, new companies were made to launch new high positioned brands. Older historical brands were brushed up to exploit their recognizability.
Now, to the business!!
In my opinion existing Italian brands can be split in four different groups or categories:
1. Historical Producers
I would put in this category those producers generally founded before WWII, that are in the business with continuity from the beginning. They are usually characterized for making their own pen bodies and nibs in house (at least at the beginning of their history) and for taking pride of their story, often mentioning historical events in LE or using “old fashioned” features and logos. Those producers are:
- AURORA, based in Turin, founded 1919. It’s possibly the most famous Italian producer, the only one to cover the whole market from cheap ball points to lower end FP until expensive LE FP. The firm was founded by Isaia Levi in Torino (north west Italy) just after WWI. Soon Aurora became one of the leaders of the newly formed market of the FP (the full corporate name was “Fabbrica Italiana Penne a Serbatoio” “Fountain Pens Italian Manufacture”). The key of Aurora success was (along with quality) marketing: they extensively advertised both in magazines and with the distributors. Additionally Aurora often used – during the 30s –government slogans and images (like the lictorian fasces or the imperial eagle) to exploit “free” extensive marketing campaigns. Aurora was seriously close to an early end when in 1945 the main plant was completely destroyed by a fire. Aurora kept to its name (in English is: dawn, rise) and in short was able to find resources to build a new plant and to create a new breakthrough model: the “88” the most successful Italian FP ever. They still produce everything in-house and are an independent company (where the original family keep a share).
www.aurorapen.it - OMAS, based in Bologna, founded 1925. Omas was from the beginning one of the most innovative and successful Italian pen enterprises, brainchild of Armando Simoni (born 1891) a Railway Manometer toolmaker in Bologna that started creating his own pens since 1919. The “Officina Meccanica Armando Simoni” was created in 1925 and proceeded from innovation to innovation (between their most famous early models: Doctor’s Pen, Extra, Lucens, 361, 352) until 2000 when the Simoni family sold it to LVMH French luxury group. In 2007 LVMH sold Omas to one of his controlled Chinese company (Xinyu Hengdeli Group of Hong Kong). Omas always produced everything in house until 2005 (? To be verified) when they started outsourcing nibs from Bock. They now specialize in beautiful high end pens, both with classic design (Arte Italiana, that continues the “Extra” model desing from the 30s virtually unchanged) and modern (360, Emotica);
www.omas.net - MONTEGRAPPA, based in Bassano del Grappa, founded 1912. The company was founded by Edwige Hoffman with the help of Ing. Heinrich Helm from which the company took its initial name: “Elmo”. At the beginning Elmo was in the business to produce gold nibs only. In 1925 Elmo already changed ownership. The new proprietors (Alessandro Marzotto and Domenico Manea) continued to employ Mr. Helm as chief technician. He was the real man behind the success of the company. The production of Fountains Pens started in the early 20s. In 1925 the first “Montegrappa” (a model name) was introduced. Then during the 30s the name Montegrappa was used to identify the high end models, while Elmo was used for the low end, mass market models. The company succeeded during the 30s thanks to its ability to diversify and for the huge work for third parties. In 1947 the company definitively changed its name in Montegrappa. In 1979 Montegrappa was acquired by the Aquila family (see below). They managed to successfully restructure the brand from a mass market to a luxury items one and in 2000 Montegrappa was sold again to the Swiss based Richemont Group (Montblanc, Cartier, Panerai, etc…). Montegrappa today, in its regular range as well as its limited editions, still preserves its characteristic craftsmanship of the highest level, creating exclusive pens. They do produce only the pen bodies, outsourcing the nibs from Bock in Germany (to be verified);
www.montegrappa.com - COLUMBUS, based in Milano, founded in 1919. Columbus was, until the 50s one of the most important FP producers. Eugenio Verga (born 1895) was working in the business as commercial traveler between the years 1907 and 1915. When WWI was over he started his own business with the help of his younger brother Alfredo who left his brother in 1927 to start his own brand: Omega. Their pens got a well deserved image of good quality and excellent value for the money during the 20s/30s. To keep up with quality was not easy: Columbus moved twice in the 30s and the main plant was partially destroyed in 1942 bombing of Milano. It is said that the friendship between Verga and Simoni (Omas) helped Columbus to keep continuity in production by using Omas rebranded products. Unfortunately in the 50s, to react to the fast shift of the market towards the ballpoints, they started to position themselves in the bottom part of the market and they still are there, producing nevertheless good quality writing instruments. In addition to that Eugenio died in 1957 and was substituted by his son Enrico Verga. In 1992, after the death of Enrico, the company was acquired by the Santara Group (Italian distributors of Sheaffer, Ballograf and Kaweco). They don’t produce anymore their nibs.
www.columbuspenne.it - FILCAO, based in Settimo Torinese, founded in 1964. Even though Filcao (Fabbrica Italiana Lavorazione Cappucci Alluminio e Ottone) was created after the WWII, I don’t’ see any better place in my categories for them. Additionally they are based in Settimo Torinese, that was considered the Italian “pen district”, having a long tradition and long list of producers from the 20s to the 60s. Filcao is a family business still run by the founder, Franco Grisolia. They produce piston fillers, button fillers and c/c pens.
www.filcaopens.com
2. Historical Brands
This category encompass the old brands (again, pre-WWII), that did not operate with continuity during their life. This means (at least to me…) that the link with their origin (location, production philosophy, owners etc…) is lost. What generally happened to them is that in their early years they manage to emerge as brand of quality FP, then they somehow (after the death of the owner or because of the war or the market crisis of the 60s) closed down. Then during the 90s, with the surge of the “class FP objects” some new firm acquired the brand to market their made pens.
- ANCORA, now based in Pavia, originally founded in Bologna (but production moved in Sesto Calende from 1925 and in Arona from 1938) in early 1920s. Ancora was the brainchild of Giuseppe Zanini (born 1897). Even though Andreas Lambrou and others date back the start of the company in 1909, this is unlikely. Anyway, all available information tell us that the first fountain pens were produced in the early 20s. After his early death in 1929, the company was run for years by his son Alfredo, that managed to accomplish his father dream to produce all parts of the FP “in house”. Between their most famous models are: Duplex, Dama, Lusso. In 1975 Ancora close down and it was not until 1998 that Giovanni Santini, who owned a pen store in Turin that sold new and vintage pens, started up the company once more. He worked as a pen repairman so he knew the ins and outs of how pens were made. Ancora is now a small company, notable because all pens are made by hand from the nib to the clip on Pavia. They are an independent owned company.
www.ancorapen.com - NETTUNO, originally based in Bologna and founded in 1911. At the beginning of the 20th century in Bologna there was wholesale of stationery registered under Ada Vecchietti. Ada’s husband, Umberto has been working at the railway workshop and during his leisure time he started to repair the first fountain pens that arrived in Italy. He immediately developed a passion for pens and started to realize new pens, giving them the name NETTUNO. The first one (Sicurezza, a copy of the Waterman #52) was created in 1911. In the second half of the fifties the son Alfonso, due to the upcoming of the ballpoint pens, closed the production of Nettuno pens as he did not want to engage in this new adventure. In the 1996, Stipula (see below) made two LE's (Idra and Superba) based on Nettuno pens of the early 20th Century. Then the brand was re launched in 2001 by Firma, a stationery firm based on Bergamo that was later on (02/2007) purchased by Aurora. Nettuno is now a sub brand of Aurora, but a new market strategy seems still to lack (no new models, the old website is on as of beginning of 2008).
www.nettunopens.it - TIBALDI, originally founded in 1916 in Florence. Giuseppe Tibaldi (born 1876) produced some beautiful pens during the 30s (Iride, Trasparente). After his death (1935), the company was held by his nephew, Giorgio Schiassi, not really interested in the business. In 1937 Schiassi sold the company to Toraldo di Francia, that led Tibaldi through the war years without any important innovation. In 1957 Remo Pagliuca that collaborated with Tibaldi since the end of WWII became the new owner. Pagliuca was an enthusiast and brought Tibaldi to new glory. Unfortunately, after 1960 death of his son, Remo close down the production. In 1992 the brand was acquired from Pagliuca widow by Plastimoda Group (owner of the famous "Mandarina Duck"), then in 2000 it was acquired by Hopa (something close to an hedge found, I understand), and then again became in 2005 part of the Aquila Brand Group (see below). The Tibaldi brand is now used to host high end LE from the Aquila Brand Group.
www.tibaldipen.com - LALEX1938, originally (? See my considerations) founded in 1938 in Naples by Leopoldo Aquila. Actually Lalex is a brand new name for a FP. Leopoldo Aquila was – during the 30s – the distributor of Montegrappa products for the south of Italy and Lalex was the name of the distributing company. Starting from 1938 Lalex included in his product range several “Aquila” branded FPs. Those were Montegrappa made (or rebranded) FPs, produced in Bassano and distributed by Leopoldo. It was not since year 2000 that Lalex became a separated FP brand. To better understand this part of the story, refer to Aquila Brand chapter below.
www.lalex1938.com
3. Modern Luxury Items Producers
Italy is world renewed for the craftsmanship in goldsmith and high-end luxury items. In this category I would put producers and brands that – being created during the 70s/80s – are making the most of this image, producing in small numbers high end, well designed and sought-after FP. They all outsource nibs in Germany. They all are independent companies still controlled by their usually creative and charismatic owners. Notably, two of the economical district of luxury goods are located in Florence and Naples (or Campania, the region surrounding Naples), no surprise then that almost all of the producers in this category are based in these two cities. Most of them are active in more fields that just Fountain Pens.
- DELTA, based in Parete (near Naples), founded in 1982. Delta was created by two ingenious men: Nino Marino (CEO) and Ciro Matrone (Techincal Director). Matrone especially is responsible for the production and the innovations made by Delta. Since their birth Delta reintroduced in the FP market the flamed ebonite and a redesigned lever filler mechanism. In 1994 – to celebrate the G7 meeting held in Naples – Delta introduced the first FP made entirely of titanium and carbon fiber (25 grams only). Recently Delta patented the first “box clip” where pills and other small items can be stored. Delta flagship is the Dolce Vita model, proposed in various sizes, combinations and shapes.
www.deltapen.it - VISCONTI, based in Florence, founded in 1988. In 1988, after several years of experience in the world of fountain pens and with knowledge of key markets, Dante Del Vecchio and Luigi Poli, themselves collectors of fountain pens for many years, decide to set up a company to produce and market celluloid fountain pens. Now Visconti calls itself the widest celluloid pen factory worldwide and offers its service and experience to anybody who wishes to produce pens with this material. They extended its experience to other materials like ebonite, acrylics, lucite, bakelite and ivory. Visconti has registered several patents such as the travelling ink pot and the double reservoir power filler. They are the only company to offer four different filling units (power filler, crescent filler, piston filler, converters).
www.visconti.it - MARLEN, based in Caserta (near Naples), founded in 1982. Marlen pens is the creation of two borthers: Mario and Antonio Esposito, the business man and the technician behind the products. In 1982, at the start of the company, Marlen was producing a wide range of products: keyholders, paper cuttings, other desk tools. Then they focused only on pens. Nowadays Marlen is a 20 people firm, producing unique high-quality handmade limited edition collections. The symbol of Marlen is the Corinthian Capital that forms the basis of and brings to life the distinct “Marlen Clip”. Other noteworthy features are the 3D working process, the button filling system, the lateral filling system with key or coin and a recent patent for the placement of the cap on the barrel, screwing into the lower part of the barrel.
www.marlenpens.com - AQUILA BRANDS, based in Pastorano, Naples. Founded in 2000. As mentioned above Leopoldo Aquila founded was in the FP business since the 30s, distributing Montegrappa products and later on Aquila FP, a brand of Montegrappa produced FP. Aquila family was as good in this business that two generations later, in the late 1970s, they step from distributing to owning Montegrappa, one of Italy’s oldest pen manufacturer. In just a few years Aquila developed Montegrappa into an international brand and in 2000 sold it to the Richemont Group. Cashed up and ready for a new challenge, Giuseppe and Gianfranco Aquila (respectively nephew and son of Leopoldo) founded the Aquila Brands Group. As first move they created (or recreated) the Lalex1938 brand. Next on the company’s busy revamp programme was the launching, in 2004, of licensed pens and leather products for the Ducati brand. Again, the desire to bring on board new customers, as well as to cover different price ranges, has promoted the Aquila Group to bring out licensed pens for the Smart and Jaguar brands too. In 2005 was the time for acquire Tibaldi, an FP brand active from 1916 (see), re launched in 2006 for the occasion of his 90th birthday.
www.aquilabrands.com - STIPULA, based in Florence, founded in 1973. Renzo Salvadori is the man behind the firm.
He began producing gold and silver clasps and ornamental fittings for important leather firms. Then in 1977, the company moved on to focusing on and creating the manufacture of desk accessories. Later, in 1982, the company began the manufacture of pens. However, the company first produced the pens for other trademarks, but in 1991, it had a new registered trade name, Stipula.
www.penemporium.com/ - SIGNUM, based in Bassano del Grappa, founded in 1979 by Sergio de Guildolin. Sergio was a long time employee (over 25 years) at Montegrappa. When Montegrappa was sold (to the Aquila family, see chapter above) Sergio, together with his brothers Antonio and Fausto, who were in the jewelry making business and who also had a company that made pens for other brands, decided to produce their own brand of high quality writing instruments and found a company named “Essegi”. During the early years the company produced pens for private label, promotions and did production work for other Italian companies, in an effort to stay afloat while promoting the Signum brand… Once confident that they had a recognizable product, they launched an all out effort to capture the North American market. Their success lies in the fact that their product is made of the highest quality materials, created entirely in house, and hand assembled in their factory. The entire factory consists of family members and one or two loyal employees. Each of the Signum pens are assembled completely by hand, each personally inspected before being put into boxes ready for shipping.
www.pennesignum.com - FERRARI DA VARESE, based in Varese, founded in 1970. Mario Ferrari, who had been dealing with and selling pens and pen-parts for years across the Continent, founded his own company in 1970. Now in the second generation, with son Ivan in charge of the distribution and the marketing of the brand, Ferrari da Varese has kept its human-size, its independence and the entrepreneurial spirit. The production itself is partly made in Germany, where the Ferraris are owners of a production facility, partly made in Italy. With distributing partners all over the world, Ferrari da Varese is, besides its Italian home-turf, well introduced on the North American market, Japan, strong in the middle-east, and growing everywhere in Europe.
www.ferraridavarese.com - RENZETTI 1909. This firm works on behalf of third party to supply the most important goldsmithery and writing instruments names.
Renzetti's name appeared for the first time in 1909, when Eugenio, the founder of the family, after a long apprenticeship in the most famous goldsmith shops, decided to estabilish his own activity. Eugenio's specialization was gold and silver jewels cr eation for man and woman that, linked together with Guillochè engraving, made them unique objects. Belonged to the old Florentine school, after the First World War crisis, he moved shop and family to Milan and he started his sons to the trade, working for himself and on behalf of third party. Between them was Mario, who destingueshed himself expecially by skill in the art of Guillochè; Mario Renzetti became famous at the end of 30s for his ability to engrave-besides jewels and watch straps-those accessories considering fashionable over the 30s and the 40s, such as trousses, cigarette-cases, powder-compacts and toilette sets. At present, Riccardo Renzetti - Mario's son - continues with care and love the work handed down from his father, engaging himself to find always new patterns and decorative motifs that could satisfy the needs of the modern watchmaking and goldsmithery fields. And he succeeds in doing all this, using the same manual machineries of the good old days! www.renzetti1909.it
4. Designer factories
As everyone knows, Italy – and especially Milano – is world known for being one of the main designer’s paradises. Then in Milano you may find lots of designer studios, designing every kind of object for the most known consumer goods brands of the world. Some of them then makes a step further, creating his own objects brand range, just outsourcing the production to some in shore or off shore factory. Between the several objects created, the paper and stationery products are one of the most obvious and used. I would mention here some of the most famous:
- 3.6.5 by Giuliano Mazzuoli, based in Firenze, founded 2001. The creator of famous “Moka”, available in different sizes and models.
www.365-design.com - Parafernalia, based in Milano, founded 1966. The ancestor of this group, creator of the famous Revolution pen. They are mostly famous for Roller and Ballpoint, though they do have few FP.
www.parafernalia.it - Cleto Munari, based in Vicenza.
www.cletomunaripens.com - Giorgio Fedon 1919, based in Cadore, founded 2000.
www.giorgiofedon1919.it
Finally, since it is very easy to make an “Italian sounding” name, there are several brands that just “sound” Italians but they are not Italians, like Monteverde, Taccia or Molteni. Just be aware of it.
As always any comment/adds on/error pointing is welcome!
Regards,