The Matador Thread

[como]

@Marcwithac The part on the lower left photo which looks like a plunger. The top of that part (looks a bit like a mushroom top) should either be unscrewed off or in case of cheaply made one, pulled off by friction. I would heat this part a little, then try to unscrew it (because the motion of unscrewing is ok in either case of threaded version and friction fit). Good luck!

[Marcwithac]

Thank you, Como.  I previously tried both unscrewing that piece and gently pulling it, but it showed no signs of movement.  I will go back and apply some heat to see if that helps.

[como]

11 hours ago, Marcwithac said:

Thank you, Como.  I previously tried both unscrewing that piece and gently pulling it, but it showed no signs of movement.  I will go back and apply some heat to see if that helps.

@Marcwithac Maybe you need to heat it a lot. Could be that it was screwed close with shellac. Some old pens have very stubborn threads or friction fit closure and need to be heated repeatedly. Also helps if you use a rubber pad to try to get a better grip on the “umbrella/mushroom hat”. Don’t force too much, small part, it may break if not properly heated first. I can’t see well on the photo. Is the top a tiny bit deformed? This part is usually made of ebonite. Maybe you can try to unscrew the second umbrella (under the top), as we don’t know if the top unscrews or the second top unscrews. Usually it’s the former but you never know. 

[Marcwithac]

So, heat worked like a charm.  And your suspicion was correct.  The entire top part (which holds the cork) unscrewed.  Thanks again for your advice.

[como]

2 hours ago, Marcwithac said:

So, heat worked like a charm.  And your suspicion was correct.  The entire top part (which holds the cork) unscrewed.  Thanks again for your advice.

Bravo! 👏 

[Ben Alders]

In this Matador thread a discussion was raised regarding Matador fountain pens in France and England.

I did some research and came up with interesting findings. I like to show how the strategy of Siebert & Löwen (Matador) in France and England evolved over the decades up to 1940 and even after WWII.
In Germany Matador came with inventions regarding safety fillers between 1908 and 1910. France was identified as an important potential market. Therefore two patents were registered in France (see attachments). One is from 1911 and the other is from 1913. 
The advert for Matador safety pens demonstrates that there was a Paris subsidiary, whether with a distribution and/or production character. The imprint on the shaft of a French produced Matador push-button filler from the 1930's (images 6-7) clearly demonstrates that the French Matador production facility was founded in 1911.

 

 

Where it was located (adress) is yet unclear.
It can very well  have taken the form of a production chain: production of the hard rubber and later on celluloid compontents in a Matador subsidiary while other components (clip, nib) were produced by local producers. In this respect the inside of the clip of the clip of the push-button filler shows the stamp FE, while the nib is Waterman nib 14 kt with heart-shaped breather hole. Something similar can be found on the inside of the stylo Matador automatique, which I will discuss subsequently in this post. The marking on this clip is 4 1/2, which coincides with French common designations, while the German ones differ clearly.

 

The reason for this production in France was likely a combination of several elements:

• different consumer preferences, especially in the higher end of product spectrum
• high import taxes imposed by the French government, which made local produce more profitable
• French legislation made it impossible to transfer German DRGM property rights to the Frenche marketplace. If possible they had to use French patent registration
• French legislation demanded that gold content (fineness) -especially the use of 18 kt- had to be controlled by French institutions 

This required local production and cooperation with local nib manufacturers. The second image is a good specimen of this development. The nib is of course 18 kt (third image).

Between 1910 and 1920 we could witness a global evolvement in the fountain pen innovations, notably the upcoming ink sac's (Sheaffer) and the lever filler.

One distinctive problem was the accidental use of the lever causing ink spill on clothing or other items. Several innovations were launched to overcome this issue. Matador developed their own solution which in Germany was earmarked as a DRGM Deutsches Reichsgebrauchsmuster. This was a kind of light patent, often used for adaptations to existing engineering solutions, for which it was difficult to come to regular patents. 
This is exactly what Matador did. In German the DGRM registration reads as follows:
“Schraubkappe mit Überlaufschulter zur Sicherung des Hebels”

„Die am Hebel befestigte Schraubkappe greift im geschlossenen Zustand über eine an der Schaftwand angebrachte Schulter und verhindert dadurch das unbeabsichtigte Öffnen des Hebels. Durch axiales Zurückdrehen der Kappe wird die Schulter freigegeben und der Hebel kann seitlich ausgeschwenkt werden.“

 

According to F. van Herwijnen (De Vulpenhouder, 1950, The Hague), this Matador invention was coined as the Model 300 (image 4). But DRGM registrations could -as already stated- only be used in Germany. France did not allow German patents let alone DRGM registrations. Still the product was produced in France as a Matador pen. It is unclear whether a French patent for this model was registered.
But the Stylo Matador automatique was nevertheless introduced in the French market (image 5). This was taken from La Science et la Vie, n. 102, pag. 589, 1925. 
I also have a specimen of this Matador automatique (image 8). The cap at the bottom is inscribed with 55 DESOUS. The nib is imprinted with Matador 18 ct (image 9). On the body of the pen it's imprinted with: MATADOR.

 

 

In subesequent posts on this topic I will adress later developments regarding the presence of Matador in France and England.

 

Patent-FR-18258E.pdf Patent-FR-431385.pdf

[Ben Alders]

In this Matador thread a discussion was raised regarding Matador fountain pens in France and England.

I did some research and came up with interesting findings. I like to show how the strategy of Siebert & Löwen (Matador) in France and England evolved over the decades up to 1940 and even after WWII.
In Germany Matador came with inventions regarding safety fillers between 1908 and 1910. France was identified as an important potential market. Therefore two patents were registered in France (see attachments). One is from 1911 and the other is from 1913. 
The advert for Matador safety pens demonstrates that there was a Paris subsidiary, whether with a distribution and/or production character. The imprint on the shaft of a French produced Matador push-button filler from the 1930's (images 6-7) clearly demonstrates that the French Matador production facility was founded in 1911.

 

 

Where it was located (adress) is yet unclear.
It can very well  have taken the form of a production chain: production of the hard rubber and later on celluloid compontents in a Matador subsidiary while other components (clip, nib) were produced by local producers. In this respect the inside of the clip of the clip of the push-button filler shows the stamp FE, while the nib is Waterman nib 14 kt with heart-shaped breather hole. Something similar can be found on the inside of the stylo Matador automatique, which I will discuss subsequently in this post. The marking on this clip is 4 1/2, which coincides with French common designations, while the German ones differ clearly.

 

The reason for this production in France was likely a combination of several elements:

• different consumer preferences, especially in the higher end of product spectrum
• high import taxes imposed by the French government, which made local produce more profitable
• French legislation made it impossible to transfer German DRGM property rights to the Frenche marketplace. If possible they had to use French patent registration
• French legislation demanded that gold content (fineness) -especially the use of 18 kt- had to be controlled by French institutions 

This required local production and cooperation with local nib manufacturers. The second image is a good specimen of this development. The nib is of course 18 kt (third image).

Between 1910 and 1920 we could witness a global evolvement in the fountain pen innovations, notably the upcoming ink sac's (Sheaffer) and the lever filler.

One distinctive problem was the accidental use of the lever causing ink spill on clothing or other items. Several innovations were launched to overcome this issue. Matador developed their own solution which in Germany was earmarked as a DRGM Deutsches Reichsgebrauchsmuster. This was a kind of light patent, often used for adaptations to existing engineering solutions, for which it was difficult to come to regular patents. 
This is exactly what Matador did. In German the DGRM registration reads as follows:
“Schraubkappe mit Überlaufschulter zur Sicherung des Hebels”

„Die am Hebel befestigte Schraubkappe greift im geschlossenen Zustand über eine an der Schaftwand angebrachte Schulter und verhindert dadurch das unbeabsichtigte Öffnen des Hebels. Durch axiales Zurückdrehen der Kappe wird die Schulter freigegeben und der Hebel kann seitlich ausgeschwenkt werden.“

 

According to F. van Herwijnen (De Vulpenhouder, 1950, The Hague), this Matador invention was coined as the Model 300 (image 4). But DRGM registrations could -as already stated- only be used in Germany. France did not allow German patents let alone DRGM registrations. Still the product was produced in France as a Matador pen. It is unclear whether a French patent for this model was registered.
But the Stylo Matador automatique was nevertheless introduced in the French market (image 5). This was taken from La Science et la Vie, n. 102, pag. 589, 1925. 
I also have a specimen of this Matador automatique (image 8). The cap at the bottom is inscribed with 55 DESOUS. The nib is imprinted with Matador 18 ct (image 9). On the body of the pen it's imprinted with: MATADOR.

 

 

In subesequent posts on this topic I will adress later developments regarding the presence of Matador in France and England.

 

[Ben Alders]

In my previous post on Matador in France, I said that the address of Matador in Paris was not known.
But Kawuska showed a picture from a bill which dates 24.9.1920 and shows the address of the Matador subsidiary in Paris.
Rue des Archives, no. 70 in Paris.

[Ben Alders]

And of course the link to the image.
https://photobucket.com/bucket/a661c15a-a03c-4cce-b05c-c3701c0f53e1/media/a12a5b3b-f7c7-417a-887c-b3070c52603b

[Ben Alders]

Patent strategy - Turbo Matador

 

Now I'd like to continue with the patent strategy of Matador and it's use in France. I'd like to start with the strategy regarding the Turbo Matador.

As we all know the Turbo Matador was launched in 1930. 
https://photobucket.com/bucket/a661c15a-a03c-4cce-b05c-c3701c0f53e1/media/0a5a7735-6236-4947-8297-72e733e23158

Presented as a high-end product, the advert from the Matador marketing department, clearly stipulates all the selling points of the Matador.
Matador was eager to come up with their own invention, as Pelikan introduced the Pelikan 100 with the new piston-filler in 1929.

 

But the Turbo was not invention by Matador itself. To some extent they followed the path of Pelikan, which was using the invention of Kovacs of Penkala in a licensing contract.

The improved fill mechanism of the Turbo was invented by William Livsey in England. Livsey applied for a patent on the 14th of May 1929 and it was accepted on the 15th of May 1930 (attachment 1)
Matador must have responded very quickly, on the application, and have bought or licensed the patent, and as soon as it was accepted as a patent in England they went for application in France.

The patent application of Livsey was in almost identical form applies to the French patent bureau on the 20th of August 1930, and accepted on the 7th of January 1931 (attachment 2).

 

In Germany Matador didn't apply for a patent (DRP). Instead they applied for a DRGM or Gebrauchmuster (GM). This was common practice for Matador in Germany. The procedure was much quicker and less costly. The advert which I mentioned in the beginning of this post, clearly mentiones the DRGM registration, which is backed (in this case the British patent) by foreign patents.

The DRGM application much have been formulated like this (based on the foreign patents):
„Vorrichtung zum selbsttätigen Füllen eines Füllhalters mit Tintenbeutel, bestehend aus einem in der Endkappe angeordneten, nicht drehbaren Zusatzkolben, der durch Drehung eines äußeren Bedienknopfes mittels einer schraubenförmigen Führung längsverschiebbar ist, um den Hauptkolben gegen eine Feder zu bewegen und dadurch den Tintenbeutel zusammenzudrücken.“

Keywords which must have been used , were almost certainly: 

• nicht drehbarer Zusatzkolben

• schraubenförmige Führung / Helicalnut / Spiralnut

• äußerer Bedienknopf

• Längsverschiebung zur Betätigung des Federmechanismus

• Selbstfüllvorrichtung für Füllhalter

(we don't know the exact DRGM-application since they were not digitized, and reside only in physical form in the archives in Berlin and Munich).

 

Matador primarily used German production, although Kasuka demonstrated earlier in this thread that Matador also used production in Poland, probably because of the production costs.

 

This means that export took place from Germany. This was not uncommon at that time. Pelikan denoted products intended for foreign markets often with the additional imprint 'export'.
Something similar could have taken place with the export to France. But it is also possible that assembly or imprinting took place in France.

As Christof indicated in this thread, a Turbo in his possession is imprinted with: DRGM BR PAT BREVETE. Here there is the reference to the German DRGM (Gebrauchsmuster) but also to the French patent from 1931.

 

In a next post I'd like to address the run-time of the Turbo. Being introduced in 1930 it might have been rather short lived; I'm not sure. It is most likely that the Turbo in the marketplace was used in parallel with the push-button fillers used on Matador Standard's, Matador Original Transparent, Superior of the 1930's. But we can expect that the final demise was later in the 1930's with the advent of the piston-filler with Schnellgang, that is rapid feed. 

Patent GB329164A.pdf FR701252A.pdf

[Ben Alders]

Matador - product and patent strategy during the 1930's

 

As discussed in my previous post the 1930's started for Matador with the British and French patent for the improved ink-sac filling system of the Turbo Matador. Parallel to these patents they registered a DRGM (Gebrauchsmuster) for this filling system in Germany. But Matador had not much else brewing in the first half of the 1930's.

 

Pelikan made a huge move with the piston filler (Pelikan 100), which caused other companies eagerly to come up with adaptations / improvements to seize a part of this rapidly growing development in the fountain pen market.

 

The only other invention Matador had up on their sleeve was an adaptation of the ink-sac filling. In a booklet written by F. van Herwijnen (De Vulpenhouder, 1950, The Hague) it was stated that this invention was patented in 1925. This is not correct. Matador applied for a patent but withdrew the patent application because Matador believed it was not suitable for mass introduction to the market.
The invention comprised of an ebonite tube attached to the ink feed. This enbonite tube led to a rubber ink sac, called membran. When the push button was pressed the sac was compressed, air fled outside and by depressing ink was sucked in. In practice it was established that this worked fine when the push button was quickly pressed. But when it was pressed slowly and softly it could have the unintended effect that ink was pressed outside. This was hardly suitable for a mass product.

 

Matador has used the invention in its Matador Original Transparent (see attachment). It was a beautiful pen with a large inkview and a green top on the cap top.
https://photobucket.com/bucket/a661c15a-a03c-4cce-b05c-c3701c0f53e1/media/562cccaa-6028-41ae-8abd-75def4f75074

 

Just above the blind cap it carried the imprint D.R.P.a, which meant patent applied but not published.

Although Matador did not use the patent, the principle was used by Osmia on the Progress and by Soennecken on the Präsident MkII.

 

Until 1937 Matador used, apart from the Turbo Matador, the push button filler system on several pens: Standard (in France as well), Superior, Standard Schrift Reform.

 

In 1937 however Matador applied for a new patent in Germany: den Großraum-Kolbenfüller mit Schnellgang, Spirale und hinterer Abdichtung. Essentially it meant: large pens with a large capacity for ink, and a piston which could be operated with a spindle with a large pitch. It was published as patent on 6.4.1937 (see attachment).

This led to a hole new range of pens (Express, Garant, G nom) in the catalog which was already uploaded in this thread. 

Importantly, because the uploaded catalog does not show dates, we can now for sure state that is was available by the end of 1937 or beginning of 1938.   
This can be deducted from the price levels in Reichsmark depicted in the catalog. Therefore it was a much needed invention to be introduced before the end of the decade. 

 

Patent mit Schnellgang DE000001404628U_1.pdf

[Ben Alders]

Turbo Matador question - identification

 

I've read a lot of posts on the Turbo Matador. I'm puzzled by the version I've obtained.

 

It's a red one, measures 12,3 cm and has a push button. The imprint reads (faint) Turbo Matador on both sides of the cap.
Above the blind cap it's imprinted with DRGM BR PAT BREVETE  (in full this means: Deutsches Reich Gebrauchs Muster - BR = British patent - Brevete refers to the French patent)

The nib is imprinted with: Matador 2 New York 1st QUAL 14 CAR and a heart shaped breather hole.

 

 

This is a peculiar version of the Turbo since it is not equipped with the characteristic turbo filling system.

 

I can't determine how to assess this pen.

I look forward to your comments.

[Ben Alders]

Turbo Matador question - identification - Part two

 

In the previous post I raised a question about a Turbo Matador which carries the reference to a Gebrauchs Muster and foreign patents (Britisch and French), whereas such a reference (imprint) should solely be confined to a specific filling system for which the Turbo Matador became famous (see my post of last Wednesday).

 

At first I thought that the pen in the previous post must be a rare aberration, or a practical joke by somebody at the Matador factory.

Going through this thread from the beginning I stumbled upon an old post of Kaweco (Thomas Neureither) in 2015. He posted a picture of a Turbo Matador which seems also equipped with a push button filler.
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/Thomasnr/Matador%20gruen_zpsafoyzgpr.jpg

Stated differently: there is no resemblance whatsoever with the well known Turbo Matador launched in 1930.

 

So much about the one-time aberration. There must be another explanation. I will ask Thomas whether his specimen of the Turbo Matador also carries the imprint with reference to the DRGM and patents. 

 

To be continued....