| But the real success came entering the market for the stamps and paper money production, which occurred with the experience gained in the production of playing cards. This made the company one of the most important British industries. Although commercial success has taken place much later, [[Onoto|De La Rue]] presence in the writing objects market dates from the late '800, when, in 1881, they introduced the ''Anti-Stylograph pen '', a first model of fountain pen, albeit primitive. Following other models were produced, as the ''Swift'' of 1884, distributed for more than 10 years, or the ''Pelican'' of 1895, another pen with a reservoir, and further models always having a tank valve, such as the ''Onostyle'' or the ''Umpire''. | | But the real success came entering the market for the stamps and paper money production, which occurred with the experience gained in the production of playing cards. This made the company one of the most important British industries. Although commercial success has taken place much later, [[Onoto|De La Rue]] presence in the writing objects market dates from the late '800, when, in 1881, they introduced the ''Anti-Stylograph pen '', a first model of fountain pen, albeit primitive. Following other models were produced, as the ''Swift'' of 1884, distributed for more than 10 years, or the ''Pelican'' of 1895, another pen with a reservoir, and further models always having a tank valve, such as the ''Onostyle'' or the ''Umpire''. |
| But the first modern fountain pen produced by the [[Onoto|De La Rue]] was born in 1905. At that time ''Evelyn Andros De La Rue,'' great-grandson of the founder, who had a passion for inventions, was striving to build a fountain pen that was actually functional, and had already filed several patents for a primitive [[plunger filler]].<ref>like the {{Cite patent|GB|190502671}}.</ref> But his pen was defective and required to be loaded a repeated pressure of the piston, whith a complex mechanism. During the same period ''George Sweetser'' made a pen based on the same principle but with an improved mechanism,<ref>''George Sweetser'' registered patents {{Cite patent|GB|190513768}} and {{Cite patent|GB|190704787}}.</ref> substantially identical to the present one. ''George Sweetser'' showed his invention to ''Evelyn De La Rue'' who bought it immediately, and managed to convince his father ''Thomas Andros De La Rue'', who was in the board of directors, about the validity of the investment, so that in 1905 was started a fountain pen production. | | But the first modern fountain pen produced by the [[Onoto|De La Rue]] was born in 1905. At that time ''Evelyn Andros De La Rue,'' great-grandson of the founder, who had a passion for inventions, was striving to build a fountain pen that was actually functional, and had already filed several patents for a primitive [[plunger filler]].<ref>like the {{Cite patent|GB|190502671}}.</ref> But his pen was defective and required to be loaded a repeated pressure of the piston, whith a complex mechanism. During the same period ''George Sweetser'' made a pen based on the same principle but with an improved mechanism,<ref>''George Sweetser'' registered patents {{Cite patent|GB|190513768}} and {{Cite patent|GB|190704787}}.</ref> substantially identical to the present one. ''George Sweetser'' showed his invention to ''Evelyn De La Rue'' who bought it immediately, and managed to convince his father ''Thomas Andros De La Rue'', who was in the board of directors, about the validity of the investment, so that in 1905 was started a fountain pen production. |