Williamson Pen Co. - Williamson Torino
The Williamson brand has a very interesting story, and is considered among the most important Italian manufacturer between the wars. But the original company was not Italian but American and active from the end of 1800s. The Italian company seems instead to be born initially as import activities of the pens produced in the United States, achieving a success that survived the closure of the original company.
The Williason-Torino fountain pens stands for an high quality production (especially for their ringed celluloid) and are among the most interesting pens produced by Italian second tier companies. The production seems to be continued until the 50's.
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History
Williamson, or more precisely Williamson-Torino is one of the companies born in the district of Settimo Torinese among the most interesting, both for its history than for its production. In fact the story originated from the Williamson Pen Co., an American company that seems to have been active in the production of nibs from the end of 1800. Although the origins of this company is uncertain, it is certain that Edgar E. Nelthorpe and George H. Williamson are the co-holders of a 1899 patent (nº US-632320 ) for a pen is very similar to the Parker Jointless and we use this date as reference for the company birth. First pens were equipped by a nib marked by inventors names: "N & W".
The company, also known as WmSon was based in Janesville not far from the Parker plants, and at the end of the 1800 was known for its production of good quality gold nibs, mother of pearl dip pens and hard rubber fountain pens. Even the ties between the Williamson Pen Co. and Parker, apart from the neighborhood, are not very clear, if not for the fact that Edgar E. Nelthorpe left Williamson for the latter in 1900. It seems that some patents have been used jointly by the two companies.
The story of the Williason-Torino starts instead around 1906, indicative date,[1] when Riccardo Amisani began importing Williamson pens from the U.S. and distribute them in Italy. At that time it did not still exist an Italian producers that could compete on equal terms with American and British producers. The Williamson pens were good quality and enjoyed quite a good success, which prompted Amisani to start a local production of spare parts.
Unfortunately the American company, which at the beginning of the century had achieved good results in the United States, could not withstand the pressure of competition from its neighbors, and began a gradual decline that led it to the closure, which occurred at the beginning of 30s. In the meantime, however, the fountain pen Italian industry developed in particular in the district of Settimo Torinese, which led Amisani to forge an independent production under the name of Società Anonima Penne a Serbatoio Williamson a company founded in the early '30s, located in Via Pr. Amedeo, 12, Turin.
Negli anni '30 l'azienda continuò a produrre stilografiche di buona qualità, che come per tutta la produzione italiana, erano chiaramente ispirate ai modelli americani. In particolare la Williamson si distinse per la produzione di imitazioni della Vacumatic in celluloide anellata di ottima fattura e buona qualità, che hanno ben poco da invidiare agli originali della Parker, prodotte in quattro misure con ottimi pennini flessibili.
Secondo quanto riportato da Letizia Iacopini l'azienda cambiò nome e sede nel dopoguerra, diventando la Metron Società Anonima Officine Piemontesi Penne Stilografiche Williamson con sede in Via Madama Cristina 132, sempre a Torino. La produzione del dopoguerra era costituita da interessanti imitazioni della Parker 51, realizzate in celluloide anellata con una vasta gamma di colori, con cappuccio in metallo laminato e caricamento a pulsante di fondo.
L'azienda cessò le attività negli anni '50, uccisa come molte altre del distretto di Settimo Torinese dall'avvento della penna a sfera usa e getta.
Template:CronoMarche |- | 18xx || Nascita della Williamson Pen Co. |- | 1906 || Riccardo Amisani inizia la sua attività di rivenditore per l'Italia |- | 192x || Amisani inizia la produzione di penne in Italia |- | 193x || Viene fondata la Williamson Torino |- |}
Template:LegendaModelli |- | XX || 19XX || XX, ? |- |}
Note
- ↑ referring to a flyer of this year that shows Riccardo Amisani as general representative for Italy and colonies.
Riferimenti esterni
- http://kamakurapens.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=1851
- http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=en&js=n&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.opiorach.blogspot.com%2F&sl=pl&tl=en
- http://www.tryphon.it/pens/history.htm
- http://www.pentrace.net/2002/article032802_170.html
- http://xoomer.virgilio.it/leiacopi/williamson_fset.htm