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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Kaweco}}[[Immagine:Logo-Kaweco.svg|center|200px|Kaweco Logo]]

The [[Kaweco]] is one of the oldest companies in Germany, one of the first (preceded only by [[Soennecken]]) to enter the writing instruments market. In the first decades of the 1900 [[Kaweco]] was the leading fountain pens manufacturer of Germany, competing at international level with the American companies. Unable to adapt to market trends, the company suffered a first bankruptcy in 1929, when it was taken over by another fountain pens manufacturer.

While continuing to produce good quality pens in the '30s and in the postwar period, as for many other manufacturers suffered an inexorable decline since the 60s, with the introduction of the ballpoint pen. To date, the brand was acquired by the ''H & M Gutberlet Gmbh'' to recreates modern versions of the popular models of the company.{{Infobox_Brand|Kaweco}}{{BrandData|Founder=Luce, Ensslen|Date=1883|Place=Heidelberg|Country=DE|Fullname=Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik}}
== History ==

The origins of the [[Kaweco]] date back to the [[1883]], when what later became the core of the company was created in Heidelberg under the name ''Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik'', in the back of a carpenter shop. There are few news on this initial period of activity of the company, neither we have precise information on who were the founders and owners (the current site lists these Luce and Ensslen), or details on the initial production that is supposed to be consists of dip pens for England imported nibs. It ir also assumed that the company has been in contact with ''A. [[A. Morton & Co.|Morton]]'', founder of the eponymous American company, whose pens and gold nibs were sold on by ''Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik''.

[[Image:Kaweco-Safety-Overlay-Capped.jpg|thumb|A [[Kaweco]] safety]]

The first fountain pens production of the ''Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik'' goes back to 1892, with hard rubber [[eyedropper]] and [[safety]]  pens. In [[1899]] two businessmen, ''Heinrich Koch'' and ''Rudolph Weber'' acquired the company, which became the ''Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik Koch, Weber & Compagnie'', shifting production to Handschuhsheim, and marketing began to be carried out under the brand name ''KaWeCo'', born from the abbreviation of ''Koch, Weber & Compagnie'', other brands used at the time were [[Perkeo]] and [[Kaweco Omega|Omega]]. In the same period is believed to have begun the nibs importation from [[A. Morton & Co.]] in New York.

At the beginning of the century the company had only a few dozen workers (something like 25 employees in 1903), but the production of black chased  hard rubber [[safety]] fountain pens was of excellent quality and had a great success. In 1903 were introduced the mechanical pencils ''[[KO-MIO]]'', in [[1908]]te company was awarded the first patent for a fountain pen.<ref>patent D.R.G.M. 224101, that's unknown in the database European Patent Office.</ref> In [[1909]] the company founded subsidiaries in Vienna, Paris and Zurich, as well as having numerous sales agencies across Europe and beyond (eg. in Turkey in Istanbul, in Egypt in Cairo and in Russia in St. Petersburg). In this period roughly two-thirds of its production was destined for the foreign market, and it is possible, given the links with [[A. Morton & Co.]] that also some American produced fountain pens have been resold with [[Kaweco]] brand.

In [[1911]] iwas published the first official catalog; more than 120  [[Modelli iniziali Kaweco|different models]] were available, purchased to order according to customer requirements. In this year there was the market introduction of the series of the [[Kaweco]] branded [[Modelli iniziali Kaweco|601-607]] [[safety]] models. Other models of that time were [[Perkeo]], [[Kaweco Swallow|Swallow]], [[Lilliput]] and [[Kaweco Omega|Omega]]. In the same period (1912) there was also the introduction of the [[Sport|616]] model, a black hard rubber [[safety]] model, small and very short, designed for use by athletes and officials, who is the first version of [[Sport]], the most famous model of the company.

They were also provided eight different filling systems, although the most common were the [[eyedropper filler]] and the [[safety]]. In particular, the latter was one of the strengths of [[Kaweco]], who can claim, with [[Waterman]], to be one of the first companies to use this system, for which in 1908 (or 1909) it had made an improved version, using a threaded knob for the mechanismo, so that you can screw the cap on it, and then use it in to displace the nib group.

[[Image:Kaweco-Warranty-10Jahre.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Kaweco]] warranty]]

Another distinctive feature of the [[Modelli iniziali Kaweco|first years of the century production]] was the variety of forms, with cylindrical and tapered caps, with interlocking or screw cap closures, square or round bodies, and of the finishes, with gold rolled metal or variously worked silver and gold [[overlay]]s, mother of pearl inserts, enamel decorations and the rare and sophisticated ''[[tula]]''.

Between 1913 and 1914 the company bought the [[A. Morton & Co.]], who was reputed to be the oldest gold nibs factory in the world. Workers, engineers and machinery were transfered from New York to Heidelberg to teach the techniques of production, while maintaining production of nibs in New York. With the start of World War I most of the American personnel returned home; but in the meantime the production of nibs had become excellent and fully equivalent to the one carried out in New York under the ''[[A. Morton & Co.|Morton]]'' brand.

The [[Kaweco]] reached the height of its size in the early '20s, when he became the first manufacturer in Germany, with sales of around 130,000 units a year. In [[1924]] gave the company employed around 1,200 people, but already in 1925 it began to feel the first symptoms of the crisis, losing ground to rivals like [[Soennecken]] and [[Montblanc]]. Also in that same period were born near Heidelberg a number of competitors such as [[Reform]] and the ''[[KWG]]'', and others brand were founded by the best technicians who left [[Kaweco]] to create of their own companies, like the  Böhler brothers with [[Osmia]] or Heinrich Hebborn, who in 1925 acquired the Cologne [[Kaweco]] branch, of which he was director, to create [[Luxor]].

[[Image:Logo-Kaweco-Old.svg|thumb|Old Kaweco logo|150px|The [[Kaweco]] logo before 1929 bankruptcy.]]

The competition began to grow increasingly fierce and [[Kaweco]] sales, which remained anchored to the production of black hard rubber [[safety]] pens, lost more and more ground when other producers began to introduce colorful patterns celluloid models with more sophisticated filling systems. In particular exports, which had been a company strong point, abruptly fell in front of competition from the United States manufacturers.

In [[1926]], the company officially adopted the name [[Kaweco]] instead of the original ''Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik'', and introduced new  [[button filler]] models, also the [[Omega]] series was expanded introducing new [[lever filler]] models. It was also introduced the [[Helios]] brand for the lower range [[safety]] models.<ref>this trademark appears on two pens depicted in a 1925 catalog and in a page of the 1928 one.</ref> The material, however, was always black hard rubber, which was now permanently associated with the idea of backwardness. Without a strategy for revitalizing production the situation continued to worsen, there was first a reduction of capital, but hounded by creditors, the company went bankrupt, and on 24 May 1929 and was forced into liquidation.

At that time the [[KWG]] was looking for a brand that would replace their own unattractive [[Aurumia]], and started contacts with Max Sauter, the [[Kaweco]] liquidator. After months of negotiations September 31 [[1929]], the [[KWG]] bought the brand and changed its name to ''Kaweco Badische Füllhalterfabrik, Woringen & Grube'', for the occasion was also introduced (at the same Sauter suggestion) the new [[Kaweco]] logo, merger of the two company logos. The agreement provided for the sale of the brand, the stocks of goods and sales contracts, but not the buildings that remained available to the debtors. Regarding the production facilities were also acquired a few machines, being the majority of these, dedicated to [[safety]] production, become obsolete.

The new [[Kaweco]] tried to make a clean break with the past, the old models were removed from the market, those in the distribution network recalled and replaced, or repurchased and destroyed, and they also tried to block the repair. The traditional [[safety]] models were renewed with a flat head cap made of black hard rubber (400, 401, 402, 404, 406) or mottled (500, 501, 502, 504, 506). The [[button filler]] "U" series [[Aurumia]] models were rebranded under [[Kaweco]] as [[Meisterklasse|Kaweco Meisterklasse]], in the same colors. The [[Colleg]] line was maintained as [[Colleg-Extra]] and became a real cheaper products line, aimed for school use. The new pens were of lower size, quality and cost, but this was to help during a period of severe economic crisis.

[[Image:193x-Kaweco-Flattop.jpg|thumb|left|A '30s [[Kaweco]] advertisement]]

In the early 30's were made various changes of the models, the [[Colleg-Extra]] became the [[Kaweco Special]], and was produced in various sizes and with round and hexagonal body, always  [[button filler]]. In [[1934]] was introduced the [[piston filler]] [[Dia]] model with transparent ink section, initially in sizes [[Dia|83]] and [[Dia|85]] and then in the version [[Dia|125]], larger and with bottom and cap top in rolled gold and chiseled  metal. It then was flanked by [[Colleg|Kaweco Colleg]] model.

In [[1935]] was introduced [[Sport]] model, always in celluloid with [[piston filler]] and transparent section, but octagonal and very short, sold combined with a pencil in a leather bag to carry in the pocket, a forerunner of the design introduced by [[Pilot]] with his [[Pilot Elite|Elite]] model, using of a long cap that mounted on the bottom of the pen makes it of normal length. For its small size model [[Sport]] was advertised for use by athletes and for its convenience enjoyed considerable success.

In [[1937]] was introduced the [[Kaweco Elite|Elite]] model, in versions 183, 185, 187 and 190, with [[piston filler]], and the celluloid body engraved with a decorative ''[[guilloché]]''. Finally the more tapered [[Kaweco Special|Special]] model. Most of the production was made before hard rubber and then black celluloid, only the export models were produced in colored celluloid. Other models of this era were the [[Kadett]], the [[Schulkaweco]] and the [[Helios]].

[[Image:194x-Kaweco-Elite.jpg|thumb|upright|A '40s [[Kaweco]] advertisement]]

World War II caused a sharp decrease of the raw materials and manpower available, until 1941 the company maintained good production levels, but from 1943 to 1945 it ceased almost completely. After the war, production resumed; lines [[Dia]] and [[Kaweco Elite|Elite]] were proposed again in the new measures, but with chrome-nickel nib, only the flagship model, the [[Carat]], which appeared for the first time in the 1950 catalog with measures 283, 285, 287 and 290 had a two-tone gold nib. Also in [[1950]] resumed the [[Sport]] model production, who obtained a good success. Economic lines [[Colleg]] and [[Kadett]] were maintained for students; all pens were produced with [[piston filler]].

In [[1960]] ''Frederik Grube'' died, leaving the company to his sons, but the advent of the ballpoint pen had made it less and less significant, which still continued to produce pens and writing instruments, adapting to various trends (with plastic pens and with the use of [[hooded nib]] introduced in [[1962]]) and focusing heavily on the educational market, as for the [[Kaweco VP|VP]] model of [[1964]], cartridge filler and [[hooded nib]].

The production continued without significant innovations, reinventing old models, until the early 80s. The final failure occurred for bankruptcy in [[1981]], and the brand was acquired in 1995 by the ''H&M Gutberlet Gmbh'' who took over the company to put on the market, the following year, a modern version of the most famous model company, the [[Sport]].

==External references==
* [https://www.kaweco-pen.com/en/history] Current historical section of the site, more and more reduced.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150319210809/http://www.kaweco-pen.com/en/Historie/kaweco-historie.php?MyKat=] History section, now removed, on the brand website, now totally useless
* [httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20160331184654/http://www.kaweco-pen.com/e_page2tab.htm] Lost web page on the old website, with detailed history (was sold on CD)
* [http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?s=c45f3e9adbdca24ea62226e4eabdbc10&showtopic=14104] Article on [[Kaweco]] history, first part
* [http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?s=ab60822e2091e705b31735ce27f02b3a&showtopic=14106] Article on [[Kaweco]] history, second part
* [http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?s=c45f3e9adbdca24ea62226e4eabdbc10&showtopic=20363] Discussion with information about German nibs
* [http://www.relojes-especiales.com/foros/estilograficas/kaweco-sport-en-kaweco-mi-rewiev-219012/] Review for two Kaweco Sport with some material taken from here without attribution.
==Notes==
<references/>

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