Stylomine
Stylomine is one of the oldest French producers, which is highlighted in the fountain pen history for the unique filling system (which, by the shape of the sac, is called accordion filler) which distinguished his pens, and that after the relevant patent expiration was adopted by many other French producers.
Although the produced models were few, the company production was always high quality, and very interesting in the French market, where the company was one of the most significant actors. The company distinguished itself by technological innovation, having patent an hooded nib before the Parker 51 one, but like all historical French manufacturers could not withstand the impact of the advent of the ballpoint pen and disappeared from the market in the early 60s.
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History
An exact date for the founding of the company created by Yves E. Zuber is not known[1] but its activities originates at the end of the first World War, with offices and factory in Paris on Rue Neuve des Boulet, 34-36 and in the Rue de Nice, 2 and later on Avenue Martin Moreau, 45. The company was initially active on the market in the molding and assembly of metal parts, as bag hooks or clips and nibs for fountain pens.
The Stylomine brand was officially registered in 1921 with n. 199226, and was used by Yves E. Zuber for his pencils. The fountain pen production began only in 1925 with some safety models in black or red/black marbled hard rubber. It was relevant also for the production of overlays in both rolled gold or precious metals. But in this period the most characterizing product for the company production was the Autostyl mechanical pencil, in which the mine is automatically replaced after exhaustion. The production of mechanical pencils continued for all following years, with different names such as Stylomine Automatic and Stylomine 202.
But the fountain pen which made famous Stylomine is the 303 model, introduced in 1930 and equipped with a series of very peculiar technical solutions, as an advanced bulb filler system, very functional and with high-capacity thanks to a breather tube ingeniously connected to the feeder (patent nº FR-712327), which allowed the full loading of the pen with only four or five strokes.
In 1933 was created a very special re-entrant nib mounted on a spring that was made by screwing the cap back by the pressure of an inner tip (see nº FR-737930). This system was used in the new 303B model, produced in three versions corresponding to three different sizes. The filling system was a refinement of the previous one of 303 and was also used for the 303C model, made in celluloid and without the re-entrant nib, for which, in addition to the three previous dimensions, was produced also a fourth size, large enough to call it Mastodonte.
Ma l'invenzione più significativa della produzione dell'azienda, che ne costituisce un po' la caratteristica distintiva, è il rivoluzionario sistema di caricamento a fisarmonica, brevettato (nº FR-854177) nel 1938. Si tratta di una peculiare variante di caricamento a sfiatatoio che le consentiva una grandissima capacità di inchiostro, in cui il pompaggio veniva effettuato grazie ad un sacchetto per l'inchiostro con le pareti a fisarmonica, ed in cui il bulbo era sostituito da un pulsante sotto il fondello, costituito da una ampolla di vetro inserita a scorrere nell'estremità posteriore del corpo, che si poteva premere per effettuare il pompaggio, ed utilizzare anche per vedere l'inchiostro rimanente.
E' di particolare interesse poi lo sviluppo del modello 303D, dotato di pennino carenato, forse il primo mai prodotto, il relativo brevetto (nº FR-850525) infatti è del 1938 ed anticipa di vari mesi il corrispondente brevetto (nº US-2223541) della Parker per la 51, ma l'azienda aveva comunque brevettato penne a pennino coperto fin dal 1932 (nº FR-750689). Si può pertanto ritenere che l'azienda francese abbia battuto sul tempo la stessa Parker in termini di innovazione. In questo caso comunque non sono note date esatte per la comparsa del modello sul mercato, che in alcuni casi viene riportata come molto più tarda.[2]
Nel 1937 circa[3] venne lanciato il modello 303V (la data comunque è alquanto incerta), che adottava il nuovo caricamento a fisarmonica, con un nuovo stile più svasato rispetto a i precedenti e l'uso di un corpo in materiale plastico (cosa che fa sospettare una apparizione più tarda).
The postwar period saw the spread of the hooded nib 303D model, flanked by other models such as the Super 303 with round tip nib. The accordion filler was maintained replacing the glass button with plastic material. In 1947 were introduced the Stylomine 404 mechanical pencil and in 1948 was introduced the Stylomine 707 ballpoint pen.
The company tried to respond to the crisis introduced by the advent of disposable spheres: the lever filler 505 model was introduced (now very rare), the company also joined to Météore, Paillard and Unic to produce the Pulsa Pen and formed a consortium with Bayard and Unic to create the BUC cartridge. It also introduced a cartridge model recovering the historical 303 name. But as with most other historic French manufacturers, the efforts were useless and the company ceased operations in the 60s.
Cronologia
| Anno | Avvenimento |
|---|---|
| 1921 | l'azienda viene fondata da Yves E. Zuber a Parigi |
| 1925 | l'azienda inizia la produzione di stilografiche |
| 1930 | l'azienda introduce le Stylomine 303 |
| 1933 | l'azienda introduce le Stylomine 303C |
| 1933 | l'azienda introduce le Stylomine 303B |
| 1934 | l'azienda dismette il pennino retrattile |
| 1937 | l'azienda introduce le Stylomine 303V |
| 1938 | l'azienda brevetta il pennino coperto (brevetto nº FR-850525), poi usato sul modello 303D |
| 1942 | l'azienda introduce la clip decorata con una incisione di una spiga di grano |
| 1942 | l'azienda introduce le matite meccaniche Stylomine 302 |
| 1943 | l'azienda introduce la clip decorata con una incisione di grappoli d'uva |
| 1947 | l'azienda introduce le matite meccaniche Stylomine 404 |
| 1948 | l'azienda introduce la penna a sfera Stylomine 707 |
| 1951 | l'azienda introduce il cappuccio in metallo sui modelli Stylomine 303D |
| 1951 | l'azienda introduce il cappuccio in metallo sui modelli Stylomine 303V |
| 1956 | la Pulsapen viene prodotta da Stylomine, Météore, Paillard e Unic |
Riferimenti esterni
Note
- ↑ therefore we will use the 1921, registration date for the trademark, as foundation date.
- ↑ secondo quanto riportato in questo articolo l'introduzione sarebbe del 1947.
- ↑ questo è quanto riportato in questo articolo ma l'uso di materie plastiche lascia la cosa incerta.