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[[Immagine:Logo-Montegrappa.svg|center|400px|Elmo Montegrappa Logo]]

[[Immagine:Logo-Montegrappa.svg|center|400px|Elmo Montegrappa Logo]]

La [[Montegrappa]] contende a [[Aurora]] e [[Tibaldi]] il primato di primo produttore italiano di penne stilografiche. Benché senz'altro l'azienda sia la più antica delle tre, essa nasce come produttore di pennini per stilografiche, la cui produzione invece sembra risalire soltanto all'inizio degli anni '20. L'azienda resta comunque, insieme ad [[Aurora]] uno dei più longevi produttori italiani, rimasto sempre in attività fino ai nostri giorni. Nel 2000 l'azienda è stata acquistata dal gruppo [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richemont Richemont] (lo stesso proprietario di [[Montblanc]]) per essere ri-acquisita a fine 2009 dalla famiglia Aquila. {{Infobox_Marca|Montegrappa}}{{BrandData|Founder=Edwige Hoffman, Heinrich Helm|Date=1912|ProdDate=1920|Place=Bassano del Grappa|Country=IT|Fullname=Manifattura Pennini Oro per Stilografiche - The Elmo Pen|Trademarks=Elmo,Domino}}

[[Montegrappa]] contends to [[Tibaldi]] and [[Aurora]] for the primacy of beeing first Italian fountain pens producer. Although the company is undoubtedly the oldest of three, it was founded as a manufacturer of nibs for fountain pens, whose production seems rather starting back to the early 20's. The company, along with [[Aurora]] and [[Omas]] is one of the longest living Italian producers, remained in operation until the present day. In 2001 the company was purchased by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richemont Richemont group] (the same owner of [[Montblanc]]) to be re-acquired at the end of 2009 by the Aquila family.{{Infobox_Brand|Montegrappa}}{{BrandData|Founder=Edwige Hoffman, Heinrich Helm|Date=1912|ProdDate=1920|Place=Bassano del Grappa|Country=IT|Fullname=Manifattura Pennini Oro per Stilografiche - The Elmo Pen|Trademarks=Elmo,Domino}}

== Storia ==

== History ==

[[Image:Montegrappa-Extra-154-Capped.jpg|thumb|A [[Montegrappa]] in celluloid]]

[[Image:Montegrappa-Extra-154-Capped.jpg|thumb|A [[Montegrappa]] in celluloid]]

The [[Montegrappa]] history is rather complex, the company was founded in [[1912]] in Bassano del Grappa with the name ''"Manifattura Pennini Oro per Stilografiche - The Elmo Pen"''<ref>date and name comes form Giuseppe Fichera research published on the book ''Montegrappa'' of 1999.</ref> by ''Edwige Hoffman'' and ''Heinrich Helm''. It would therefore be more correct to refer to it with the ''[[Elmo]]'' name, used also for some models, since the use of the [[Montegrappa]] brand, with which it is now universally known, is much more late. Moreover, as the name testifies, the company initially produce only pens nibs, so it is at least arguable the claim to qualify itself as the first Italian manufacturer of fountain pens<ref>this title belongs instead to  [[Uhlmann's Eterno]], founded before and for which is known a production starting at least from 1913.</ref> since the production of the latter will not start until the beginning of the '20s.  

The [[Montegrappa]] history is rather complex, the company was founded in [[1912]] in Bassano del Grappa with the name ''"Manifattura Pennini Oro per Stilografiche - The Elmo Pen"''<ref>date and name comes form Giuseppe Fichera research published on the book ''Montegrappa'' of 1999.</ref> by ''Edwige Hoffman'' and ''Heinrich Helm''. It would therefore be more correct to refer to it with the ''[[Elmo]]'' name, used also for some models, since the use of the [[Montegrappa]] brand, with which it is now universally known, is much more late. Moreover, as the name testifies, the company initially produce only pens nibs, so it is at least arguable the claim to qualify itself as the first Italian manufacturer of fountain pens<ref>this title belongs instead to  [[Uhlmann's Eterno]], founded before and for which is known a production starting at least from 1913.</ref> since the production of the latter will not start until the beginning of the '20s.  

The initial production of [[Montegrappa]] has been dated to the beginning of the '20s, they were hard rubber pens produced with both [[eyedropper filler|eyedropper]] of [[safety]] filling system. In this period were produced two different lines, the ''[[Modelli iniziali Montegrappa|Elmo]]'', a [[safety]] pen with a design very similar to the German production of the same time (with rounded cap and barrel end) and ''[[Modelli iniziali Montegrappa|The Elmo Pen]]'' who instead imitated the style of american pens like [[Waterman 42]], with flat cap and barrel end.  

La produzione iniziale della ''Montegrappa'' viene fatta risalire agli inizio degli anni '20, con stilografiche in ebanite prodotte sia con [[caricamento a contagocce]] che [[safety]]. Vennero prodotte in questo periodo due diverse linee, la [[Modelli iniziali Elmo|Elmo]], con caricamento di sicurezza e linee affini alla produzione tedesca dell'epoca (cappuccio e fondello arrotondati) e la [[The Elmo Pen]] che invece imitava lo stile americano della [[Waterman 42]] con cappuccio e fondello piatti.  

In [[1922]] [[Montegrappa]] acquired the building in Via Ca 'Erizzo in Bassano Veneto, later expanded and renovated, that still is the headquarter of the company. In [[1925]] [[Montegrappa]] was bought by Alessandro Marzotto and Domenico Manea, and the following year was renamed as ''"Industria Pennini Oro e Penne Stilografiche Elmo"'' which acronym, ''I.P.O.P.S.E.'', was marked on the nibs until the first half of the '30s. Despite the new ownership ''Heidrich Helm'' continued to be the production director, providing a vital contribution to the success of the company.

Nel [[1922]] venne acquistato dall'azienda lo stabile di Via Ca' Erizzo a Bassano Veneto, in seguito ampliato e ristrutturato, che ancora oggi è la sede dell'azienda. Nel [[1925]] l'azienda venne acquistata da Alessandro Marzotto e Domenico Manea, e l'anno seguente venne ribattezzata in ''"Industria Pennini Oro e Penne Stilografiche Elmo"'', con le cui iniziali, ''I.P.O.P.S.E.'', verranno marchiati i pennini fino alla prima metà degli anni '30. Nonostante la nuova proprietà ''Heinrich Helm'' continuò a dirigere la produzione, fornendo un contributo fondamentale al successo dell'azienda.

[[Image:Montegrappa-RedBrown-Posted.jpg|thumb|A [[Montegrappa]] in celluloid]]

[[Image:Montegrappa-RedBrown-Posted.jpg|thumb|A [[Montegrappa]] in celluloid]]

In [[1935]] an interesting line of [[Montegrappa faccettata|faceted pens]] was created, characterized by a great variety of celluloid colors. The style of these pens was the same as the other main Italian producers and resembled the [[Doric]]. In this series was also produced an original version made with wawed faces, one of the most interesting products from the company. In this same period began a further differentiation, at the ''Montegrappa'' brand was added the ''Montegrappa Extra'' brand, reserved for the most valuable pens, while in the low end to the ''Elmo'' was added the ''Ducale''.

In [[1935]] an interesting line of [[Montegrappa faccettata|faceted pens]] was created, characterized by a great variety of celluloid colors. The style of these pens was the same as the other main Italian producers and resembled the [[Doric]]. In this series was also produced an original version made with wawed faces, one of the most interesting products from the company. In this same period began a further differentiation, at the ''Montegrappa'' brand was added the ''Montegrappa Extra'' brand, reserved for the most valuable pens, while in the low end to the ''Elmo'' was added the ''Ducale''.

The '30s were a period of great activity for [[Montegrappa]], which in addition to creating its own models, became a major production company for others brands, building pens for a wide variety of companies, more or less known. Among these Letizia Iacopini, in the book ''La storia della stilografica in Italia'', reports: ''a.b.c.'', ''Aquila'', ''Astoria'', ''[[Atlantica]]'', ''[[Caesar]]'', ''[[Contessa]]'', ''Dacis AVR'', ''[[Domino]]'', ''[[Duchessa]]'', ''Montenero'', ''Pilus'', ''Titanus'', ''Vulcan-Saturnia'', ''[[Zenith]]''. Excepted ''[[Domino]]'' for which is known a trademark registration ({{Marchio|32169}}) from [[1925]], the attribution for the others is quite uncertain.

Gli anni '30 furono comunque un periodo di grande attività dell'azienda, che oltre a creare modelli propri, diventò una delle principali aziende ad eseguire produzioni per conto terzi, costruendo penne per una vasta varietà di marchi, più o meno noti. Fra questi Letizia Iacopini, nel libro ''La storia della stilografica in Italia'', riporta: ''a.b.c.'', ''Aquila'', ''Astoria'', ''[[Atlantica]]'', ''[[Caesar]]'', ''[[Contessa]]'', ''Dacis AVR'', ''[[Domino]]'', ''[[Duchessa]]'', ''Montenero'', ''Pilus'', ''Titanus'', ''Vulcan-Saturnia'', ''[[Zenith]]''. A parte ''[[Domino]]'', per il quale esiste la registrazione di un marchio depositato dall'azienda stessa nel [[1925]] ({{Marchio|32169}}) la attribuzione degli altri è alquanto incerta, ed in particolare ''[[Atlantica]]'', ''[[Caesar]]'' e ''[[Zenith]]'' sono marchi chiaramente riconducibili ad altre aziende, anche se non può essere esclusa una produzione su commissione.

In the late 30's, following the trend of the pens capable to show their ink level, [[Montegrappa]] started to use the [[piston filler]] and produced a  [[Montegrappa trasparente|new line]] of celluloid pens with a transparent section.  Also in this period, the effects of the World War II began to be felt, and autarkic models, equipped with metal trim and chrome steel nibs, began to appear.

In the late 30's, following the trend of the pens capable to show their ink level, [[Montegrappa]] started to use the [[piston filler]] and produced a  [[Montegrappa trasparente|new line]] of celluloid pens with a transparent section.  Also in this period, the effects of the World War II began to be felt, and autarkic models, equipped with metal trim and chrome steel nibs, began to appear.

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