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[[File:Williamson-Safety-Overlay-Foglie-Capped.jpg|thumb|A [[Williamson]] [[safety]] ]]

[[File:Williamson-Safety-Overlay-Foglie-Capped.jpg|thumb|A [[Williamson]] [[safety]] ]]

The ''Williamson,'' brand, or to be more precise, the ''Williamson Safety Fountain Pen'', is one of the most interesting of the Turin companies, both in terms of its history and its production, partly because of the misunderstanding that long led it to be identified with a subsidiary of the American [[Williamson Pen Co.]] Instead, the company turns out to be, for all intents and purposes, a completely different firm that has no plausible connection with its American namesake.

The ''Williamson,'' brand, or to be more precise, the ''Williamson Safety Fountain Pen'', is one of the most interesting of the Turin companies, both in terms of its history and its production, partly because of the misunderstanding that long led it to be identified with a subsidiary of the American [[Williamson Pen Co.]] Instead, the company turns out to be, for all intents and purposes, a completely different firm that has no plausible connection with its American namesake.

[[Image:1939-08-Williamson.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Williamson]] 1939 advertising]]

[[Image:1939-08-Williamson.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Williamson]] 1939 advertising]]

The history of ''Williamson'' originates from Riccardo Amisani's acquisition of Ditta Motta, a well-established stationery shop at 42 Via Roma in Turin, in the early 1910s.<ref>At least since [[1915]], which we will take as the founding date, as seen in [[:File:1915-12-Waterman-Amisani.jpg|this advertisement]] in which it appears as [[Waterman]] agent for Turin and Piedmont.</ref>It is unclear when production of the first pens, some good quality [[safety]], actually began, but they were quite successful. The pens were branded ''"Williamson Fountain Pen,"'' with the logo of a flower in a circle, and the mention of a patent, No. 4497, dated 1912-01-21, a date curiously similar to that of Amisani's registration of the ''Williamson'' trademark except for the inversion of the last two digits of the year.<ref>The production of [[safeties]] and the use of this logo are further confirmation of the lack of relationship with the [[Williamson Pen Co. ]], of which no [[safety]] is known in the USA, and which never used this logo.</ref> At this early stage [[safety]] and later lever filler pens were inspired by similar American models marketed in Italy; and at a later stage, celluloid [[flat tops]] models clearly inspired by the [[Duofold]] were produced.  

The history of ''Williamson'' originates from Riccardo Amisani's acquisition of Ditta Motta, a well-established stationery shop at 42 Via Roma in Turin, in the early 1910s.<ref>At least since [[1915]], which we will take as the founding date, as seen in [[:File:1915-12-Waterman-Amisani.jpg|this advertisement]] in which it appears as [[Waterman]] agent for Turin and Piedmont.</ref>It is unclear when production of the first pens, some good quality [[safety]], actually began, but they were quite successful. The pens were branded ''"Williamson Fountain Pen,"'' with the logo of a flower in a circle, and the mention of a patent, No. 4497, dated 1912-01-21, a date curiously similar to that of Amisani's registration of the ''Williamson'' trademark except for the inversion of the last two digits of the year.<ref>The production of [[safeties]] and the use of this logo are further confirmation of the lack of relationship with the [[Williamson Pen Co. ]], of which no [[safety]] is known in the USA, and which never used this logo.</ref> At this early stage [[safety]] and later lever filler pens were inspired by similar American models marketed in Italy; and at a later stage, celluloid [[flat tops]] models clearly inspired by the [[Duofold]] were produced.

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[[File:Williamson-Vac-RingedBrown-Capped.jpg|thumb|A [[Vacumatic]] like [[Williamson]]]]

[[File:Williamson-Vac-RingedBrown-Capped.jpg|thumb|A [[Vacumatic]] like [[Williamson]]]]

In the '30s the company was manufacturing good quality fountain pens, these, as for the whole Italian production, were clearly inspired by American models. In particular, the [[Williamson]] was known for the production of imitations of the [[Vacumatic]], with ringed celluloid pens of excellent workmanship and good quality which have little to envy to the original from [[Parker]]. These were produced in four sizes with excellent flexible nibs.

In the '30s the company was manufacturing good quality fountain pens, these, as for the whole Italian production, were clearly inspired by American models. In particular, the [[Williamson]] was known for the production of imitations of the [[Vacumatic]], with ringed celluloid pens of excellent workmanship and good quality which have little to envy to the original from [[Parker]]. These were produced in four sizes with excellent flexible nibs.

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