Wirt
Wirt was founded in 1894, and for about twenty years was the biggest world fountain pen manufacturer, well above the production numbers of more famous brands like Waterman and Parker. In the initial period of fountain pen development the company was very innovative, mostly in the field of feeders.
The company fate is substantially related to that of the founder family, Paul E. Wirt. His son, who was taking over from his father in running the business, died in 1921, and only after four years Paul E. Wirt went out of business by selling the company. The company remained active for a short time in the production of plastics, but the great depression of 1929 led it to a premature end.
| Wirt |
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| Brand advertising |
| Brand photos |
| Patents |
The Wirt company was founded in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania by Paul E. Wirt around 1884 as a family business, even if the founder, a lawyer by profession, became involved in the production of fountain pens since 1880, obtaining his first patent in 1882.[1]
Negli anni iniziali dello sviluppo della penna stilografica senz'altro la Wirt fu una delle aziende più attive ed all'avanguardia, ed insieme alla Holland si contendeva il primato di vendite sul mercato, arrivando nel 1890 a proclamare nelle sue pubblicità (ne è nota una su Ainslee's Magazine) la vendita di oltre 350,000 penne.
Nel 1925 l'azienda venne costituita ufficialmente come società di capitali con il nome di Paul Wirt Pen Co., e lo stesso anno Paul Wirt si ritirò dagli affari cedendo le sue quote dell'azienda. Le attività proseguirono ancora per un breve periodo terminando dopo qualche anno.
Chronology
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1882 | First patent assigned to Paul Wirt in the fountain pen production field |
| 1884 | Wirt is born as family business |
| 1885 | Paul Wirt patents overfeed feeder |
| 1885 | Paul Wirt open a plant in Iron Street, Bloomberg |
| 1890 | An advertisement on Ainslee's Magazine claim the selling of 350,000 fountain pens |
| 1925 | The Paul Wirt Pen Co. is incorporated |
| 1925 | Paul Wirt Pen Co. is sold and Paul Wirt retires |
- http://www.kamakurapens.com/Paul_Wirt/Paul_Wirt_Company_History.html
- http://www.penbid.com/Auction/showarticle.asp?art_id=105 sito non pià disponibile
- http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.wirtpens.com/ sito non pià disponibile, la versione archiviata si vede male
- http://www.paulwirt.com/
- http://www.kamakurapens.com/WirtCollectionIndex.html
- http://www.pensandwatches.com/_pages/pen_company_photos/paul_wirt_fountain_pens.htm
- http://forum.styloplume.net/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=843
Notes