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[[Immagine:Logo-Dunn.svg|center|300px|Dunn Logo]]

[[File:Logo-Dunn.svg|center|300px|Dunn Logo]]

[[Dunn]] was founded in [[1921]] and is between the fountain pen golden age producers, when every company was founded on the basis of some sort of the technical innovation. In [[Dunn]]'s case the invention was a pump filling system very similar to the [[stantuffo tuffante|one]] used by [[OMAS]] in the [[Lucens]] many years later. That allowed the company to obtain a good market share.  

The ''Dunn'' was founded in [[1921]], and was one of the many manufacturers born in the golden age of the American fountain pen, when virtually every company was founded on the basis of the invention of some technical innovation. In the case of ''Dunn'', the invention that gave life to the company was the filling mechanism, which, due to its effectiveness, allowed it to obtain good market shares.  

But [[Dunn]]'s life was very short, the company closed its doors in 1924 (or 1927, depending on sources). In its short life however [[Dunn]] produced good quality and robust fountain pens, equipped with an efficient and advanced filling system that was years ahead to those of its competitors.{{Infobox_Brand|Dunn}}{{BrandData|Founder=Charles Dunn|Place=New York|Date=1921|Country=US|Closing=1927|FullName=The Dunn Pen and Pencil Company, Inc.}}

But ''Dunn'' life was very short, the company closed its doors in 1924 for the first time, and definitively in 1927, after an attempt to relaunch it unfortunately failed. In its short life however ''Dunn'' produced good quality and robust fountain pens, equipped with an efficient and advanced filling system that was years ahead to those of its competitors.{{Infobox_Brand|Dunn}}{{BrandData|Founder=Charles Dunn|Place=New York|Date=1921|Country=US|Closing=1927|Fullname=The Dunn Pen and Pencil Company, Inc.}}

== History ==

== History ==

[[File:Dunn-Oversize-No.12-Open.jpg|thumb|An oversize model]]

[[File:Dunn-Oversize-No.12-Open.jpg|thumb|An oversize model]]

[[Dunn]] was founded in New York in [[1921]], located at 300 Madison Avenue, but curiously ''Charles Dunn'', the inventor which gave its name to the company, was not between its owners because he died by tuberculosis just few days before the company foundation. It was him that in 1920 created and patented (Patent {{Cite patent|US|1359880}}) an original [[stantuffo tuffante|pump filling system]] similar to the one used by [[OMAS]], more than 10 years later, for the [[Lucens]]. The new filling system allowed to store a large ink capacity, so that one of the slogans adopted for the market launch the [[Camel Tatler]] model was: ''"A regular camel for ink, goes a month without a drink"''.

The ''Dunn'' was founded in New York in [[1921]] with headquarters at 300 Madison Avenue, but among its founders does not figure directly ''Charles Dunn'', the inventor from whom the company takes its name, which seems to have died of tuberculosis shortly before the foundation of the company. It was him that in 1920 created and patented (Patent {{Cite patent|US|1359880}}) an original [[stantuffo tuffante|pump filling system]] almost identical to the one used by [[OMAS]] for the [[Lucens]] more than 10 years later. The new filling system allowed to store a large ink capacity, so that one of the slogans adopted for the market launch the [[Camel Tatler]] model was: ''"A regular camel for ink, goes a month without a drink"''.

[[Image:1922-11-Dunn-Bakelite.jpg|thumb|left|Advertising of 1922, with the slogan ''A regular camel for ink, goes a month without a drink'']]

[[Image:1922-11-Dunn-Bakelite.jpg|thumb|left|Advertising of 1922, with the slogan ''A regular camel for ink, goes a month without a drink'']]

All [[Dunn]] fountain pens were produced using this particular filling system, which also characterized their style; the back of the pen, used as a knob of the [[stantuffo tuffante|pump filling system]] was carried out in red plastic (initially in [[hard rubber]], then replaced by casein, a perishable and lower quality material), so it formed a distinctive feature of the pen, that in another slogan was described as ''"The fountain pen with the red pump handle"''. A series of models of different sizes were produced, named (in size increasing order): ''[[Hummingbird]]'', ''[[Dunn Camel|Camel]]'' and ''[[Dunn Camel|Baby Camel]]'', ''[[Dunn Senior|Senior]]'' and ''[[Dunn Senior|Senior Jr.]]'', ''[[Society]]'' and ''[[Society|Society Jr.]]'', ''[[Majority]]'' and ''[[Majority|Majority Jr.]]'', and the ''[[Dreadnaught]]'' series with the distinctive openable cap and the [[Tattler]] and [[Tattler|Tattler Jr.]] with transparent barrel.

All [[Dunn]] fountain pens were produced using this particular filling system, which also characterized their style; the back of the pen, used as a knob of the [[stantuffo tuffante|pump filling system]] was carried out in red plastic (initially in hard rubber, then replaced by casein, a perishable and lower quality material), so it formed a distinctive feature of the pen, that in another slogan was described as ''"The fountain pen with the red pump handle"''.

Initially the [[Dunn]] pens were made in [[hard rubber]] and were of good quality; the company distinguished itself by an extensive advertising campaign. The pump mechanism was simple and robust, and the pens were produced in a variety of models from small pens for women's to the [[Dreadnaught]] giant model (produced also in regular dimensions). An interesting feature, from a technical point of view, was also the introduction of a the caps composed by two parts, whose top section could be unscrew in order to discover the nib, but leaving it shielded by a protective cage in order to consent to fill the pen without pressing dangerously the nib on the bottom of the ink bottle.  

The ''Dunn'' pens were primarily [[hard rubber]] made; and the company distinguished itself with an extensive advertising campaign. The pump mechanism was simple and robust, and pens were produced in a variety of models from small ladies pens (the [[Hummingbird]]) to the giant [[Tanks]] model, which is sometimes called [[Dreadnaught]] by collectors, although this name rather distinguishes a series that was also produced in ordinary sizes, characterized by caps composed of two parts (another interesting technical innovation, covered by the patent {{Cite patent|US|1596722}}) whose upper section could be unscrewed to reveal the nib but leaving it protected by a protective cage, so you can fill the pen without pressing the nib dangerously on the bottom of the ink bottle.  

In addition to black hard rubber [[Dunn]] produced also [[bakelite]] pens with a transparent barrel (though most of the transparent models were later made in [[celluloid]]) boasting (rightly) of being the only transparent pen (with the model named [[Camel Tatler]]) to display the ink level, and a good 10 years before the [[Vacumatic]]. Are also known to exists, but to be very rare, some metal [[overlay]] pens.  

In addition to black [[hard rubber]], Dunn produced pens with transparent barrel; these were initially made in [[bakelite]] and later in [[celluloid]]. This feature allowed it to boast (rightly) to be the only transparent pen (in the ads showing the [[Camel Tatler]] model) to display the ink level, and this well 10 years before the [[Vacumatic]]. Are also known to exists, but to be very rare, some metal [[overlay]] pens.  

The end of the company is not very clear, someone report a bankruptcy in [[1924]] caused by a prolonged strike of all the employees. Others say that the company continued operation until [[1927]], because there are trace of it having headquarters in New York, 71 Fifth Ave, when it went off market by its incapacity to adapt its production to the era of the colored celluloid pens. It seems<ref>look at this [http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?s=ad059a9e060d5ae6fba92e02ec66b7d5&showtopic=53123 discussion] about this topic in Fountain Pen Network.</ref> that in 1924 there was a first instance of failure (whose causes seem to be specifically tied if not for a strike to serious problems of labor relations), which was followed by an attempt to reorganize the company with a re-foundation and a different location from the original in order to avoid debtor lawsuits. This was unsuccessful, leading a few years later to the final bankruptcy.

The end of the company is not very clear, someone report a bankruptcy in [[1924]] caused by a prolonged strike of all the employees. Others say that the company continued operation until [[1927]], because there are trace of it having headquarters in New York, 71 Fifth Ave, when it went off market by its incapacity to adapt its production to the era of the colored celluloid pens. It seems<ref>look at this [http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?s=ad059a9e060d5ae6fba92e02ec66b7d5&showtopic=53123 discussion] about this topic in Fountain Pen Network.</ref> that in 1924 there was a first instance of failure (whose causes seem to be specifically tied if not for a strike to serious problems of labor relations), which followed an attempt to reorganize the company. This had not happened, leading a few years after the final failure.

{{BrandChrono|Dunn}}

{{BrandChrono|Dunn}}

== External references ==

== External references ==

* [http://www.richardspens.com/?prof=dunn] Dunn page on Richard Binder website

* [http://www.richardspens.com/?prof=dunn] ''Dunn'' page on Richard Binder website

* [http://www.vintagepens.com/Dunn.shtml] Dunn page on David Nishimura website

* [http://www.vintagepens.com/Dunn.shtml] ''Dunn'' page on David Nishimura website

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20130614024321/http://www.pensandwatches.com/_pages/pen_company_photos/dunn_fountain_pen_company.htm] Dunn page on Pen and Watch website

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20130614024321/http://www.pensandwatches.com/_pages/pen_company_photos/dunn_fountain_pen_company.htm] ''Dunn'' page on Pen and Watch website

==Notes==

==Notes==

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{{CategorizeBrand|U.S.A.}}

{{CategorizeBrand|U.S.A.}}