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

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

[[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}}

[[Montegrappa]] contends to [[Tibaldi]] and [[Aurora]] for the primacy of being the 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}}

== History ==

== History ==

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.  

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.  

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.

In [[1922]] the company acquired the building in Via Ca 'Erizzo in Bassano Veneto, later expanded and renovated, that still is the headquarter of the company. In [[1925]] the company 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 ''Heinrich Helm'' continued to be the production director, providing a vital contribution to the success of the company.

[[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''.

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.

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; in particular ''[[Atlantica]]'', ''[[Caesar]]'', ''[[Contessa]]'', ''[[Duchessa]]'' and ''[[Zenith]]'' are known to be owned by other companies, tough production on commission cannot be excluded.

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.