Montegrappa

History

This the oldest Italian manufacturer of fine writing instruments founded as "Manifattura pennini d'oro e penne stilografiche" ("Maker of gold nibs and fountain pens") in 1912. Their products are still manufactured in their original factory by the shores of the river Brenta, in one of the parts of Bassano del Grappa—near Vicenza, in the North-East of Italy.

During the First World War Bassano was a centre of military operations. Among the many soldiers who used the company's pens (Elmo at that time) for their correspondence were two celebrated 20th-century writers, Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos, who had both volunteered for service as ambulance drivers.

In the 1930s, the company enjoyed its most magnificent phase. It was a period when the fountain pen became widespread and the products of the house of Bassano met the taste of the public with their sober design, the variety of their colours and materials (among the first to use celluloid and galalith), the perfect operation of their technical solutions, and the originality and precision of their manufacturing techniques.

Products

Other products are watches, cufflinks, pockets of leather, fragrances and accessories. The Montegrappa company is owned by Aquila's family: Sylvester Stallone and the ex F1 Ferrari driver Jean Alesi are also partners and members of the board for P.R. and communication.