COLUMBUS OGIVA - STRIPED CELLULOID - NOS

Columbus is one of the most ancient Italian brands and was founded in Milan by Eugenio Verga in 1918. The company remained active till the 1950s manufacturing many models, from safety pens to lever filers and piston filers, which are nowadays among the most appreciated and desirable collectible fountain pens of the entire Italian scenario.

The Company went through the crisis of the 1950s and was soon compelled to stop production by the demise of the fountain pen market. The brand was however revived in 1992 when it was bought by the Santara company led by Mr. Raoul Franco, whose intent was to bring Columbus pens back to their leading position on the market of quality wiring instruments.

Like a few other Italian pen Companies of the time, Santara did not manufacture their own pens but commissioned the production to other companies. Their early celluloid products were manufactured by the Japanese Company Yamasaki and used pistons by Tropen. Another source for their products was the Waldmann company in Germany.

Columbus pens in celluloid are very interesting since they represent an important chapter of Italy's fountain pen renaissance of the 1990s.The celluloids used by Santara are in many cases very similar to those we find in some Visconti' productions, which had the same productive origin.

This ogiva-shaped cartridge filler in colorful striped celluloid is definitely one of the most striking examples of this innovative trend which developed in Italy at the time.

The pen is unused and it is fitted with a gold plated steel nib.