L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano IMPRESA ITALIA MADE IN ITALY TOP BRANDS BUSINESS & ECONOMY M ontegrap- p a w a s founded in 1912 in Bas- s a n o d e l Grappa, a town in the Veneto region of northern Italy, by Austrians Edwige Hoffman and Heinrich Helm: their goal was to produce high- quality fountain pen nibs using precious materials such as gold and silver. The com- p a n y w a s i n i t i a l l y named Manifattura Pennini O r o p e r S t i l o g r a f i c h e Elmo and focused on creating elegant and sophisticated writing instruments. The dis- tinctive octagonal silhouette o f C a s a E r i z z o ' s p r i v a t e chapel's bell tower inspired, i n 1 9 1 5 , t h e c r e a t i o n o f the Reminiscence pen, the company's first commercial hit. Casa Erizzo later became the company's headquarters. In 1922, Alessandro Mar- zotto and Domenico Manea acquired Elmo Pens, which, b y t h e n , w e r e f a m o u s throughout Italy and beyond. Thanks to the duo, Elmo pens were given a new look and name with the introduction of sparkling celluloid col- o r s a n d t h e d e b u t o f the Montegrappa brand in 1928. In 1938, the company embarked on a long and fruit- ful relationship with sta - tionery merchant Leopoldo Tullio Aquila, whose love for pens and the finer things in life would continue to shape the brand for four genera- tions. I n 1 9 8 1 , G i a n f r a n c o Aquila, having become the biggest customer of Elmo- Montegrappa, acquired the company and presented it to the world, ushering in a new era for the Bassano-based brand. A strictly limited edi- tion of 1,912 silver pens pro- duced to celebrate the compa- n y ' s 8 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y inaugurated a new era for Montegrappa in 1992, help- ing to broaden the boundaries of contemporary luxury. The Dragon pen, introduced in 1995, established a new stan- dard in writing instrument design and production, and cemented the avant-garde credentials of the brand. Montegrappa also created prestigious editions, such as a p e n c o m m e m o r a t i n g t h e Great Jubilee of the Catholic Church in 2000, which was the only authorized com - memorative item with the image, signature, and bless- ing of Pope John Paul II. In 2000, the company was sold t o t h e R i c h e m o n t Group but was later reac- q u i r e d b y G i a n f r a n c o Aquila in 2009. Throughout the decades, Montegrappa fostered a con- nection with the worlds of a r t s , m u s i c , c i n e m a , a n d sports that made the brand even more iconic through the c r e a t i o n o f t r i b u t e i t e m s i n s p i r e d o r e n d o r s e d b y f a m o u s p e o p l e w h o l e f t a mark in their specific field. The first among a long list of examples is perhaps the Trib- ute to Muhammad Ali collec- tion, released in 2013. The brand's 2012 cameo appear- a n c e i n t h e m o v i e T h e Expendables 2 shaped the beginning of a new era of popularity for Montegrappa, with Sylvester Stallone acquiring shares in the com- pany and playing a role in its modern history. B u t t h e c o n n e c t i o n between Montegrappa and popular culture has developed even further in the past 10 years. Such a connection is evident in its Iron Throne edi- tion, a wonder of lost-wax casting that is the jewel in the crown of the collection dedi- cated to the HBO series Game of Thrones. Montegrappa has also made pens for Harry Pot- ter and The Lord of the Rings, demonstrating its commit- m e n t t o s t o r y t e l l i n g a n d imagination. The iconic status of the Italian brand has also been cemented through a series of high-profile events, like the O p e n C h a m p i o n s h i p g o l f tournament, but also through the periodical release of exclu- sive and luxurious products, some of which are sold in lim- ited quantities. B u t p e r h a p s t h e m o s t exceptional of all Montegrap- pa's advertisements is its long list of ambassadors, which includes renowned celebrities such as Paulo Coelho, Quincy Jones, the already mentioned Sylvester Stallone, and former F1 pilot Jean Alesi. Among other famous names fond of Montegrappa pens, we should also mention Ernest Heming- way and John Dos Passos, who both began using Monte- grappa (then Elmo) pens dur- ing World War I and, more recently, former President of t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s B a r a c k Obama. T h e i n n o v a t i v e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f V e n e t i a n chimneys stand s as a testament to the city's unique approach to addressing the challenges posed by its specific geo - graphical conditions. With high humidity, salt air, and densely packed dwellings of varying heights, the Vene- tians needed ingenious solu- tions to ensure safety and efficiency in chimney design and they made remarkable advancements in this field. So, while not strictly an Ital- ian invention, these special c h i m n e y s a r e c e r t a i n l y a product of local ingenuity. In the urban conditions we described, the primary concern was the risk of fires caused by the expulsion of s p a r k s . T o m i n i m i z e t h i s d a n g e r , t h e V e n e t i a n s devised a distinctive chim- ney structure that effec- tively contained and con- trolled the sparks within the f l u e . B y l e v e r a g i n g t h e ascending force of hot air, the chimney's design pre- vented sparks from escaping because the air and sparks were directed along specific paths and guided against the f l u e ' s w a l l s , w h e r e t h e y c o o l e d d o w n a n d b e c a m e trapped. The addition of a protective cover at the top further mitigated the risk by ensuring that incandescent s p a r k s e n c o u n t e r e d a n obstacle, losing energy and cooling before exiting the chimney. Yet, Venetian chimneys were not merely practical, t h e y w e r e a l s o o b j e c t s o f beauty. In Venice's densely woven urban fabric, one can appreciate the multitude of chimneys adorning rooftops, so much so that these archi- tectural marvels, with their u n i q u e a n d e l a b o r a t e d e s i g n s , h a v e c a p t i v a t e d artists throughout history. Paintings such as Vittore Carpaccio's The Miracle of the Cross depict the allure of these decorative elements, showcasing their artistic sig- nificance in the city's cultural heritage. But there is more, b e c a u s e L a S e r e n i s s i m a ' s chimneys were often embell- ished with frescoes and deco- r a t i v e e l e m e n t s , t o o : esteemed painters like Gior- g i o n e a n d T i z i a n o c o n - tributed to the adornment of these structures, adding to their visual appeal. If you want to see a cool example of how Venetian chimneys did add to the beauty of the city, look no further than Ca' di Dio, in the Castello district of the city, which proudly dis- plays nine decorated dado- s h a p e d c h i m n e y s ( s h a p e d l i k e a c u b o i d o r p a r a l - lelepiped), a perfect example of Venice's own special artis- tic sensibilities. Traditional Venetian chimneys (Photo: Crisfotolux/Dreamstime) A gold nib, just like those we can still find on Montegrappa fountain pens (Photo: Moisesgallego/Dreamstime) Venetian chimneys: a tale of innovation and safety M o n t e g r a p p a , a c e n t u r y o f fi n e I t a l i a n craftsmanship

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