Leonardt Ltd. (formerly D. Leonardt & Co.) is an English manufacturing company that specializes in finishing of metal components,Sub-contract metal finishing on Leonardt Ltd. website, 11 April 2017 manufacturing products such as corners for stationery such as leathergoods, photograph albums, menu covers, pattern and carpet books, binders and portfolios.
The company also produced writing implements that included dip and fountain nibs, ballpoint pens, pen holders and mechanical pencils,Product page on Leonardt website (archived), 14 March 2016 which set Leonardt as one of the oldest manufacturers of dip pens, having produced them since its establishment in 1856."The company" on Leonardt website
History
The company was founded in 1856 by Diedrich Leonardt to manufacture dip pens. After two large expansions led by Leonardt in 1863 and 1867, D Leonardt & Co. developed large export market in South America and Eastern Europe, and produced pens for the King of Italy. The manufactured pens were considered to be of high quality and included their famous patent ballpoint pens, on The Pen Room website (Archive), 18 February 2012 such as the "Automatic Wonder Pen", a new type of fountain pen introduced in 1871.
Despite most manufacturers of nibs established in Birmingham having since closed their factories, Leonardt & Co. is one of the few companies that have remained in the industry since its founding, although the company ceased to produce pens.
The Leonardt brand is currently produced by the Manuscript Pen Company, established in 1980."Rich History of Manuscript Pen Company: From Small Beginnings to Modern Innovation." on Artlounge.in. 23 Apr 2024 and based in HighleyOur History Manuscript Pen Company, 24 April 2023
The only other British company that currently manufactures dip pens is William Mitchell (Calligraphy) through its brands Joseph Gillott's and William Mitchell.William Mitchell Calligraphy Home, 24 April 2023
Pen models Some of the dip pen models manufactured by the Manuscript Pen Company Ltd under licence from D. Leonardt are:D. Leonardt & Co. nibs online catalog on Hans Presto website
Image Model 6H - Extra fine drawing nib, nickel 30 ("Point"), nickel 33 ("Copying"), nickel 40 ("Pumpking"), fine, blue finish 41 ("Crown"), fine point, with collar body 63.5 ("School"), nickel 70 ("Ornamental") - Oblique with top reservoir, bronze 111 - Nickel and gilding 251 ("Scroll") - for decorative borders, gilding 256 ("Drawing") - gilt, nickel, and bronze
Image Model 260/265 ("Poster") - Flat-shape pen, brass and gilding 300 ("Ball point"), nickel 400 ("Ornamental"), polished 518 ("Lithographic"), bright 700 - Extra fine drawing nib, nickel 800/801 ("Mapping") - Crowquill type, extrafine, bronze "Index" - Decorative, bronze "Principal" - Extrafine, bronze "Shakespeare" - Decorative, bronze, nickel and gilding
Some models historically produced by D. Leonardt:
Image Model 516 ("Eureka") - Spherical point 526 - Spherical point
Image Model 2300 ("Round") - Traditional calligraphy, nickel
References
External links
Dip pen nibs catalog (archived, 2 Mar 2007) Hiro Leonardt pen catalog on nibs.tk (archived)