D. Leonardt & Co.

Leonardt Ltd. (formerly D. Leonardt & Co.) is an English manufacturing company that specializes in finishing of metal components,[2] manufacturing products such as corners for stationery such as leathergoods, photograph albums, menu covers, pattern and carpet books, binders and portfolios.

Leonardt Ltd.
Formerly
D. Leonardt & Co.
Private
IndustryMetallurgy
Founded1856 (1856) in Birmingham, England [1]
FounderDiedrich Leonardt [1]
Headquarters
Highley, Shropshire
,
England
Area served
Worldwide
Products
Websiteleonardt.com

The company also produced writing implements that included dip and fountain nibs, ballpoint pens, pen holders and mechanical pencils,[3] which set Leonardt as one of the oldest manufacturers of dip pens, having produced them since its establishment in 1856.[4]

History
Former logo, used until 2016

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,[5] such as the "Automatic Wonder Pen", a new type of fountain pen introduced in 1871.[6]

Despite most manufacturers of nibs established in Birmingham having since closed their factories,[1] 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 only British company that currently manufactures dip pens is British Pens Ltd. thorught its brands Joseph Gillott's and William Mitchell.

Pen models
A vintage D. Leonardt & Co. Eureka pens box

Some of the dip pen models manufactured by Leonardt were:[7][3]

  • 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 ("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
  • 260/265 ("Poster") - Flat-shape pen, brass and gilding
  • 300 ("Ball point"), nickel
  • 400 ("Ornamental"), polished
  • 516 ("Eureka") - Spherical point
  • 518 ("Lithographic"), bright
  • 526 - Spherical point
  • 700 - Extra fine drawing nib, nickel
  • 800/801 ("Mapping") - Crowquill type, extrafine, bronze
  • 2300 ("Round") - Traditional calligraphy, nickel
  • "Index" - Decorative, bronze
  • "Principal" - Extrafine, bronze
  • "Shakespeare" - Decorative, bronze, nickel and gilding
  • 6H
  • 30
  • 33
  • 40
  • No. 41
  • 63.5
  • 70
  • 111 EF
  • Scroll
  • 256
  • 300
  • 400
  • 516
  • 518
  • 526
  • No. 700
  • Index
  • Principal
  • Shakespeare
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References
  1. More about the Pen Trade in Birmingham (Archive), 1 July 2010
  2. Sub-contract metal finishing on Leonardt Ltd. website, 11 April 2017
  3. Product page on Leonardt website (archived), 14 March 2016
  4. "The company" Archived 10 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine on Leonardt website
  5. The manufacturers on The Pen Room website (Archive), 18 February 2012
  6. "Penning an Empire: A Brief History of D. Leonardt & Co". Lungsal. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  7. D. Leonardt & Co. nibs online catalog on Hans Presto website
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