ANCORA Paua Mother ef Pearl fountain pen, 1997.

ANCORA Paua Mother ef Pearl fountain pen, 1997.
Orange bakelite and mother-of-pearl barrel. Golden details and ornamentation.
Limited edition. Exemplary 361/888.
Nib in 18kt yellow gold. M tip.
Screw cap. Piston loading.
No box. Unused. Good state of preservation.
Measurements: 14.20 cm. length.

The Ancora house, founded in 1909 by Giuseppe Zanini in Sesto Calende, is recognized as the oldest pen brand in Italy. In its beginnings, the business was dedicated to the sale of stationery, books and toys. It was in 1919 that Zanini officially registered the company as "Primaria Fabbrica Penne Stilografiche Ancora" and began assembling fountain pens. Its distinctive emblem is a stamped figure depicting an anchor holding a pen.

In its early stages, Ancora produced classic models in black ebonite, both dropper-loading and safety. It was not until 1929 that the company fully manufactured its first self-produced pens.

During the 1930s, under the leadership of Alfredo Zanini, son of the founder, the headquarters moved to Arona. At that time, Ancora launched a line of celluloid fountain pens with vibrant colors and varied finishes. As early as the 1950s and 1960s, it began to manufacture injection-molded pens, with nibs similar to Parker's famous "51" model. However, like many traditional brands, Ancora was affected by the popularization of the ballpoint pen. Despite its attempts to appeal to a younger, mass audience, the company ceased operations in 1975.

A renaissance came in 1997, when Mr. Santini acquired the brand and relaunched it on the market with a model that marked its comeback: the "Paua".

After years of silence, Ancora bet on a noble and almost forgotten material due to its high cost: mother-of-pearl, also known as abalone or "mother of pearl". The Paua is a masterpiece of craftsmanship: the tank, cap and section are made of ebonite, while the body is covered with delicate strips of mother-of-pearl.

The manufacturing process is entirely manual and laborious: more than thirty artisanal operations are necessary to shape each pen. A specialized craftsman carefully selects the shell for each unit, cleans it, cuts it into small fragments and patiently molds its natural curves. The strips, approximately 50 millimeters long, are reconstructed from infinite slivers of a few millimeters, assembled one by one. The result is a unique and precious mosaic, in which the most beautiful pieces of mother-of-pearl are arranged on the red ebonite body of the feather.

Thanks to this meticulous work and the natural uniqueness of each shell, each Paua feather is a unique and unrepeatable piece.