Montegrappa Elmo 02 Ballpoint

Debonair simplicity

‘Elmo’ is a touchstone to Montegrappa’s formative years – and a name synonymous with the democratisation of writing across Italy. As technical director of the country’s first fountain pen factory, Heinrich Helm was charged with making its products fit for mass adoption. A century later, Helm’s minimalist conical ends still provide an elegant alternative to expensive metals – leaving room for the essentials of good writing.

Honest character and chiselled good looks were hallmarks of many of the early Elmo designs that populated Italian offices and classrooms of the 1920s. Archive designs from factory co-founder, Heinrich ‘Elmo’ Helm, provide the blueprint for a silhouette that minimises its use of metal componentry without sacrificing decorative flair. A debonair, fluted brass clip is a reminder that great design is timeless.