In 1918 the company was founded in Milan, Italy by Alfredo Verga and his brother Eugenio. The company produced a range of pens, nibs and fountain pen ink. Their first pen, the Columbus Safety Pen No. 1, was made out of black ebonite.
The partnership ended in 1927, and Eugenio continued to lead the company.
Rocky times were in store for the company. The factory was destroyed during WW I. For a while they produced pens at a location on Lake Maggiore at Lesa, but later rebuilt and returned to Milan.
In 1957 the founder died and the company was left to his son, Enrico. In reviewing the state of the pen market, Columbus opted to produced school and low end pens.
In 1992 the company brand and factory were sold to Santara Srl which was led by Raoul Franco. He continued with the Columbus name and various lines of pens were again produced including silver and celluloid lines.
Columbus Pens
SANTARA srl
via Tobruk, 10
20146 Milano
santara@santara.it
