View source for SAFIS/en


{{DISPLAYTITLE:Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana Stilografiche}}
The ''SAFIS'' origins have not been very clear for a long time and its place in the market with various brand names that refer to this company has been uncertain. But recent findings have found documentary references that a company with the name  '''Società Anonima Pennini King"'', holder of the [[The King]] trademark, was founded in Turin, June 23, 1926, and further evidence shows that it was later forced to change its name in ''"Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana Stilografiche"'', as a result of the pressure given by the policy of names Italianisation imposed by the fascist regime.

The company is one of the best Italian fountain pens manufacturers, with models with anything to envy in terms of quality of workmanship and beauty of celluloid, to those produced by other first tier brands. The initial production was made under the [[The King]] brand, which was partially maintained in the following years, when the company, after the name change,  produced its fountain pens under a variety of different trademark, among which [[Radius]] and [[Astura]]. The company had its best period between the 30s and 40s and ceased production in the late 50s, (but an exact date is not known). {{Infobox_Brand|SAFIS}}{{BrandData|Place=Torino|Date=1934-07-06|Country=IT|Trademarks=The King,Radius,Astura}}
== History ==

The ''SAFIS'' origins have been unclear for long time. Older texts referred that ''SAFIS'' (which stands for ''"Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana Stilografiche"'') was established by a not better known Mr. Lattes in Turin, remaining active between 30s and 50s in Via Ormea. Recent findings in the Turin Chamber of Commerce records, reported that the company was founded in Turin, June 23, [[1926]], under the name ''"Società Anonima Pennini King"''. The ''The King''  trademark was then registered by the same company November, 8 1926 (see {{MarchioLocale|Torino|1|269}}). 

[[File:1932-10-TheKing-Invoice.jpg|thumb|A 1932 [[The King]] invoice.]]

Another recorded information is the name of the company as ''"The King Società Anonima Torino"'' noted on the recently found invoice reported by side, which testifies to its continuing at least until [[1932]], although the seat, Via Petrarca 10,<ref>this address is also in the annals of the Politecnico di Torino [[1936]], as reported by Letizia Jacopini in his book ''"La storia della stilografica in Italia"''. </ref> is not the same quoted above, although a few blocks away. The same name appears in a catalog of this company (''"Società Anonima The King Torino"'') found at [[OMAS]] archives.<ref>as also reported by Letizia Jacopini in his book ''"La storia della stilografica in Italia"''.</ref> 

Today you can say without a doubt that the origin of the brand is the one that leads back to the [[The King]] production and next to ''SAFIS''. This was already what appeared to be from some oral testimony,<ref>again reference to Letizia Jacopini book ''"La storia della stilografica in Italia"'' that reports how Bruno Milocani and Emilio Pionzo witness the production shift from [[The King]] to [[Radius]] name in [[1935]] caused by the forced Italianisation policies of the fascist regime.</ref> where the transition would take place with the enactment of laws for the Italianisation of names promulgated by the fascist regime. In fact, the [[Radius]] brand ({{Marchio|50489}}) was registered in 1934.

Also where there were no known specific traces of the name change, an ultimate proof of the coincidence of the two companies was obtained from the discovery of the ''"The King Superior"''  trademark registrastion ({{Marchio|38982}}) in [[1928]] by ''"Soc. Anonima Fabbrica Pennini King"'' and the renewal in [[1946]], with explicit reference to the previous record, on behalf of ''"Soc. An. Fabbrica Italiana Stilografiche"''. But Enrico de Muro found at the Turin Chamber of Commerce an official communication of the name change to ''SAFIS'', approved by the shareholders' meeting on July 6, 1934. <ref>an image of the document is on the page dedicated to the company on the Enrico de Muro book ''"I marchi registrati delle Stilografiche Italiane"''.</ref> 
{{:The King/en}} 
{{:Radius/en}}
{{:The King Dopoguerra/en}}
Postwar ''SAFIS'' activities seem to end in the second half of 50s, when the company was probably put out of business by the spread of disposable ballpoint pens. But there are no reliable documents about the cessation of the activity, the date of which is not precisely known, but it is certainly posterior to [[1956]] as the company appears in the "Annuario generale dell'industria e del prodotto italiano" of this year (see [[:File:1956-Annuario-Generale-Industria-Stilografiche-A.jpg|this excerpt]]).

{{BrandChrono|SAFIS}}

==External references==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101127234410/http://www.pentrace.net/article112900028.html] Old article on Pentrace
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050125011331/http://www.fortunecity.it/lunapark/eventi/71/w12.html] Old article on discontinued site
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20011122230744/http://www.fortunecity.it/lunapark/eventi/71/w13.html] Old article on discontinued site
==Notes==
<references/>

{{CategorizeBrand|Italia}}