Company founder, Arnold Schweitzer, admired the work of a famous French caricaturist of the Belle Époque, Emmanuel Poiré (1859-1909). Poiré was born in Moscow, the grandson of an officer in Napoleon'sGrande Armée. Published in Le Chronique Parisienne, in 1880, his first drawings were military caricatures, glorifying the Napoleonic era. As a contributor to newspapers like Lundi du Figaro, Chat Noir, and Le Rire, he went on to create “stories without words,” and is sometimes hailed as one of the fathers of the forme d'art comique. Poiré signed his work with the pseudonym, Caran d'Ache, a French transliteration of the Russian word for pencil - карандаш, or “karandash”.
In 1924 Schweitzer acquired the Ecridor Pencil Factory (itself, founded in 1915) in Geneva, creating a new company, Caran d’Ache Swiss Pencil Factory. In 1929, the still young company launched the world's first all-metal mechanical clutch pencil, the Fixpencil. Just a year later the first propelling pencils—hand-engraved Ecridor mechanical pencil models in gold and silver—made their début. 1931 saw Prismalo, the world's first colour pencil with water-soluble leads, revolutionise drawing in colour.
After the almost total disruption of peaceful commerce during the cataclysm of WWII, and helping to mark significant reconstruction in Europe, the first limited series of 1000 Ecridor gold mechanical pencils was produced for the U.S. Armed Forces Headquarters in Germany in 1947. Part of the postwar boom in producing technological innovations on a mass basis for consumers, and another milestone for the written word, the Ecridor ballpoint pen went into series production in 1953.
For the next seventeen years, Caran d’Ache focussed on producing rugged yet beautiful all-metal pens and pencils for business, education, and the consumer. Then in 1970 the Madison Collection was issued, introducing the first Caran d’Ache fountain pen. Over the next thirty years, at irregular intervals, tantalising new designs and collections, special personal accessories, and revolutionary art materials were introduced:
- 1978, the Lighter Collection established a landmark in lighter technology and design.
- 1983, the Hexagonal Collection was launched.
- 1985, Neopastel oil-pastels was introduced.
- 1993, the Genève Collection débuted.
- 1995, the Private Collection was created for Limited Editions.
- 1998, the launch of the Léman Collection.
- 1999 was a banner year with Neoart Aquarelle wax pastels
being introduced; the Varius
Collection created; and La Modernista Diamonds
fountain pen, entering the Guinness Book of Records as “the
world's most expensive pen.”
- 2000 saw the launch of the academic drawing tools, Art by Caran d'Ache.
In 2002 the Jewellery Collection was enriched by the Léman Gold, as well as the Rose Gold set with precious stones. Additionally, inspired by the great deserts of the world, the Dunas Collection of writing instruments arrived. To celebrate its 80th birthday in 2004, and limited to 800 pieces, Caran d’Ache offered a set of its classic Ecridor ballpoint pen, and mechanical pencil, in sterling silver.
In its eighty-three year history the Geneva-based pen maker has become synonymous with creativity, refinement, and excellence of quality. More than simply a brand, it has in essence created its own genre within the realm of fine writing instruments; associated personal accoutrements, such as men’s jewelry; and art materials. Switzerland’s only manufacturer of pencils, prestigious chirographic implements, and art supplies, almost iconoclastic in today’s world of mega-conglomerates, Caran d'Ache remains an independent family enterprise that has gained an international reputation for originality and exceptional quality.
