- Joseph Hardtmuth
Joseph Hardtmuth (February 13, 1758
Asparn an der Zaya - May 23, 1816Vienna ) was a successfulAustria n architect, inventor andentrepreneur .Inventions
In 1789 he invented a new kind of
earthenware with a lead-free glaze for the harness production, the so-called Vienna porcelain. In 1810, he invented an artificialpumice and years later, a version ofstoneware which was used to make mortars, funnels and other utensils. A flexible, unbreakable blackboard was also produced from the newly invented stoneware.In 1792, Hardtmuth established a
pencil factory inVienna after he succeeded in creating an artificialgraphite pencil by mixing powdered graphite with clay. Until that time, whole pieces, cut from graphite were glued in between wood and were imported fromEngland . With the new method graphite of inferior quality could be used in pencil manufacturing, lowering the price and making the product more accessibile for the masses.In 1848, Joseph's sons, Karl and Ludwig took over the family business, and the production was relocated to the
Bohemia n town of Budweis, which belongs now to theCzech Republic . The products were awarded in many world exhibitions, among which in 1855 inNew York , 1856, 1900 and 1925 inParis , 1862 inLondon , 1882 inVienna and 1905 inMilan .At the 1889 World Fair in Paris, the Hardtmuth's displayed their superior pencils rebranded as "Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth". The new product which soon became a runaway success set the standard by which all other pencils were made, and graded. Each pencil was encased in a yellow
cedar -wood barrel. The inspiration for the name was the famousKoh-i-Noor (meaning "Mountain of Light")diamond , part of theCrown Jewels of the United Kingdom and the largest diamond in the world at the time.References
# cite book
last = Petroski
first = Henry
title = The Pencil: a history of design and circumstance
publisher = Random House
date = 1990
pages = 385–407
isbn = 0394574222External links
* [http://www.koh-i-noor.cz/ the Koh-i-noor website] - current website for the company.
* [http://www.chartpak.com/news/prof_history.html THE KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH story, a tradition of innovation] - ChartPak's write up.
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