Retracing the “History of Pirelli industries”. New documents in the Online Archive
“Documents on the History of Pirelli Industries” is the name given to the core collection that formed the basis for the company’s Historical Archive. The collection was put together in 1942-3 by Mario Luzzatto, a former Pirelli executive, with the aim of retracing the history of the multinational group, which was celebrating its seventieth anniversary at the time. Luzzatto went through the archives, picking out the documents that he considered would give the greatest insights into the historical evolution of the company: he collected the originals and, where this was not possible, he made photographic copies or transcribed them.
His work came to a tragic end in September 1943, when Luzzatto and his family were arrested by the SS. He had completed the work up to 1920, and it was continued by Gaetano Sermattei, who had worked with him. He followed Luzzatto’s notes and completed the work up to the 1940s.
After the war, the Historical Archive that had been created up to that point was entrusted to the staff of the Mail and Archive Office, who continued to collect documents year after year. These, however, were only standard printed documentation for internal or external use, such as circulars, notices, price lists, catalogues, brochures, and advertising publications.
In 1972, when the Soprintendenza Archivistica per la Lombardia declared the Archive to be of “significant historical interest”, the material was reorganised. Each one of the over 3,000 documents dating from 1872 to the 1980s was given an individual progressive number in chronological order, and they were arranged in 168 folders and listed in a “Register of Historical Documents.”
The work of inventorying and digitising the collection has never ceased, with a view to constantly promoting this precious heritage, and today the documents of the 1920s and 1930s are being made available in the online Historical Archive. These were important years for the company, which was growing rapidly and which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1922. It made its mark in the cable sector with the “fluid oil cable” invented by Luigi Emanueli, in the tyre sector with the launch of the Superflex Cord and Stella Bianca models, in the miscellaneous articles sector with its ever-expanding production of sponges, soles and heels, and rubber floors. The documents of these years include various patents, product catalogues, photographs of Pirelli stands at national and international trade fairs, and foreign travel reports written by the brothers Piero and Alberto Pirelli and by executives such as Luigi Emanueli and Giuseppe Venosta.
There are also many diplomas certifying participation in trade fairs and exhibitions, as well as the results achieved by the Pirelli Sports Group and the Dopolavoro in sports contests in gymnastics, tug of war, bowls and football, to name but a few.
An immense cultural heritage that helps reconstruct not just the history of the Pirelli Group, but also that of Italy and the world.
“Documents on the History of Pirelli Industries” is the name given to the core collection that formed the basis for the company’s Historical Archive. The collection was put together in 1942-3 by Mario Luzzatto, a former Pirelli executive, with the aim of retracing the history of the multinational group, which was celebrating its seventieth anniversary at the time. Luzzatto went through the archives, picking out the documents that he considered would give the greatest insights into the historical evolution of the company: he collected the originals and, where this was not possible, he made photographic copies or transcribed them.
His work came to a tragic end in September 1943, when Luzzatto and his family were arrested by the SS. He had completed the work up to 1920, and it was continued by Gaetano Sermattei, who had worked with him. He followed Luzzatto’s notes and completed the work up to the 1940s.
After the war, the Historical Archive that had been created up to that point was entrusted to the staff of the Mail and Archive Office, who continued to collect documents year after year. These, however, were only standard printed documentation for internal or external use, such as circulars, notices, price lists, catalogues, brochures, and advertising publications.
In 1972, when the Soprintendenza Archivistica per la Lombardia declared the Archive to be of “significant historical interest”, the material was reorganised. Each one of the over 3,000 documents dating from 1872 to the 1980s was given an individual progressive number in chronological order, and they were arranged in 168 folders and listed in a “Register of Historical Documents.”
The work of inventorying and digitising the collection has never ceased, with a view to constantly promoting this precious heritage, and today the documents of the 1920s and 1930s are being made available in the online Historical Archive. These were important years for the company, which was growing rapidly and which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1922. It made its mark in the cable sector with the “fluid oil cable” invented by Luigi Emanueli, in the tyre sector with the launch of the Superflex Cord and Stella Bianca models, in the miscellaneous articles sector with its ever-expanding production of sponges, soles and heels, and rubber floors. The documents of these years include various patents, product catalogues, photographs of Pirelli stands at national and international trade fairs, and foreign travel reports written by the brothers Piero and Alberto Pirelli and by executives such as Luigi Emanueli and Giuseppe Venosta.
There are also many diplomas certifying participation in trade fairs and exhibitions, as well as the results achieved by the Pirelli Sports Group and the Dopolavoro in sports contests in gymnastics, tug of war, bowls and football, to name but a few.
An immense cultural heritage that helps reconstruct not just the history of the Pirelli Group, but also that of Italy and the world.
