Johann Eichmüller (*1862;†1908) > ECOBRA (1922-2019+), Nürnberg.

     In 1893 Johann Eichmüller founded a small workshop located at Ohmstrasse 8, where he initially manufactured steel bladed ruling pens and spring bows. He was a supplier to several companies, but mainly to Friedrich Gysi (Aarau) and Georg Schoenner (Nuremberg) [2]. Rapid business growth meant moving the factory several times, to the Pillenreutherstrasse 21 in 1894, to the Wölkernstrasse 38 in 1898, to the Brunhildstrasse 3 in 1906, to the Siegfriedstrasse 20 in 1909, finally settling at Brunhildstrasse 5-9 in 1924 [1]. The production was geared primarily towards the American market. Initially Haff pattern instruments (dividers having a Haff or Riefler type joint) were made. Later flat pattern instruments were added to the production line.  

     In 1901, after a meeting with Philipp Rögner, a purchasing agent for Eugene Dietzgen of Chicago, Eichmüller starts to work exclusively for Dietzgen [2]. Of the many ranges of drawing instruments retailed by Dietzgen, at least two with certainty Excello and Universal were manufactured by Eichmüller, but it is probable that all were made by Eichmüller. The Prima-Exakt brand (retailed by R. Reiss, Liebenwerda) and the Klino brand (retailed by Ahrend, Netherlands) both flat system drawing instruments ranges, were also likely manufactured by Eichmüller. In 1905 Eichmüller partnered with Philipp Rögner and the company is renamed Reisszeugfabrik Eichmüller & Co. [2].  

     After Johann Eichmüller's death in 1908, Eugene Dietzgen (whom would move Zurich Switzerland in 1912 and where he passed away in 1929) took ownership of Eichmüller & Co., and registered the company as Reisszeugfabrik Eichmüller & Co. GmBH.[9]. From the beginning of WW1 to after WW2 the company was headed by August Renzelberg. From 1914 to 1919 Eichmüller & Co. produced munitions for the German war effort [11]. 

     In 1922 the company was incorporated under the name Bayerische Reisszeugfabrik A.G. In 1925 the factory employed 262 workers and between 50 to 60% of production was exported abroad [2]. During the 1920s the company began to use the ECOBRA trademark (registered 15.04.1924) from the company's initials Eichmüller & Co. Bayerische Reisszeugfabrik A.G. The company is still active.

Universal drawing instruments

Fig. 1 and 2. A 'Universal' drawing set dating from before 1910, made by Eichmüller. There are no maker's markings anywhere on the case or on the instruments. On the case on the lower left are initials V.S. or V.8.

Fig. 3. Dietzgen's 1907 catalogue showing the Universal range of drawing instruments. In order not to infringe on Richter's patent, the dividers feature a Riefler style swivel head.  

Fig. 4. Dietzgen's 1921 and later catalogues show Universal dividers /compasses with a straightening device patented in 1910 by Philipp Rögner, US patent 954885. A ruling pen was patented by Johann Eichmueller in 1907, US patent 860196, and found applied to the ruling pens of the Premier instruments range in Dietzgen's 1907 catalogue.

_____________________

[1] Adressbuch Nürnberg editions 1893-1937 [FamilySearch]. 

[2] STARCK, Georg; Die Entwicklung der Deutschen Reißzeugindustrie, Universitätsverlag von Robert Noske in Borna-Leipzig, 1925. 

[3] DR. AUGUST JEGEL; Die Wirtschaftliche Entwicklung von Nürnberg-Fürth, Stein und des Nürnberger Raumes seit 1806. 

[4] Gewerbeanmeldung Reißzeugfabrikation durch Philipp Rögner 1905, Stadtarchiv Nürnberg C 22/II Nr. 39/2147

[5] Vera Dietzgen Feldmann on Josef Dietzgen (1828-1888) and the Dietzgen Family; A Family Perspective on a German Socialist Philosopher, oral history project by Joshua Morris (History major at UC Santa Barbara) May 2008 advised by Prof. Harold Marcuse, page created December 20, 2011, last updated 02/26/12.  

[6] Amtlicher Katalog, Internationale Ausstellung für Buchgewerbe und Graphik, Leipzig 1914, p.698. Eichmüller factory's address given on page 658 is Kriemhildstrasse 20. [Internet Archive]  

[7] ECOBRA http://www.ecobra.de/katalog/shop_content.php?coID=50

[8] Patents by Eichmueller for straightening devices DRP 186079 (1905), DRGM E.10907 (1906), DRGM E.13582 (1908), DRP 348705 (1920). See also straightening device by Philipp Rögner US patent 954885 (1910) used on Dietzgen's Universal range, and patents by August Renzelberg US patents 1425133A (1922) and 1842051 (1932). The Gem Union straightening device was patented by Eugene Dietzgen in Germany patent DRGM 196677 (1903) [Der Mechaniker 1903, Internet Archive].

[9] Der Mechaniker 1908; p.142 and p.154.

[10] British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee report 1289 on the German Drawing Instrument Industry post WW2 (1946):  

https://archive.org/details/biosreport1289_201910/page/n35

[11] Herstellung von Kriegsmunition in der Reißzeugfabrik Eichmüller u. Co.,1914-1919, Stadtarchiv Nürnberg C 7/I Nr. 1754.