Description

László József Bíró, also recognized as Ladislao José Biro, was a Hungarian-Argentinian journalist, painter, and inventor celebrated for creating the ballpoint pen. In 1938, he secured a patent for his invention, collaborating with his brother, György Bíró, a chemist. The Bíró ballpoint pen swiftly gained popularity, notably with the US Army procuring 20,000 units of the Stratopen, an enhanced version. Moreover, the British government acquired the patent due to the pen's effectiveness at high altitudes in airplanes and its resistance to ink leakage.

By the 1960s, the ballpoint pen had become ubiquitous worldwide, emerging as a staple writing tool in every nation. Its revolutionary design, utilizing a small rotating ball at the tip for ink dispensation instead of relying on gravity or capillary action, marked a significant advancement over traditional fountain pens. This innovation rendered the ballpoint pen more dependable, neater, and capable of writing on diverse surfaces. Bíró's invention left a profound impact on writing instruments, garnering widespread popularity across the globe.

Engraver: György Szabó