The umbrella, the humble, simple tool we all use to keep dry, owes one of its key improvements to Italian ingenuity. In 1885, Giovanni Gilardini, an umbrella maker from Turin, patented the first automatic-opening mechanism, transforming what had long been a manual and sometimes awkward device into something practical and modern.
Before Gilardini’s invention, opening an umbrella required both hands and a bit of strength to push the canopy into position against the tension of the ribs. Gilardini’s system introduced a spring-loaded shaft connected to a small lever or ring near the handle. With a simple movement, the spring released and the umbrella opened automatically. The same mechanism could also be adapted to close it, reducing the effort needed to operate it in wind or rain.
