In 1818 the Grivel family of blacksmiths started to transform their production of agricultural tools to satisfy the rather peculiar demands of a new breed of wealthy tourists who, for unfathomable reasons, wanted to climb the mountains. The Grivel firm started producing pitons in the 1950s. They continued at least into the mid–2000s.
Horizontals
Corrugated Spoons
↑ Set 544, 037, 545: Grivel Corrugated Spoons
- Made in Italy [ca. 1960].
↑ 544: Grivel Corrugated Spoon
- Made in Italy [ca. 1960].
- Weight: 80 g.
- Overall Length: 111 mm.
- Effective size: 65x41x4 mm.
- Tapered sides
- Malleable steel.
- One side is stamped near the anvil with curved "GRIVEL" and "COURMAYEUR" without a bounding ellipse.
The other side is stamped "MADE IN ITALY" near the anvil. - Originally belonged to Sara Corie.
↑ 037: Grivel Corrugated Spoon
- Made in Italy [ca. 1960].
- Weight: 67 g.
- Overall Length: 112 mm.
- Effective size: 65x40x5 mm.
- Parallel Sides
- Malleable steel.
- One side is stamped near the anvil with the "GRIVEL COURMAYEUR" ellipse logo.
The other side is stamped "MADE IN ITALY" near the anvil. - From Michael Oatney, 2023.
↑ 545: Grivel Corrugated Spoon
- Made in Italy [ca. 1960].
- Weight: 97 g.
- Overall Length: 115 mm.
- Effective size: 60x40x5 mm.
- Parallel Sides
- Malleable steel.
- One side is stamped near the anvil with the "GRIVEL — COURMAYEUR" ellipse logo.
The other side is stamped "MADE IN ITALY" near the anvil. - From Mike Gerbman, 2025.
Generic Horizontals
↑ 546: Grivel Horizontal
- Made in Italy [ca. 1960].
- Weight: 74 g.
- Overall Length: 102 mm.
- Effective size: 55x24x5 mm.
- Forged steel.
- One side is stamped near the anvil with curved "GRIVEL" and "COURMAYEUR" without a bounding ellipse.
The other side is stamped "MADE IN ITALY" near the anvil. - From Mike Gerbman, 2025.
Tops
Tops pitons were made in both hard and soft versions.
↑ Set 140, 547, 141: Grivel Tops
- Made in Italy [2000s].
- #55, #80
- Hardened chromium-molybdenum steel.
↑ 140: Grivel Top
- Made in Italy [ca. 2005].
- Weight: 89 g.
- Overall Length: 98 mm.
- #55, Effective size: 55x22x8 mm.
- Hardened chromium-molybdenum steel.
- One side has a raised GRIVEL MONT BLANC double ice axe logo near the anvil.
The other side has "CE0123" and "L5 in raised letters.
The top of the blade has "MADE IN ITALY" and "TOP55" in raised relief letters.
The bottom of the blade is stamped "A03001." - From Michael Oatney, 2023.
↑ 547: Grivel Top
- Made in Italy [ca. 2007].
- Weight: 75 g.
- Overall Length: 102 mm.
- #60, Effective size: 55x17x7 mm.
- Hardened chromium-molybdenum steel.
- One side has a raised GRIVEL MONT BLANC double ice axe logo near the anvil.
The other side has "EN569" and "L5 in raised letters.
The top of the blade has "ITALY" and "TOP50" in raised relief letters.
The bottom of the blade is stamped "A01595." - From Mike Gerbman, 2025.
↑ 141: Grivel Top
- Made in Italy [ca. 2005].
- Weight: 106 g.
- Overall Length: 121 mm.
- #80, Effective size: 80x21x8 mm.
- Hardened chromium-molybdenum steel.
- One side has a raised GRIVEL MONT BLANC double ice axe logo near the anvil.
The other side has "CE0123" and "L5 in raised letters.
The top of the blade has "ITALY" and "TOP80" in raised relief letters.
The bottom of the blade is stamped "A04702." - From Michael Oatney, 2023.
