The Beginning

The original logo of
The Orbea badge used to identifying handguns

Eibar: City of Guns

Orbea’s humble beginnings originated in the heart of the Basque Country, a family affair between three brothers: Juan Manuel, Mateo, and Casimiro. They began by selling handguns to governments with an ornate logo reading “OH”: Orbea Hermanos. In English, "Orbea Brothers".

Jacinto Orbea was widely beloved in the Orbea gunworks
The Eibar of the early twentieth century, the bustling industrial hive where Orbea was born and grew to stature

From 1880 to 1895

Orbea Brothers was a progressive industrial fixture in the firearms hub of Eibar, and a pioneer in the usage of electricity in gun manufacturing.

The Orbea factory in the Eibar neighborhood of Urkizu, the first industrial building in the city
With the help of the Spanish Explosives Union, Orbea and Co. began manufacturing ammunition, and even opened a factory in Buenos Aires

ORBEA BROTHERS AND CO.

To properly reflect the growth of the company, shortly before the end of the 19th Century "Orbea Brothers" was renamed "Orbea Brothers and Co.". After a boom in the firearm business before and during World War I, the market saw a sharp decline in demand for guns as peacetime interwar weapon restrictions cascaded over Europe. In response, Orbea leveraged their expertise with steel tubing to develop products for other markets.

Many important international patents were held in Spain by Orbea Brothers, with other gunmakers like Smith and Wesson holding them in high regard
1860 marked a happy 20-year anniversary working in Eibar for the Orbea Brothers, Juan Manuel, Casimiro, and Mateo.
The 20th Century presented new challenges but also opportunities for Orbea and Co, who worked tirelessly expanding the Urkizu factory
The shield of Orbea was Unzaga Tower in the heart of Eibar until the company grew and historical construction began
The best international designs from Orbea were initially developed for the domestic market, a symptom of continuous innovation