Beautiful wooden box shaped
of a pyramid
At first glance, the Luxor Collection captures
one's intrigue by its blatant good looks. No time or attention was spared in
producing this limited edition pen. The three-dimensional overlay is rich in
detail and hefty in the hand. It recalls the art of casting which the
Egyptians perfected over 3,500 years ago. Montegrappa commissioned artist
Federico Monti, a Milanese sculptor, to design it. The vivid azure
celluloid, from which the body of the Blue Nile pen is made, is meant to
conjure the Nile, the life-giving source of water for Egypt, as well as the
sky- both significant to ancient Egyptian civilization. The clip is a cast
sterling silver cobra set with faceted sapphires.
Overview of the pen
Upon closer inspection of the pen, however, the
intricate design melts into meaning and a story unfolds. The overlay is rich
in hieroglyphics, a pictographic script used by the early Egyptians which
was deciphered by the Rosetta Stone discovered in 1799. According to Dr.
James P. Alien, Associate Curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
"Like writing, the art of ancient Egypt expresses concepts; it is
therefore symbolic rather than strictly 'realistic' in its representations.
Beautiful combination of Sterling
silver filigree against the striking and rich blue celluloid and sapphire
setting
On the barrel of the pen, pharaoh and queen
stand in regal form. The pharaoh is wearing a double crown representing
upper and lower Egypt, the Nile Valley and the Delta respectively. He is
holding a royal scepter with a jackal head facing outward in a gesture of
protection. It is truly amazing that the scepter as well as the king's and
queen's countenances may be seen in their entirety due to the three-
dimensional quality of the overlay. The queen's crown has tall feathers
signifying the headdress of a goddess, and the sun disk which is, simply, a
symbol of rebirth. This combination represents the goddess Hathor, patroness
of all women.
Amazing piece of artwork of the
barrel viewing from different angles
In the oval near the king is an image of Thoth
in ibis form, the god of learning, letters and wisdom. An Egyptian cartouche
is evident, as well as a panel designed to hold the initials of the pen's
owner. The phrase, "Montegrappa, the privilege of a lifetime," is
inscribed in hieroglyphics at the top of the barrel. The hallmarks, .925 for
sterling silver was clearly marked along with the number of the limited
edition. Only 1912 sterling silver pieces will be produced.
Close-up pictures of the cap
viewing from different angles
Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife of
idyllic joy and bounty; therefore, burial rituals were most important to the
culture. The cap of the pen is a masterpiece in depicting the significance
of these rituals. In a stylized tableau of Horus, the god who judged the
dead, there is a scale which weighs the human heart against a feather, a
hieroglyph used to represent the Egyptian's vision of the ideal. If the
heart - the seat of human behavior - falls short, the afterlife is
inaccessible for eternity. Again, Thoth is shown, now recording the lifetime
deeds of the deceased. Two dancing girls are taken from an Egyptian tomb
painting and are meant to celebrate life. The canopic urns which hold the
human heart are adorned with Anubis, a god with the head of a jackal, the
protector of the dead. Horus is embraced by his mother Isis witnessing the
event. Maat, the goddess of truth, is also present. The sun disk represents
rebirth and is shown with wings since the Egyptians thought the sun flew
across the sky in the course of the day. The vulture goddess protects upper
Egypt, and the cobra in this case represents the protective goddess of lower
Egypt.
Close-up of the special Luxor
nib. 18-ct solid gold with platinum inlay
The cobra on the clip is set with sapphires and
is a symbol of protection and Egyptian authority. On the crown of the cap
rests a scarab, also set with sapphires, the image of eternal life. Like all
good Egyptian art, attention to detail is central; thus, the Luxor nib was
also incised with imagery. In the gold center of the nib of the sterling
pen, the falcon and sun disk symbolize Egyptian dominion. There are also
stylized plants representing Upper Egypt, the Nile Valley, and Lower Egypt,
the Delta. The nib has platinum-plated parameters.
Exceptional packaging of the
Luxor with pen holder
One would expect exceptional packaging to encase
this exceptional pen, and Montegrappa doesn't disappoint. Each pen was
packaged in a wooden box resembling a stylized pyramid. Inside is a wooden
desk base and pen holder. A pyramid decorated with hieroglyphics and a
hand-carved removable figure of an Egyptian scribe complete the story.
Certification of Authenticity
with serial number written on it. Special pen case (on the left) and comes
with booklet too (on the right)
Impressive !!
