The Greek historian Herodotus wrote of Egypt, "...there is no country that possesses so many wonders, nor any that has such a number of works which defy description." He called it the "gift of the Nile." Today we appreciate Egypt as one of the most sophisticated early civilizations and an invaluable window to the past. More than 5,000 years after this great nation rose to power, Montegrappa has introduced the Luxor Collection in commemoration of Egypt's legacy of art, science and, most significantly, writing. Like the land it recalls, the Luxor Collection speaks to elegance, sophistication and, yes, the afterlife, since this pen promises to be a treasure in this lifetime and an heirloom forever.

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.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.

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. Only 688 vermeil pieces were produced. 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.

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 Red Sea nib was also incised with imagery. In the gold center of the nib of the vermeil 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. 

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.