There are few things in our collective imagination that evoke mystery and fantasy as much as Ancient Egypt. With its pyramids, pharaohs, Sphinx, and cult surrounding death, it’s a world so unlike our own and yet has gripped so many over the centuries.
This was the case with archaeologist Howard Carter and his team of excavators as they set out to dig up the tomb of the young King Tutankhamun. With its extensive collection of well-preserved tomb decorations and the corpse of a long-forgotten pharaoh, the team didn’t just uncover a piece of ancient history – they reignited the global fascination with Egypt and we are still feeling those repercussions today.
To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of King Tut’s tomb discovery, Montegrappa has created the ultra-rare Tutankhamun Centennial Edition. As one of the most imaginative, creative, and spell-binding pieces of art created by the Italian house, we’re pleased to share a bit of this pen with you today.
The pen is available in both rollerball and fountain pen and has a variety of techniques and applications which make this a remarkable objet d’arte to own. Most noticeable on first appearance is the crafted death mask of the young king, which uses a variety of techniques including cloisonné, bas-relief and black diamonds to decorate a sculpted recreation of one of history’s most iconic symbols.
Underneath the cap includes a vermeil or solid 18-carat gold trim on the grip of the pen. Other notable details on the decoration of the barrel includes a lost-wax casting over the sterling silver pen body, which is organically aged to resemble the mummified body of Tut’s wrappings.
The packaging, too, is a thing of wonderment, which features a diorama-style box that is a replica of the tomb in which Carter and his team discovered the body of King Tut lying as it did, undisturbed, for 3,300 years.
As an ultra-limited production, there are only 100 pieces made for both the rollerball and fountain pen. The fountain pen is €12,000 while the rollerball is €11,500. For more information, visit Montegrappa.
