Montegrappa, Italy’s oldest manufacturer of luxury writing instruments, was founded in 1912 and operates, to this day, from the same historic building at the foot of the Monte Grappa mountain in North East Italy where Italians heroically defended their country during two world wars. Today, Montegrappa continues a long tradition of craftsmanship in producing exquisite hand-made masterpieces that celebrate mankind’s mastery of the written word. Appreciated by pen collectors, writers, statesmen and celebrities, as well as anyone with an appreciation of the finer things in life, Montegrappa’s products embody the pride, passion, style and sophistication that make up the ‘soul of Italy’.
From famous war writers such as Ernest Hemmingway and John Dos Passos, who were stationed in Bassano del Grappa during World War I, to iconic current day authors such as Paulo Coelho, many famous personalities have been users of Montegrappa products. Some love the brand so much that they wanted not only to own the pens, but also the company. Today, Sylvester Stallone and Jean Alesi are among the shareholders of the company, partly due to their love of the fine writing instruments that Montegrappa manufactures, but also for the privilege being part of a truly traditional Italian company with roots in tradition and culture of the region.
Montegrappa′s craftsmen boast the world′s most expensive pen ever sold, the Tibaldi Fuglor Nucturnus, which was sold at an auction in 2010 for $8.5m. Montegrappa pens symbolise the pinnacle of power and the ultimate luxury gift. Most notably one of Montegrappa′s rare and highly sought after 1995 Dragon pens was gifted by Boris Yeltsin to Vladimir Putin on live television in 2000 when the Russian presidency was handed over, with the pen symbolising the power of the Russian presidency.
In addition to celebrating modern and contemporary musicians such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, Montegrappa also has a long association with the classics and classical music. Montegrappa′s Stradivari pens, dedicated to the legendary 17th century violin maker have become collectibles, despite only having been launched in 2008. Montegrappa has also made pens paying tribute to some of the greatest operas, such as Verdi′s La Traviata and Rossini′s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (the Barber of Seville). Montegrappa has also received awards for the 2011 pen, Teatro La Fenice, dedicated to the famous opera house in Venice that has stood for over 220 years.
In 2013, to mark the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi′s birth, Montegrappa has launched a Verdi tribute pen, as well as a very special limited edition dedicated to one of his greatest works, the opera Rigoletto. The global launch for the Rigoletto pen took place in Dubai, at the Verdi tribute concert on his actual 200th birthday, on the 10th of October 2013. Giuseppe Aquila, CEO of Montegrappa, and Jean Alesi attended this glittering concert and gala dinner featuring The Emirates Opera Project with the Sharq Orchestra, conducted by renowned Conductor Martyn Bagnall.
To know more about Montegrappa, please visit www.montegrappa.com