Montegrappa makes an emphatic return to classical opulence with the opening stanza from the new Greek Mythology collector series. A new episode in luxury commences with Odyssey Chapter I, ready to begin its journey to dealers from end of June, 2024.

Odyssey Chapter I is a wonder of lost wax casting that chronicles the celebrated story of Odysseus and his perilous 10-year homecoming after the Trojan War. Books 9 to 12 of Ancient Greece’s epic poem describe the King of Ithaca’s encounters with the lotus-eaters, Polyphemus, Aeolus and the Laestrygonians. Our barrel overlay depicts each episode with tiny vermeil friezes framed with silver Greek fret bas-relief.

Sculpting reaches its zenith on the cap, where Corinthian architecture’s acanthus leaves, volutes (scrolls) and rosettes are recreated with spectacular definition and crowned with a mother-of-pearl cap top. For these components, our casting team has recreated flourishes from Ancient Greece’s most ornamental architectural order at miniature and micro scales. The clip uses silver and vermeil to replicate the same column in miniature, with the tiny figure of Zeus perched upon its capital.

Resin core material contributes to aesthetics with its neutral marble colouring and elegant Corinthian fluting. On a silver grip section, Greek fret engraving provides delicate detail above a vermeil logo band.

Editions of 266 fountain pens and rollerballs correspond to the value of the word ‘Ελλάς’ (Greece) in ancient isopsephic numerology. Custom packaging is suitably dramatic: Odyssey Chapter I is concealed within a Trojan Horse model, secured in a magnetically affixed section to be removed and used as a desk stand. Odysseus’ most famous creation is intriguing and impactful in wood and contains a document drawer. Accessories include a vegan leather pen pouch and, for fountain pens, a custom-engraved bottle of ink.