Montegrappa Cigar Pen
It’s fun to fly the flag of the lovers of the leaf with items—like cufflinks and novelty ties—that display cigar images. It’s rare that such an item could be mistaken for a cigar or double (actually triple) as a tool. The Cigar pen, from renowned Italian pen maker Montegrappa, is an eerily convincing replica of a cigar with a punch in its tip. For the pen’s 20th anniversary, Montegrappa has mimicked the Cuban vitola Laguito No. 2 (a panetela) right down to its dimensions.
Montegrappa uses the standard tobacco hue (light brown with pearlescent streaks) from its celluloid color library to evoke the appearance of a tobacco leaf. Like a Laguito No. 2 (such as the Cohiba Corona Especial) the pen is 6 inches long by 38 ring gauge. To enhance the illusion, designers dispensed with the pocket clip normally found on a pen. In place of a band is a precious-metal strip with the pen’s brand name and the year the company was established. The wooden box is shaped like a tobacco leaf.
Founded in Bassano del Grappa Italy in 1912, Montegrappa is hailed as one of the finest pen makers in the world, regarded for exceptional quality and artistry. The collection features a number of special editions, including a few paying homage to Ernest Hemingway, a famous patron whose characters often smoked cigars.
The Cigar pen comes in either fountain pen or rollerball styles, each with the option of sterling silver or 18K gold trim. In silver, it goes for $2,250 with a rollerball, $2,995 as a fountain pen. In gold those prices rise to $16,200 and $19,800. In keeping with Montegrappa tradition, the sterling silver versions are limited to 888 pieces and the gold ones are limited to 88. Montegrappa fashions the nibs of the fountain pens from 18K gold, and decorates them with the brand’s distinctive filigree pattern.
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