Italian luxury writing instrument maker, Montegrappa, celebrates 70 years since Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea was awarded the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction with an anniversary edition, silver, and vermeil writing instrument, the Montegrappa The Old Man and The Sea.
The Old Man and The Sea was a novella of significance. It was the last major work of fiction written by the American novelist that was published during his lifetime – in 1952 – that went on to bag the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in the following year.
The Old Man and The Sea tells a story of a luckless fisherman, Santiago, and his quest to bring a giant marlin to shore. This exquisite writing instrument pays homage to the strength, spirit, and determination of the old Cuban fisherman with a barrel-length sculpture, depicting his epic struggle with a giant marlin whilst hungry sharks circle beneath. Interestingly, the image was inspired by early dust jackets created for Hemingway’s classic.
The sculpture itself was meticulously created using lost wax casting with enamel and sterling silver, before capping off with kotibé mahogany to complete the writing instrument. It is indeed a sight to behold. As if the sculpture on writing instrument isn’t awe-inspiring enough, the allusions to this epic battle can also be found in a specially crafted display case in the image of the fisherman’s weathered skiff and a giant marlin.
In honor of the 70 years of the book’s winning of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the Montegrappa The Old Man and The Sea is offered in an edition number 70 per variant, with a starting price of €4,475 (about US$4,783). If you are interested, you may pre-order it now on Montegrappa.com.
Images: Montegrappa.
