Chennai’s largest collection of luxury writing instruments unveiled at Odyssey

Company Brief

Chennai, September 14, 2009

Odyssey introduces some of the world’s best Luxury pens to Chennai. These are marquee brands that have been the pride of Luxury Pen connoisseurs and collectors worldwide.

This new range will cover both, the Premium and Luxury segments with exclusive limited editions that have specially been imported to appeal to the Pen collectors in India.

The Luxury segment includes Visconti of Italy and Curtis, Australia ranging from Rs. 60,000 and all the way up to Rs. 10, 00,000.

Krone, Diplomat, Think, Franklin Christoph and David Oscarson form the collection in the premium segment.

With over 100 pens on display in a newly designed Pen Lounge at Odyssey’s Adyar store, it is a treat to any connoisseur to browse as some of these brands and their pens come steeped in history.

Some of the limited editions featured include 'Abraham Lincoln' from Curtis, 'Forbidden City' from Visconti, 'The Godfather' by Think and 'Wimbledon' from Krone. One can see the fine craftsmanship involved in creating these masterpieces.

"This new luxury pens lounge is yet another innovative concept we bring to our customers and we have ensured that every pen collectors dream of owning some of the finest writing instruments comes true” says Mr. T S Ashwin, Managing Director, Odyssey India Ltd. “We plan to extend this concept to a few of our large format stores across India over the next few weeks. This launch at Chennai will be followed with unveiling this concept in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai."

Odyssey also plans to extend this concept with a flagship store in Mumbai by end of 2009; this would be apart from stores at Malls and new age airports. By brining in more international brands Odyssey aims to create the largest collection of pens in India. Introduction of premium range of desk accessories including paper and paper products are also on the cards soon.

With a whole lot of customization possible on this exclusive range of writing instruments and desk accessories, corporate gifting also is expected to see a major change which going forward.

Krone

Marilyn Monroe: Krone's Marilyn Monroe pen is made of velvety ivory celluloid. The cap of the pen has a golden overlay, which contains Marilyn Monroe's personal red lipstick. The lipstick is surrounded by pave diamonds. As Marilyn Monroe's image is what best represents her; Krone has captured just that when you look through the viewing window at the top of the cap and see Hilton H. Greene's famous photograph of her. There you see her classic image, which we have all come to recognize. Marilyn's signature is engraved into the barrel of the pen. When the cap is taken off, a unique gold rigged nib casing and 18kt. -Gold nib is revealed.

Curtis

Wild life warrior series: The Gold Warrior - is truly unique, only six ever made, with just five available for sale. One pen has been auctioned for the Wildlife Warriors charity at a special gala where Terri & Bindi Irwin was in attendance. Wildlife Warriors was established by Steve & Terri Irwin, as a way to include and involve other people in animal conservation. Terri Irwin is now the patron, helping run many animal conservation projects. Each gold pen has sculptures of animals such as koala, tigers, elephants and crocodiles surrounded by scenery of emerald leaves, sapphire water and champagne diamond branches. In all, there are over 450 beautiful gems each hand set.

Visconti

The Christian Bible: This pen is turned into single resin ivory (coloured) bars and the cap has the same dimensions of the pen shaft. This choice reminds us to the partition in Old Testament (the pen body) and New Testament (the cap). In the shaft our artist has represented the story of the Old Testament according to its most significant scenes: Adam and Eve, Noah’s Arch, David and Goliath, Abraham and Isaac, Moses and the Decalogue, while on the cap we find scenes of  Jesus’ life: His Birth, His Baptism, the Last Supper, and the Ascent to Heaven. The head and blind cap, with their 10 lateral facets, remind us of the

Decalogue- their form and the engraving in Hebrew on the blind cap recalls the two stone tablets. The Holy Grail is hidden inside the blind cap and has the function of activating the Power Filler. Painting Technique: entirely made in Florence and inspired by Dürer’s xylographies, it’s a PAINTED SCRIMSHAW which has never been performed before on a pen and it’s very rare on other objects being a very difficult technique. According to this technique, resin is dry point engraved, and then filled in with chalcography ink and finally coloured, thanks to the fine artwork of CLAUDIO MAZZI.

For further information, please contact:

Hanmer PR

Sonia

Mobile: 9791038833

E-mail: sonia.hanmerpr@gmail.com