Close up to the fountain pen nib with the cap set next to it. The pen is made of black lacquer, with small silver and gold vermeil rectangles and shapes featuring designs and diamond paves encrusted around it.
The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
The Fountain pen with the cap set off to the side. The cap has a gold vermeil piece that reads FORBIDDEN CITY.
Close up to the bottom of the fountain pen. The black piece of the pen can be unscrewed to pull the gold vermeil dragon, which works as a piston.
Angled close up to the gold vermeil dragon which functions as the piston.
Close up to the engraved edition number of the fountain pen on the gold vermeil ring.
Close up to the dragon medal within the cap.
Close up to the side of the cap showing the gold vermeil pieces, silver pieces, and diamonds.
Close up to the side of the cap showing the gold vermeil pieces, silver pieces, and diamonds. There are golden designs
Close up to a gold vermeil featuring a lion-dog design.
Close up to the barrel of the pen showing the diamonds, silver, and gold vermeil pieces with mythical creature designs.
The fountain pen set on top of the presentation box lid with the certificate of authenticity.
The Fountain Pen with the following contents: The red wooden presentation box and lid, and the documents.
Arrangement of the red presentation box, is lid, and the documents.
Angled view of the red presentation box. It's design is similar to a simple pagoda box.
Visconti logo with text: Firenze. The writing Renaissance.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to the fountain pen nib with the cap set next to it. The pen is made of black lacquer, with small silver and gold vermeil rectangles and shapes featuring designs and diamond paves encrusted around it.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The Fountain Pen with the cap on. It is made of black lacquer with encrusted pieces of silver and gold vermeil . The silver pieces have a small pave of diamonds within them.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The Fountain pen with the cap set off to the side. The cap has a gold vermeil piece that reads FORBIDDEN CITY.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to the bottom of the fountain pen. The black piece of the pen can be unscrewed to pull the gold vermeil dragon, which works as a piston.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Angled close up to the gold vermeil dragon which functions as the piston.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to the engraved edition number of the fountain pen on the gold vermeil ring.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to the dragon medal within the cap.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to the side of the cap showing the gold vermeil pieces, silver pieces, and diamonds.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to the side of the cap showing the gold vermeil pieces, silver pieces, and diamonds. There are golden designs
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to a gold vermeil featuring a lion-dog design.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Close up to the barrel of the pen showing the diamonds, silver, and gold vermeil pieces with mythical creature designs.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The fountain pen set on top of the presentation box lid with the certificate of authenticity.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, The Fountain Pen with the following contents: The red wooden presentation box and lid, and the documents.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Arrangement of the red presentation box, is lid, and the documents.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Angled view of the red presentation box. It's design is similar to a simple pagoda box.
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Visconti logo with text: Firenze. The writing Renaissance.

Visconti Forbidden City HRH Ltd. Ed. White & Yellow Gold With Diamonds #04/38

$35,000.00
$35,000.00
Retail - $89,800.00
Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

- Condition: New
- Number: #04/38
- Materials: 18k Solid Gold, Black Resin, 261 white diamonds (VV/VVS color GH)
- Includes: Outer Box, Presentation Box, Two Illustrated Plates, Certificate/Warranty Card, Booklet, and Pen

The Forbidden City in Beijing, China, was the legendary home to the Chinese imperial family for more than 500 years, and it is so named because it was closed to all but the royal family and those in their service. Today, the elaborate complex of palaces and gardens - one of the greatest achievements in Chinese architecture and culture - is open to provide inspiration for all, which lately includes more than one penmaker. One of these tributes to the Forbidden City, by Italian Visconti, turns conventional overlay inside out.

Designed by Visconti president Dante Del Vecchio and designer M. Carla Benedetti, the Visconti Forbidden City was seven years in development, and Del Vecchio reveals, "The final result has almost nothing to do with the initial drafts, discussions and prototypes."

The most unusual feature of the pen is its resin overlay. Rather than a typical metal overlay on resin, Del Vecchio instead turned things inside out with resin overlaying a finely engraved metal base. The design grid of the resin overlay recalls the layout of the Forbidden City as seen from above. The design creates "cages," which are also symbolic of the sense of isolation connected to the site, even today. The cages house mythical beings prominent in Chinese culture.

The tiny figures are created with the lost wax process in sterling vermeil. The original concept was based on Del Vecchio's idea for the miniature sculptures, recreating figures from the Forbidden City. Benedetti then gave life to his ideas in drawings. Says Del Vecchio, "Through the cage, we see the gods - the dragon, phoenix, and lion - reproduced in ways that correspond to images in the Forbidden City."