SINGAPORE: A fountain pen once owned by Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew fetched S$461,500 (RM1.47 million) at auction after attracting 111 bids from around the world.
The silver Montblanc fountain pen, engraved “SM Lee Kuan Yew”, was sold by Singapore auction house Hotlotz on Aug 16, The Straits Times reported.
The pen, which was put up for online bidding on Aug 4, far exceeded Hotlotz’s pre-sale estimate of S$30,000 to S$50,000 (RM95,000 to RM159,000), fetching nearly 10 times the high estimate.
The sterling silver Montblanc Meisterstück No. 146, featuring gold tone details and an 18K gold nib, dates to Lee’s years as senior minister from 1990 to 2004.
The pen was previously sold for S$52,000 (RM165,000) at Sotheby’s “The Lee Kuan Yew Family Collection” auction in July 2003, which raised S$2.04 million (RM6.48 million) for charity.
Another notable item at the auction was a black Waterman fountain pen used by Lee to sign the 1957 Singapore Constitutional Agreement in London.
The Waterman pen fetched S$350,000 (RM1.11 million) from an anonymous businessman. The agreement laid the groundwork for Singapore’s move towards self-government.
Lee’s Montblanc was the highlight of Hotlotz’s “Interiors & Collectibles – August, Fine Art Focus” auction, which also featured local artworks.
