Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's Montblanc pen sold for S$461,500 at auction after 111 bids

Singapore's founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, once owned a Montblanc pen that recently sold for a remarkable S$461,500 (US$361,350) at auction. The pen, engraved with "SM Lee Kuan Yew" and featuring sterling silver and 18K gold accents, was part of Hotlotz's Interiors & Collectibles - August, Fine Art Focus auction, which took place from August 4 to 16.

This price exceeded the pre-sale estimate of S$30,000 to S$50,000 and represented a new auction record for a Singaporean artist, Chua Mia Tee. The winning bidder paid the final hammer price of S$355,000, which included the buyer's premium. Notably, the pen had previously fetched S$52,000 at a charity auction in July 2003. The auction also witnessed the sale of artworks by prominent Singaporean artists, including a painting by Chua Mia Tee which set a new record for the artist.