Lee Kuan Yew's engraved Montblanc fountain pen sells for $360,000 after 111 bids
A sterling silver Montblanc fountain pen engraved with Lee Kuan Yew's name sold for S$461,500 (US$360,000) at a Singapore online auction on Aug. 16, nearly 10 times its high estimate.
A historic Montblanc fountain pen, inscribed with Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's initials, sold for an astounding $360,000 in an online auction. The pen, part of the Lee Kuan Yew Family Collection, was listed by auction house Hotlotz and attracted 111 bids from worldwide bidders. Initially valued at S$30,000 to S$50,000, the final hammer price was nearly nine times the pen's 2003 sale price of S$52,000.
The pen, 14.5 cm long, features sterling silver with yellow metal highlights, an 18k gold nib, and the engraved name "SM Lee Kuan Yew" on its cap, dating it to Lee's tenure as senior minister from 1990 to 2004. The pen's previous owner had kept it since its 2003 sale, which was organized by Lee's daughter Lee Wei Ling to raise funds for The Tent, a welfare organization for teenage girls.
The previous highest price for a Chua Mia Tee painting, a 1976 work titled "Singapore Chinatown, Temple Street," fetched $107,900 at the same auction, marking a significant milestone for the renowned artist. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister and leader from 1959 to 1990, remained active in public service until his death in 2015, leaving an indelible mark on Singapore's transformation into a prosperous nation.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress International's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
