A sterling silver Montblanc Meisterstuck No. 146 fountain pen, engraved with “SM Lee Kuan Yew”, was sold at Hotlotz’s “Interiors & Collectibles – August, Fine Art Focus” online auction in Singapore on Sunday. The pen, owned by Singapore’s first prime minister, fetched S$461,500 (US$360,000), far exceeding its highest pre-auction estimate of S$50,000 after attracting 111 bids throughout the event.
The auction house noted that bidding commenced at S$20,000, with the final price, inclusive of buyer’s premium, representing a dramatic 1,200% increase from its presale valuation range of S$30,000 to S$50,000. This outcome also marked a significant appreciation compared to the pen’s previous auction performance in July 2003, when it sold for S$52,000 during the Lee Kuan Yew Family Collection charity auction.
Lee Kuan Yew, widely esteemed as the architect of modern Singapore, served as the nation’s prime minister from 1959 to 1990. Following his political career, he remained active in governance as senior minister until 2004 and later as minister mentor until 2011, stepping down from cabinet duties entirely before his passing on March 23, 2015.
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