Lee Kuan Yew’s Montblanc pen sells for US$360,000 in Singapore auction

A silver Montblanc fountain pen owned by Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew has sold for S$461,500 (US$360,000), nearly 10 times its highest estimate, after drawing 111 bids at an auction.

Singapore auction house Hotlotz said the sterling silver Montblanc Meisterstuck No 146 fountain pen, engraved with “SM Lee Kuan Yew”, sold on Sunday at its “Interiors & Collectibles – August, Fine Art Focus” online auction.

The pen had a presale valuation of S$30,000 to S$50,000, with bidding starting at S$20,000. Its final price, which included buyer’s premium, was nearly nine times the S$52,000 it fetched at the Lee Kuan Yew Family Collection charity auction in July 2003.

Lee is widely regarded as the founding father of modern Singapore. He was prime minister when Singapore separated from Malaysia and held the post from 1959 to 1990, later serving as senior minister until 2004.

He later became Singapore’s first and only minister mentor from August 2004 to May 2011 before stepping down from cabinet. Lee remained an MP until his death on March 23, 2015.