Summary
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A sterling silver Montblanc fountain pen once owned by Lee Kuan Yew sold for S$461,500 at a Singapore auction after 111 bids.
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The pen had a pre-sale estimate of S$30,000 to S$50,000 and was previously sold for S$52,000 in 2003.
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The auction also set a new record for Singaporean artist Chua Mia Tee, whose 1976 painting sold for S$107,900.
SINGAPORE: A fountain pen once owned by Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew has sold at auction for S$461,500.
The sterling silver Montblanc Meisterstück No. 146 attracted 111 bids before finding its new owner. Its final price included the buyer’s premium, while the accepted bid was S$355,000.
The result was far above expectations. The pen had been valued at between S$30,000 and S$50,000 before the auction. Its final price was more than nine times the top estimate. The pen is a striking example of how much historical association can add value to an everyday object, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (Aug 17).
Lee Kuan Yew’s pen with a Singapore connection draws a fierce bidding fight
The Montblanc carries an engraving reading “SM Lee Kuan Yew” and dates from Mr Lee’s years as Senior Minister. It was previously sold at The Lee Kuan Yew Family Collection charity auction in July 2003. It fetched S$52,000 then.
More than two decades later, the same pen commanded nearly nine times that amount. Hotlotz held the auction as part of its Interiors & Collectibles – August, Fine Art Focus sale. The auction ran from Aug 4 to 16.
The pen itself is a sterling silver model with gold-tone details and an 18K gold nib. Yet its value at auction was tied to much more than its materials or brand.
Objects linked to prominent figures can take on a second life as pieces of history. In this case, the engraving provided a direct connection to one of Singapore’s most important political figures.
Singapore artists and crafts also attract strong auction prices
The auction also produced strong results for Singaporean art and craft. A 1976 painting by Singaporean artist Chua Mia Tee, titled Singapore Chinatown, Temple Street, sold for S$107,900 after 58 bids.
Photo: Hotlotz/Facebook @ hotlotz
Singapore Chinatown, Temple Street – 1976 painting by artist Chua Mia Tee
Mr Chua died in July 2026. The sale set a new auction record for the artist. It beat his previous record of S$97,600, set in 2023 for his 2003 work Prosperity.
A stoneware pottery vase by Singaporean master ceramicist and Cultural Medallion recipient Dr Iskandar Jalil also performed well. The vase sold for S$12,350, including the buyer’s premium.
Photo: Hotlotz/Facebook @ hotlotz
Stoneware pottery vase by Singaporean master ceramicist and Cultural Medallion recipient Dr Iskandar Jalil
The vase’s pre-sale estimate had been between S$2,500 and S$4,000. Such results show that the auction attracted strong interest across different parts of Singapore’s cultural history.
History can make ordinary objects extraordinary
A fountain pen is still a fountain pen. It writes words, signs papers and eventually gets put back into a drawer, but when it belonged to a leader who helped shape Singapore, the object carries a different kind of meaning.
The S$461,500 result isn’t simply about silver, gold or the Montblanc name. It reflects the value collectors can place on an object with a direct link to Singapore’s past.
There is also something silently fitting about the story. Lee Kuan Yew spent much of his career dealing in words, decisions and documents. One of his pens has now become a piece of history in its own right.
And sometimes, the things we leave behind tell a story that lasts far longer than the things we meant to preserve.