US Auction of Fine Pens offers collectibles that are out of this world

Bonhams' New York auction house will be hosting a unique sale of some 410 luxury fountain pens in what is part three of "the Collection of Michael A. Tucci and the Clavius Collection."

These individuals built a collection of pens for over 20 years, with most remaining unused.

And there are certainly high expectations for the event with the lots expected to reach a total of nearly £416,000 ($650,000).

With exquisite pieces like a Dunhill-Namiki fountain pen laced with gold dust and mother of pearl expected to reach £19,200 ($30,000) at the sale you can see why.

As Bonhams' director of business development asserts these pens are:

"A kind of jewellery for the successful man"


The "Magical Black Widow" Pen

Also on sale, a Montblanc "Magical Black Widow" pen has been set a target price of £15,360 ($24,000).

The pen features a white-gold web like overlay alongside a filigree spider with black diamonds on the clip.

It's from an edition of 88 and with the first sold for £21,400 ($33,500) at Bonhams last year, great things are expected.

The collections offer the widest variety of pens ever seen.

Materials used in the making of the pens in the collection vary greatly from ivory, stingray and with some even featuring meteorite.

Many of the pens are also "modern limited editions" from respected high end manufacturers like Cross, Parker and Visconti to name but a few.

Yet most interestingly, the collection features a number of pen designs "inspired" by some of the major figures and events of the world.

Names as diverse as Mahatma Gandhi and Mickey Mouse feature in the pen designs, while the sale also offers up a special tribute to the Apollo 11 moon landings.

The Krone designed pen depicts a silvery mottled moonscape as well as a piece of foil used in the mission and a letter of authenticity from astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

While the pen has been set a pre-auction estimated price of £640-960 ($1,000 - 1,500), given the increasing demand for Apollo 11 collectibles, it could sell for a much higher price.


the Apollo 11 pen

Whatever the result, Bonhams will be confident of reaching their sales figures target.

Back in June a sale of pens at the auctioneers raised an impressive £263,600 ($411,845)

Maybe this time there could even be world record prices for these unique collectibles.

 

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