BERKELEY, Calif. – On Thursday, June 20, PBA Galleries will offer an auction of almost 350 lots of rare and unusual fine writing instruments. The lots include both modern and vintage pens, including exceptional examples from Montblanc, Montegrappa, OMAS, Namiki, Parker, Pelikan and more. PBA will have a selection of fine watches, including examples from Montblanc, Audemars Piguet, Girard Perregaux, Alain Silberstein and others. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.
The sale features several of the most coveted Montblanc writing instruments including those that pay tribute to people or places. The Duomo di Milano 18K gold limited edition skeleton fountain pen stunningly honors the Duomo di Milano (above), resplendent in 18K white gold overlay skeletonized in emulation of the cathedral’s spires, columns and flying buttresses. One of only 86 pens produced, details include finely engraved tracery, a sapphire set in the clip, and a luminous mother-of-pearl captop star ($15,000-$25,000).
The James Watt 18K gold limited edition skeleton fountain pen is a tribute to Scotsman James Watt, whose engineering innovations powered the industrial revolution, and thus incorporates an oversized flywheel motif and is also no. 39 of only 183 ($20,000-$25,000).
Other Montblanc rarities include the Cristobal Colon 18K gold Toledo limited edition fountain pen, which is no. 31 of 92 produced of Montblanc’s most impressive limited editions. This Toledo-style pen was released predominantly to the European market in 2008, and very few examples were made available to collectors in the U.S. and other markets ($12,000-$18,000).
The Hundertwasser 18K gold limited edition is an 18K gold fountain pen, with multicolored stones studding the captop, which embraces the spirit of artist/architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s work ($10,000-$15,000).
The No. 12 Rouge et Noir Goliath black hard rubber safety filler fountain pen, circa1910, is an extremely rare, fascinating and significant Montblanc pen ($20,000-$30,000).
PBA will also offer select Omas pens, including the Legni Pregiati Collection limited edition set of fountain pens. This fascinating complete set of 15 piston-filler fountain pens is fashioned from exotic woods from various nations; each pen is no. 16 of 500 ($5,000-$8,000). The Mandela Collection lot includes seven limited edition fountain pens in platinum, 18K gold, and sterling silver each of which represents a different chapter of Mandela’s life and is no. 16 within its limitation ($10,000-$15,000).
Other standout lots include Montegrappa’s Dragon restyle 18K yellow gold and white diamonds limited edition fountain pen. The artist’s proof ultra-limited version of Montegrappa’s most successful design represents Montegrappa’s greatest achievements in pen design ($30,000-$50,000).
The sale will begin at 11 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday, June 20.
For more information, contact PBA Galleries at 415-989-2665 or pba@pbagalleries.com.
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