Pba Galleries Debut Fine Pen Auction: Modern & Vintage - July 19, 2018

[Kid Parker]

Hi gang,

 

Some of you may remember me as Bonhams Auctioneers former penman-in-chief. Well, I've moved on to San Francisco's PBA Galleries, and we're launching our debut Fine Pens sale on Thursday, July 19th at 11:00 am PST. Here's a link to the online sale listings:

 

https://www.pbagalleries.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/454/

 

The catalogue goes to press today and will be mailed shortly. It's a fairly big sale, 361 lots, including many modern and vintage Montblancs; rare vintage eyedroppers from Waterman, Parker, Aiken Lambert, Edward Todd and others; limited edition Montegrappas, Namikis, Stipulas, OMAS, Sheaffers and more. As a big personal fan of Henry Simpole's wonderful creations, I'm especially pleased to offer four rare Simpole overlay pens.

 

Our buyer's premium is 20%, with a 1% discount for cash or cash-equivalent payments (Bonhams premium was 25%, no discounts). Definitely factor the buyer's premium into your bid amounts! There's no credit card maximum (Bonhams max was $25K). You can register to bid on our website (the process is simple), and you can bid online, in person, by phone or by absentee bid.

 

I've tried to include a broad range of pens to suit various budgets, and I hope that many of you will find treasures to enhance your collections! Our next sale will be on December 6th, and we're accepting consignments now. You can contact me at: ivan@pbagalleries.com.

 

Cheers,

 

Ivan

 

Ivan Briggs

Director of Fine Pens and Comics

PBA Galleries

 

Pictured:

HENRY SIMPOLE: Tendril Sterling Silver Filigree Limited Edition Fountain Pen: Premiere Example. Estimate: $1000-1500

 

The Tendril's wonderfully elaborate openwork filigree was inspired by a Japanese silver overlay pen that Mr. Simpole saw in a 1990s auction catalogue. The filigree is overlaid on a Conway Stewart body. 160mm. Broad 18K gold Conway Stewart nib. Outer box, lacquered wood display box lined in red velvet and cream satin, illustrated leaflet, signed limitation certificate. Limited Edition: No. 1 of only 6 examples made. Excellent condition, not inked.

Henry Simpole is the consummate penmaker's penmaker, and his overlay pens are among the very best limited edition writing instruments of the modern era. Each of his designs is handcrafted in small numbers to the most exacting standards, and they perfectly blend the superior aesthetics of the eyedropper era with the advanced materials and filling technology of the present day. Mr. Simpole's pens are exceedingly difficult to obtain on the secondary market, and the few examples offered in this sale represent a rare opportunity for collectors to obtain his legendary handiwork.

 

[Kid Parker]

I love this one!

 

MONTBLANC: No. 12 "Goliath" Black Hard Rubber Safety Fountain Pen, Silver Snake Clip, Rare, 1922-1928. Estimate: $6000-9000

 

A rare and wonderful Montblanc No. 12 "Goliath" safety pen, considered by many to be the single most desirable vintage Montblanc. Black hard rubber, original thin silver snake pocket clip, "Simplo" imprint on barrel, "Montblanc" imprint on cap with mountain emblem, endpiece marked "12 B", large white captop star. 154mm. Massive 14K gold circle-vent Simplo nib, good flex. Very fine to excellent condition, black hard rubber glossy and clean with just a few small rubs, barrel imprint about 70%, cap imprint about 80%, snake clip beautifully patinated, captop star bright and unblemished, nib lustrous, safety mechanism functions smoothly, light cap marks to section. A phenomenal pen, huge, bold and charismatic.

-Wallrafen, Stefan & Jens Rösler. Collectible Stars I: Montblanc 1908-1947. [Cologne: 2014], p. 51. Scarcity rating of 9 (on 12-point scale): "Ultra-rare, up to 75 exist". It is certain that only a handful exist in such fine condition. The snake clip was available only to buyers who opted for it; thus even fewer survive with the clip in place.

 

-Lambrou, Andreas. Fountain Pens of the World. [Epping: 2005]. See p. 257 for a less favorable example with shortened cap, Montblanc (rather than Simplo) nib, and no silver snake clip.

[Kid Parker]

Oh, baby:

 

MONTBLANC: No. 00 Rouge et Noir Baby "Long" Black Hard Rubber Safety Fountain Pen, c.1921. Estimate: $1000-1500

 

A rare and exceptional Montblanc No. 00 Baby "Long" safety fountain pen, black hard rubber, cap imprinted "ROUGE ET NOIR", red captop star. 82mm. 14K gold Warranted heart-vent nib, very slight flex. Excellent condition, barrel and cap glossy black, captop star bright red, imprint perfectly crisp, safety mechanism functions smoothly, no condition concerns. A splendid Baby Rouge et Noir, perhaps the finest surviving example.

-Wallrafen, Stefan & Jens Rösler. Collectible Stars I: Montblanc 1908-1947. [Cologne: 2014]. From p. 35: "The first brand of the young company [Montblanc]... was ROUGE ET NOIR.... After the war [WWI] ROUGE ET NOIR was still sold until 1923 but only in Italy. This is why there are ROUGE ET NOIR products with a red star that are identical to MONTBLANC products." No examples of this pen are pictured in the book. Regular Montblanc No. 00 Baby "Long" safety pens, without the ROUGE ET NOIR imprint or red captop star, are listed with a scarcity rating of 9 (on a 12-point scale), indicating "Ultra-rare, up to 75 may exist." No. 00 ROUGE ET NOIR examples are significantly more rare.

-Lambrou, Andreas. Fountain Pens of the World. [Epping: 2005]. From an account of the origins of the Montblanc brand name, p. 254: "As the company itself is unsure how the name Montblanc came about, it is pointless to speculate. Suffice it to say that, by 1911, all Simplo products with the white top [preceding the star emblem] had the name Montblanc while the pens with the red top kept the name Rouge et Noir."

 

Provenance: This example was previously sold at auction by Bonhams of Knightsbridge, 8th October 1999. Lot includes Bonhams auction invoice (duplicate) and original lot tag.

[Kid Parker]

Architect of desire:

 

MONTBLANC: Architect's Fountain Pen, in Original Case, Black Hard Rubber, Very Rare, c.1925. Estimate: $2000-3000

 

A rare and historically significant Montblanc architect's piston-filling fountain pen, black hard rubber with steel blades and brass wheel, in original airtight black hard rubber case with screw-cap, patented Jan. 8th, 1924. The pen bears the Montblanc star imprint and the legend: SIMPLO / ORIGINAL MONTBLANC / D.R.P 381782 383712 D.R.P. / PATD 1480303 U.S.A. 195394 BRIT. / FRANCE 563434 SPAIN 9767 ITALY / MADE IN GERMANY. The steel mount for the drawing blades is engraved with the Montblanc star. The case is in the form of a Montblanc pen with a Montblanc emblem on the barrel and white captop star. Pen measures 151mm, case measures 169mm. The case is in fine to very fine condition, imprint 85%, a few light scuffs, black hard rubber unevenly oxidized. The pen is very fine, with black hard rubber handle quite glossy and imprint very crisp, turning knob lightly oxidized, some rust specks to blades. An outstanding example of one of the rarest and most sought-after Montblanc artifacts.

The piston-filler design was created by Montblanc's mechanically inclined managing director, Ernst Rösler. As an engineer he was familiar with the difficulty of inking lines with a traditional ruling pen, which required the blades to be inked frequently and necessitated constant clean-ups. According to The Pennant magazine, "Herr Rösler turned his considerable engineering talents to applying the fountain or reservoir principles to a blade style ruling pen."

The pen draws ink through a hollow needle. Moving the piston causes ink to flow, filling the space between the two blades. The brass wheel adjusts the space between the blades determining the thickness of the lines. Unlike standard fountain pens, this instrument works with India ink, making it ideally suited for drafting. While there were at least two other similar devices created by other inventors, Mr. Rösler's design improved upon them in several important ways. Most notably, the piston filling mechanism was entirely internal to the pen, with no threaded shaft extending above the barrel, as was the case with rival models. It is highly probable that Mr. Rösler's experiments with piston filling systems led to the development of Montblanc's first piston-filler fountain pen, released a decade later in 1934, adding another layer of interest to this remarkable instrument.

-Wallrafen, Stefan & Jens Rösler. Collectible Stars I: Montblanc 1908-1947. [Cologne: 2014], p. 135: "In 1924 Ernst Rösler... applied for a patent of the 'Architect's pen.' It actually was a drawing pen with an added piston filling system.... The product was not advertised, it was a pure contract manufacturing for special MONTBLANC customers.... Today the 'Architect's pen' is one of the most desirable MONTBLANC products of this period. The value is 4000 to 7000 € depending on model and condition."

-Gorstein, Fred & Michael Fultz. "Montblanc's Wonderful Architect's Pen." The Pennant, Vol. XIV, No. 3. Winter 2000, pp. 2-4. "The Montblanc Architect's or Fountain Ruling Pen is avidly sought by both fountain pen and drafting instrument collectors... The last reported sale at public auction... was at the Chicago Pen Auction in 1998. There a pen and companion case in generally excellent condition was sold for $2,400 plus buyer's premium, More recent private sales suggest that prices are rising."

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC: No. 146 G Masterpiece Green Striated Celluloid Fountain Pen, c.1955. Estimate: $700-1000

 

No. 146 G green striated celluloid turning knob-filler, gold-filled clip, cap rings and trim, central band engraved "MASTERPIECE" (indicating that the pen was created for the UK and North American markets). 134mm. 14K gold two-tone 4810 Montblanc circle-vent nib, slight flex; low-profile "ski slope" feed allowing a lower writing angle and greater versatility. Immaculate condition, lightest rubs to clip. Just gorgeous. The green striated version is rarer than the grey striated and more treasured by collectors.

 

-Wallrafen, Stefan & Jens Rösler. Collectible Stars II: Montblanc Writing Instruments from 1946 until 1979. [Cologne: 2001]. See pp. 20-21 for a similar pen in 144 size. The 146 is uncommon and isn't listed in this book (it should be listed in the revised edition due out soon).

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC: No. 6 Compressor-Filler Fountain Pen, Black Hard Rubber, Rare, 1924-1926. Estimate: $700-1000

 

No. 6 black hard rubber compressor (pneumatic pump) filler, "Simplo" imprint on barrel, no cap imprint, white captop star, breather-hole at base of endpiece, endpiece marked "6 EF", retractable metal tube. 138mm. 14K gold No. 6 Montblanc heart-vent nib, slight flex. Fine condition, some rubs and light scuffs to barrel and cap but black hard rubber is not oxidized, barrel imprint quite rubbed but mostly legible.

Montblanc patented a rod-pump filling system in 1923, involving a retractable tube to be pulled out and pressed back in. The principle was applied to two filling systems: the pump-filler and the compressor-filler. Both offered advantages over prior filling systems but neither caught on with the public. The pump and compressor fillers were discontinued shortly after their debut, and these unusual pens are now highly prized by collectors.

-Wallrafen, Stefan & Jens Rösler. Collectible Stars I: Montblanc 1908-1947. [Cologne: 2014], p. 47. The No. 6 compressor-filler is mistakenly listed in the book as No. 5 (I contacted Jens Rösler who confirmed this: "You have found a mistake in the book. No. 5 is No. 6"). This pen has a scarcity rating of 10 (on a 12-point scale), indicating that up to 25 may exist, making it the rarest of the compressor-fillers listed in the book.

[Kid Parker]

Great Dane:

 

MONTBLANC: No. 275 Rolled Gold Cap Button-Filler Fountain Pen, Danish, Rare, c.1955. Estimate: $300-500

 

Danish production No. 275 button-filler. Rolled gold cap, alternating pinstripe and plain line pattern, raised captop device with white Montblanc star on black field, black resin barrel, section appears to be black hard rubber. The pocket clip repeats the pinstripe pattern. 14K gold No. 4 Montblanc circle-vent nib, very nice flex. A splendid pen, seldom-seen, modeled after the German-produced Montblanc No. 644 but with an elegant flexible nib suitable for calligraphy, rather than the "flugelfelder" (wing nib) typically found in the 644. Light age wear to cap, two hairline scratches to captop star; section faded to brown; a lovely example of this Danish oddity, not tested internally.

 

Scarce. Not listed in Rösler/Wallrafen's Collectible Stars: Montblanc Writing Instruments from 1946 until 1979. In conversation, Jens Rösler remarked: "We will have this rare pen in our new book CS2 which will be published at the end of this year".

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC: No. 744-N Masterpiece 14K Gold-Filled Fountain Pen, 1957-1959. Estimate: $400-600

 

No. 744-N Masterpiece pen, hallmarked 1/11 14K gold-filled barrel and cap, vertical stripes and plain bands, turning knob-filler, slip cap, peaked captop star. 135mm. 14K gold two-tone 4810 circle-vent Montblanc nib, no flex. Several dings, light surface wear, speck of tarnish to endpiece, cartouche not engraved, very good condition.

-Wallrafen, Stefan & Jens Rösler. Collectible Stars II: Montblanc Writing Instruments from 1946 until 1979. [Cologne: 2001], pp. 23, 25. Scarcity rating of 4 (on a 7-point scale).

-Lambrou, Andreas. Fountain Pens of the World. [L.A.: 1995], pp. 266-267.

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC: No. 244 Fountain Pen [and] No. 272 PL Propelling Pencil, Pair of Two Grey Striated Celluloid Instruments, 1950-1954. Estimate: $2500-3000

 

No. 244 piston-filler fountain pen and No. 272 propelling pencil, both in grey striated celluloid (quite similar to the Platinum-Lined pattern), each with two gold-plated bands and white stars atop cap and pushbutton mechanism. Both approx. 128mm. 14K gold circle-vent Montblanc nib, appears medium oblique, nice flex. Near mint condition, tiny gold flake from one cap band, sharp imprints, both imprinted with circle-pentagram emblem.

 

-Wallrafen, Stefan & Jens Rösler. Collectible Stars II: Montblanc Writing Instruments from 1946 until 1979. [Cologne: 2001], pp. 26-27 & 38-39. Both with scarcity ratings of 5 (on 8-point scale).

A lovely pair with value driven by condition. A pen-savvy friend of mine insists that these are PL (Platinum-Lined), but to my eye they are grey striated.

[Kid Parker]

Our production team just sent me our cover illustration! Here it is, along with a description of the lot illustrated:

 

PAUL E. WIRT: Extremely Rare 14K Solid Gold Cable Twist Overlay Eyedropper Fountain Pen: Only Known Example, c.1915. Estimate: $12,000-15,000

 

An incredibly rare survival from the golden age of overlay pens. Black hard rubber with solid 14K gold high-relief cable twist design. 142mm. No. 3 Wirt ventless nib, nice flex. The pen is mint condition, perfect in every detail. This pen is not just the only surviving example in this pattern, but it appears to be the only known solid gold cable twist overlay from any maker.

 

The Paul E. Wirt Co. of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania was one of the first American makers of fine fountain pens and one of the most esteemed. Mr. Wirt started marketing his designs in the early 1880s, and by 1890 his company was established as the market leader, offering over 50 designs and selling two million pens. By 1910 the Paul E. Wirt Co. held 30 patents for its technical innovations, and the company was endorsed by Mark Twain at the height of his popularity, which propelled it to even greater levels of success. As the company was highly capitalized, more so than rival Waterman in its early days, it had ample funds to create stunning designs, of which the present lot is a paramount example.

This rare and beautiful instrument will come as a revelation to most collectors. It is perhaps the highest achievement of the preeminent penmaker of its era, and may be considered one of the most exciting eyedropper pens to come to market in quite some time. As Dr. Ron L. Dutcher of Kamakura pens remarked, "If you do not have a Wirt pen, you ought to try and find one. All other pens are frank failures".

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/teabagslim/PEN%20SALE%20COVER_zpsfp1jegsn.jpg

[Kid Parker]

Our highest demand is for Montblanc Writers Series and Patron of Art Series pens. We have dozens of beautiful examples in the sale. I'm especially pleased with this minty Marcel Proust Writers Series beauty. I've sold over 40 of these over the past decade, and this example is as clean and sharp as they come...

 

MONTBLANC WRITERS SERIES: Marcel Proust Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 1999. Estimate: $1000-1500

 

Tribute to the author of À la Recherche du Temps Perdu, a monumental work of 20th century literature. Engraved sterling silver hexagonal barrel, black resin cap, sterling silver trim. Medium 18K two-tone gold nib engraved with hour glass motif. Outer sleeve, outer box, display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 15,941/21,000. Excellent condition, not inked, silver incredibly bright.

 

[Kid Parker]

Here's another favorite...

 

MONTBLANC WRITERS SERIES: Jules Verne Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 2003. Estimate: $700-1000

 

Dedicated to the French novelist, poet and playwright best-known for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Wave-patterned guilloche overlaid in blue enamel, platinum-plated trim. Medium 18K gold nib, nautical motif. Outer sleeve, outer box, display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 15,702/18,500. Excellent condition, not inked.

 

[Kid Parker]

As PBA is primarily a fine book auctioneer, we really love these Writers Series pens! You really can't go wrong with Papa. We have two wonderful iterations. First, the Montblanc...

 

MONTBLANC WRITERS SERIES: Ernest Hemingway Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 1992. Estimate: $1500-2500

 

Tribute to the Nobel laureate. The pen's design reflects the aesthetics of Hemingway's milieu. Brown and coral resin, gold-plated rings and clip. Outer box, display box, booklet, reply card, service card, original plastic sheathe (opened). Limited Edition: one of 30,000. Excellent condition, not inked.

 

 

[Kid Parker]

...Or for those who want something a bit more esoteric, there's the Montegrappa Hemingway, one of just 100 in this style:

 

MONTEGRAPPA: Ernest Hemingway: The Writer Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 2016. Estimate: $1200-1800

 

A handsome tribute to the great American writer in sterling silver and tortoiseshell brown resin. The cap posts securely when writing by screwing onto the endpiece. Perfect weight and balance when posted; a daily-use classic worthy of Papa himself. Outer sleeve, outer box, book-form display box, pen sleeve, chamois, booklet. Limited Edition: 64/100. Excellent condition, not inked.

 

 

[Kid Parker]

Or perhaps you're more of a Fitzgerald type? Not to worry, we've got you covered:

 

MONTBLANC WRITERS SERIES: F. Scott Fitzgerald Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 2002. Estimate: $500-700

 

Tribute to the author of The Great Gatsby and other classics of American literature. The design incorporates decorative motifs inspired by Fitzgerald's millieu. Cream marbled resin, black endpiece and cap, sterling silver bands, Deco-style clip. Medium 18K gold nib engraved with Art Deco skyline motif. Outer sleeve, outer box, display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 9946/18,500. Excellent condition, not inked, light patina to silver.

 

[Kid Parker]

The Montblanc Agatha Christie is always popular, particularly in the 4810 version:

 

MONTBLANC WRITERS SERIES: Agatha Christie Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 1993. Estimate: $1500-2000

 

Tribute to Agatha Christie, the world's best-selling mystery writer, acclaimed as the "Queen of Crime". Black resin barrel and cap, vermeil snake clip, sapphire eyes. Medium 18K two-tone gold nib engraved with snake motif. Outer box, display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 525/4810. Excellent condition, patina to cap ring, not inked.

 

[Kid Parker]

Having just read "The Man in the Iron Mask" and re-read "The Count of Monte Cristo" (both highly recommended), I'm partial to this lovely instrument...

 

MONTBLANC WRITERS SERIES: Alexandre Dumas [Père] Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 1996. Estimate: $700-900

 

Tribute to the author of The Count of Monte Cristo and other favorites of French literature. The design incorporates decorative motifs inspired by the works of Dumas. Brown and marbled gray resin, 18K gold-plated fittings. Correct signature of Dumas père. Medium 18K two-tone gold nib etched with fleur-de-lys motif. Outer sleeve, outer box, display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 17,263/10,000. Excellent condition, unused.

 

[Kid Parker]

Today let's take a look at some Montblanc Patron of Art Series pens...

 

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Andrew Carnegie Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 2002. Estimate: $1400-1800

 

Tribute to Andrew Carnegie, American industrialist, tycoon and philanthropist, who invested heavily in education and funded 3000 public libraries. Black resin barrel and cap overlaid with sterling silver Art Nouveau-style filigree, winged nymph clip. Medium 18K two-tone gold nib engraved with Art Nouveau lily. Outer sleeve, outer box, lacquered wood display box, . Limited Edition: 4124/4810. Excellent condition, not inked.

 

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Alexander the Great Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 1998. Estimate: $800-1200

 

Tribute to Alexander the Great. The pen's design incorporates decorative elements inspired by his life and milieu. Black marbled lacquer with golden veins, 18K gold-plated endpiece and cap, black enamel inlay. Medium 18K two-tone gold nib etched with ram's head motif. Outer sleeve, outer box, lacquered wood display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 1479/4810. Excellent condition, not inked.

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Alexander von Humboldt Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 2007. Estimate: $1500-2000

 

Tribute to Prussian naturalist, explorer, philosopher and scientific advocate Alexander von Humboldt. Black grenadilla wood with inlaid sterling silver panels engraved in the style of the Latin American cultures that Humboldt studied. Medium two-tone 18K gold nib engraved with nautical motif. Outer sleeve, outer box, lacquered wood display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 4325/4810. Excellent condition, not inked, patina to silver captop and endpiece.