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

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Gaius Maecenas Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 2011. Estimate: $1200-1800.

 

Honors Gaius Maecenas, advisor to Octavian and patron of Virgil, Horace and others. History remembers him as the first great patron in the history of art and culture. Sterling silver and marbled lacquer barrel and cap, cap engraved with a line from an ode by Horace, endpiece set with a replica Roman coin. Medium 18K gold nib engraved with laurel wreath motif. Outer sleeve, outer box, lacquered wood display box, hardcover booklet. Limited Edition: 2726/4810. Excellent condition, not inked.

 

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Henry E. Steinway Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 2014. Estimate: $1000-1500

 

Tribute to the 19th century piano maker. The pen's design incorporates decorative motifs inspired by Steinway's creations. Black resin with gold-plated piano frame overlay. Medium 18K gold nib etched with portrait of Henry Steinway. Outer sleeve, outer box, lacquered wood display box, folder with booklet and service guide. Limited Edition: 4008/4810. Excellent condition, not inked.

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF AT SERIES: J. P. Morgan Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 2004. Estimate: $1200-1600.

 

Tribute to James Pierpont Morgan, American banker and financier. Morgan was benefactor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of natural History and other institutions. Pinstriped sterling silver, cross-hatched carbon fiber cap, mother-of-pearl captop star. Medium 18K gold nib engraved with a stylized M. Outer sleeve, outer box, lacquered wood display box, booklet. Limited Edition: 4487/4810. Excellent condition, not inked.

 

Edited June 25, 2018 by Kid Parker

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Prince Regent Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen, 1995. Estimate: $1200-1600.

 

Homage to King George IV of Britain, whose patronage has caused the term "Regency Period" to be given to the art and architecture of his era. Royal blue resin, gold-plated sterling filigree. Medium 18K gold nib engraved with crown motif. Outer box, lacquered wood display box, booklet, international reply card. Limited Edition: 1003/4810. Excellent condition, not inked.

 

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Octavian Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pen * SEALED, 1993. Estimate: $2000-3000.

 

Homage to Octavian (also known as Augustus), first Emperor of the Roman Empire and heir to Julius Caesar, whose monumental building projects transformed Ancient Rome into a city of marble. Black resin barrel and cap overlaid with a sterling silver spider web filigree. Fine 18K gold nib, spider motif, Outer box, generic Montblanc display box (not original), folder with booklet, reply card and service card, another folder with option certificate. Limited Edition: 196/4810. Excellent condition, not inked, pen still sealed in original plastic sheathe.

[Kid Parker]

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART SERIES: Peter I the Great [and] Catherine II the Great Pair of Limited Edition 4810 Fountain Pens, 1997. Estimate: $2000-3000.

 

Tribute to the Russian Emperor and Empress, both of whom modernized Russia and made it a formidable European power. The design of these pens incorporates decorative motifs emblematic of Imperial Russia. 18K gold-plated overlays, green and aubergine resin. Fine 18K gold nibs, Imperial Russian eagle motif. Outer sleeves, outer boxes, lacquered wood display boxes, booklets. Limited Edition: both pens numbered 4496/4810. Excellent condition, not inked. Numbers on pens do not match numbers on boxes and booklets (limitation numbers on outer box labels, metal plates on lacquer boxes, and booklets are 3062/4810, but number on pens is 4496/4810).

 

[Kid Parker]

SUO PEN CO.: Rare Emperor Shōwa Hirohito Aluminum Coronation Fountain Pen, 1928. Estimate: $2000-3000

 

A rare and historically significant aluminum plunger-filler fountain pen, made by the Suo Pen Company of Kyoto, decorated with a low-relief Phoenix rising above leafy chrysanthemums and bearing the Japanese inscription "Go Taiten Kinen" (御大典記念). The literal translation is "Memento of the Great Ceremony", although in Japanese this phrase refers specifically to the enthronement ceremony of the Japanese emperor. The pen was created in observation of the 1928 coronation of Emperor Shōwa, known outside of Japan as Emperor Hirohito. 133mm. 14K gold "Warranted Suo" heart-vent nib, slight flex, fine or extra-fine. Excellent condition; a few specks of discoloration, no dings, hard rubber endpiece and section glossy and black, plunger mechanism functions smoothly.

The choice of aluminum for a fine commemorative fountain pen, rather than gold or silver, may seem perplexing to modern observers, but the significance would not have been lost upon Japanese citizens of the time. While we think of aluminum as a cheap, disposable metal, in 1928 aluminum was considered a precious commodity, emblematic of modernity and progress: it was lightweight, easy to melt and mold, and it didn't corrode. Although aluminum was first discovered in 1808, it wasn't until 1889 that the Bayre Chemical Company developed an economical process for extracting aluminum from bauxite. Even so, production was meager until the mid-1920s, when abundant bauxite deposits were discovered in South America. In 1928, aluminum was literally more valuable than gold, and it was considered superior to silver since it would not tarnish. It was thus considered an ideal metal to observe Hirohito's coronation, an event of great importance to the Japanese nation.

The Suo Pen Company was located in Kyoto, where the coronation ceremonies took place, and so it was natural for them produce a pen for the occasion. One may assume that aluminum was chosen for the overlay to signify a new and modern Japan. The overlay depicts a Japanese Phoenix, which represents a new beginning, as well as several chrysanthemums, a flower symbolic of the Japanese royal family.

Like many of the best pens, this one has a charismatic quality that doesn't convey fully in words and photos. The aluminum body has a soft, powdery, tactile voluptuousness quite unlike any other pen. It balances perfectly in the hand, particularly with cap posted on barrel. The wand-like profile and decorative motifs contribute to a rather mystical sensibility worthy of the pen's regal origins, and its rarity is extreme (it may indeed be the sole surviving example).

Special thanks to Kamakura Pens, who provided much of the background information about this pen and its milieu.

[Kid Parker]

[JAPANESE]: Rare Ban-Ei Maki-e Fountain Pen, Oversized, Falcon Motif, c.1950s-1960s. Estimate: $1500-2500

 

A rare and interesting hand-made fountain pen decorated in raised takamaki-e with a falcon on a tree bough, alert and poised to strike. The pen is unsigned but almost certainly from the celebrated Ban-Ei workshop, as it bears the same body style and "Steady" nib with correct feed that one associates with the workshop, and the high level of workmanship is consistent with Ban-Ei in the 1950s and 1960s. However, while one typically sees Ban-Ei pens of this era in plain black or vermillion lacquer, or with kamakura bori ornamentation, very few maki-e examples exist.

The pen is oversized (133mm long, 16mm diameter), with 14K rolled gold clip, cap band and captop and endpiece ornaments. Piston-filler. No. 4 14K gold Steady heart-vent nib, slight flex. Excellent condition, not tested internally. A remarkable pen.

[Kid Parker]

PILOT-NAMIKI: Rare Red Lacquer Maki-e and Raden Vest Fountain Pen by Shogo, Japanese Fan Motif, A-Grade, c.1930. Estimate: $30,000-40,000

 

rare and exceptional A-grade Namiki vest-firm lever-filler pen, elaborately ornamented in raised gold dust takamaki-e and abundant raden (mother-of-pearl) on red urushi ground, with maki-e decoration extending to the feed, a luxurious detail reserved for Namiki's most exalted examples. 14K rolled gold captop device, ringtop and band, classic "lifebuoy" lever, endpiece imprinted "Made in Japan". 101mm. 14K gold No. 2 heart-vent Pilot nib, engraved "Made in Japan". Signed by Shogo Iijima (1894-?), pupil of Shorin Ueda and perhaps Namiki's most acclaimed artist.

Red lacquer Namikis are significantly rarer that black ones and are highly prized by collectors. Murakami observes that "the quantity of vermilion pens was about one-twentieth of the black lacquered ones. A vermilion lacquered pen... is, therefore, a very rare item." Murakami, Dunhill-Namiki and Lacquer Pens. [sakura City: 2000], p. 26.

This instrument is without question one of the finest red lacquer pens ever created by Namiki. The cap and barrel are decorated with skillfully-rendered Japanese fans; one fan is ornamented with an image of Mount Fuji, the most elemental and profound emblem of Japan, and another bears a wonderfully detailed image of a riverside pavilion. An abundance of mother-of-pearl, including leaf and flower-shaped fragments, gives the pen a brilliant radiance. Shogo is generally considered Namiki's premiere artisan, and this elegant masterwork must be ranked among his highest achievements. Excellent condition, fine handling marks to golden captop device.

[Kid Parker]

PILOT-NAMIKI: Emperor Nobori Ryu [Rising Dragon] 95th Anniversary Maki-e Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 2013. Estimate: $12,00-18,000

 

Pilot-Namiki released the Emperor Nobori Ryu fountain pen in celebration of its 95th Anniversary in 2013. Nobori Ryu means "Rising Dragon," and the pen is decorated with a richly-detailed dragon winding its way around the barrel and cap as it ascends toward the heavens. The design is rendered in exquisite takamaki-e and raised togidashi maki-e techniques, with inlaid raden (mother-of-pearl). The Rising Dragon is considered a harbinger of good fortune and abundance, a theme reflected in the luxurious gold and abalone shell ornamentation.

Emperor-sized 18K gold nib, medium, engraved with 95th Anniversary motifs. Outer box, inner box, black lacquer display box, ink bottle with dragon motif on cap, eyedropper in box, leather pen chemise, booklet, signed artist's card, other papers. Limited Edition: 31/95. Pristine condition, unused.

[Kid Parker]

NAMIKI: Emperor Goldfish Limited Edition Maki-e Fountain Pen, 2010. Estimate: $6500-8500

 

A superb interpretation of a traditional Japanese motif, executed in burnished togidashi and raised takamaki-e by Seiki Chida, with silver ripples mimicking the effects of light on water. The mixture of bright colors and muted elements gives a remarkable depth to the composition. The flat-topped, clipless cap emulates the Dunhill-Namiki style of the 1920s, while presenting a superior surface for the maki-e artist's craft. Eyedropper-filler pen with enlarged ink capacity. Medium18K two-tone gold nib, large #50 size, engraved with Mt. Fuji motif. Outer box, wood display box, ink bottle, eyedropper in box, service guide, signed artist card. No limitation stated but produced in small numbers. Low distribution outside of Japan. Excellent condition, not inked.

[Kid Parker]

PARKER 51: Hand-Painted Cold Enamel Overlay Fountain Pen by Sergio Kullock, c.1980s. Estimate: $1000-1500

Parker 51 Aerometric filler, gold-filled arrow clip, iridescent green captop jewel, c.1960s, with custom hand-painted cold enamel overlay by master Argentinian penmaker Sergio Kullock, c.1980s. 138mm. Hooded nib, appears medium left oblique. Excellent condition, unblemished surface, nib seems scratchy.

A marvelous custom "fantasy" Parker pen evidencing superior craftsmanship, depicting two discreetly-posed unclad ladies frolicking in an idyllic setting reminiscent of the French Riviera. The painted overlay is quite unlike Mr. Kullock's usual gold, silver and resin overlay work, and as no hand-painted artisan 51's were officially produced by the Parker Pen Co., this outstanding custom job will certainly more than do to fill that particular vacancy. It is likely that this was the only example made.

[Kid Parker]

PARKER 51: 14K Gold Buckskin Beige Blue Diamond Double Jewel Vacumatic Fountain Pen with Matching Propelling Pencil, Original Box, 1945. Estimate: $2000-2500

An uncommon Parker 51 pen and pencil set in "Buckskin Beige" with "Heritage" style 14K polished solid gold caps. Fountain pen is a Vacumatic filler with iridescent green jewels set in captop and blind endpiece, pocket clip has a painted blue diamond, cap rim imprinted "14K GOLD / MADE IN USA", date code beneath clutch ring indicates 1945 manufacture. Pen measures 136mm, pencil measures 132mm. Hooded nib, appears medium. Both instruments are in very fine condition with very light handling wear and are in the original flip-top display box.

Leaving aside pre-production models and variants not listed in original Parker literature, Buckskin Beige, along with Yellowstone (aka "Mustard") and Nassau Green, is one of the least common and most highly-sought color variants for P51's.

-Lambrou, Andreas. Fountain Pens of the World. [Epping: 2005]. See pp. 92-93 for other P51 colors and cap styles.

[Kid Parker]

PARKER 51: 14K Gold "Empire State" Blue Diamond Double Jewel Vacumatic Fountain Pen with Matching Propelling Pencil, 1945. Estimate: $3000-5000

An immaculate and rare Parker 51 pen and pencil set, black resin with 14K gold "Empire" (or "Icicle") caps. Fountain pen is a Vacumatic filler with iridescent green jewels set in captop and blind endpiece, pocket clip has a painted blue diamond, cap rim imprinted "14K GOLD / MADE IN USA", date code beneath clutch ring indicates 1945 manufacture. Pen measures 136mm, pencil measures 132mm. Hooded nib, appears medium. Both instruments are in excellent condition, essentially mint; the pencil's barrel shows the lightest possible signs of careful handling consistent with age. A breathtaking set of the most desirable and iconic postwar Parkers.

-Lambrou, Andreas. Fountain Pens of the World. [Epping: 2005], pp. 92-93.

[Kid Parker]

SHEAFFER: Model 5000 Lifetime 14K Gold Cap Fountain Pen and Propelling Pencil Set, Original Box, c.1937. Estimate: $200-300

Lifetime Crest 5000 plunger-filler fountain pen and twist-action propelling pencil, black resin, hallmarked 14K gold caps, alternating pinstripe and plain panels, "White Dot" caps. 14K gold "Lifetime" nib, fine or medium. Both are engraved: "Lehigh Structural / Steel Company / To / George W. Welty / 25 Years of Service", caps engraved "GWW". Mr. Welty was a supervisor at the company who retired after 50 years. The instruments and original display box are in excellent condition, and were clearly treasured greatly by Mr. Welty (or forgotten about in a sock drawer). Mr. Welty worked for the company for 25 more years, retiring after his 50th anniversary. Wonder what his gift was then?

[Kid Parker]

As Director of Fine Pens for PBA, I never know what will come waltzing (slithering?) through the door. In this case, it was this incredible pen, which arrived just in the absolute nick of time to make it into the July 19th auction:

 

PARKER: No. 38 "Snake" Lucky Curve Fountain Pen, Gold-Filled Overlay by Heath, c.1905. Estimate: 7000-10,000

 

Perhaps the most famous and influential vintage fountain pen in the world, the legendary and coveted Parker No. 38 "Snake". Gold-filled overlay by George W. Heath featuring two entwined snakes with cut green stone eyes, black hard rubber body, eyedropper filler. Barrel overlay imprinted: "PARKER FOUNTAIN PEN / PAT. 6-30-91. 1-30-05". No. 3 Lucky Curve keyhole-vent nib, slight flex. Very fine condition, cartouche not personalized, black hard rubber lustrous and not oxidized, some cap marks to section, one faceted stone missing (can likely be matched by a reputable jeweler). A rare iconic overlay eyedropper oft considered the truest Grail for serious collectors.

 

-Lambrou, Andreas. Fountain Pens of the World. [Epping: 2005], pp. 58-59.

[Kid Parker]

Literary, esoteric:

 

CARAN d'ACHE: Secret Journey [Voltaire - Chateaubriand - Tolstoy] Set of Three Limited Edition Fountain Pens: One of 30 Sets, 2008. Estimate: $18,000-24,000

 

The most exclusive production of Caran d'Ache, Maison de Haute Écriture, this elaborate set of artisan instruments is intended to "transport collectors back in time, along the along the shores of Geneva’s beautiful Lac Léman". Each piece in the trilogy captures the splendor of Lake Geneva in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, with landscapes from old maps and quotations of three renowned authors that were guests on the lake’s shores engraved on the silver, gold and platinum-plated bodies accented with black and white lacquer. The three authors honored in this set are Voltaire, Chateaubriand and Tolstoy, and a clever mechanism in the pens is manually engaged to reveal words spoken by each of them. Specially-engraved 18K gold nibs, size medium.

Outer box, lacquered wood display box with plush leather tray compartmented for three pens, separate box with two maps, several booklets, a key to the display case, an owner's guide book and other accoutrements, and certificate of authenticity signed by Phillipe de Korodi, CEO of Caran d'Ache.

Limited Edition: each pen is numbered 28/300. Only 30 complete sets were issued. Excellent condition, pens not inked, display case and contents immaculate.

[Kid Parker]

CARTIER: Prestige Dragon Platinum-Plated Sterling Silver Limited Edition Fountain Pen. Estimate: $4000-6000

 

Fourth pen in Cartier's Bestiary Collection, representing the Dragon of Chinese legend that guards a sunken treasure on the ocean floor. Blue enamel and platinum-plated sterling silver barrel and cap, several pearls embedded in barrel, mother-of-pearl endpiece cabochon, heavy dragon figure on cap gazes with green spinel eyes at a pearl clutched in its claw. An exceptional Cartier pen, difficult to find on the secondary market. 18K gold nib, size not indicated, appears fine. Outer box, red leather display box, crystal pen holder, information card, guarantee booklet, instruction card, cartridges. Limited Edition: 266/888. Excellent condition, not inked.

[Kid Parker]

CARTIER: Panda Décor Art Deco Limited Edition Fountain Pen, c.2011. Estimate: $2000-3000

 

Black and white lacquer fountain pen with platinum-plated inlays, depicting two pandas on the cap and two more on the barrel in a wonderful style combining Chinese and Art Deco influences. Stylized clip, mother-of-pearl captop device and endpiece cabochon. 18K gold nib, size not indicated, appears medium. Outer box, red leather display box, crystal pen holder, description card, limitation card, instruction card, refills. Limited Edition: 10/888. Excellent condition, not inked.

[Kid Parker]

CARTIER: Panther Décor Initiated Limited Edition Fountain Pen, c.2011. Estimate: $3500-5500

 

The panther is the favored animal in Cartier's menagerie, and is represented here in sterling silver and black lacquer, with tsavorite garnet eyes and an onyx cabochon. 18K rhodium-plated gold nib, size not indicated, appears medium. Outer box, red leather display box, information card, limitation certificate card, instruction card, guarantee booklet, refills. Limited Edition: 157/188. Excellent condition, not inked.