BEST OF THE BEST: SUPERB COLLECTION OF RARE WRITING INSTRUMENTS TO BE OFFERED AT BONHAMS
A fine and rare one-of-a-kind 18K gold and diamond set David Oscarson fountain pen, estimated at $85,000 - 125,000.
Los Angeles – An exceptional collection of 35 incredibly rare writing instruments will be presented at Bonhams’ The Art of Writing | A Collector's Rarities sale from November 27 – December 4. The selection hails from the extensive collection of Rick L. Schwartz and Linda Fisher, California-based connoisseurs who have been acquiring one-of-a-kind and limited-edition fountain pens from top makers like David Oscarson and Loiminchay for the last 25 years. The star of the group on offer is Seaside, a one-of-a-kind, masterfully crafted 18K gold and diamond fountain pen, by David Oscarson. This remarkable pen took three years to craft given the over 3,500 diamonds which were individually placed by a jeweler to create its distinct shell pattern. It is expected to achieve between $85,000 – 125,000.
The sale will also feature a highly coveted, complete group of eight Loiminchay fountain pens from their Beijing Olympic 2008 Collection, estimated at $60,000 – 100,000. Commissioned by the Bejing Olympic Committee to commemorate the global event, each pen within the group represents one or more Olympic sports including swimming, ping pong, volleyball, and gymnastics. Made in extremely limited numbers, the pens were handmade by Japanese craftsmen utilizing maki-e, the celebrated lacquerware technique. The remaining writing instruments offered in the sale were also made by Loiminchay including an oversized rare jade fountain pen entitled ‘9 Dragons’, estimated at $50,000 – 70,000.
A complete set of eight limited-edition Loiminchay fountain pens from the Beijing Olympic 2008 Collection, estimated at $60,000 – 100,000.
“I was first drawn to Loiminchay and David Oscarson as they were both one-man shows and their pen quality was exceptional – far exceeding big name manufacturers with similarly priced pens,” commented Schwartz. “I view fountain pens as superb decorative art and have always been quite impressed with their respective abilities to do the design work, commit to the craftsmanship, and then market the pens.”
Additional highlights include:
A pair of limited-edition resin and maki-e Loiminchay fountain pens which reference the vast carvings from over 75 caves at the Dazu Rock World Heritage site in China. Estimate: $15,000 – 25,000.
A pair of limited-edition resin and maki-e Loiminchay fountain pens depicting Chinese door gods, entities that were present to keep evil at bay. Estimate: $10,000 – 15,000.
A limited-edition Loiminchay fountain pen carved from a single piece of white jade. Estimate: $10,000 – 15,000.
A set of three limited-edition resin and maki-e Loiminchay fountain pens each depicting areas within China’s Forbidden City Palace. Estimate: $8,000 – 12,000.
About The Bonhams Network
Bonhams is a global network of auction houses, with the largest number of international salerooms, offering the widest range of collecting categories and selling at all price points. Bonhams is recognised for its bespoke service, and a dedication to local market relationships, enhanced by a global platform. With 14 salerooms, Bonhams presents over 1,000 sales annually, across more than 60 specialist categories, including fine art, collectables, luxury, wine & spirits, and collector cars.
Founded in 1793, Bonhams has representatives in more than 30 countries and operates flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. In 2022, Bonhams added four international auction houses to its network: Bukowskis, Stockholm; Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen; Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris and Brussels; and Skinner, Massachusetts. The success of Bonhams’ global strategy is a result of recognising the shift in growing intercontinental buying and increased digital engagement.
In 2023, Bonhams achieved 14% growth with $1.14 billion in turnover. Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.
Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914), also in Hong Kong.
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