Collection of Rare Pens at Bonhams

A selection from the extensive collection of California-based collectors Rick L. Schwartz and Linda Fisher featuring 35 limited-edition fountain pens from top makers David Oscarson and Loiminchay is going under the hammer at Bonhams' The Art of Writing sale running until December 4. 

Leading the sale is Seaside, a one-of-a-kind, 18K gold and diamond fountain pen by David Oscarson that took three years to create and featuring more than 3,500 diamonds individually placed by a jeweler to create its shell pattern (estimate: $85,000 – $125,000).

The sale will also feature a 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, badminton, table tennis, volleyball, wrestling, football, diving, sailing, and gymnastics. Produced in a limited number of 18, the pens were handmade by Japanese craftsmen using maki-e, the lacquerware technique. 

The remaining writing instruments offered in the sale were also made by Loiminchay including an oversized rare jade fountain pen called '9 Dragons' (estimated: $50,000 – $70,000).

"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," said 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." 

Other limited-edition highlights include:

• a pair of lresin and maki-e Loiminchay fountain pens referencing the carvings from 75 caves at the Dazu Rock World Heritage site in China (estimate: $15,000 – $25,000)
• a pair of resin and maki-e Loiminchay fountain pens depicting Chinese door gods (estimate: $10,000 – $15,000)
• a Loiminchay fountain pen carved from a single piece of white jade (estimate: $10,000 – $15,000)
• a set of three resin and maki-e Loiminchay fountain pens each depicting areas within China's Forbidden City Palace (estimate: $8,000 – $12,000)