Hi,

I am travelling this Sunday to the UK for two weeks. My time with Conway Stewart will be spent talking about marketing plans, forecasts, product development, etc., etc. If you would like me to forward your thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to post them here or to send me an email with the subject header, 'UK Trip'.

With kind regards,

Mary Burke
maryburke@conwaystewart.co.uk

Hi Mary,

I would love to see pictures of the manufacturing process. Especially if you could go through the entire assembly line from raw material to boxing the product for shipment. I think that would be of interest to many of the CS fans here.

Steve

The only question I have is about the lack of hallmarking of the sterling trim on the 100. Enjoy your trip, Mary!

Wow good luck on the visit, i visited the factory some years ago and was amazed at the skill and passion of the people there working on the shop floor, they had some real old machinery that you probably couldn't get today and the craftsmen to use it. very interesting place and Glenn's a real nice guy also.

In the evening try visiting the Barbican area down by the harbour, it has some beautiful restaurants and old cobbled streets.

Have fun

Mary,

I'd love them to have blue ebonite available, even if it's just as a bespoke color.

I'd love to see some pictures of the factory. Mary, please tell them to keep us FP users in mind when developing new models. Many of us are not seeking some collector's grade pen made of meteorite or silver from the middle ages. We're looking for user-grade pens that we can tote along in our beat-up briefcases, school bags, our sloppy ink-stained desks, etc. Additionally, customer service is first and foremost. I sent three emails on registering three (of the nine pens I purchased in the past two years so I am a "decent" customer) and never received so much as a peep.

Thanks and have fun!!!!!

Paul

Yes, pictures!

We want to wave at the people.

In terms of product development, I'd like to know if there are plans to reintroduce any smaller pens to the product line rather than just having them as bespoke. Personally I miss the Dandy and would like to see something around the size of that or the 58 in the range. Most CS pens now are just too big for my hands. I also cringe whenever I see metal sections

How about a brown color exactly like the "toffee swirl" or a reverse "cracked ice" CS used to have on some of their pens?

Not a metal section fan either, and I also love my Dandy. I like big pens, but my everyday pens aren't that large.

Mary,

I would love to see the Toffee Swirl color, as well. I am also a big fan of yellow pens, and would love to see this color available for pens from the 100 on up.

Hi Carrie,

Hope all is well with you!

We are working on a modified Centenary Collectors LE with an introduction to the regular range. I will have access to the FPN during my visits, however will not have time to upload images until my return to the US.

Warmest,

Mary

Hi Mary! Please tell the powers at Conway Stewart that the Wellington is a beautiful pen -- but that it needs a few more colors. One of the messages coming through loud and clear on FPN in recent weeks is that many members want to own Conway Stewart pens, but they can't afford the prices of the Churchill, the Nelson, the 100, and the higher end pens. The Wellington is a pen that CS should aim at those users and collectors who want to spend less than $400 on a pen.

Hi Mary.

It would be nice if there was a section on the C-S website(s) showing the complete range of pens available side by side for size comparison, including those only available as bespoke - something similar to Richard Binder's size guides.

Also, it's worth reminding the management that it's a heckuvalot easier to sell 3 £200 pens than it is to sell a £600 pen - by all means keep the LE ranges available, but don't forget the 'bread & butter' enthusiasts, those that don't have £500+ laying around to spend on A pen, but could stretch to £150-£200. Something along the lines of the Centenary Collectors Edition maybe, but with a wider range of colours. I'd suggest a range of six to eight colours, with a choice of either fine or medium nibs, c/c filling only.

I realise that the current owners wish to make C-S 'THE' luxury pen brand, but in todays world economic climate that is an extremely risky buisiness plan - when money gets tight, luxury items always lose sales, wheras the base ranges in a companies output nearly always gain sales - as long as the goods for sale are of equivalent quality. Expanding the company's market by introducing a lower priced range, possibly even outsourcing for the barrel & cap (while maintaining UK sections, assembly & quality control), could both shore up the company in the event of an economic downturn and act as a 'gateway' pen, enticing buyers away from other, better known Brands...

CharlieB's suggestion of increasing the range of Wellington colours wouldn't go amiss, either...

Cheers... G(etting ready to duck...)

I can't say I know a lot about the factory, but from the little I do know, with it's relatively small staff, it is always going to be hard to introduce a 'cheap' pen and keep the gas and electric going.

That said, it is probably perfectly possible to 'trial' a more economic model with the market, to judge the response. I also suspect that the real trick is coming out with a model that doesn't 'threaten' the current high end range, bbut appeals to a wide audience in terms of quality and attractability.

Just taking a leaf from the Montblanc, Dunhill, Grappa design room, perhaps a simple black & silver/rhodium model of a the 58 type/size might catch the eye of the average pen hunter.

Lastly, even if the experiment failed, you can bet a limited trial run of CS pens would be snapped up by most of us on here

best
Bren

Wow, you've opened up a dam of requests here!

To confirm interest in previous requests, blue (and/or green) ebonite would be fabulous. Its really fashionable at the moment so I'm sure it would sell.

Also pics of the manufacturing process would be great, may be used to raise interest in the quality of the pens too (just as the Bock factory pics have done).

Regarding ranges I'm a user as opposed to a collector of the esoteric so maybe I'm the wrong person for the current CS market. The pens I use have a hard working life and I would pay for a 'professional' pen in that its entirely practical, hard wearing and robust. Not sure what materials would suit best (I do love ebonite) but scratch resistant and non-dulling (many pens appear dull from the tiny scratches of regular use); a large ink capacity; solid (as opposed to plated) furniture (silver etc?); robust furniture (so the clip can be abused without coming off) non-blobbing and absolutely reliable ink feed - very important; filling system that is clean and doesn't require dismantling the pen - button is good; doesn't need to be in a wide range of colours and patterns but beauty would be important at this price; doesn't need to be huge. Perhaps a modern CS that would fill the market spot of the old Parker Duofold (Big Red?) or the Fender Precision bass guitar, or the Apple I-pod. The market leader, industry standard, benchmark etc, entirely and usefully practical and capable of surviving heavy use over a long period. My Churchill fulfilled most of this but needed too much looking after to be entirely practical. My old CS45 is currently doing this well.

I realise that this would need volume production which may not be appropriate for CS.

Thanks if you pass this on, it would be my dream pen, the once in a lifetime purchase which would last and be used for a lifetime


Greg

Oh darn. I'm trendy. That almost never happens.

I have a number of CS pens (vintage and new) and enjoy them all. Just acquired some new Sailors and noticed a thin rubber bushing that cushions the barrel when it is screwed in. It seems the cap may also have a bushing as the last turn seems to be cushioned as well. The Duro Heritage doesn't appear to have this feature so that when screwing the barrel after filling, its plastic on plastic - not as pleasant and runs the risk of over tightening. Just a thought.

I have just a day and a half left at the CS factory, leaving on Thursday night to spend some quality time with my brother who is based in RAF Lyneham before flying back to the US.

So, if there are people reading this thread, there is still time to add your feedback and thoughts.

Kind regards,

Mary Burke