CS advertises that it has been around since 1905, but my understanding is that it closed as a company in 1975, or thereabouts, and was "re-started" in the late 1990's. What, exactly, is the connection between the new company and the old one, other than the name?

I'm not trying to dig up dirt. I don't have one yet, but I greatly admire the modern -- post 1990's -- pens. I am just curious if there was any continuity at all of machinery, workers, buildings, patents, whatever, or if the new CS is really a completely different company which adopted an old name.

Thanks!

You'll have to with till Mary Burke chimes in but I think it was only the name that got passed from one company to the other. That's why they can say since...

k

It's a pretty good bet that nobody that works for CS now was working for the original company. You can say the same thing about any pen company - is there any relation between Waterman, Paris and the old Waterman, New York except for the name? How many of the old American Sheaffer employees work with the company ostensibly selling Sheaffer pens nowadays?

Does it matter? A modern CS 58 looks like one of the original ones. You may find your choice is just a matter of new versus vintage.

As for continuation of an original company structure, again does it matter? Parker made the fabulous P51, and now makes the skip-prone Sonnet. MB made the amazing 149 and now make a not-so-amazing, but much more expensive 149. Gibson and Fender made incredibly wonderful guitars in the 1950's, but their 1970's efforts were decidedly inferior.

Depends on whether you think that the unbroken continuation of a company will allow continuation of what quality and level of style and design the original company had.

K

This gets kind of tricky.

Some died, were liquidated, and someone took ownership of the Trademark. Then started a new company using that Trademark.

Others, were sold, bought, merged, factorys closed, others opened under past owners, etc.

For really obvious reasons, you will have to rely on historians outside of the companys for the tales. It should be obvious to anyone that the value of the Trademark is increased if purchasers think of it as the "same old Mark that has been here for ................."

There is no link between the modern CS firm and the original bar the name and some inspiration for some of the first designs and names (Duro, Dandy, Dinkie, 58) for the modern pens. I believe the modern firm has changed hands too.

Perhaps, as pre-CBS Fenders are considered most worthy, perhaps the earlier modern CS pens will in future years. I would contend that the output of Leo Fender was intended for use rather than collecting though.


Greg

Hi,

The connection is obviously the name, and there is also a large archive of blue prints on previous models. Conway Stewart continues to offer a wide range of colours, more so than any other pen manufacturer throughout its regular edition range -- this was also a philosophy that 'old' Conway Stewart believed in, giving the consumer a wide range to choose from. Demand today has meant that Conway Stewart has diversified into hand painted pens, enamel pens and solid gold pens, which was not the case many years ago. Nevertheless, Conway Stewart strives to satisfy the need from the consumers by creating designs in resin and precious metal writing instruments.

There is a book in the development documenting the history of Conway Stewart which I am sure will be a success once it is printed. Meanwhile, below is a link detailing a very brief history of the company with a few images of the original factory, workers and Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Garner.

http://www.mvburke.com/history.htm

Kind regards,

Mary Burke

So the new Conway Stewart is a little over 10 years old.

I'm fast becoming a firm believer in Conway Stewart.

Jim

Second that.. the newest version of CS.

Kurt

As far as I'm concerned there is no similarity between the old (vintage) Conway Stewart pens and the new ones. This is only my opinion, but the new pens don't look and feel anything like the old "masters" manufactured up to about 1959.

I was at the London Writing Equipment Show today (12th October 2008) and I saw, and in fact purchased, two vintage CS pens, amongst many for sale at different stands. Lovely pens, and they write wonderfully. I had such confidence in them that I did not even try them out.

I looked at the new pens on a couple of stands. Very large, very in your face, and not at all subtle. And 6 or 7 times the price of a real old (semi flex) CS of 1946 to 1952 vintage. Need I say more?

Shostas

Maybe the question really is two things: how old is the presently manufacturing company and how old is the name/ trademark!


Kurt

Shastakovich reported, "I was at the London Writing Equipment Show today (12th October 2008) and I saw, and in fact purchased, two vintage CS pens, amongst many for sale at different stands. Lovely pens, and they write wonderfully. I had such confidence in them that I did not even try them out.

"I looked at the new pens on a couple of stands. Very large, very in your face, and not at all subtle. And 6 or 7 times the price of a real old (semi flex) CS of 1946 to 1952 vintage. Need I say more?"

I suspect this reflects market conditions more than any other factor.

CS pens from a half century ago were moderately to somewhat above moderately priced writing instruments; something which a large percentage of the population could -- and did -- use on a daily basis.

Today's market is more for a specialty item. Even though some users will write with a CS on a daily basis and use the pen much as they were used in years past, some people see the pens more as a decoration or a collectors' item. Manufacturers produce merchandise which sells.

Personally I would never have a CS that I couldn't put into rotation. The principal joy of using such an instrument is using it. Why have a pen that you can point to and say, "look at my really nice pen that writes incredibly well that I never use because it always just sits there while I write with a cheap Bic made by corporate executives who had their personalities surgically removed."

But, a lot of people buy pens they never use for reasons that completely defy my comprehension.

Thus, I suspect that a CS pen of a half century ago is a straightforward and well-made tool. Today's CS pens are extremely nice looking but still well-made tools.

Don't ask me to explain human behavior when it comes to buying things. I can't.