I currently only have one CS vintage pen... an 85L with medium nib.
It is such a beautiful writer with Waterman Black ink that I want to buy another to take Waterman Violet.

I have the option of another 85L or a 76... I really cannot decide between the two, I'm tempted by the 85L as its a different finish. I have tried to find out about the 76 but only basic info out there (in the book of numbers).

Finally, both pens have a broad nib. Is the CS broad that much wider than the Medium? Does it compare well to a Pelikan B nib (I have a comparison chart for pelikan nibs)

Any help or suggestions much appreciated...

Hello Guy,

Both pens are very nice and a good size. The #76 is slightly longer.

The 85L has a CS #3 nib whilst the #76 should have a #5 nib. CS nibs are very nice and if broad write very nicely. I wouldn't compare with a Pelikan as CS nibs when broad tend to be slightly more "Stubby" than a Pelikan which are definitely rounded broads.

As you have an 85L already why not get another in a different colour. The choice is yours.

Gary

Cheers Gary...

I didn't need much convincing, just bought the 76 with broad nib and green herringbone finish. Looking forward to this arriving in the next couple of days to fill with Waterman Violet. Have to think of another colour for the relegated Parker Senior Duofold.

Great looking pen Guy,

The herringbone patterns are rather striking. You should do a review on it when it arrives and you've tried it out ?.

Gary

If you want one for red ink as well, I have a super red herringbone 85L (fully restored) poised and ready to be posted on ebay, probably on Thursday of this week!

Andy

Oh great Andy, what do I tell my kids now..more baked beans for dinner

I've just spent my current budget.

Gary

Not much of a herringbone person myself, I prefer others such as these:

85L in "Rasberry"


and Executive 60 Cracked Ice


and 58 in Tigerseye


and 85L in a blue with gold vein "almost cracked ice"


Allan

aha ! more vintage conway Stewarts showing up, lovely stuff.

Gary

I like the cracked ice 60 btw.

What a surprise!

Michael

who also likes the blue/gold vein, to be carefully distinguished from gold with blue vein, which would be a cheese

Great pens, Allan! However much the Cracked Ice is the sought after pattern I think I prefer some of the others, including Michael's favourite the blue/gold vein (the gold/blue vein being rather stronger and ideal when writing with port as ink!) and the Tiger's Eye is very nice, perhaps my favourite.

Maybe this is BECAUSE the cracked ice is so sought after!

Greg, I like the cracked ice more because it's a 60 executive, I think the cracked ice pattern is over priced really and they are not visually as stunning as some of the CS patterns IMHO.

I have a near mint 58 tiger eye which is stunning. It always gets comments.

Michael, I love the gold with blue veins comment. A Conway Stilton perhaps ?

This #27 with the toothbrush pattern (also called cross hatch) is particularly nice.

Gary

I'll just sit back and quietly lust after that pen. It really is lovely.

That 85l in blue with gold viens is a very nice looking pen, even better in person. And BTW, it has a really wet medium italic nib in it, sweet.

I like the crosshatch design too, but only have this brown 28 in that pattern:


The pic shows slightly more red than is really in it, but still a nice color.

Allan

Grrooooaaannnn.

Thank heavens for the Cook Strait.

Michael

who had guessed that it was the *combination* of cracked ice and 60 that was the knockout

You see that's why I went for the green herringbone #76.
Because my other pen is a blue/gold vein 85L just like this one.

Hi Carrie,

If one should become available would you be interested ?. Blue with gold veins 85L that is.

Gary

How much are you hoping to get for it ????
I have no idea of what they are worth....

Hi Tom,

I think all vintage pens are only worth what someone is willing to pay at any given time. I did sell a blue 85L herringbone in near mint condition for $US100. It was in exceptional condition though.

A few UK based websites offer these in excess of 200 pounds sterling, far too expensive unless you must have. Wasn't it PT Barnum that said something like "there's one born every minute" ?.

Gary

He did so sell a superb blue herringbone 85L for $100, but it didn't stay on the market for long (and I'm in the same time zone as he is, so Rest of World didn't get much of a chance )

There's been a big surge of interest in Conways recently; here in NZ about ten years ago you'd see them lying around in junktiques for not much money. Now they're a vogue pen, and when that happens it's pretty hard to set a fair-value price (I suspect that what really happens is that the standard deviation is very large, so an average isn't much of a guide). You should also be aware that British prices for many things are arrived at by thinking of a number you don't want to hear and doubling it.

Good luck

Michael

Now Michael, don't get me started on British prices. Probably need to add "commuter tax" or whatever it is to drive in London.

Michael, I only sell pens I would like to buy / would feel happy paying for and I'm chuffed it went to a good home. We've got to keep some good stuff to ourselves you know.

I do note that all of a sudden there are a few Conways turning up on our local kiwi-ized version of ebay. Anyone want a "personal shopper ?"

Gary

Tom,

I'm not sure whether your posting was aimed at me and my 85L in particular or the group in general. However, my pen will be listed on Thursday (10 day listing) with a starting price of 29.99 pounds sterling and no further reserve. It should make very much more than this given the condition, the gold plating is in fantastic condition everywhere which is very unusual for any vintage Conway Stewart. I'll also be selling a few nice fully restored Dinkies (duplicates from my own collection) starting on Thursday and some other interesting CS pens over the course of the next few months. If you have trouble finding it, search for my seller name (andyr7).

Regarding Gary's comment on the price of pens, I've never yet regretted paying a little (or indeed a lot) over the odds for an unusual pen - however I always hate missing something really special for the sake of saving a few dollars!

Andy

Hi Conway Stewart freaks !

I've lately inherited a "cracked Ice" Conway-Stewart - Le Tigre 160 Executive.
The barrel is lengthwise marked "le Tigre" (with a tiger head in front & behind) "made by Conway Stewart London "& radially marked "Made in England"
The medium nib is marked "Le Tigre 14Ct.-1st Quality".
The pen is near mint with the Belgian price tag still arround the barrel & in its original
" Le Tigre " box. It looks however the ink sac is detoriated.
Is the section screwed in the barrel or is it a snug fit?
Did CS originally appleid section sealant or shellac to secure the fit?
How would you recommend to remove the section?
Thanks in advance for your valued suggestions !
Regards, Francis

PS : Is this a rather exeptional & expensive pen ?
I have no direct intension to sell, but being a rather dedicated
Sheaffer collector one never knows !

Hi Francis

Virtually no CS pens had screwed sections, they are almost always just a tight fit. Soaking in warm water for an hour or so, then judiciously wiggling the section with some suitable pliers usually does the trick! However, this sounds a great collectors item so I would be wary of doing any damage. I don't think most collectors would expect ever to write with a price-stickered cracked ice pen, so there seems little point in replacing the sac!

I suggest you contact David Wells for more information, he has a great collection of LeTigres and I'm sure he would be interested. You can pick up his e-mail address from his website David Wells Vintage Conway Stewart.

Hope this helps,

Andy

Hello Francis,

You do have a rare pen. A few collectors would no doubt part with a handsome amount of cash to get it.

It is the equivalent of a CS #27 and quite simple to resac.

The section is a press fit and with care should come out easy enough. The only time I've noted sections being shellac'd into the barrel is when some had overspilled from the sac/section nipple. I'm not sure if this was factory done or a repair. I would imagine sacs were fitted and allowed to dry before insertion into the barrel ?.

I hope this helps. You could always get a repair specialist to fix it up that way you won't risk damaging a very nice pen.

Gary

Thanks Andy & Gary !
Knowing the section is only snug-fitted in barrel , I will carefully try to remove the section & install a new sac.
I will keep you updated on the results !

Francis

I could probably be tempted No doubt it will depend on car tax and things.

As for the comment on prices, it's been quite a while since I bought a Conway Stewart because EBay prices went through a phase of being really silly. I've been tending to use my Parker 51s quite a bit recently, all this rejuvenated CS talk means that I might just have to ink up my 27.