REVIEW: Conway Stewart Dandy

[QM2]

You really had me hooked on a Dandy, but, alas it's too small for my liking; I clearly fall in the Duro and 100 camp. Notwithstanding, the pen looks superb.

 

If you like the look of the Dandy, but find it too small, then the Churchill is the pen I recommend. Same basic form, same proportions, same clip and lever -- only gigantic.

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2009 by QM2

[troglokev]

(I'm living a real-life version of a cliffhanger. What's going to happen next? I don't know!)

So, does your life star Sylvester Stallone, then?

 

_{Troglokev ducks and covers}

[Deirdre]

I should add, though, that the bespoke price has apparently just increased dramatically. Note that Richard's price for a Dandy is now $717.

[QM2]

I should add, though, that the bespoke price has apparently just increased dramatically. Note that Richard's price for a Dandy is now $717.

 

For a Dandy? Are you sure?... That sounds like Churchill territory. Or am I really out of touch with current prices? Maybe those Classic Green and Opal siblings will not materialise after all : (

 

 

[Deirdre]

I should add, though, that the bespoke price has apparently just increased dramatically. Note that Richard's price for a Dandy is now $717.

 

For a Dandy? Are you sure?... That sounds like Churchill territory. Or am I really out of touch with current prices? Maybe those Classic Green and Opal siblings will not materialise after all : (

I'm positive.

 

Dandy

5" capped and 6-5/16" posted (more size info here). Lever or cartridge/converter filling. Price including bespoke charge: $717.00

 

One of the reasons they had the c/c gold-trim only bespoke special was to clear out existing rodstock and fittings. The special only lasted a week, but for that kind of difference, most were willing to compromise.

[Rufus]

I just took a peak at the bespoke pen prices on Richard Binder's site and gagged; I don't think there'll be a new bespoke CS in my future anytime soon. Makes me think that I should either up the asking price or withdraw the modern CS 58 I currently have for sale on FPN..hmmm.

[girlieg33k]

Thanks for your outstanding review. The Dandy and Duro are my favourite CS pens, and I'm glad I acquired all of mine before CS began to price them out of the market as bespoke models.

 

I should add, though, that the bespoke price has apparently just increased dramatically. Note that Richard's price for a Dandy is now $717.

For a Dandy? Are you sure?... That sounds like Churchill territory. Or am I really out of touch with current prices? Maybe those Classic Green and Opal siblings will not materialise after all : (

CS retired all their smaller pens (Dinkie, Model 58, Duro, and Dandy) from regular production, and they are now only offered as bespoke models. As such, they are priced higher than their bigger (and heavier) siblings. The Dinkie and Model 58 are now $689, the Dandy (as Deidre noted) is $717, and the Duro $867.*

 

*All prices are from Richard's Pens.

Edited May 8, 2009 by girlieg33k

[QM2]

CS retired all their smaller pens (Dinkie, Model 58, Duro, and Dandy) from regular production, and they are now only offered as bespoke models. As such, they are priced higher than their bigger (and heavier) siblings. The Dinkie and Model 58 are now $689, the Dandy (as Deidre noted) is $717, and the Duro $867.*

 

*All prices are from Richard's Pens.

 

Right, I ordered mine as a bespoke model. It did not cost this much in late December/ early January.

Not good news, this new price.

[Deirdre]

Essentially, the bespoke charge just increased from $100 to $375, which was a whole pen before.

 

The first CS I bought, a Dandy, I paid $295 for. There's simply no freakin' way I'd pay $717 for one. That's more than I paid for any of my CSes.

 

Still, a part of me wishes I'd had the $60k+ to buy one of each model in each color during the bespoke spring special.

Edited May 8, 2009 by Deirdre

[ethernautrix]

Whoa. I blacked out the price right after Bryant told me and focussed on the (essentially) two-for-one deal if I could live with the gold trim. I almost chose the Opal as the second color. Swapping caps between the Black and the Opal would have looked very attractive, I thought. But I chose another color. It was really, really hard to pick the second color.

 

Kev.? Yes.

 

_{Hee hee!}

[Deirdre]

I just took a peak at the bespoke pen prices on Richard Binder's site and gagged; I don't think there'll be a new bespoke CS in my future anytime soon. Makes me think that I should either up the asking price or withdraw the modern CS 58 I currently have for sale on FPN..hmmm.

Since you love the color so much and it's now discontinued, if you want a pen that color, I personally would keep it.

[dandelion]

FYI - I've started a thread about the price increase in the CS forum - I thought that we might continue the discussion there. I'm still kind of speechless with regards to this priceincrease. And very happy that I ordered a bespoke pen during the campaign.

[Deirdre]

Dandelion -- good point. Thank you.

 

I guess I wouldn't care so much if I didn't like my Dandy so much.

[QM2]

Getting back to the pen itself --

 

Dandelion, here is a Conway Stewart Italic Fine writing sample I just found on another thread of mine. It is not a Dandy nib,

but a Duro nib (also the nib used on Churchills and I believe other large models). The nib in the below sample has more line

variation than the IF on my Dandy. I will post a sample of that later as well, for comparison.

 

http://queenmargot.com/mb_bbirongall1.jpg

 

 

Edited May 9, 2009 by QM2

[QM2]

Here we go, a sample of the Dandy IF nib:

 

http://queenmargot.com/Dandy_sample1.jpg

 

and here is what it looks like with very quick, scrawling handwriting:

 

http://queenmargot.com/Dandy_sample2.jpg

[tsunami31]

That certainly is a good fine italic nib, gives more style than the one on one of my modern Parker Duofolds.

 

I have one modern CS stored away (can't remember the model, but it will be an early one) which greatly impressed me for a modern pen and was a favourite writer. It needs resurrecting. The Dandy is a beautiful modern pen, as many of the CS models are....but the cost !!! I've long thought they are one of the best modern pen manufacturers in terms of quality of workmanship and design, but in value for money...

 

Anyway. just wanted to say that I met the Founder of modern CS at a London Pen Show many years ago when he was just setting up the company. Heard him talking about the difficulties in finding workmen with the skills he needed and it was apparent he was committed to producing the best that could be made - it appears that he has achieved that.

 

When I regularly used the modern CS I remember thinking that it was better than many of the vintage ones I owned. Rare for that to happen.

 

Regards Richard

[QM2]

When I regularly used the modern CS I remember thinking that it was better than many of the vintage ones I owned. Rare for that to happen.

 

Interesting that you say that. I own about a dozen vintage CS pens at this point (early Dinkie, Duro and Dandy flat-tops), and consider them one of my only "serious" and focused collector's interests. The nibs on these pens are wonderful -- smooth semi-flex, flex, and italic flex. But to actually use them is another matter. The vintage Dinkies I find pretty much impossible to use even when posted; they are simply tiny. The Dandies of this era are also quite small. Using them unposted is impossible for me, and posted is only marginally possible. The only vintage CS pens I can comfortably use are the Duros (I have a No.2 and a No.8), which are standard size, though by no means large by modern standards. But unfortunately, even are not really suitable as daily writers. The 80+ year old casein feels so fragile in the hand, that I am just too anxious to damage them! So I use the vintage CS pens only occasionally to practice flex, but mostly I just enjoy staring at them and fondling them. For daily writers, I use mostly my modern CS pens -- which are built like tanks!

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2009 by QM2

[RoyalKooparillo]

A truly beautiful pen! Such a classic and simple design. I love the lever-fill, as well. I fear my paws are a little too large for it (I never post my pens), but it sure is lovely to look at. It's too bad that one only has the choice of small or gigantic with this style...it would be great to have one similarly sized to the Duro.

[georges zaslavsky]

Very nice pen enjoy it in good health

[QM2]

It's too bad that one only has the choice of small or gigantic with this style...it would be great to have one similarly sized to the Duro.

 

Have you tried the Churchill "in person" and ruled it out as too large, or do you just think it will be too large? If you haven't tried it, I would encourage you to. It is a very ergonomic pen, and it is light weight. I have 2 and they are extremely comfortable. I prefer the proportions and balance of the Churchill to the Duro.