Fs: Conway Stewart Westminster Limited Edition Fountain Pen, 2007

July 18, 2010

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Conway Stewart released the "Westminster" in 2007 in an edition of just 100 pens, now sold out and no longer available. This pen is number 057/100.

The "Westminster" design is based on the Gothic style of decoration used by the architect Pugin for the Palace of Westminster, when it was rebuilt after the fire in 1834.The cap and barrel are made of sterling silver, fashioned in diamond shapes filled with teal enamel with delicately drawn oak leaves in each diamond. The silver cap and barrel bands are decorated with engraved borders also taken from Pugin's designs.

The pen weighs 68g, substantial for a pen which is about 5 ¼ inches(13.3cm) capped and 6 ½ inches (16.5cm) posted.

The pen has a converter, the 18k gold nib is rhodium plated and a fine point. The pen comes in the impressive Conway Stewart presentation boxes.

Condition: The pen was mint when I bought it and I have only inked it once. It is in excellent condition and complete with all the boxes and documentation.

The list price of the "Westminster" was about $2000. I am offering it at about 40% off.

Price: $1190 plus postage:

Payment: PayPal please to barrieparker@btinternet.com

Shipping: (the boxes are splendidly large and heavy, hence the postage costs).

USA, Canada, C and S America airmail recorded delivery: $35

Asia, Australia, NZ airmail recorded delivery: $35

Europe airmail recorded delivery: $22

Insurance: please add $5

UK Special Delivery Next Day : $14

Contact: barrieparker@btinternet.com

From the Conway Stewart Web Archive:

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Elegance Series

'Special Edition Westminster'

By popular demand, we have released a special edition Westminster pen in the exclusive Teal enamel finish

The Westminster edition is from the Elegance range. It is the second limited edition launch from this series, following the success of the Deco Diamond. Each pen from the Elegance range has a unique design and is produced to the highest standard of English craftsmanship.

Conway Stewart owners include the British Royal Family, Prime Ministers, and US Presidents past and present. As we are also an official gift of the British Government, it seems fitting that we should pay homage to one of the most important buildings in the history of England, the Palaces of Westminster.

Westminster Palace is one of England's most significant buildings. Not only is it a tourist attraction due to its wonderful architecture, it is also a grand landmark of much of England's history.

The Palace has given residency to our noble Kings and Queens and became one of the chief centres of London life. It housed the courts of law and was the place of many notable state trials: William Wallace (1305), Thomas More (1535),the Gunpowder Plot conspirators (1606), Charles I (1649) and Warren Hastings(1788-95).

The site is also the traditional venue for Coronation banquets and other historical events including the presentation of Addresses to the Queen on the Silver Jubilee and Golden Jubilee, the marking of 50 years since the end of World War II and many other important events.

Westminster mediaeval Palace was entirely destroyed by a fire on 16 October 1834. It took more than 30 years to complete the construction of the new Palace of Westminster. The building itself was designed by Charles Barry, while Augustus Welby Pugin was responsible for every aspect of the interiors,as well as for creating working drawings of all the exterior details. It is in the Gothic style which makes it look older than it actually is.

Augustus Welby Pugin was the foremost British architect of the 19th century. He was heavily influenced by his father, who shared his profound love of medieval Gothic architecture. Pugin is today considered to be the chief figure in the revival of Gothic design. Although he was heavily criticized by many in the Victorian era, he maintained that the structure of the building itself should be the base from which the decoration was evolved in a clear and honest way.

Conway Stewart draws the design inspiration for the detailed engraving on the cap and barrel from the work of Pugin featured on the exterior walls of the Palace of Westminster itself.

The small diamond shaped recesses covering the cap and barrel are based on similar decorative detail on the outside of the Palace.

The tiny oak leaves in the recesses are a symbol of England, whose mighty oak forests built the navy and made England a maritime nation, spreading the ideas of democracy from the Mother of Parliaments around the World.

The unenameled oxidized borders were partly drawn from other elements of the structure of the building and recreated in a flowing frieze that unites thedesign as a whole.

The use of a deep rich Teal colour in the enamel with striking contrastsis true to the gothic style. It gives emphasis and depth to the low relief.This is known as Basse Taille enameling. Both the cap and barrel of theWestminster edition are meticulously crafted out of solid sterling silver, bearing the English hallmark.

The Westminster limited edition pen is available in an edition of just 100 fountain pen or roller ball writing modes. The fountain pen is mounted with the large rhodium plated, iridium tipped 18 carat solid gold nib, offered in eight grades. It utilizes the converter cartridge filling mechanism.

Special Edition Westminster

100 numbered pieces available in fountain pen or roller ball

EDITION SOLD OUT!