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A New Prime Minister Fountain Pen


Mags

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I would like to suggest an eventual design and release of a Canadian influenced Conway Stewart pen. I love and I mean that I love my Churchill lever filler pen. My next one though would be wonderful if designed for a Canadian namesake. In thinking of the Churchill counterpart from Canada Mackenzie-King was the longest serving Prime Minister and was an avid journal writer who wrote with his fountain pen from his early 20's into his retirement.

 

His politics set aside he was a master at winning elections and was a PM for decades. I think he is worthy of a fountain pen limited edition ....he may have been the last knighted Prime Minister but that would take a little Conway Stewart research.

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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I would not hold my breath for this one.

+1

 

CS has a history of honouring Britain's finest, but seem not to cross borders in that respect.

 

Or they should start a series dedicated to "giants" of the Commonwealth....

 

D.ick

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KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

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Upon further study this guy is very interesting.

 

Apparently was good at his job and was a workaholic. He was also, as we say in the south, a confirmed bachelor and was very much into the occult, spiritualists, and crystals.

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I found reading his journal he made reference to his special new year gift of ink or a new fountain pen to indulge his journal work for the upcoming year. His on line journal is interesting and tackles mundane things like retrieving his laundry or what he ate and rather historical aspects including his discussions with Allied leaders on things such as retrofitting US destroyers in Canada for British use, arms and munitions and even a pen reference used in a cryptic reference to US developments of the atomic bomb. Undeniable he stood oit as a man who was different but also commited to his nation and allied countries at a dark time in human history.

 

A giants of the commonwealth pen series would be lovely and though runs may only be small of 50-100 pens I think there would be a niche interest. Mackenzie-King for his longevity, Pearson for his work on world peace and the League of Nations, Diefenbaker for his Avro Aero supersonic jets and Bill of Rights, perhaps even the the ever dynamic Sir John A or Sir Wilfrid!

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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I still say Conway Stewart would honor Churchill's kitchen staff before breaking the English border.

Yup

 

Even Dr. Who is too outlandish for them.

 

 

D.ick

~

KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

~

 

 

 

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I think that any series of 50 or more pens with a profit margin on the sale is definitely of interest to a company that wants to appeal to its customers and to sell pens.

 

If I own one Conway Stewart what incents me to purchase another pen. I sort of like that Conway Stewart offers model variations and they appeal to the traditional British or Monarchist customer with the naming conventions on their fountain pens.

 

I believe what would allow for a unique, but pride filled collector experience, could be as simple as CS taking the Churchill body and allowing for limited edition clips to be installed which are unique to a Prime Minister. I suspect the other area to consider on the pens is a unique cap band engraving or a unique nib engraving. As for what I propose for unique it could be: packaging, commemorative papers, novels, photographs, and the engravings on cap bands, nibs and clips for example. Or even a limited edition nib that just inserts in to a generic but lovely Conway Stewart body and every year the collector purchases one or more special edition nibs for use in the body of their fountain pen. Reinventing and rethinking the niche of pen sales is important as the market continues to transform in to a mass of new and fickle internet purchases. Loyalty / repeat purchases are always more profitable.

 

I think this is an idea in which the lucrative US market and other foreign markets can be accessed.

 

Who is going to be first to have a Nelson Mandella fountain pen to market in a limited and tasteful edition for example?

 

Who will be first to create a US diplomat or Presidential line of pens. There are 45 Presidents and at least 5 who top the list for tasteful and respectful production. Families, of these historic figures are no longer likely to raise any issues when the honouree has no wife or children as in my Mackenzie-King proposal or if the person has been deceased for a considerable period of time.

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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Not everyone is honorable. If you knew what some of them get up to in private you'd run screaming in the other direction. The media, owned and controlled by them, is giving you the "nice" story only.

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I just really like the idea of more Conway Stewarts in my collection but favour one without the name Wellington or Marlborough.

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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Mags,

 

Think you have an interesting point....but as others have said, CS tends to be UK oriented...

 

However, if you're really interested in this idea, I would email Mary Burke and get her input on it...

 

Just a thought....

FP Addict & Pretty Nice Guy

 

 

 

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Good idea. I mentioned it to Mary in DC this past summer. Churchill knew Mackenzie King for 50 years....and given the battle where Canada was always just blended in with the UK during WWII by Churchill I suppose that means he is a likely contender for a pen name by Conway Stewart. I think his role was to draw US and Britain closer plus $3.5 Billion in aid to England for the war effort.....Here is a neat snippet that alludes to his pen, a signature and a link to US and Harvard.

 

During World War II, King's association with the Department of External Affairs grew even closer. After the sudden death of his friend O.D. Skelton, in January 1941, King appointed Norman Robertson to be the new Under Secretary of State for External Affairs. King had confidence in Robertson, they worked closely together and Robertson attended the major wartime conferences with King.

Source

Secretary of State Paul Martin and Prime Minister Mackenzie King attending the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly, Flushing Meadow, New York, in 1946

In 1945, Mackenzie King led the Canadian delegation to the founding conference of the United Nations in San Francisco. With Louis St. Laurent, King signed the United Nations Charter on behalf of Canada. "I used the pen with the Harvard shield with my initials on it - a gift, some years ago, from Joan, though purchased by myself at her request at the Harvard Club in New York. This link with Harvard gave me very great pleasure," King noted. (Diary, June 26, 1945)

In September 1946, King named Louis St. Laurent as Secretary of State for External Affairs, thus separating External Affairs from the Prime Minister's Office for the first time. After St. Laurent was elected leader of the Liberal Party in 1948, King appointed Lester Pearson to the top job at External. "I ... extended congratulations to him on the order having been passed for his appointment and saying that I was greatly pleased ... believed that some day he would be holding the office which I was holding at the present time," King recorded. (Diary, September 10, 1948)

Every Canadian prime minister is involved in external affairs, but for Mackenzie King, the association with this Department was particularly close. Many of the key people in External were, or became, his personal friends. A number of his staff members came to him on secondment from External. When he handed over responsibility for External Affairs to others, he claimed to be glad to be relieved of the load, but, through most of his career, he had certainly enjoyed this part of his work. Although he often claimed to prefer quietness and simplicity, he clearly relished the pomp and the privileges of diplomatic life, as well as the authority to make decisions on the world stage.

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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I just really like the idea of more Conway Stewarts in my collection but favour one without the name Wellington or Marlborough.

 

I agree with you 100%.

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St. Laurent and Pearson were all eventually Prime Minister also ....I don't see them as fountain pen names for my next Conway Stewart.

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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I would think if CS were to honor a Canadian with a fountain pen it would be Andrew Bonar Law.

 

He was the only Canadian-born (and foreign born) Prime Minister of the UK, but he didn't really accomplish anything noteworthy in office. He also had one of the shortest tenures as PM serving only 211 days because he was diagnosed with throat cancer shortly after assuming the office and had to resign.

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CS may want to wait on the Andrew Law. I would group Law with PET who was a PM but whom history needs to leave in a footnote.

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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How about a stout, no-nonsense pen in gray pearlescent, called the Thatcher!

 

That would be grounds for never buying another CS pen again.

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How about a stout, no-nonsense pen in gray pearlescent, called the Thatcher!

No, should of course be in a thatched pattern. With the imprint: "I want my money back"

And a very stiff nib.

 

 

D.ick

~

KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

~

 

 

 

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