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The birth of [[Conway Stewart]] is traced back to 1905. The company entered the British market that already saw the presence of several local producers, and owes its success to a clear market choice: to produce reliable products at a small price, which would reach a more wide public. Although the company has never distinguished itself for technological innovations, its pens were good, reliable and reasonably priced, so they had a great success, and their most preminent characteristic was the enormous variety of colors in which they were produced.  
 
The birth of [[Conway Stewart]] is traced back to 1905. The company entered the British market that already saw the presence of several local producers, and owes its success to a clear market choice: to produce reliable products at a small price, which would reach a more wide public. Although the company has never distinguished itself for technological innovations, its pens were good, reliable and reasonably priced, so they had a great success, and their most preminent characteristic was the enormous variety of colors in which they were produced.  
  
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But the traditional lack of attention for technical innovations and market positioning on the  economic production was also the cause of the decline of the company, which was not able to adapt to the advent of the ballpoint pen. With the diffusion of economic disposable ballpoint pens, [[Conway Stewart]] fountain pens become too expensive to be used as cheap writing tools, but beeing positioned on the economic side of the market they cannot be also used ad objects of distinction. So the company suffered an inexorable decline and in 1975 was closed. As happened with many other historical brands, [[Conway Stewart]] was resurrected in 1998 to exploit the prestige of their trademark in the production of modern pens.{{Infobox_Brand|Conway Stewart}}
+
But the traditional lack of attention for technical innovations and market positioning on the  economic production was also the cause of the decline of the company, which was not able to adapt to the advent of the ballpoint pen. With the diffusion of economic disposable ballpoint pens, [[Conway Stewart]] fountain pens become too expensive to be used as cheap writing tools, but being positioned on the economic side of the market they cannot be also used ad objects of distinction. So the company suffered an inexorable decline and in 1975 was closed. As happened with many other historical brands, [[Conway Stewart]] was resurrected in 1998 to exploit the prestige of their trademark in the production of modern pens.{{Infobox_Brand|Conway Stewart}}{{BrandData|Founder=Francis Charles Jarvis, Thomas Howard Garner|Date=1905|Place=Londra|Country=UK|Closing=1975}}
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
  
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[[Conway Stewart]] was founded in 1905 in London by ''Frank Jarvis'' and ''Thomas Howard Garner'' with headquarters staff at 13 Paternoster Row. The origins of the name are not so clear, the most common version tells that it was inspired by the names of two actors that recited at the Collins Music Hall in Islington, and adopted for commercial reasons (it seems it sounds better than ''Jarvis Garner'').
+
[[Conway Stewart]] was founded in [[1905]] in London by ''Francis Charles (Frank) Jarvis'' and ''Thomas Howard Garner'' with headquarters staff at 13 Paternoster Row. The origins of the name are not so clear, the most common version tells that it was inspired by the names of two actors that recited at the Collins Music Hall in Islington, and adopted for commercial reasons (it seems it sounds better than ''Jarvis Garner'').
  
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The company started its business marketing, in 1906, american pens named ''Self Filling'' and ''Self Cleaning Post''; the same year Stanley Jarvis, brother of Frank, joined the company. In 1909 the company was incorporated as ''Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd''. The initial production, on which there is very little information, was made by [[eyedropper filler|eyedropper]] hard rubber pens, produced in the plant site of Upper Thames Street, in London.
+
The company started its business marketing, in [[1906]], American pens named ''Self Filling'' and ''Self Cleaning Post''; the same year Stanley Jarvis, brother of Frank, joined the company. In [[1909]] the company was incorporated as ''Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd''. The initial production, on which there is very little information, was made by [[eyedropper filler|eyedropper]] hard rubber pens, produced in the plant site of Upper Thames Street, in London.
  
 
Despite the presence on the market of already well established companies like [[Onoto]] and [[Swan]], and in the absence of specific skills in the technological innovation field, Jarvis and Garner proved to have good business skills, and identified for the best the market positioning of their company. They concentrated into the mass production of a reliable product sold at a lower cost than competitors, in order to meet the growing demand and enlarge the market, a position that will not change in the history of [[Conway Stewart]].
 
Despite the presence on the market of already well established companies like [[Onoto]] and [[Swan]], and in the absence of specific skills in the technological innovation field, Jarvis and Garner proved to have good business skills, and identified for the best the market positioning of their company. They concentrated into the mass production of a reliable product sold at a lower cost than competitors, in order to meet the growing demand and enlarge the market, a position that will not change in the history of [[Conway Stewart]].
  
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Nel 1919 vennero introdotti i primi modelli con [[caricamento a levetta]] e [[safety]], l'anno successivo il marchio ''The Conway Stewart'' venne registrato ufficialmente (con il n. 407502). Nel 1922 vennero introdotti nuovi modelli fra cui la [[Dinkie]],<ref>la data è incerta, c'è chi la fa risalire al 1920 (vedi [http://www.mvburke.com/history.htm]), ma questo è quanto riportato sul sito dell'azienda.</ref> che diventerà il prodotto di punta dell'azienda (tanto che il nome, nel 1924, divenne un marchio registrato), una penna piccola e funzionale, che verrà prodotta, in diverse versioni, per oltre 40 anni. Nel 1924 la [[Conway Stewart]] fu la prima azienda inglese ad introdurre sul mercato penne in [[celluloide]] colorata,<ref>c'è chi fa risalire l'uso della [[celluloide]] colorata (come la creazione della [[Dinkie]]) al 1920 contestando il primato della [[LeBoeuf]].</ref> che resterà, per la varietà e la ricchezza dei colori, una delle caratteristiche distintive di questa marca.  
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In [[1919]] the first [[lever filler]] and [[safety]] models were introduced, the following year the brand ''The Conway Stewart'' was officially registered (with the number 407502). In [[1922]] new models were introduced, including the [[Dinkie]],<ref>the date is uncertain, someone makes it go back to 1920 (see [http://www.mvburke.com/history.htm this reference]), but this is what the company says on its website.</ref> which will become the most famous product of the company (so that the name became a registered trademark in [[1924]]). The [[Dinkie]] was a small and functional pen, which was produced in different versions for over 40 years. In [[1924]] [[Conway Stewart]] was the first British company to sell celluloid pens,<ref>someone dates the use of celluloid (as the creation of [[Dinkie]]) back to 1920, challenging the primacy of [[LeBoeuf]].</ref> The use of celluloid, for the variety and richness of the colors they used, is one of the distinguishing features of this brand.  
  
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[[Image:Conway-Istruzioni-Retro.jpg|thumb|Garanzia e Istruzioni|250px|right|Foglietto di istruzioni originale]]
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[[Image:Conway-Istruzioni-Retro.jpg|thumb|Warranty and directions|250px|right|An original instruction sheet]]
  
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La classificazione dei modelli è estremamente complessa, benché infatti a partire dagli anni '20 l'azienda usasse dei nomi, le varie penne venivano comunque identificate da un numero e talvolta soltanto da questo. Negli anni '20 il modello di punta (che resterà tale per due decenni) è la [[Duro]], una penna di grandi dimensioni; a questa affianca la piccola e funzionale [[Dinkie]], e la più economica [[Universal]]. Altri modelli realizzati nello stesso periodo sono la [[Pixie]] e la  [[Dandie]].
+
The classification of [[Conway Stewart]] models is extremely complex, although since the '20s  the company started using names, all the pens were still identified by a number and sometimes only by that. In the '20s  the top model (which will remain so for two decades) was the [[Duro]], a large pen, then there was the small and functional [[Dinkie]], and the economic [[Conway Stewart Universal|Universal]]. Other models made in the same period were the [[Pixie]] and the [[Dandie]].
  
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Dopo gli anni iniziali la quasi totalità della produzione della [[Conway Stewart]] è costituita da penne con [[caricamento a levetta]], ma nel 1927 l'azienda produsse anche dei modelli a [[pulsante di fondo]] che commercializzò allo stesso prezzo dei modelli a leva, che comunque restarono i più diffusi. Fino alla fine degli anni '20 le penne presentavano il classico stile ''[[flattop]]'' cone un corpo cilindrico a fondo piatto, mentre il cappuccio aveva una testa in [[ebanite]]. Le penne venivano prodotte con o senza verette a seconda del loro pregio. Inizialmente il fermaglio era fissato su un lato del cappuccio ed aveva una punta a sfera.  
+
After the first years almost the entire production of [[Conway Stewart]] were [[lever filler]] pens, but in [[1927]] the company also produced some [[button filler]] models that sells at the same price of the [[lever filler]] ones, which remained the most diffused. Until the late '20s pens had the conventional ''[[flat top]]'' shape with cylindrical body and flat ends, while the cap had an hard rubber head. The pens were produced with or without cap rings according to their price level. Initially, the clip was fixed on one side of the cap and had a ball tip.  
  
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[[Image:Conway-Istruzioni-Fronte.jpg|thumb|Garanzia e Istruzioni|250px|left|Foglietto di garanzia originale]]
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[[Image:Conway-Istruzioni-Fronte.jpg|thumb|Warranty and directions|250px|left|An original warranty sheet]]
  
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L'azienda passò la grande crisi finanziaria del '29 senza troppi problemi, i profitti diminuirono per la diminuzione dei consumi, ma l'essersi concentrata sulla produzione di penne economiche la aiutò a superare meglio la fase di crisi, che nel 1934 era sostanzialmente finita con profitti in crescita. Nel 1935 la ''Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd'' venne liquidata volontariamente per creare una nuova società per azioni che si quotò sulla borsa di Londra.  
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The company passed the great financial crisis of 1929 without too many problems; profits decreased for the sales decrease, but having concentrated its production on economic pens helped to overcome the worst phase of the crisis, just in [[1934]] [[Conway Stewart]] was again making rising profits. In [[1935]] the ''Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd'' was voluntarily closed to create a new company listed on the London Stock Exchange.  
  
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La produzione dell'azienda resta comunque legata ai molteplici colori della [[celluloide]] con cui venivano realizzate le penne, a parte il classico colore nero infatti la [[Conway Stewart]] iniziò ad introdurre sul mercato una gran varietà di colorazioni, ben oltre i classici marmorizzati tipici dell'epoca. Benché non esistano nomi ufficiali, alcuni sono diventati standard, come il ''Tiger eye'', il ''Cross hatch'', l'''Herringbone'' o il famoso ''Cracked ice'' (nero con sottili venature bianche) che venne introdotto nel 1934.
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The [[Conway Stewart]] production was still characterized by the colors used in their celluloid pens. Apart from the classic black the company began to sell a wide variety of colored pens, well beyond the classic marbled colors typical of other companies. Even though there are no official names, some names have become standard between collectors, like the ''Tiger eye'', the ''Cross hatch'', the ''Herringbone'' or the most famous ''Cracked ice'' (black with thin white veins), which was introduced in [[1934]].
  
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In questo periodo le penne della [[Conway Stewart]] erano prodotte con uno stile più affusolato, seguendo la tendenza dello ''[[streamlined]]'' in voga oltreoceano. Nel 1932 il fermaglio venne realizzato con la parte superiore [[washer clip|ad anello]], molto simile a quello della [[Duofold]], e bloccato sul cappuccio da una testina in [[ebanite]]; nel 1935 venne introdotta la clip con la cima a forma di diamante, che da allora contraddistinguerà i modelli dell'azienda in tutti gli anni successivi.  
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In this period [[Conway Stewart]] fountain pens were produced with different style, following the trend of ''[[streamlined]]'' pens popular overseas. In [[1932]] a new ''[[washer clip]]'' was introduced, very similar to the [[Duofold]] one, that was locked on the cap by an hard rubber head. In 1935 a new clip with a diamond shaped tip was introduced, that became a characteristics of [[Conway Steward]] pens for all the following years.  
  
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Nel 1940 venne proposto un modello con una sezione trasparente per il controllo del livello dell'inchiostro, ma non ebbe un gran successo a causa della guerra; nello stesso anno vennero anche introdotti dei modelli con [[caricamento a stantuffo]], che andarono ad aggiungersi a quelli con [[caricamento a levetta]] e [[pulsante di fondo]]. Nonostante i pesanti bombardamenti la fabbrica della [[Conway Stewart]] restò miracolosamente quasi illesa ed alla fine della guerra l'azienda riuscì a riprendere subito la produzione.  
+
In 1940, following [[Vacumatic]] success, a model with a transparent section to control ink level was offered, but because the war it was not a great success. During the same year were also introduced [[piston filler]] models added to the traditional [[lever filler]] and [[button filler]] ones. Despite the heavy bombing the [[Conway Stewart]] factory remained almost miraculously unharmed and at the end of the war the company was immediately capable to resume production.  
  
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[[Image:Conway-Stewart-58-Set.jpg|thumb|left|Un set [[Conway Stewart]] modello 58]]
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[[File:Conway-Stewart-58-MarbledBlue-Set.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Conway Stewart]] set model 58]]
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[[Image:conway stewart pens.jpg|thumb|Stilografiche Conway Stewart|250px|right|Stilografiche [[Conway Stewart]] degli anni '50]]
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[[File:Conway-Stewart-Celluloid-Model-Serie-Capped.jpg|thumb|Conway Stewart pens|250px|right|[[Conway Stewart]] pens from '50s]]
  
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Nel dopoguerra i nuovi modelli dalla [[Conway Stewart]] vennero realizzati con una forma più affusolata ed in una grandissima varietà di colorazioni, una caratteristica questa che diventerà uno dei marchi distintivi dell'azienda. I nuovi modelli avevano una nuova clip, sempre ad anello e con punta a forma di diamante, che però veniva bloccata in posizione da un bottone a scatto di forma simile ai ''Jewel'' delle [[Vacumatic]]. Vennero anche prodotte penne da esportazione (rivolte principalmente al mercato del Benelux) con il marchio ''Le Tigre''.
+
After the war the new models from [[Conway Stewart]] were built with a more streamlined shape and in a huge variety of colors, a characteristic that this will become one of the distinguishing marks of the company. The new models had a new clip, it was always a [[washer clip]] with a diamond shaped tip, but it was locked in place by click button similar ''Jewel'' of  [[Vacumatic]]. At that time were also produced some pens for export (mainly addressed to the Benelux market) under the brand ''[[Le Tigre]]''.
  
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Nel dopoguerra i vari modelli vennero identificati esclusivamente tramite codici numerici, con la sola eccezione del marchio [[Dinkie]] che continuò ad essere utilizzato. Purtroppo questo non consente affatto di semplificare la classificazione delle penne prodotte dalla [[Conway Stewart]], perché la scelta di questi codici non ha mai seguito nessuna sequenza o ordine di natura logica o cronologica; inoltre spesso venivano usati codici diversi a seconda della destinazione della penna (se cioè era destinata all'esportazione o meno). Nel 1949 venne lanciato come il modello di punta il modello [[Conway Stewart 58|58]], che venne sostituito in questo ruolo l'anno successivo dal modello [[Conway Stewart 60|60]].
+
After the war all the models were identified only by code numbers, with the exception of the [[Dinkie]] that continued to use this name. Unfortunately this does not allow any simplification of the classification of [[Conway Stewart]] pens, because the choice of these code numbers never followed any sequence or any chronological or logical order, and also they often used different codes depending on the destination of the pen (as if it was intended for the export or not). In [[1949]] the [[Conway Stewart 58|58]] was launched as the top model, who was replaced in that role the following year by the [[Conway Stewart 60|60]].
  
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[[Image:Conway-Stewart-286-MarbGreen-Open.jpg|thumb|Conway Stewart pens|250px|left|Una [[Conway Stewart]] modello 286]]
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[[Image:Conway-Stewart-286-MarbGreen-Open.jpg|thumb|Conway Stewart pens|250px|left|A [[Conway Stewart]] model 286]]
  
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A metà degli anni '50 la [[Conway Stewart]] era all'apice del suo successo. Nel 1954 l'azienda introdusse il prestigioso modello [[Conway Stewart 100|100]], una penna di grandi dimensioni. In questo periodo iniziarono ad apparire sul mercato le prime penne a sfera, che come negli Stati Uniti erano costose e inaffidabili, ma l'azienda continuò ad ignorare la novità e questo atteggiamento tradizionalista le fu fatale. L'azienda entrò in ritardo anche nell'uso dei nuovi materiali plastici (introdotti soltanto nel 1957) e non seguì mai le nuove tendenze stilistiche delle penne a pennino coperto lanciate dalla [[Parker 51]].
+
In the mid of '50s [[Conway Stewart]] was at the top of its success, and in [[1954]] the company  introduced the prestigious [[Conway Stewart 100|100]] model, a large dimension pen. In this period  the first ballpoint pens began to appear on the market, they were expensive and unreliable, but the company continued to ignore them and this traditionalist attitude was fatal. The company also was late in the use of the new plastic materials (introduced only in [[1957]]) and never followed the stylistic trends of ''[[hooded nib]]'' pens launched by the [[Parker 51]].
  
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L'azienda continuò a mantenere la sua politica di produrre stilografiche di buona qualità ad un prezzo modico facendo ricorso a metodi tradizionali e ben consolidati, ma se nella prima metà degli anni '50 una penna a levetta con pennino e cappuccio a vite era soltanto un po' fuori moda, ma perfettamente funzionale, nella seconda metà degli anni '50 e negli anni successivi diventò sempre più arretrata ed incapace di trovare un suo spazio sul mercato, di fronte a penne a sfera usa e getta dai prezzi molto più bassi, contro le quali l'azienda non era in grado di competere, e l'impossibilità di caratterizzare le sue stilografiche, pur sempre degli oggetti economici, come un oggetto distintivo o di moda.
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The company maintained its policy to produce good quality modest priced fountain pens using traditional and well established methods. But if in the first half of the '50s an economic [[lever filler]] fountain pen with a screw cap was just a little old-fashioned, but perfectly functional, in the second half of the '50s and in later years it became more and more backward and unable to find a place on the market, faced by disposable ballpoint pens sold at much lower prices, against which the company was unable to compete not having the ability to characterize his products, always placed in the lower end of the market, as distinctive or fashion objects.
  
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Nonostante alcuni tentativi di rilancio, e la produzione di alcune penne a sfera, il passaggio al caricamento a cartuccia e la produzione di alcuni esemplari economici a pennino coperto, il declino proseguì inesorabile per tutti gli anni '60, fino alla definitiva chiusura della società, avvenuta per fallimento, a seguito di un ordine dell'Alta Corte di giustizia datato 21 giugno 1975.
+
Despite some revival attempts, and the production of some ballpoint pens, the move to [[cartridge filler]]s and the production of some economic [[hooded nib]] pens, the inexorable decline continued for all the '60s, until the final closure of the company, occurred for bankruptcy, stated by an order of the High Court of Justice dated 21 June 1975.
  
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{{CronoMarche}}
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{{ModelList|Conway Stewart}}
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|-
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{{BrandChrono|Conway Stewart}}
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| 1905  || Frank Jarvis e Thomas Howard Garner danno vita alla [[Conway Stewart]]
 
−
|-
 
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| 1909  || La [[Conway Stewart]] viene fondata come società a responsabilità limitata
 
−
|-
 
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| 1919  || Vengono introdotti modelli con [[caricamento a levetta]] e [[safety]]
 
−
|-
 
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| 1920  || Viene registrato ufficialmente il marchio ''The Conway Stewart''
 
−
|-
 
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| 1920  || Viene introdotto il modello [[Duro]]
 
−
|-
 
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| 1922  || Vengono introdotti i modelli [[Dinkie]], [[Pixie]] e [[Universal]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| 1924  || Viene introdotto il modello [[Dandy]]
 
−
|-
 
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| 1924  || Depositati i marchi [[Dinkie]] e ''Duropoint''
 
−
|-
 
−
| 1924  || Vengono introdotti i primi modelli in [[celluloide]] colorata (o 1920?)
 
−
|-
 
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| 1927  || Viene brevettato ed immesso sul mercato un caricamento a [[pulsante di fondo]]
 
−
|-
 
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| 1933  || Vengono introdotti i modelli [[Scribe]] e [[International]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1934  || Viene introdotta la [[celluloide]] ''Cracked Ice''
 
−
|-
 
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| 1935  || La [[Conway Stewart]] si ristruttura diventando società per azioni
 
−
|-
 
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| 1935  || Introdotto il fermaglio a forma di punta di diamante
 
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|-
 
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| 1949  || Viene introdotto il modello [[Conway Stewart 58|58]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1950  || Viene introdotto il modello [[Conway Stewart 60|60]]
 
−
|-
 
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| 1954  || Viene introdotto il modello [[Conway Stewart 100]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1955  || Viene introdotto il modello [[Conway Stewart 22 Floral|22 Floral]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1955  || Viene introdotta la celluloide ''Herringbone''
 
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|-
 
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| 1957  || Cessa la produzione in [[celluloide]] passando alla plastica a stampo
 
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|-
 
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| 1957  || Viene introdotta la prima penna a sfera
 
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|-
 
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| 1975  || La [[Conway Stewart]] fallisce e viene chiusa
 
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|-
 
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|}
 
  
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{{LegendaModelli}}
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== External references ==
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|-
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*[http://jonathandonahaye.conwaystewart.info/csbook/page1.htm] Site of an enthusiast, an impressive amount of information
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| [[Dinkie]] || 1922 ? || XX, ?
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* [http://conway-stewart.old-pens.co.uk/index.htm] Another site of an enthusiast, another impressive amount of information
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|-
+
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060207035743/http://www.prog2kill.com:80/ConwayStewart/] Site of an enthusiast
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|}
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* [http://www.mvburke.com/history.htm] An article on Conway Stewart history
−
 
+
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway_stewart] Conway Stewart on Wikipedia
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==Note==
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* [http://www.csvpens.co.uk/page5.html] Article on company history, interesting
 +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170915141511/http://www.rickconner.net:80/penspotters/conway.old.html] Penspotters article
 +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140103051348/http://conwaystewartpens.co.uk/]  Site of an antique Conway Stewart seller, there are some historical infos also
 +
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20140103075329/http://conwaystewart.com/] Official site, some historical information, but a lot of hagiography
 +
==Notes==  
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
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==Riferimenti esterni==
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{{CategorizeBrand|Inghilterra}}
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* http://www.ftic.info/Donahaye/ConwayStewart/ Sito di un appassionato, una mole di informazioni impressionante
 
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* http://conway-stewart.old-pens.co.uk/index.htm Altro sito di un appassionato, altra mole di informazioni
 
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* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway_stewart La [[Conway Stewart]] su Wikipedia
 
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* http://www.conwaystewart.com/ Sito ufficiale, qualche informazione storica, ma molto agiografica
 
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* http://www.csvpens.co.uk/page5.html Articolo sulla storia dell'azienda, interessante
 
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* http://www.rickconner.net/penspotters/conway.old.html Articolo di Penspotters
 
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* http://conwaystewartpens.co.uk/ Sito di un rivenditore di [[Conway Stewart]] d'epoca, contiene anche qualche informazione storica
 
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* http://www.mvburke.com/history.htm Articolo sulla storia della [[Conway Stewart]]
 
−
 
 
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[[Category:Marche]]
 
−
[[Category:Brands]]
 
−
[[Category:Inghilterra]]
 

Versione attuale delle 21:04, 8 ago 2023

Conway Stewart Logo

The birth of Conway Stewart is traced back to 1905. The company entered the British market that already saw the presence of several local producers, and owes its success to a clear market choice: to produce reliable products at a small price, which would reach a more wide public. Although the company has never distinguished itself for technological innovations, its pens were good, reliable and reasonably priced, so they had a great success, and their most preminent characteristic was the enormous variety of colors in which they were produced.

But the traditional lack of attention for technical innovations and market positioning on the economic production was also the cause of the decline of the company, which was not able to adapt to the advent of the ballpoint pen. With the diffusion of economic disposable ballpoint pens, Conway Stewart fountain pens become too expensive to be used as cheap writing tools, but being positioned on the economic side of the market they cannot be also used ad objects of distinction. So the company suffered an inexorable decline and in 1975 was closed. As happened with many other historical brands, Conway Stewart was resurrected in 1998 to exploit the prestige of their trademark in the production of modern pens.

Conway Stewart
Brand pages
Brand advertising
Brand photos
Instructions sheet
Patents

History

Conway Stewart was founded in 1905 in London by Francis Charles (Frank) Jarvis and Thomas Howard Garner with headquarters staff at 13 Paternoster Row. The origins of the name are not so clear, the most common version tells that it was inspired by the names of two actors that recited at the Collins Music Hall in Islington, and adopted for commercial reasons (it seems it sounds better than Jarvis Garner).

The company started its business marketing, in 1906, American pens named Self Filling and Self Cleaning Post; the same year Stanley Jarvis, brother of Frank, joined the company. In 1909 the company was incorporated as Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd. The initial production, on which there is very little information, was made by eyedropper hard rubber pens, produced in the plant site of Upper Thames Street, in London.

Despite the presence on the market of already well established companies like Onoto and Swan, and in the absence of specific skills in the technological innovation field, Jarvis and Garner proved to have good business skills, and identified for the best the market positioning of their company. They concentrated into the mass production of a reliable product sold at a lower cost than competitors, in order to meet the growing demand and enlarge the market, a position that will not change in the history of Conway Stewart.

In 1919 the first lever filler and safety models were introduced, the following year the brand The Conway Stewart was officially registered (with the number 407502). In 1922 new models were introduced, including the Dinkie,[1] which will become the most famous product of the company (so that the name became a registered trademark in 1924). The Dinkie was a small and functional pen, which was produced in different versions for over 40 years. In 1924 Conway Stewart was the first British company to sell celluloid pens,[2] The use of celluloid, for the variety and richness of the colors they used, is one of the distinguishing features of this brand.

An original instruction sheet

The classification of Conway Stewart models is extremely complex, although since the '20s the company started using names, all the pens were still identified by a number and sometimes only by that. In the '20s the top model (which will remain so for two decades) was the Duro, a large pen, then there was the small and functional Dinkie, and the economic Universal. Other models made in the same period were the Pixie and the Dandie.

After the first years almost the entire production of Conway Stewart were lever filler pens, but in 1927 the company also produced some button filler models that sells at the same price of the lever filler ones, which remained the most diffused. Until the late '20s pens had the conventional flat top shape with cylindrical body and flat ends, while the cap had an hard rubber head. The pens were produced with or without cap rings according to their price level. Initially, the clip was fixed on one side of the cap and had a ball tip.

An original warranty sheet

The company passed the great financial crisis of 1929 without too many problems; profits decreased for the sales decrease, but having concentrated its production on economic pens helped to overcome the worst phase of the crisis, just in 1934 Conway Stewart was again making rising profits. In 1935 the Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd was voluntarily closed to create a new company listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The Conway Stewart production was still characterized by the colors used in their celluloid pens. Apart from the classic black the company began to sell a wide variety of colored pens, well beyond the classic marbled colors typical of other companies. Even though there are no official names, some names have become standard between collectors, like the Tiger eye, the Cross hatch, the Herringbone or the most famous Cracked ice (black with thin white veins), which was introduced in 1934.

In this period Conway Stewart fountain pens were produced with different style, following the trend of streamlined pens popular overseas. In 1932 a new washer clip was introduced, very similar to the Duofold one, that was locked on the cap by an hard rubber head. In 1935 a new clip with a diamond shaped tip was introduced, that became a characteristics of Conway Steward pens for all the following years.

In 1940, following Vacumatic success, a model with a transparent section to control ink level was offered, but because the war it was not a great success. During the same year were also introduced piston filler models added to the traditional lever filler and button filler ones. Despite the heavy bombing the Conway Stewart factory remained almost miraculously unharmed and at the end of the war the company was immediately capable to resume production.

A Conway Stewart set model 58
Conway Stewart pens from '50s

After the war the new models from Conway Stewart were built with a more streamlined shape and in a huge variety of colors, a characteristic that this will become one of the distinguishing marks of the company. The new models had a new clip, it was always a washer clip with a diamond shaped tip, but it was locked in place by click button similar Jewel of Vacumatic. At that time were also produced some pens for export (mainly addressed to the Benelux market) under the brand Le Tigre.

After the war all the models were identified only by code numbers, with the exception of the Dinkie that continued to use this name. Unfortunately this does not allow any simplification of the classification of Conway Stewart pens, because the choice of these code numbers never followed any sequence or any chronological or logical order, and also they often used different codes depending on the destination of the pen (as if it was intended for the export or not). In 1949 the 58 was launched as the top model, who was replaced in that role the following year by the 60.

A Conway Stewart model 286

In the mid of '50s Conway Stewart was at the top of its success, and in 1954 the company introduced the prestigious 100 model, a large dimension pen. In this period the first ballpoint pens began to appear on the market, they were expensive and unreliable, but the company continued to ignore them and this traditionalist attitude was fatal. The company also was late in the use of the new plastic materials (introduced only in 1957) and never followed the stylistic trends of hooded nib pens launched by the Parker 51.

The company maintained its policy to produce good quality modest priced fountain pens using traditional and well established methods. But if in the first half of the '50s an economic lever filler fountain pen with a screw cap was just a little old-fashioned, but perfectly functional, in the second half of the '50s and in later years it became more and more backward and unable to find a place on the market, faced by disposable ballpoint pens sold at much lower prices, against which the company was unable to compete not having the ability to characterize his products, always placed in the lower end of the market, as distinctive or fashion objects.

Despite some revival attempts, and the production of some ballpoint pens, the move to cartridge fillers and the production of some economic hooded nib pens, the inexorable decline continued for all the '60s, until the final closure of the company, occurred for bankruptcy, stated by an order of the High Court of Justice dated 21 June 1975.

Model list

The table below lists pages devoted to Conway Stewart models, with a production start date and a discontinuation date; keep in mind, however, that in many cases these dates, particularly the discontinuation date, may simply be indicative.

 Production startedProduction ended
Conway Stewart 77019241942
Dinkie 54019251942
Duro 2019281939
Conway Stewart 28619301945
Conway Stewart 47519301945
Scribe 33019311942
Universal 47919311950
Conway Stewart 22619331946
Duro 2619331941
Conway Stewart 3519351942
Conway Stewart 38019351942
Universal 46619371942
Conway 75719381946
Conway 70019381940
Conway Stewart 38819391955
Conway Stewart 2719421963
Conway Stewart 4519431946
Conway Stewart 2819491963
Conway Stewart 5819491963
Conway Stewart 1519521963
Conway Stewart 7519521960
Conway Stewart 3619551963
Conway Stewart 8519561957
Conway Stewart 85L19571963
Conway Stewart 7319581963
Dinkie 56019631964
Conway 10319631968

Chronology

Year Event
1905 the company is founded by Francis Charles Jarvis, Thomas Howard Garner in Londra
1909 the company is incorporated as Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd
1919 the company introduces the first lever filler and safety models
1920 the company introduces the Duro
1920 the company registers the The Conway Stewart trademark
1922 the company introduces the Dinkie
1922 the company introduces the Pixie
1922 the company introduces the Conway Stewart Universal
1924 the company registers Dinkie and Duropoint trademarks
1924 the company introduces the Dandy
1927 the company patents its button filler
1933 the company introduces the International
1933 the company introduces the Scribe
1933 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 226
1934 the company introduces the Cracked Ice celluloid
1935 the company introduces the diamond clip
1935 the company become a public company
1935 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 35
1938 the company introduces the Conway 757
1938 the company introduces the Conway 700
1940 the company retires the Conway 700
1942 the company retires the Conway Stewart 35
1946 the company retires the Conway 757
1946 the company retires the Conway Stewart 226
1949 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 58
1950 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 60
1952 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 15
1952 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 75
1954 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 100
1955 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 22 Floral
1955 the company introduces the Conway Stewart 36
1957 the company introduces ballpoint and turns production to molded plastic
1963 the company introduces the Conway 103
1963 the company retires the Conway Stewart 36
1963 the company retires the Conway Stewart 58
1963 the company retires the Conway Stewart 15
1968 the company retires the Conway 103
1975 the company ceases operations

External references

  • [1] Site of an enthusiast, an impressive amount of information
  • [2] Another site of an enthusiast, another impressive amount of information
  • [3] Site of an enthusiast
  • [4] An article on Conway Stewart history
  • [5] Conway Stewart on Wikipedia
  • [6] Article on company history, interesting
  • [7] Penspotters article
  • [8] Site of an antique Conway Stewart seller, there are some historical infos also
  • [9] Official site, some historical information, but a lot of hagiography

Notes

  1. ↑ the date is uncertain, someone makes it go back to 1920 (see this reference), but this is what the company says on its website.
  2. ↑ someone dates the use of celluloid (as the creation of Dinkie) back to 1920, challenging the primacy of LeBoeuf.
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