Conway Stewart, James Bond and the Commander LE

Conway Stewart Series 100 Commander – a Limited Edition pen to celebrate Daniel Craig being made a Commander of the Royal Navy  

Ian Fleming, when he created the fictional character of James Bond (double-O-seven) in 1953, little did he suspect that Bond would become the global phenomenon that he is. Books, comic strips, radio, television, video games, and of course, after a series of chart-busters, the iconic British Secret Service superman continues to overwhelm the popular imagination unabated, across generations.

Thus, it comes as little surprise when actor Daniel Craig is made an honorary Commander of the Royal Navy – matching the on-screen rank of James Bond. The announcement has come just ahead of the premiere of the latest Bond blockbuster No Time to Die, whose filmmakers are said to have worked closely with the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence in the production of the film.

And what better way can be there, for us fountain pen fanatics, to celebrate this “shaken-not-stirred” moment, than with another purely British icon, the Conway Stewart Series 100 Commander to be precise? To be precise, this particular masterpiece was designed to celebrate and commemorate the achievements of the Royal navy Commanders who served at sea during the WWII, protecting vital convoys in the North Atlantic.

The pen itself is based on the Series 100, a mid-sized writing instrument that was originally launched in the 1950’s. With its trademark gentle taper to the cap and the barrel, it is a classic “torpedo”, a subtle reminder of the perils of enemy action faced by the ships as they crossed the oceans. The cap proudly boasts three 23 carat gold-plated Sterling Silver rings, the top ring handcrafted to give the rope effect of the sleeve insignia of Commander RN. The middle cap ring bears the English hall-marks of quality and purity. The barrel of the pen comes stamped with the Conway Steward logo, “The Commander”, its Limited-Edition number (only a hundred worldwide) and the proud announcement “Made in England”. The pen has a top-mounted gold-plated clip allowing it to sit low in a shirt pocket, alluding with the typical British understatement, the lengths to which Conway Stewart goes in its eternal search of perfection, of excellence.  Available both as a Fountain pen and a rollerball, the fountain pen is fitted with an 18-carat gold Conway Stewart nib (available in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, or Broad). There is the added option of getting the nibs customised to match ones writing style by choosing from Italic, Left Oblique, Right Oblique or Stub. Needless to say, Conway Stewart’s nib wright, the most experienced in the land, customises the nibs personally.

The pen comes with a dual filling system. It is fitted with a converter which allows one to draw ink straight from a bottle. Alternatively, a standard European ink cartridge can be fitted.

Specifications:

• Length Closed: 137.8mm
• Length Posted: 170mm
• Length of Barrel including nib: 129mm
• Length of Cap: 63mm
• Diameter of Barrel: 13.2mm
• Diameter of Cap: 15.5 mm
• Weight: 20gms

About Conway Stewart

In 1905, Frank Jarvis and Tommy Garner formed Conway Stewart & Co. Limited at 13 Paternoster Row EC1, next to St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The 1920s was an excellent decade for the courageous owners. Not only did they trademark the name of the business ‘Conway Stewart’, but also their list of filling mechanisms available expanded to include eyedroppers, lever fillers, pump fillers and safeties. While the first of these pens were almost indistinguishable from others of that period, by 1925 Conway Stewart was coming into their own in terms of design. A trademark for the name “Dinkie” was registered in 1924, along with a patent for a new locking lever mechanism. In 1935 they went public, with shares being offered to raise capital. Advertising campaigns managed to keep the name Conway Stewart in the forefront of the public mind, in much the same way as advertising by Sheaffer, Parker and De La Rue. The 1950s proved to be a continuation of the “golden age” for Conway Stewart, with many of their materials from this era being eagerly sought after today by collectors around the world. The Herringbone pattern and many versions of marbled colours are very popular today. Even more notable is the Number 22 Floral, with its flowered design set on a cream background. Conway Stewart was the official pen chosen by the British Government for the G8 Summit at which Prime Minister Blair presented a Conway Stewart No 58 set to each of the G8 world leaders. President Bush and President Clinton have both owned Conway Stewart pens. Conway Stewart also created exclusive pens for many prestigious corporate and government accounts, including the Royal Air Force, the Red Arrows, Rolls Royce, Mensa, as well as numerous other high profile corporate accounts. Rick Wakeman, rock star and pen enthusiast, has a large collection of Conway Stewart pens of which he is justifiably proud.

For More information: https://conwaystewart.com