4355 Conway Stewart No.22 in the rare Floral pattern, Medium FIVE STAR Nib.

Summary;

• Make and Model: Conway Stewart No.22
• Origin: The pen was made in the UK around 1950
• Finish: 'Floral' pattern with gold filled trim.
• Overall Length: 123mm
• Filling Type: Lever Filler
• Nib: 14ct gold, Medium.
• Nib Rating: ***** (Nib Ratings Explained Here)

The Conway Stewart Floral has an air of mystery about it, It had been around for years without anyone thinking it was particularly rare until Andreas Lambrou stated in his book "Fountain Pens of the World" that less than 200 of these pens were ever made. Overnight almost the pen doubled, tripled and even quadrupled in value. Once the dust settled most collectors realised that the numbers did not add up, there were far more Floral pens on sale and in collectors hands than Lambrous original estimate.

The truth, as far as I am aware, is that the number of pens got confused with the number of boxes of pens, an easy mistake to make. so there were probably around 2,500 made.  However the real issue of the Floral pen was in its construction. It was made from a paper pattern covered with a thin clear laminate. The laminate let in moisture at the edges and also the ink vapours severely discoloured the paper under the laminate. Thus it is not the small batch size that  is of importance, it is the fact that finding a pen in good condition is so very difficult. I have seen only a handful of pens in perfect condition and these are the pens that still command very high prices.

So, on to the pen on offer. This is an excellent, but not perfect example. The discolouration is mild, the cap especially is virtually untouched, the barrel is a little darker. There is also some ingress into the laminate around the lip of the cap. The plating to the clip and greek key cap band is excellent and the rest of the pen is mint.

It is fitted with a lovely Medium nib which has seen very little use. It is supplied in its original hard case, an unusual feature for Conway Stewart pens as their cases tended to be a bit more conservative.

So, there you have it. This is a good example, better than 90% of the No.22's out there. I have not fitted a sac because that will only serve to darken the pen more and it really needs to be in the hands of a collector anyway. (I will fit one if the buyer requests one). The price reflects the rarity, not just of the pen, but of the condition.

Condition: Grade A

Remember!

• Postage anywhere in the UK is free!
• All pens come with a 12 month warranty