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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.  

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}}

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 ==

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]].

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]), 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.  

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.  

[[Image:Conway-Istruzioni-Retro.jpg|thumb|Warranty and directions|250px|right|An original instruction sheet]]

[[Image:Conway-Istruzioni-Retro.jpg|thumb|Warranty and directions|250px|right|An original instruction sheet]]

== External references ==

== External references ==

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120208055058/http://www.ftic.info/Donahaye/ConwayStewart/] Site of an enthusiast, an impressive amount of information

*[http://jonathandonahaye.conwaystewart.info/csbook/page1.htm] Site of an enthusiast, an impressive amount of information

* [http://conway-stewart.old-pens.co.uk/index.htm] Another site of an enthusiast, another impressive amount of information

* [http://conway-stewart.old-pens.co.uk/index.htm] Another site of an enthusiast, another impressive amount of information

* [http://www.mvburke.com/history.htm] An article on Conway Stewart history

* [http://www.mvburke.com/history.htm] An article on Conway Stewart history

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway_stewart] Conway Stewart on Wikipedia

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway_stewart] Conway Stewart on Wikipedia

* [http://www.csvpens.co.uk/page5.html] Article on company history, interesting

* [http://www.csvpens.co.uk/page5.html] Article on company history, interesting

* [http://www.rickconner.net/penspotters/conway.old.html] Penspotters article

* [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

* [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

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20140103075329/http://conwaystewart.com/] Official site, some historical information, but a lot of hagiography

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