The 'Great Exhibition' Pen, by Conway Stewart

Crafted by hand, this pen measures an impressive eight inches long when capped. It has a hallmarked sterling silver overlay made in London by renowned English penman, Henry Simpole. His design is timeless and is reminiscent of the classic overlay pens of the early 1900s.

The pen is mounted with a solid 18 carat gold nib, delivering a smooth wet line. The filling mechanism is one which was typically used in the late 1800s, called the Eye Dropper. Using modern materials and taking full benefit of the pen's size, the ink capacity is equivalent to eight ink cartridges!

Only 50 numbered editions of The Great Exhibition are being made, guaranteeing their rarity and retention of value. For collectors, this is a must-have. For professional organisations, it is the ultimate pen for special events - for signing commercial contracts, diplomatic accords, partnership deeds, and so on. The mere presence of this beautiful object in a boardroom cannot help but add to the sense of occasion!

About Conway Stewart

Conway Stewart & Co. was founded in 1905 by Frank Jarvis and Thomas Garner, and opened for business at 13 Paternoster Row, London EC1, next to St Paul's Cathedral. Although there is some debate about the origins of the company's name, it is thought to derive from a popular vaudeville act of the day. 'Conway and Stewart' were supposedly a comedy double act who appeared at Collins Music Hall in Islington.

The company quickly established itself as one of the era's leading manufacturers of fountain pens, upgrading its facilities numerous times to keep up with demand. When it moved to Shoe Lane in 1923, it occupied six floors and employed over 500 people. In 1935 its shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange.

During the huge growth in letter writing during the First World War, Conway Stewart pens played a significant part in the cherished letters that passed between soldiers at the front and loved ones at home. Its pens were also used throughout World War II by Winston Churchill.

In the 1960s the company continued to manufacture, but the advent of the ballpoint pen altered the market for quality fountain pens dramatically, and in 1975 it stopped production. Fortunately, its trademarks, designs and archives were maintained, and in the 1990s, when the business was re-born with a focus on luxury fountain pens, it was able to draw on this rich heritage..

Conway Stewart is now based in Plymouth, where each pen is made by hand using a blend of old and new techniques. True to the aims of its founders, Jarvis and Garner, the company continues to produce elegant, timelessly beautiful, yet functional writing instruments for discerning pen-lovers the world over.