Jump to content


Photo

CONWAY STEWART 770 FIND


  • Please log in to reply
6 replies to this topic

#1 Innes Cate

Innes Cate

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 134 posts
  • LocationTauranga, New Zealand

Posted 08 October 2016 - 02:36 AM

I have picked up this Conway Stewart 770 in BHR in a local auction.   Although the cap lip is broken away approx 50% below the cap ring I think it is still a good find for NZD52.50 (approx GBP29.00).   The pen has been well used with weak imprints and plenty of brassing.   The nib, clip and lever are without damage.   The pen sure has a meaty girth at 13.65mm and shapes up well in size against the Parker Duofold Senior.  

 

My decision is do I leave everything as is with a new ink sac or do a full restoration including reblackening and cap lip repair (if that can be done)?   I'm not sure what its true value would be either as is, or restored?  

 

Any advice or comments would be welcomed.

Thanks

Innes

 

gallery_12729_167_1393864.jpg

 

gallery_12729_167_761087.jpg

 

 

 



#2 Christof Z

Christof Z

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 390 posts
  • LocationConfoederatio Helvetica

Posted 08 October 2016 - 06:51 PM

This is a very cool CS. I have never seen a similar before.
I think a full restlration would make it beautiful again.
C.

Edited by Christof Z, 08 October 2016 - 06:51 PM.


#3 AndyR

AndyR

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 526 posts

Posted 09 October 2016 - 05:15 PM

Hi Innes,

 

In some ways, you are lucky - these are quite unusual for CS in being smooth black vulcanite. Any residual surface oxidation (which doesn't look too bad from the pictures) can be removed by fairly gentle hand polishing, perhaps using (dry) graded Micromesh sheets, as there is no chasing pattern to destroy when you do this (and you say the imprints are virtually gone anyway). So no need for (controversial) chemical re-blackening. It is also a bonus that you have the original clip and cap band, with a great looking nib, and the barrel and lever all intact.

 

A good restorer like Henry Simpole could repair the cap lip for you - he would probably turn a complete new cap lip, then use the fairly broad cap band as a 'splint' to help in gluing the repair to the original. And while you were at it, you could get the band and clip plated as well - though once it is done, in my experience it never looks quite the same as the original rolled gold, but probably more acceptable than in its present condition.

 

Whether it is commercially worth restoring is marginal. I'm not sure you could resell it (honestly declaring the restoration work) for much more than the whole cost of the process plus the pen. However, the 770 varied considerably in size over the years, and this looks like one of the larger and earlier examples (c1928 I think), so it should be quite desirable.

 

Andy



#4 Innes Cate

Innes Cate

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 134 posts
  • LocationTauranga, New Zealand

Posted 09 October 2016 - 08:36 PM

Thanks for your comment Christof and the added information from Andy...

 

The pen is 138mm capped and 172mm posted but not sure where this size fits in the range of the 770 sizes produced.   

 

For blackening I was thinking of the Deoxidiser product offered by La Belle Epoque Pens which says it removes the oxidation from the hard rubber, rather than the black dying process.   In effect this method should preserve what imprints there are.   I shall make contact with Henry Simpole and weigh the costs up of the repair and the replating versus just polishing the fittings, which would be in keeping it original as possible.

 

Thanks Andy - this was just the kind of feedback I was looking for.

 

Innes



#5 AndyR

AndyR

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 526 posts

Posted 09 October 2016 - 09:23 PM

Strongly recommend the dry polish, there is no need to do anything else chemical. If you use the pen regularly, the oils from your hand and the patina that generates will help prevent any re-oxidisation, also storing it out of direct light. Maybe something different for chased vulcanite, but it's really not necessary for smooth. A bit of masking tape over the imprint will preserve what is there if necessary. If you re-polish the fittings, they will just return to their present state within a year, so if you are not going to re-plate, best leave them just as they are, so they will all look roughly in the same condition.

 

But, as they say, just my opininion, it's your pen to do as you wish with....!

 

Andy



#6 Innes Cate

Innes Cate

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 134 posts
  • LocationTauranga, New Zealand

Posted 10 October 2016 - 07:11 PM

I was in communication with Henry Simpole last night who was most helpful.   After seeing a photo of the broken cap lip he advised that it would be difficult for a successful fix with the broken gap being 50% missing.  Listening to his and Andy's advice I will do the dry polish for the oxidisation and leave everything as is until such time I can source a CS 770 replacement cap.

 

So if you are out there and know of a spare Conway Stewart 770 cap in smooth black hard rubber (clip not nessecary) - a long shot but you never know!

 

Thanks again

Innes



#7 AndyR

AndyR

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 526 posts

Posted 11 October 2016 - 08:37 AM

Slightly surprised that Henry couldn't turn up a complete new cap lip for you, perhaps he just didn't have the basic vulcanite stock available. He did the perfect repair in this way for me on a rare mottled Dinkie. Smaller gaps he would fill with black resin but I can see why there is too much missing from your cap lip for him to do this.

 

When searching for a donor pen for your replacement cap, be aware of the number of different sizes of 770 that were produced over the years. Even if you can't do the complete restoration, the nib alone is worth a lot more than you paid, so you still got a bargain!

 

Andy






0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users