There were times when people found themselves turning away from things that were objectively "better,” and instead sought the less easily identified joys found in the outdated, the unusual, or even the simply contrary. Those who enjoyed writing with a fountain pen already experienced this daily in a world dominated by PDAs, emails, and soulless disposable ballpoints.

Even among fountain pen aficionados, a subset looked beyond the practical concessions of such “modern” innovations as the ink cartridge or piston-filled fountain pen. These purists discovered the pleasures of the eyedropper filler—a world of tradition, elegance, and a time-honored ritual that involved filling the pen one drop at a time.

Once, this ritual was confined to restored vintage pens from the early 1900s. But this group, seeking the ultimate expression of the classic fountain pen, found a new option in an exclusive edition commissioned by Andy’s Pens in the UK, a fine writing retailer operated by Andy Evans.

As Andy Evans recounted: “I never really thought about having a bespoke pen made until just before Christmas. I had been looking for a decent modern eyedropper that I could sell online and in the shop for a year or so. The nearest I came was speaking to a couple of Indian manufacturers—the Indians are some of the only makers left who produce mainly eyedropper pens. However, I had and have grave doubts over the quality of some of the items produced by these makers, so I eventually discounted them from my search.”

In November 2009, he finally abandoned the search. However, after a customer inquired about the original Conway Stewart Doctor’s pen, he began to consider having a bespoke pen made to his specifications, and Conway Stewart seemed the obvious choice for such a project.

The Conway Stewart 37 was based on an original CS design from the 1910s and represented the absolute basic definition of a fountain pen—stripped down to the minimum elements: cap, hollow barrel, feed, and nib. That was it—no more, no less. Only what was absolutely needed to deliver ink to paper.

There was a touch of embellishment, though, in the form of intricate engraving along the length of the cap and barrel. A beautiful pattern of interlocking ovals ran down the pen, broken only by a space for the Conway Stewart logo, the model name, and the line: “Made in England.” For fans of minimalism, the 37 brought a smile. The material was classic black, the engraving understated and elegant, and no metal trim interrupted the clean lines. True to the original vintage design, the Conway Stewart 37 lacked even a pocket clip.

As Andy explained, after sending Conway Stewart some pictures of a real CS 37, they began working on the design. The first major decision was the engraving pattern. Conway Stewart prepared several different barrels, each with a unique engraved pattern. Ultimately, they chose the simplest—the repeated oval shape—as it best captured the spirit of the 1910s/1920s style, without duplicating a pattern previously used on a pen.

Once the design details were finalized, the rest of the project came together quickly. Andy wanted a slim pen, unadorned by clips or bands. "I think Conway Stewart did a really good job here. It is a nice size—just the right thickness and length, not too big or too small. It’s not a heavy pen, again like the vintage eyedroppers,” he said.

Andy had always liked the simplicity of the 1920s vintage eyedropper pens, regarding them as no-nonsense, functional pieces. He wanted to create a pen that harked back to those simple designs, yet took advantage of modern writing characteristics, such as consistent ink flow, and modern materials. From the start, he knew he wanted to make an eyedropper with the classic cylindrical barrel and flat top design.

The creative process for this project brought together the desire to produce a reliable, durable writing instrument manufactured with modern materials and techniques, and one infused with the passion and timeless elegance of a 1910s-era eyedropper. The result offered all the advantages of modern resin for the cap and barrel—stability, strength, and a high-gloss finish—combined with the refinement and simplicity of the classic eyedropper filler from the dawn of the fountain pen era.

Andy was keen to make this a practical pen for daily use, even though it had been designed without that most common feature of modern writing instruments: the pocket clip. He explained: “Because it doesn’t have a pocket clip, I decided on using the new leather presentation box, which converts to a pen rest when the lid is reversed. The eyedropper and authenticity booklet can then reside in the box under the pen rest. The pen would therefore make an ideal desk pen.”

For Andy, the most difficult part of the creative process was getting the imprint on the barrel just right. “It is surprisingly difficult to get everything in its proper proportion, and to get the overall size and look of the imprint spot on, but I am very pleased indeed with the outcome. Although it is not identical to the original CS 37 imprint, I believe it suits this pen perfectly.”

Each pen is supplied with the Conway Stewart guarantee booklet, a glass eyedropper pipette for filling

Filling Mechanisms: Eyedropper.
Fountain Pen Length: Capped - 142mm; Posted - 191mm
Fountain Pen Weight: 20 grammes

This edition has long since sold out!