I wrote about the 85L before, back here: http://wp.me/p17T6K-cI, where I suggest that the 85L is a successor more to the 84 than the 85.  Be that as it may, the 85L is a pen that stands out among the other models of its time (late fifties early sixties).  It a little longer and slightly more slender than the other Conway Stewart pens of  the period and it comes in some outstanding colour patterns like this bright blue with gold veins.  Judging by the numbers that turn up nowadays it was a very popular pen back in the day and it remains so with buyers today.

I’ve been going after boxed pens and pen and pencil sets whenever I can.  The prices can be a little steep but they’re worth it, especially when they and their box are in such good condition,  It’s almost like getting a nineteen-fifties pen new.  In comparison with real new pens of similar quality, they’re very cheap, in fact.

And, of course, they write better…