Whether old or new our pens are precious things. We either buy the best we can or restore to a high standard. Many of us have our collections on show under glass. Even those who buy old pens to write with keep them in good order and take pride in them.
It was not always so. There was a time when a pen was just a means of putting ink on paper and so long as it worked it didn’t matter how it looked. Just because the cap was held together with sticking plaster didn’t detract from the pen’s value to its owner. Judging by the colour of the plaster the pen continued in daily use for years.
Thanks to Paul Leclercq for sight of this excellent pen!
Goodwriterspens's Blog 
Deb ..indeed ! I have two lovely old Swans with shrink wrap tubing holding the cap together, that look very similar to the one pictured , and an old BHR Waterman with a broken lever slot that is now a coin filler 🤣
The saving grace is that they work and have gorgeous flexible nibs in them and produce writing as good as any of my other perfect pens.
My collection comprises examples from the whole spectrum , from mint unused down to the old Platignums I had in boarding school. , the one common thread being that they all write perfectly.
Edit. I only have one actual unused mint pen , the Conway Stewart safety….the other ‘unused ‘ones I’ve come across….I’ve given in and inked cos they were crying out to be used .
I don’t think I have seen your Conway Stewart Safety. I have no pens that I don’t write with but then most of mine aren’t worth much.
I can’t recognise the pen in the photo, but I really like the long section. Onoto, by any chance?
Close, Michael, but it’s a Swan Safety Screw Cap eyedropper filler.