Cross
Pens and Ephemera

Write like an Egyptian. Que the Bangles' hit song. Limited editions are not exactly commonplace in the world of Cross pens. This Cross Townsend is particularly special because it sports a lapis lazuli finish made from the same lapis mines used by the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Our preowned luxury pen is in excellent condition. Under a bright light upon very close examination, you can find two scuffs to its finish. HOWEVER, you have to look really, really hard. Otherwise, they are very easy to miss. There is a tiny bit of the metal nose cone's edging that has been eaten away at the very tip, too. We installed a brand new blue Cross rollerball refill, which you can see still has its wax-seal ball. Click the headline for a close-up. 14.9cm capped.

Cross Townsends have to be one of the most unfairly underrated luxury pens on the market today. Amazingly smooth and dependable--plus they have the classic look of a fountain pen. This Cross Townsend is especially special as a limited edition made with real jade. Although we do not have the original box and papers, it does not appear to have been inked. When we filled it with water to test it, the water was clean. Click the headline for close-ups. You will see its two-tone 18k gold nib is marked as a fine point. However, in case it is new old stock, we did not try writing with it. 15cm capped.

Cross really stepped up its game with the limited-edition Cross Townsend made with gold-flecked jade lacquer. Click the headline for a close-up, but our photo still doesn't do this pen justice. Falling just short of like-new, this preowned pen shows only light wear from use. We installed a fresh blue refill. It is a remarkable rollerball pen! 15cm capped.

We'd take a Cross Peerless 125 ballpoint pen any day over a Montblanc LeGrand ballpoint. Large for easier gripping, we love its 23k gold plate and metal construction. There's a Swarovski crystal in the cap jewel. Plus, it takes more affordable, easy-to-find ballpoint refills. This pen is almost perfect with only a couple small scratches. No dents. It comes with its original box and papers. It also has a snazzy acrylic block display. Also includes a working, black Cross refill. 14.5cm

Don't overlook the Cross Peerless 125 rollerball pen as a modern luxury pen. It is a large, rugged, handsome pen that writes as smoothly as any competitor. Marking 125 years since the original Cross Peerless appeared in 1889, this pen features a textured look that is 23k gold plated. A Swarovski crystal serves as the top jewel in the cap. This pen looks great except for a little wear. No dents nor deep scratches. Comes complete with its original box, papers and an acrylic "Cross" pen stand that is a little difficult to see in this image. 14.4cm capped.

American-made luxury pens are a rare treat in modern manufacturing, but this Cross Townsend rollerball pen was a staple of the 1990s. Gold-plated sophistication makes this pre-owned pen a must. Our pen shows some wear from use, but there are no dents, cracks or engravings. The cap has a tight snap closure. We include a free refill with this classic pen. 15cm capped.

Celebrating Chinese New Year, this Cross 2015 Year of the Goat fountain pen is a real head turner. Using the Cross Sauvage platform, this preowned pen was coated in Moonlit Black Lacquer leaving the golden outline of a goat. We believe the pen to be new old stock. The slightly scuffed up and worn presentation box still hosts the original cartridges and unused converter. There isn't a trace of wear on the pen. The only thing missing is whatever was in a square space inside the box, in front of the pen. As we suspect it to be N.O.S., we didn't dip the 18k gold nib to try it. It appears to be either a fine or extra-fine. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.2cm capped.

Cross updated its Cross Century pen line with a clipless "For Her." It has a love floral ring around the twist caps on both the ballpoint pen and pencil. Each pen is gold-filled, and neither seems to show much wear from use. The packaging is complete from when new, and this might very well be a New Old Stock set. The ballpoint refill works well, but the mechanism is a little stiff from lack of use. The pencil is in good working order.