Strange Embossed Logo On Cross Townsend?

[drtomprice]

Greetings all. Looking for some insight into a recent acquisition. I recently got (what I think is) a good deal on a fleabay Townsend rollerball (which I quickly converted to FP on arrival). My first Townsend model, I really like the look and feel!

 

From what I know this is a Tuxedo silver/black model. The silver was quite tarnished but polished back well with some paste and a cloth. The rollerball section appeared to be belmish free, and the replacement FP section screwed in no problem. However, the cap is intriguing. Notice the "CROSS" logo on the clip - it's a raised applique rather than the usual engraved and uses a serif font. I've never seen this before on a Cross pen. I asked a local expert who sells Cross pens and he had never heard of it too. I think the cap is plated, but I'm not sure - the silver extends into the inside of the cap as well. The barrel end is also silver and was tarnished, and there is a fine silver ring at the section-join of the barrel as well. There is no hallmark, and in extremely tiny print under the personalization stripe on the cap is "CROSS -USA-" so I'm thinking early 2000's.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[MrThoth]

Nice find!

 

Cross is well-known for doing pens with company "logo badges" on the clips like that -- in fact, it was such a big part of their sales back in the mid-twentieth century that Cross actually bought a company that made the badges. (Or at least, that's what my memory of the official company history says, but it's been a few years since I read it.) My guess this was a rollerball Cross produced for its own executives, or employees in general, or as a gift for people who worked at the company for X years -- something along those lines.

[drtomprice]

Nice find!

 

My guess this was a rollerball Cross produced for its own executives, or employees in general, or as a gift for people who worked at the company for X years -- something along those lines.

Thanks! That makes sense as it looks similar to some NCR and IBM logos I've seen applied to clips in the past. A self-branded Cross advertising pen! Edited May 2, 2018 by drtomprice

[RMN]

Did those cartridges come with the pen? They look more like Sheaffer carts.

Current Cross pens use a 3 step cartridge (or for the rare thin pens a 2 step small one)

I don't know how long the current cartridge is in use and if the used other sizes before.

 

 

D.ick

[drtomprice]

Did those cartridges come with the pen? They look more like Sheaffer carts.

Current Cross pens use a 3 step cartridge (or for the rare thin pens a 2 step small one)

I don't know how long the current cartridge is in use and if the used other sizes before.

 

 

 

D.ick

Nope. I just used them to prop the pen up 😉