Cross Century, What Color Is This, 14Kt Or Plated? (I'm A Sumgai!)

[lahlahlaw]

I picked up this Cross pen just a few hours ago on the bay and I'm trying to ID it. It's a Century, but is it a classic or II? It has the same nib as my Century classic but the 'Cross' writing on the clip is in regular old style font instead or cursive (not the current type either). I can't find any on the net in this color, burgundy? Lastly, if anyone is familiar with this pen would these come with a solid 14kt nib? My guess is that it did, but just dreaming while it gets here...

 

 

 

 

 

Why a sumgai? Well, I'd pay more for a premium combo at McDonalds ! The description was the title, it read "Cross pen" and nothing more.

[WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

That is an awesome color.

[79spitfire]

LOL! I was seriously considering this pen as well. Congrats. I have two like it, one in black and one in Grey. Coming with the converter means it is most likely an older American made pen.

 

I also believe these are know as "Classic fountain pens", and were made in the '80s...

 

AFIK, the nibs are plated stainless, unless they are marked 14k, but at the BIN price on that pen, I wouldn't worry about it...

Edited January 19, 2014 by 79spitfire

[lahlahlaw]

LOL! I was seriously considering this pen as well. Congrats. I have two like it, one in black and one in Grey. Coming with the converter means it is most likely an older American made pen.

 

I also believe these are know as "Classic fountain pens", and were made in the '80s...

 

AFIK, the nibs are plated stainless, unless they are marked 14k, but at the BIN price on that pen, I wouldn't worry about it...

The SAME pen? Wow how did you hold back :-) I need to develop that resistance!

 

I hope it is solid for the sake of polishing off all that patina that's on it, but I've read that they are just as smooth so I'm a happy campee. I hope it's a fine nib (fingers crossed)...

[79spitfire]

Well.... I have two already.....

 

But it's real hard not to jump... especially at that price. Enjoy your pen.

 

[WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

That's probably ink on the nib. Should be able to just clean it off

[Jerome Tarshis]

It's the Century. The Century II looks different. As it happens, I own two of the same pen you bought. As for what the nib is made of, I think there was a price range with the gold-plated steel nib going for less than the 14K gold nib. Something like that is true for several Cross pens in production today.

 

Although I am relying on my memory of the Cross product history that used to be displayed at cross.com, I seem to remember that the burgundy was introduced in 1991 or perhaps 1990. The Century Classic FP itself was first sold in the American market in 1984. Particular finishes, such as matte black or burgundy, were introduced one at a time over the succeeding years.

[lahlahlaw]

That's probably ink on the nib. Should be able to just clean it off

Yeah it doesn't look like anything serious, the appearance is probably what led the seller to post it so low...

 

It's the Century. The Century II looks different. As it happens, I own two of the same pen you bought. As for what the nib is made of, I think there was a price range with the gold-plated steel nib going for less than the 14K gold nib. Something like that is true for several Cross pens in production today.

 

Although I am relying on my memory of the Cross product history that used to be displayed at cross.com, I seem to remember that the burgundy was introduced in 1991 or perhaps 1990. The Century Classic FP itself was first sold in the American market in 1984. Particular finishes, such as matte black or burgundy, were introduced one at a time over the succeeding years.

 

Thank you ! In any case its a USA made one, that seals the deal in my book. I somewhat regret selling my 14kt gold filled Century classic some time ago, but it was just too flashy to use out in the real world. I think this one will be perfect for daily carry .

[ac12]

Lucky you.

I've been wanting one of those, but I keep missing them.

[Chris]

Nice pen - I still love the Century Classic and have a silver one (broad) and a grey one (F).

I have the matching propelling pencil and roller ball/selectip pen to your fountain pen.

 

When the nib is clean, you will be able to see whether it is gold or just plated because the gold nibs will have a clear indication of the quality/karat rating of the gold (could be a number like 975 or 14K or 14ct etc. I think there are several variations to be found).

 

Enjoy...

Edited January 21, 2014 by Chris

[lahlahlaw]

Lucky you.

I've been wanting one of those, but I keep missing them.

Thanks! If you only knew how much time I waste looking for pens...

 

Nice pen - I still love the Century Classic and have a silver one (broad) and a grey one (F).

I have the matching propelling pencil and roller ball/selectip pen to your fountain pen.

 

When the nib is clean, you will be able to see whether it is gold or just plated because the gold nibs will have a clear indication of the quality/karat rating of the gold (could be a number like 975 or 14K or 14ct etc. I think there are several variations to be found).

 

Enjoy...

I love these too, my dad carried a ball point and select-tip since I was born, I guess you could say I am genetically predisposed to loving these pens . He recently told me about how absolutely horrible the selectips were (in terms of durability). I'm not sure if they've improved, he still has his in a drawer.

[ac12]

I dunno, I seem to spend WAAAAAY too much time on eBay. But I bounce around in different areas in pens, and besides pens. Analog/film photography is great right now. With so many people going to digital, the analog stuff is really inexpensive compared to the past. I can afford to buy decent film cameras, as they are cheaper than consumer grade digital SLRs that you can get at Costco.

 

Back to pens.

I got to get back to watching for the burgundy fountain pen.

 

If you have the early select-tip, you are out of luck. The current refills do NOT fit. I have one

There was some kind of change and the pen and refill was changed.

I understand that you can rig a Parker BP refill to work, but I have not tried that.

 

Well most any felt tip pen did not last very long with a good tip, they got worn down and rounded off pretty quick, especially when people pressed on them like a ball pen.

[RMN]

I dunno, I seem to spend WAAAAAY too much time on eBay. But I bounce around in different areas in pens, and besides pens. Analog/film photography is great right now. With so many people going to digital, the analog stuff is really inexpensive compared to the past. I can afford to buy decent film cameras, as they are cheaper than consumer grade digital SLRs that you can get at Costco.

 

Back to pens.

I got to get back to watching for the burgundy fountain pen.

 

If you have the early select-tip, you are out of luck. The current refills do NOT fit. I have one

There was some kind of change and the pen and refill was changed.

I understand that you can rig a Parker BP refill to work, but I have not tried that.

 

Well most any felt tip pen did not last very long with a good tip, they got worn down and rounded off pretty quick, especially when people pressed on them like a ball pen.

That's why I am rather wary pf Parkers 5th technology...

 

D.ick

[ac12]

The 5th technology appears to me to be simply a fine fiber tip cartridge in the shell of a fake fountain pen.

Not interested...especially at the price they are asking for them. sheeesh

[RMN]

The 5th technology appears to me to be simply a fine fiber tip cartridge in the shell of a fake fountain pen.

Not interested...especially at the price they are asking for them. sheeesh

My opinion, too...

 

But then again, look at the prices companies ask for Ballpoints or rollerballs, just an expensive shell for a standard refill. A basic Parker Jotter writes just as well as a 1000 dollar luxury BP.

 

D.ick

[79spitfire]

My opinion, too...

 

But then again, look at the prices companies ask for Ballpoints or rollerballs, just an expensive shell for a standard refill. A basic Parker Jotter writes just as well as a 1000 dollar luxury BP.

 

D.ick

+1

[Chris]

Oh, I didn't know that there had been a change in refill design for the Selectip.

 

Certainly the original rolling ball refills were terrible and the fibre-tip ones lasted no time at all.

 

I used it for a while with the highlighter refills and then got a jumbo ball-point refil that lasted years and years and ....

 

Currently has a black gel ink refill but doesn't get used much. It does write nicely though, but not as nicely as a proper nib of course.

[OcalaFlGuy]

It is a Cross Century Classic I. I considered it enough of an icon pen for it to be one of the first I bought. You could get much better deals on the 14 GF pens a few years ago than now.

 

I just looked at my 14 k GF one's nib closely. Under Cross in block letters is 14k 585 those are the 14k hallmarks. If it doesn't have those under all that ink, it's a plated one.

 

Yes, I'd call even the plated one for a McD's combo meal a very good deal.

 

Though a slim pen, it's a high quality, well made and good writing one. The old made in Rhode Island nibs are nice. Don't go yanking or wrenching on the nib. There is a congenital defect in the nib collar where IF it surfaces, loses contact with the nib resulting in the incurable death (nib) wobble. In fact, one reason to LOOK for those pens (especially one's with the 14k nibs) on Fleabay, is to scavenge the nib section to replace a section one already has with the death wobble.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[ac12]

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Oh, I didn't know that there had been a change in refill design for the Selectip.

 

Certainly the original rolling ball refills were terrible and the fibre-tip ones lasted no time at all.

 

I used it for a while with the highlighter refills and then got a jumbo ball-point refil that lasted years and years and ....

 

Currently has a black gel ink refill but doesn't get used much. It does write nicely though, but not as nicely as a proper nib of course.

 

Go to a shop that has good return policy to get a refill.

If it does not fit, like mine did not, then you have an older select-tip, and return the refill.

Staples in the US took back the refill, and the guy opened a new one to check...same problem. Then I did some research here on FPN and discovered a thread that talked about it.

[lahlahlaw]

It is a Cross Century Classic I. I considered it enough of an icon pen for it to be one of the first I bought. You could get much better deals on the 14 GF pens a few years ago than now.

 

I just looked at my 14 k GF one's nib closely. Under Cross in block letters is 14k 585 those are the 14k hallmarks. If it doesn't have those under all that ink, it's a plated one.

 

Yes, I'd call even the plated one for a McD's combo meal a very good deal.

 

Though a slim pen, it's a high quality, well made and good writing one. The old made in Rhode Island nibs are nice. Don't go yanking or wrenching on the nib. There is a congenital defect in the nib collar where IF it surfaces, loses contact with the nib resulting in the incurable death (nib) wobble. In fact, one reason to LOOK for those pens (especially one's with the 14k nibs) on Fleabay, is to scavenge the nib section to replace a section one already has with the death wobble.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

I agree, they are really high quality. my previous 14kt gold one was stunning, so much so that I always felt it was too flashy to carry around.

 

I did read about the 'death wobble', I figure that if that ever happens I'll just send it over to Cross repair service, who knows maybe they'll send me a new pen .