I live in the north of England, and have been dithering regarding which fountain pen to purchase for some weeks now. However, once I read the Contravox's excellent review of the Cross Verve Merlot fountain pen the decision was made. The only problem is finding one at a sensible price, with a full warranty and back up. Where should I buy from? I would be delighted to receive any counsel. Thanks in advance for your help!

Well, Andy101, I've been watching your post to see if any of our members in England would reply. I hate to see your question go unanswered, so I hope bumping this up to the top of the list might encourage someone on England to help you out.

Here in the States, my first choice would be a good "bricks-and-mortar" retailer - especially since this is your first fountain pen experience. It's always best to try before you buy, and a good retailer will allow you to test-drive the pen.

Second choice would be a reputable online retailer. PenHero (the moderator of this board) is first-rate and he carries a full line of Cross pens. He also stands behind everything he sells and will make every effort to help you should something go wrong. You can access his Cross listings here http://www.penherostore.com/servlet/the-Cross/Categories

I hope this helps, and perhaps someone in your neck of the woods will chime in with some retail recommendations closer to home.

Cheers

Hi, I would add, if you do buy online from an auction like ebay, bid low enough to make any repair problems worth the price.

Dear Professor and Deacon KC
I am delighted that you have responded to my query. I must admit that since making the post I have done a good deal of research and I have been thoroughly depressed by the price of pens in the UK. Verve models, for example, seem to be twice the price that you would pay for them in the USA. "Rip off Britain" has been a common phrase here for some time. Sadly, it seems that US retailers will not ship to Europe: am I right?
To get me started, I have therefore ordered a new Cross Apogee Chrome model from (what I hope is) a reliable UK internet retailer at a decent discount (nearly as good as American RRP!).
My future plans now involve asking friends across the pond to buy for me, and then ship!
Best wishes to you both
Andy

I hope you are as pleased with your Cross' pen as I am.

Dear Andy101:

The Apogee is a great pen. I have the Titian Red Laquer model - and by the way - I selected it over a Verve at the time! The Apogee just felt better in my hand.

I don't know about the other Internet retailers in the USA, but PenHero does ship internationally. The rates for international shipment do vary and, of course, you'll pay more than domestic shipping. I usually try to find a domestic seller before looking outside the US, for example, although I've purchased three or four times from Canadian sellers and at least once (a couple of years ago) from an Internet seller in the UK.

Let us hear from you when you've got the pen and tried it out. I think you'll be very pleased.

Cheers

Well, my Apogee Chrome arrived this morning, 2 days earlier than expected. It looks, and writes exactly as I had hoped, particularly bearing in mind the £52 ($100) delivered price tag. I would now recommend www.theonlinepencompany.com.
Once again thank you for your support and advice. My next dilemma is what kind of ink to invest in....
Best wishes
Andy

No - I'm not sure where you got that idea, Andy. I've done business with a number of US retailers.

Don't discount eBay - I bought my Verve Merlot from US eBay seller 'cadut' using Buy It Now, for a $139 + $6.95 shipping to UK. It arrived quickly, and I paid no duties of any kind. A reliable and helpful seller, who specialises in Cross, although I'm not sure if he has any Verve Merlot fountain pens left at the moment.

Thanks for that Col. I've had a look at Ebay.com and the prices that Verve Merlots are advertised at look spectacular. Oh no, I might be tempted.....that would be two fountain pens in one week!
Best wishes
Andy

Is that a problem? Perhaps you should wait a bit and enjoy your Apogee for a while first, though.

Some points to note: the tapering section and 'open' nib of the Verve aren't to everyone's taste. I find I have to hold mine further back than I normally would, or else get ink on the inside edge of my middle finger. This has been discussed here before - careful filling, or use of cartridges, can minimise the problem. (Which reminds me, why can I only get those silly little mini-carts in the UK?) Worth it though, because it's a beautiful looking pen in the hand. Pictures don't do it justice.

Regarding eBay sellers: some are selling this pen without box or papers (although still new), others have them complete. Naturally, go for the latter if possible.

Col, you are absolutely right. Now that I have had time to reflect (a coffee and watching Andy Murray at Wimbledon) I have decided to wait, and as you suggest, enjoy my Apogee!
Your coments about the Verve are most interesting - I held one in a shop a couple of days ago and the grip did not feel especially intuitive - I guess that its an acquired taste like so many of the best things in life....
Thanks again
Andy

Dear Andy101:

This is exactly why I chose the Apogee over the Verve a couple of years (at least a couple) ago. I test-drove both at the shop and the Apogee just felt right in my hand. The Verve, not so great - at least as compared with the Apogee.

If you're going to be a frequent Internet buyer, I'd stongly recommend looking for reviews in this network on pens you are contemplating. You can often get insight from the review that will help you avoid purchasing something that's not suited to your taste and preferences. Still no substitute for actually trying the pens out, however.

Cheers

Well, intereting shopping project, but..............

(1) I thought the Merlot Verve fountain pen had been discontinued. It is not on the U.S. Cross web site.

(2) I thought Cross had cut off everyone who wouldn't sell it for manufactures suggested list price.

I spoke to Cross UK and they said that the lifetime warranty was covered from any place purchased.....

The Cross UK website has the Verve Merlot fountain pen reduced to just under £200 in their summer sale.

Hi Pamela
Thanks for that. I have noticed on Ebay.com that a new boxed pen with'buy it now' status can be had for $230 shipped. Blimey.
Andy