Way back on January 31st, Forum member tburke0 started a topic on the Penatia Division of Cross - without much response at the time. I'm interested in hearing from folks on this for two reasons.

First, I'm looking for good quality fountain pens to give to a couple of my outstanding graduating seniors this May (I teach management at a university here in Tennessee) but I've got to do this on a professor's budget. There are a number of pens that might fill the bill, but I believe it would be hard to beat the quality I've seen in Cross products over the years. Some of the other choices have somewhat erratic quality and/or a very cheap look and feel. I guess I'm after the best of both worlds - good quality in use, quality appearance, etc. combined with a great price (in short, VALUE).

Second, as someone interested in business strategy, I've wondered what Cross's thinking is in creating a low-cost leadership division like Penatia. In doing some very superficial and quick research, I did note that Cross mentions Penatia, Omni, and its Bill Blass license in its last published 10K filing (2005: available at www.sec.gov). However, the link to the Penatia division (www.penatia.com) is not currently functioning nor is Penatia mentioned on the Cross corporate website. Has Cross "killed" the Penatia division? I see a fair number of these pens on eBay lately at $6 to $10 (shipping included!) and it makes me wonder if old stock is being liquidated following a decision by Cross to cease production.

Any thoughts on (1) would a Penatia make a good "value" pen-gift for a few of my students and (2) what's up strategically (in your opinion) with a high-quality manufacturer like Cross serving up a low-price-point product like the Penatia line would be interesting (at least, I hope so).

I read somewhere they where being discounted on Building 19 or Big Lots... Maybe that is why they appear a lot in eBay - people reselling them.

I have not tried them, but would love to try them.

Oh, how i wish I'd never heard the name "Big Lots"
(and never googled it, and never found out there's one about 20 minutes away...)

for FP bang for the buck, this is the best 2.99 + tax I ever spent...

A smallish but well-built cartridge/convertor pen with a nice looking presentation box.

"Get thee to Big Lots!"


Cheers!
Tom

Wow! I did buy several at $3 at Big-Lots in Central FL. they all work nicely. Very fine point. I do like the model you have listed a bit better than the model they had here. All in all nice bargain pens! I would have been happy paying more

Okay - I took the advice offered and drove over to our local Big Lots and...
you guessed it, nothing there! Rather than wait around until I'm in Memphis again (that's the next nearest Big Lots location - about 90 minutes southwest of me) I'm going to bid (or "buy 'em now") for a pair of these on eBay.

They do look solid - not surprising in a Cross product - and I hope they work out as parting gifts for the seniors.

If these don't look quite right, I can always buy a couple of Heroes (the Chinese pens - not the admirable people).

I think there's a whole industry in buying stuff at Big Lots and other closeout stores and selling it on eBay...

Be advised, there are some models that are sold on hang-cards rather than in gift boxes. So, if you're going for the gift presentation, you'll want to make sure you get the box...

Hope this helps...
Tom

Good thought, and yes, the pair I bought are in gift boxes. Maybe I'll look around for a couple in "blister" packs to give to grads who routinely "blistered" my....

Naw. Better to let them just go gently (etc.).

Got an all-chrome Penatia on Ebay for $7.00 plus shipping. No plastic except inside the cap. Using a Duke Int'l converter that fits snugly. Nib says "Iridium Point". Writes sort of like a Medalist II. Excellent value.

Hi,

It is kind of cheap quality.

It is mostly like any Chinese pen.

I think Cross closed it, and I would recommend Cross as they are made right here in Rhode Island, and they are mostly perfect. ATX or Century II are good picks.

Dillon

My Century II Medalist's box says MADE IN CHINA, and it's not cheaply made nor is the all-chrome Penatia, which just needs a good international converter. An extra Duke converter does the job. I know design flaws and shortcuts in low-end FPs, and these two models do not have them.

i have one, and it does work pretty nicely.

Yes, Penatia Madison (red barrel tinting toward orange), an inexpensively manufactured Chinese pen most likely built to Cross specifications. Well made FOR THE PRICE POINT, the emphasis being very important here. The steel nib is an XF and very smooth. I write with a fairly heavy hand and if a nib is below workmanship standard in respect to that attribute, it show up instantly.

Since I picked it up for $3 at Big Lots I am pretty sure it is something that Cross made a big volume committment too and then found it didn't work out.

Hi,

I was watching Cross make pens a few months ago. Certain parts are made here like the main writing unit and most things are assembled here. Some sub-assemblies are made in China.

Dillon

Hi,

Poking into the innards of the Penatias reveal rather cheap feed cutting and nib. I have noticed leaking at certain seams of many Penatias, so you have to watch out for them occasionally.

Dillon

AH HA, I knew it! For the price points Cross was selling there products in the non controlled markets they could not have been doing all the basic manufacturing in Rhode Island.

I bought several of them to give as gifts.

The Madison is a smaller pen (think sub Deb size vac) with a rubber barrel that has longitudinal ribs. I've seen them in red and black. The larger one is the Lexington. It's a fairly hefty, mid size pen. The ones I've seen are all chrome, though I gather that there is a version with black barrel and chrome cap. The chrome section feels slippery to me, but the pen is pretty solid.

Both models have snap cap that seats securely, and seals well. They use an international cartridge or converter. The nibs tend to be on the find to XF side, with the Madison nibs usually finer than the Lexington.

They're a pretty good pen, and a really good pen for the price! With several in circulation, I have yet to receive any complaints or reports of problems with the pens.

Hi,

Cross to my knowledge does not make Penatia.

Right now, we have one of the Cross managers here. I hope he chimes in.

Dillon

Clarification, I did NOT intend to imply that the Penatia line was anything other than subcontracted Chinese production. I was referring to the rest of the Cross line which has substantial asian composition (the ATX & Apogee fairly shout made in china) and I am beginning to wonder if they are not all carrying non USA content these days.

Hi,

Those are mostly made right here as are most of the Cross line. I generally look at them as relatively solid writers.

Dillon

My wife spotted these at the local Big Lots a few months back and picked me up a couple. The one I opened and used was terrible! It had a terrible ink flow and was a hard starter, plus the fact that I usually favor a medium or broad nib.....



J. Haney

My box label says Lexington Chrome w/Gold, and 606-1MS/3, but the nib is steel (says Iridium). It's a medium point. Ink flow is perfect, though dryer than Medalist's, and instant. And it's stunning. Guess I lucked out.

Well then I stand corrected, they just looked like those heavy asian brass turnings I keep seening on the Cost Plus type sites. I am simply amazed that they could have been designed in a wester hemisphere shop.

Dillo,

How are ya? I haven't posted in a bit. We've been busy moving the FP area to a new area in the building.

Penatia is built overseas with all overseas components.

ATX and Apogee nib front sections are built here.

Bill

(a posting from a Canadian who found two Big Lots stores on her recent 4-day mini vacation in the USA ):

Before my husband and I left on our little trip, (fountain pen fanatic that I am ) I took the time to check out the Big Lots website for store locations on the way to our destination (NW Washington state's Olympic National Park).
There were two on the way---one in Bellingham, WA and another in Port Angeles, WA. The first stop was the Big Lots in Bellingham, WA and I started my search in the stationery aisles. I had almost given up hope when my eyes spotted the pens in their hanging cardboard packaging. The pens looked pretty good...and the price ($2.99) was even better! They even came with a cartridge of nice black ink (it was hidden up in the top part of the barrel) so I could try the pen out right away. I have had absolutely no problems with my Penatia (chrome and black "Lexington" model)---it starts up right away and lays down a nice medium-fine line.

Thanks again everyone for posting your experiences about the pens! I hadn't even heard of Big Lots until I read this thread. Oh, and I got a Parker Vector rollerball for 50 cents on sale