Cross Verve Photo Thread

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

The Cross Verve was introduced in 2004 at invitation-only event at Le Jazz Au Bar in New York as part of a marketing arrangement between Cross and Verve Records. Quickly after introduction, Verve was voted Best Pen, Contemporary Design in Pen World International's Tenth Annual Readers' Choice Award. The pen was introduced in four finishes, Platinum Plated, Merlot, Selenium Blue and Radial Chrome, each finish had four nib choices, broad, medium, fine or extra fine. The Radial Chrome pen shown here came in a highly polished chrome plated finish with progressive radial cuts in the cap and barrel. The pen had a rhodium plated stainless steel nib and a unique press to open clip. The Verve, a big departure from the traditional designs usually put out by Cross, was initially a hot seller, but was discontinued by 2008. This model retailed for $175.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/VerveRadialChrome_1280_01.jpg

The design of this pen will either captivate you or leave you cold. I don't think there is any in between. This particular design earned the name "worm" from my wife.

Verve nibs are excellent writers. Cross called it the 360 degree wrapped inlaid nib. They were sourced in Japan. I've heard Pilot made them, but not confirmed. The negatives of the pen included some weakness in the plastic clip holder and the inner cap liner. When they show up new, Verves sell generally higher than their original retail prices.

Thanks!

[RMN]

I don't know the steel nibs, but I have the 4 sizes in gold, between 3 pens..

 

They are extremely smooth, even the XF.

 

Indeed the clipholder, that is glued to the cap, is a weak point. On my Merlot it came of when I turned on my belly with it in my breast pocket.

 

Many people struggle with the "press to open the clip"-system but once you get the hang it works naturally.

 

The Verve is one of my most appreciated pens.

 

 

D.ick

[basterma]

Definitely one to look for.

[MrThoth]

Thanks for the review! I have a couple of Verves, but not that one. Haven't written with any of 'em yet, but I'll get to 'em eventually.

[inkstainedruth]

Slightly necro-posting here.

I picked up a Verve yesterday in a place that is sort of a thrift shop specifically geared to arts and crafts (I also picked up a package of Berol Turquoise 3H leads, and a little book on doing traditional Japanese embroidery). Didn't even know what it was, other than the nib saying "Cross" on it, but it cost a buck, so I figured "What the heck?"

Brought it to a pen club meeting last night and people looked up info about the pen, and someone gave me a screw-in converter for it (it had a dead ink cartridge still installed when I bought it). Mine is IIRC the Golden Shimmer (?) color, with a stainless steel B nib. Started to flush it out when I got home, and ink came out (presumably left in the feed from what had been in the cartridge -- guessing from the color the ink is Cross Blue-Black).

It's a little heavier than a lot of my pens, but not as heavy as the TWSBI AL-580. The issues I'm having with it so far are:

1) I'm going to have to get used to the girth of the section;

2) ink apparently burped into the cap, so when I used it this morning I ended up with ink all over my hand from the section and those slits on the sides of the nib (as well as a ring of ink when I posted the cap -- I'm going to have to learn to hold the pen further up the section so as not to hit the side slits;

3) The ink seems to be almost *too* wet for the pen -- I had a bit of bleedthrough in my Miquelrius journal this morning, and that paper is generally pretty good for FPs.

What really shocked me was how big of a sumgai I apparently was (better bang for my buck than even the Parker 41 for 50¢ at an estate sale... ). Clearly whoever donated the pen to the store had no idea of what they had or how valuable it seems to be (at least if you believe the listing Montgomery Pens has on eBay at the moment for one the same color as mine, but with a medium nib -- the price they're asking just FLOORED me ; I paid less for a Pelikan M405 Stresemann).

No pix yet (sorry -- I've been having problems with the heat and humidity, and my sinuses have decided to go into overload ); I'm hoping to get some taken this weekend.

But overall, my quibbles are fairly minor -- after all the pen only cost me $1.07 US when adding in the sales tax; people at the meeting last night were jokingly offering me up to 20 times what I paid for it....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[PenHero]

For some reason, certain discontinued Cross models have skyrocketed in price. The Verve and Pinnacle are examples.

[Beechwood]

For some reason, certain discontinued Cross models have skyrocketed in price. The Verve and Pinnacle are examples.

 

 

I have had a couple of Verves, sold them both and like a fool regretted selling both of them. They had their design faults with the clip and some people reported a loose fitting cap but the nib made up for this.

 

And is there a more modern design than the Verve?

[JonB55198]

When i bought an entire collection from a fellow some years back, it happened to have a platinum plated Verve in it. I think it is a pretty cool pen. Though, if I only had one pen or a few pens, I would stick with more classic designs.

[columela]

Going back to this old trend, I just started to use again my Cross Verve golden shimmer and I was just so happy to enjoy such a beatiful, modern looking pen. The performance of my 18K gold nib is excellent and the section in plastic is perfect to hold the pen for long periods. I am wondering why this pen did not become an instant classic as there are not many pens launched in the last two decades that tried seriously to have something original about them, rather than copying incessantly the designs of the golden age between the 20s and the 60s.

[jameswatts]

Bought a Merlot Verve in Kansas City (The Pen Place) In the early 2000s. Medium nib with matching ballpoint. The medium is a bit of a paintbrush, but I love the feel,and the look of the pen. May need to put it back into the rotation.

[phillaf]

I purchased a Verve Shimmer Gold FP with fine point steel nib, it is an amazing writer, but like inkstainedruth, my fingers always seem to get ink on them from holding the section. It is a very unique pen, and I love to write with it, just have to be very careful when holding, and occasionally wipe down the section with tissue. I think I bought it as part of a promotion Cross was doing for a movie that the hero used the shimmer gold Verve in. Can't remember the name of the movie, though.

Phil

[adamselene]

Metal Cross pens tend to be durable and serviceable, but the Verve can’t make it as an EDC for me.

 

 

Hmmm... well protected by my TR journal? Would be handy and fun to use. Does the Verve dry out easily if tucked away?

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

I thought I would add a few photos to this thread. This is a throw back photo from 2007.

This is a Cross Verve Merlot fountain pen c. 2004-2007. The 5 3/4 inch Verve Merlot is a cartridge converter pen and has an engraved wave or waterdrop pattern with a merlot color finish. It is fitted with a conical inlaid 18 karat white gold nib and has a unique press to open clip. The Cross Verve line was introduced in 2004 at invitation-only event at Le Jazz Au Bar in New York as part of a marketing arrangement between Cross and Verve Records. Quickly after introduction, Verve was voted Best Pen, Contemporary Design in Pen World International's Tenth Annual Readers' Choice Award. The pen was introduced in four finishes, Platinum Plated, Merlot, Selenium Blue and Radial Chrome, and each finish had four nib choices, broad, medium, fine or extra fine. The Verve was a big departure from Cross traditional designs and was initially a hot seller but was discontinued by 2008. This model retailed for $350. A matching rollerball pen was $175 and a matching ballpoint pen was $135.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/CrossVerveMerlot_2048_01.jpg

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Cross Verve Platinum Plated fountain pen c. 2004-2008. The 5 3/4 inch Verve Platinum Plated is a cartridge converter pen with a brushed platinum plated finish on the cap and barrel. The nib section is a deep blue. It is fitted with a two-tone conical inlaid 18 karat gold nib and has a unique press to open clip. The Cross Verve line was introduced in 2004 at invitation-only event at Le Jazz Au Bar in New York as part of a marketing arrangement between Cross and Verve Records. Quickly after introduction, Verve was voted Best Pen, Contemporary Design in Pen World International's Tenth Annual Readers' Choice Award. The pen was introduced in four finishes, Platinum Plated, Merlot, Selenium Blue and Radial Chrome, and each finish had four nib choices, broad, medium, fine or extra fine. The Verve was a big departure from Cross traditional designs and was initially a hot seller but was discontinued by 2008. This model retailed for $450. A matching rollerball pen was $200 and a matching ballpoint pen was $150.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/CrossVervePlatinum_2048_02.jpg

Thanks!

[adamselene]

Metal Cross pens tend to be durable and serviceable, but the Verve can’t make it as an EDC for me.

 

 

Hmmm... well protected by my TR journal? Would be handy and fun to use. Does the Verve dry out easily if tucked away?

Never tried it long enough.

 

The cap feels flimsy.

 

Slips off easily.

 

That is one of my biggest pen peeves.

 

(My biggest peeve with my MB 149 and Edson is the cap flys away!)

 

Cheers,

 

Adam

Edited February 19, 2020 by adamselene