Cross Pinnacle, Sterling Silver, Fountain Pen And Biro

[macowls]

My wife bought me a Cross Pinnacle biro as a present in 1997. It is made in solid sterling silver with some gold-plated clips and ends, and has been a source of much writing pleasure over the last twenty years.

 

Recently, on eBay, I bought a Cross Pinnacle fountain pen, again in solid sterling silver and with a fine nib (a nib I prefer), from a pen collector/seller from the USA (using the nom-de-plume Speerbob), bless him, and it has offered the same pleasure as the biro. According to Speerbob, it dates from 1997 or thereabouts, so is a most apt companion to my biro.

 

The fact that is looks good and performs so well, is probably all that matters and yet this seemed such an appropriate forum to introduce the two pens and seek feedback from anyone sufficiently interested to respond.

 

This is my first venture into top-rated (I hope) fountain pens and I am keen to learn and explore further options for purchase and use.

[jslallar]

first of all welcome to the wonderful world of FPs

 

as this is a Cross forum so i will stick to Crosses

Pinnacle was the top of the line Cross when it was made - which was for a few years only (2 to 3 if i remember correctly), I have neevr owned one, but have used the cousin Townsends a lot

Townsend was the cousin brand nearly the same in size and heft and even shape, and it was the top of the line before and after Pinnacle. I love the pen and have a few of them in my usage

More recently we have the Peerless a larger pen

Sauvage has some nice finishes too

Century II if you want a thinner pen

these are the models you may wnat to look into

Almost all major model series of Crosses (including the ones mentinoed above) come in many finishes of lacquer and solid silver and gold coated or rolled gold and the so the prices may vary a lot between finishes of the same design

 

as to top rated, I feel that the Cross top of the line pens are up there with the best.

some collectors are not so comfortable with metal pens and prefer resin / plastic pens, metal pens tend to be heavier

Cross makes only metal pens TTBOMK

Shaeffer, Parker, Waterman, Lamy and many more make both types

some make only resin / plastic pens eg MBs, Palikans, and many other European and Japanese pen makers

 

once you get the itch you will try others too i am sure

enjoy your pen, you have a nice one in Silver Pinnacle, worth keeping and appreciating and using

May i Ask how much did it cost you - the FP i mean

Speerbob is a known pen seller, I have bought form him too, good ratings and good service

[Chris]

I have not seen the Cross Pinnacle 'in the hand' but it sounds like a wonderful pen. Congratulations.

 

I too am a great fan on the Cross Townsend and have a number in daily or weekly use. My favourites are indeed sterling silver though I have others too. The Townsend is quite heavy because it is either solid metal or a finish on a solid metal body but is well-balanced (unposted i.e. not putting the cap back on the end of the pen body when writing) and I find I can write for very long periods without discomfort.

 

Enjoy.

 

ps I have not yet found an ink that doesn't work with Cross Townsend pens either. Other brands can be very fussy.