Origination And Nib Designation

[NickyNewGuy]

I recently purchased a Platinum 3776 (made in France) pen with a Fine nib. I compared it to my Cross which also has a marking of F on the nib. The 3776 appears to write a slightly smaller line than the Cross. Is it they are both Fine nibs but due to the brand one is slightly finer than the other? All comments are welcome.

 

1) Where are Cross fountain pens made?

 

[sciumbasci]

Uuuh the 3776 is made in France?

 

Cross are made in China IIRC

Edited October 13, 2018 by sciumbasci

[Matlock]

I recently purchased a Platinum 3776 (made in France) pen with a Fine nib. I compared it to my Cross which also has a marking of F on the nib. The 3776 appears to write a slightly smaller line than the Cross. Is it they are both Fine nibs but due to the brand one is slightly finer than the other? All comments are welcome.

 

1) Where are Cross fountain pens made?

 

 

The 3776 is made in Japan. Japanese nibs are about one size smaller than European/USA nibs. Cross pens are made in China but some nibs are made by Sailor and Pelikan. Older Cross pens could be made in USA or Ireland. What Cross do you own?

[NickyNewGuy]

I purchased it on Amazon - It is a Cross Classic Century Black, Gold Plated Appointment and 23KT Gold Plated Fine Nib (AT0086-110FF). It certainly is not the top of the line fountain pens but I must admit it does write very well and smooth. I only have, what I consider, middle of the line pens and when I write with them they does have a small scratchy sound. I know that is due to the paper I am using but the Cross does not have that sound. My main writing is practice to improve my writing.

[RMN]

I purchased it on Amazon - It is a Cross Classic Century Black, Gold Plated Appointment and 23KT Gold Plated Fine Nib (AT0086-110FF). It certainly is not the top of the line fountain pens but I must admit it does write very well and smooth. I only have, what I consider, middle of the line pens and when I write with them they does have a small scratchy sound. I know that is due to the paper I am using but the Cross does not have that sound. My main writing is practice to improve my writing.

 

Current pens are made in China.

The info that Matlock gave above is correct.

 

 

D.ick

[bass1193]

I recently acquired a first-generation Cross Century, made in the USA, with a gold plated extra fine nib. Apparently the nibs for these were made by Pilot, which explains why it writes so darned well.

[Jerome Tarshis]

I am pretty sure the nibs for the first generation Century were not made by Pilot. I don't think Cross had a relation with Pilot as early as that, although the Cross Solo and Radiance were, I think, made in their entirety by Pilot.

 

As for the original Century, consider Pelikan. But these things can be at times foggy to pin down. And when companies are trying out a new product line, which fountain pens were for Cross in the early 1980s, it may well be that they outsourced for a time and then brought production in house, perhaps in stages. Business history is a minefield, as Barbara Lambert's commissioned history of Cross manages to suggest.