Cross Townsend Changes Over Time

[Thy]

I recently got my very first Cross fountain pen! Although I own a few pens and pencils, this was my first Cross fountain pen! I noticed through, that my Cross Townsend has a cursive Cross imprint on the clip; nowadays, they have a bold mono-font script with "CROSS" on it. I was wondering when did Cross stop with the cursive on the clip? My pen also has "Made in USA" imprinted on it, meaning this pen was made when they still were producing pens in the US.

< Apologies about the quality, my camera is as good as a walking fish bowl.

I also noted that on some Townsends, there are 2 bands around the top. When did these significant changes take place? How much generations of Townsends are there?

[MrThoth]

Some relevant dates:

 

1973: Cross begins manufacturing pens at its new plant in Ireland. Prior to that all pens were made in the USA.

 

1993: Cross begins manufacturing and selling the Townsend.

 

2004-2009: Cross moves its manufacturing to China.

 

The cursive writing on the clip indicates the Townsend was made in the USA or Ireland. The "block," san serif writing indicates it was made in China. Unfortunately that's pretty much all I know; one of the problems with collecting Cross pens is they change so little from year to year that dating them is virtually impossible (I could probably date them by serial number if I had access to Cross's production records, but sadly those aren't available AFAIK).

 

As to the bands around the top of a Townsend cap, I have no specific information. This is one of many, many questions I have in case I ever get the opportunity to interview people at A.T. Cross & Co.

[Thy]

Some relevant dates:

 

1973: Cross begins manufacturing pens at its new plant in Ireland. Prior to that all pens were made in the USA.

 

1993: Cross begins manufacturing and selling the Townsend.

 

2004-2009: Cross moves its manufacturing to China.

 

The cursive writing on the clip indicates the Townsend was made in the USA or Ireland. The "block," san serif writing indicates it was made in China. Unfortunately that's pretty much all I know; one of the problems with collecting Cross pens is they change so little from year to year that dating them is virtually impossible (I could probably date them by serial number if I had access to Cross's production records, but sadly those aren't available AFAIK).

 

As to the bands around the top of a Townsend cap, I have no specific information. This is one of many, many questions I have in case I ever get the opportunity to interview people at A.T. Cross & Co.

Thanks for your reply! So my pen must be between 1993-2004,that helps a lot! Do you know when Cross's TownSend had a 14k gold nib? Oddly enough, I was unable to really find any Townsend pens with 14k gold nibs to really date it.

[MrThoth]

Unfortunately, I do not. I haven't paid a lot of attention to Townsend nibs -- if I don't like one I just swap it out for another.

[Thy]

Unfortunately, I do not. I haven't paid a lot of attention to Townsend nibs -- if I don't like one I just swap it out for another.

Awww that's too bad. I suppose 11 years is a good number to work off though.

[Tweel]

I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe that 14k nibs for Townsends were discontinued at the end of 2005, and they were all either steel or 18k gold after that.

[Thy]

I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe that 14k nibs for Townsends were discontinued at the end of 2005, and they were all either steel or 18k gold after that.

Ah I see! So the owner of this pen did not have his nib changed at all! That's fine news!

[Chaz]

Hi all,

 

Found this and other very useful threads when exploring a return to the Cross Townsend, after detouring via Graf von Faber Castell Anello Classic and Caran d'Ache Leman (current pen). Waiting for a new and colourful Townsend to arrive in order to see if my first love in fountain pens overcomes the irritations of those that came between me and true love - !

 

MrThoth is clearly the leading authority on the Cross Townsend and I appreciate the excellent advice and lists of finishes in other threads. My first Townsend was purchased in 1996 (titanium finish, 14k nib) and had the CROSS name in capitals on the clip, not cursive script. The cap was marked made in USA - and replaced (free of charge, of course) with one marked made in Ireland when the inner lining got loose after years of use. My impression has always been that the capitals was the "original" and that changed to cursive at some point and is now back to caps. I don't know if the cursive script was in use at the same time (may be it pre-dates the Townsend range?); the lapis lazuli finish was available when I bought the titanium and all the pens I can find in that finish have cursive script, including those with the older 14k gold nib.

 

Thanks

 

 

Chaz

[MrThoth]

 

 

My impression has always been that the capitals was the "original" and that changed to cursive at some point and is now back to caps. I don't know if the cursive script was in use at the same time (may be it pre-dates the Townsend range?); the lapis lazuli finish was available when I bought the titanium and all the pens I can find in that finish have cursive script, including those with the older 14k gold nib.

 

In most cases the cursive clip writing indicates the pen was made in the USA (or Ireland), whereas the straight letters indicate a pen from China, but that rule doesn’t always hold true. Several of the Townsends in my collection, mostly from the “Affinity” sub-line (e.g., 696-2 Anthracite Lacquer), have straight letters on the clip but are marked CROSS USA elsewhere. So use the clip text as a guideline rather than a definitive indication of the pen’s origin.

[Pingu]

If Cross Townsend was introduced in 1993, then mine bought new in 1994 (here it is with original invoice - and itd probably been in the shop for a while before my purchase) must be an early production (first batch?)...

and it has the cursive script on the clip. 🙂

Edited June 2, 2020 by Pingu

[Pingu]

Hi all,

 

Found this and other very useful threads when exploring a return to the Cross Townsend, after detouring via Graf von Faber Castell Anello Classic and Caran d'Ache Leman (current pen). Waiting for a new and colourful Townsend to arrive in order to see if my first love in fountain pens overcomes the irritations of those that came between me and true love - !

 

MrThoth is clearly the leading authority on the Cross Townsend and I appreciate the excellent advice and lists of finishes in other threads. My first Townsend was purchased in 1996 (titanium finish, 14k nib) and had the CROSS name in capitals on the clip, not cursive script. The cap was marked made in USA - and replaced (free of charge, of course) with one marked made in Ireland when the inner lining got loose after years of use. My impression has always been that the capitals was the "original" and that changed to cursive at some point and is now back to caps. I don't know if the cursive script was in use at the same time (may be it pre-dates the Townsend range?); the lapis lazuli finish was available when I bought the titanium and all the pens I can find in that finish have cursive script, including those with the older 14k gold nib.

 

Thanks

 

 

Chaz

Hello Chaz thanks for your thoughts.

 

My Townsend is earlier, 1994 (see my dated proof of purchase) - and it is cursive.

So I think it was originally cursive, and had changed to capitals by 1996.

[jchch1950]

1993 -2020=27 years in the market.The Townsend has prove to be good design with many followers.

[adamselene]

‘....As to the bands around the top of a Townsend cap, I have no specific information. This is one of many, many questions I have in case I ever get the opportunity to interview people at A.T. Cross & Co. ‘

 

*************I***

Cross used to address this. The thin blank ring, versus the solid black filial, signified a pen was rolled-gold rather than plated, both on the Townsends and the Centuries. The Signatures got it, as did Lapis, Platinum and Silver Townsend, and maybe others. Don’t know anything anything about the more modern themed pens, but maybe the idea was extended to all “top end” models?

 

Not on the Pinnacles though.

 

 

Their Website was terrific. Their Outlet prices were deep discounts. Unfortunately I missed my chance at Lapis, but got a RB Jade, with free personalization, that is now a FP, with a “shameful” lack of the black dot on the filial.

 

There used to be available a vast selection of nibs. Each engraving pattern was displayed in pictures, and the meaning of the patterns explained. Maybe someone copied that picture?

 

I love your presentation of your collection.

Do you go for Signatures and Pinnacles also.

Edited June 2, 2020 by adamselene

[sivaguru]

As to the bands around the top of the Townsend or other Cross pen tops as I understand:

 

There are three type of bands : very thin, medium and thick.

 

The thin one are 18kt plated or filled, the medium ones are 14kt plated or filled and the thick ones are 10 kt filled or plated. I have all the three types and this was explained to me by the salesman at Jashanmal In Abu Dhabhi, were I used to buy the Cross pens.

 

 

[MrThoth]

Thanx for that information, sivaguru!

[Pingu]

Just checked my other Cross pens (I think I was going through a Cross phase in the early 1990s)... I have a Cross ballpoint Made in Ireland, bought on December 16, 1991, and that one has capitals on the clip.

[AL01]

I called Cross and asked if they could determine the manufacturing date of my Townsend, and the representative claimed that they can't...

 

So we are on our own when it comes to specific dates...

[MoshJartin]

I have a Townsend titanium pen with a target symbol on the clip my dad got when he was on an indy car team sponsored by target trying to find an approximate age and value 

[Pingu]

On 6/16/2020 at 4:39 PM, AL01 said:

I called Cross and asked if they could determine the manufacturing date of my Townsend, and the representative claimed that they can't...

 

So we are on our own when it comes to specific dates...

 

The problem is that Cross don’t use serial numbers or codes.  I kept my original store receipts, so I can, at least, give the exact date of purchase of my pens, which will give an approximate indication of manufacture if one assumes the sale within a couple of years after leaving the factory.  

[AL01]

 

 Who knows?

 

 I distinctly remember entering stores in the US and abroad and seeing the places full of NOS pens that were approximately 20-30 years old by then... (First gen. Sonnets, Targas, etc.)

 

 That is an extreme example but I guess pens may take some time to sell...