Cross Townsend Lapis Lazuli

[RegDiggins]

I am the proud owner of a Lapis Townsend which I purchased from a dealer many years ago.  I noticed one for sale by an American stationer recently and could not believe

 

the amount they were asking.  I know this is a rare model but is a price around US$ 700  common ?

[Chris1]

Prices vary, of course - supply and demand, plus asking and selling prices might be quite different - but I have never yet found one of these gorgeous pens I could afford 😢 !

Lovely pen - I'm a committed Townsend fan and have a few, mostly in sterling silver or gold or black lacquer. Always totally reliable with any ink I've ever tried (and I can't say that about all my other pens).

 

Congratulations - the lapis lazuli is the most beautiful finish.

 

[jchch1950]

The Cross Townsend in Lapis is an attractive pen as is the one in Jade lacquer. If not wrong they were more expensive than other pens of the same line. They came with very elaborate boxes.

[rokurinpapa]

Dear RegDiggins

I have a question. How about durability of Lapis Lazuli, no peeling?

 

 

 

[Chris1]

Great question, but I have no answer. Lapis lazuli itself is a mineral that would be extremely durable but I don't expect that Cross used solid blocks of it to form the pen body (or did they?)

 

 

[MrThoth]

I personally think the Lapis is the most beautiful finish Cross ever used for the Townsend (and that's saying something, given how many beautiful Townsends there are). I own 4 of them, I think, and got some of them for prices as low as $250-300. While they are often put up for sale today for prices in the $600-900 range, if you're patient and do a little hunting, hopefully you can find one that's in your price range. Good luck!

[Chris1]

Indeed, the lapis lazuli is a beautiful finish for a lovely pen.

 

I do regret not buying one on the couple of occasions I came across one at reasonable (in hindsight, though seemingly steep at the time) price.

 

Now it would be an indulgence difficult to justify as I have several Townsend models already in use but fewer occasions to use them.