Pen World V28.2
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Peerless Cross goes back to its roots a president, a legend JFK by Montblanc Vote! PWʼs 2015 Readersʼ Choice Awards The Universe of Writing Culture FEBRUARY 2015
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Pen World V28.2
Transcript of Pen World V28.2
PeerlessCross goes back toits roots
a president, a legend
JFKby Montblanc
Vote! PWʼs 2015
Readersʼ Choice Awards
The Universe of Writing Culture
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$6.95US $7.95CAN
FEBRUARY 2015
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LL IL III MMMMMM II TTTT EEEEEEEEEEE DDDDDDDDDD D EEE DDDDDD III TI TTTT III OOOO N
t h e a l l n e w m e t a l l i c c o l l e c t i o nFive high-energy fi nishes with rich black accents and black, ion-coated 18-karat gold nib.
www.pilotpen.us
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get out the vote!Give a shout out to your favorite pens throughour Readers’ Choice Awards.
truly uniqueThis painted Parker pen is unique in the literalsense of the word.
a president, a legacyMontblanc celebrates the legacy of JohnFitzgerald Kennedy with a new collection.
go PlatinumThe 95-year-old Japanese company made itsreputation on innovation.
tied up with stringNakaya has turned an artful way of mendingpens into an art in itself.
the nature of the beastWrite on the wild side with Urso Luxury’snewest collection.
Silesian serpentineand chrysoprase make the Graf von Faber-Castell 2015 Pen of the Year lavish.
finding true LoveOne man’s quest for Love (fountain pens) hasa happy ending.
the capital capillary fillerRichard Binder wraps up his series on fillingsystems with the “simple” capillary filler.
without equalCross’s new Peerless 125 is inspired by pensfrom the company’s illustrious past.
VOLUME 28, NUMBER 2ON OUR COVER:Peerless 125 by Cross
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Occasionally, someone willask me whether I write allthe articles in Pen World.Questions like this come
from people who haven’t read the mag-azine or don’t understand how maga-zines work, but just having the questionposed to me fills me with terror. Thereare in excess of 12,000 words in a nor-mal, 80-page issue of PW, and that’sjust the feature articles and regularcolumns. That number of words quali-fies as a novelette, every two months.
Even if I could write all thosewords each issue, a magazine is supposedto be a mix of voices, perspectives, andareas of expertise—and I wouldn’twant you to miss that! Some of ourcontributors make their living as writ-ers while others are knowledgeable penpeople who also happen to be excellentwriters. We typically include authorbios with each article, but in this issue,we wanted to call special attention tothem. Please meet our writers begin-ning on page 72: every feature storywriter whose work appears in this issueis included, along with our contribut-ing editors, meaning regular writerswho have input in shaping the maga-zine’s content. Not all of them have anarticle in this issue, but since their workappears in PW regularly, I want you toknow who they are. To each one, a fer-vent “thank you” for all you do.
We have a great issue for you!Your first clue was the Cross Peerless125 on the cover, which combines ele-ments of past Cross pens to createsomething fresh. Find out about it inJil McIntosh’s “Worth Peering At.”And don’t miss our story “One BriefShining Moment” about Montblanc’sJohn F. Kennedy collection from some-one who was there (me!) when it waspreviewed in Boston last September byan international group of Montblanccollectors. In the way of new pens, wealso profile the Japanese companyPlatinum, the Graf von Faber-Castell2015 Pen of the Year, a new collectionof animal-themed pens by Urso, andmuch more.
As always, we’ve got something spe-cial for vintage collectors: MikeWalker’s provocatively titled “Lookingfor Love,” Susan Wirth’s “One of aKind,” and Richard Binder’s “No-Muss,No-Fuss Capillary Filler.”
Also in this issue you’ll find theballot, instructions, and thumbnailphotos of all nominated pens for our2015 Readers’ Choice Awards. Youhave until March 16 to get your ballotin the mail. Ready, set, VOTE!
www.wahleversharp.com
Available at fine Pen Shopsor online at
LA
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See the Law.... and Order Love
Back in 1839, what is now the oldestpen company in America got itsstart when Richard Cross and
Edward W. Bradbury joined forces tomake elegant gold and silver casings forwooden pencils in Providence, RhodeIsland. Their enterprise would move for-ward with Alonzo Townsend Cross, sonand grandson, respectively, of the twofounders. The business would eventuallytake Alonzo’s name and become the A.T.Cross Company, as it is still called, and itis Alonzo’s birth year that the companyadopted to mark its official beginning, asseen in the slogan “Cross—Since 1846.”
But the real news happened in 1889,when Alonzo’s designs and revolutionaryengineering resulted in Cross’s first foun-tain pen. It was named the Peerless,because, the company touted, none othercould match its looks and performance.The company again made history in 1946when it introduced its iconic ClassicCentury® line, a pen that quickly became
so popular that it doubled the company’ssales in its first year alone.
Now, 125 years after its first Peerlessfountain pen, Cross has introduced thenew Peerless 125, combining elements ofboth the original Peerless and the ClassicCentury into a collection the company callsthe best it has ever made.
“The story of Cross is a story of inspira-tion, ingenuity, and passion for excellence,”says Magnus Jonsson, chief marketingofficer for A.T. Cross. “It’s the story of howa pen came to symbolize achievement,human potential, and usable luxury.”
While Cross makes several fountainpen lines, including its Classic Century,Apogee, Sauvage, ATX, and of course itspopular Townsend, many people know itprimarily for its moderately priced ball-points and rollerballs. The Peerless 125is the company’s most premium collec-tion and will feature new nib sizes andstyles that haven’t been widely offered inthe past.
WorthPeering At
Cross celebrates its heritagewith the Peerless 125
Definitely
BY JIL MCINTOSH
The Cross Peerless 125limited edition
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While Richard Cross worked primarily withmechanical pencils, Alonzo Cross experimented withink, and in 1876, he was awarded a patent for the firstpractical stylographic pen, which used a spring-loaded wire in a tube to regulate the flow of ink. Hewould eventually hold 27 American patents and sevenBritish ones, but it was his Peerless design that set anew standard for writing instruments.
The original Peerless was a simple but elegantdesign, with a wide body and cap. The new Peerless125 echoes that substantial wide-body styling, buttapers to a conical top, a design that became Cross’ssignature shape when it debuted on the ClassicCentury. On the fountain pen models, the nib has alarger profile to match the pen’s wide silhouette. Thecap threads onto the barrel and features a jewelry-stylebezel containing a brilliant-cut Swarovski crystal.
Each pen is individually engraved with a uniqueserial number to ensure authenticity. Each comeswith an acrylic pen stand and is presented in a luxurygift box.
Available in ballpoint, Cross’s trademarkedSelectip Gel rollerball, and fountain pen, the Peerless125 comes in four finishes, starting with a 23-karatheavy gold plate. The platinum plate finish has matchingplatinum-plated appointments, while the two-tonedplatinum plate/Medalist style combines the platinum-plated finish for the body with 23 karat gold–platedappointments. The fourth version is finished in blacklacquer with platinum-plated trim.
The ultimate model is the Peerless 125 LimitedEdition fountain pen, which is strictly limited to 125pieces worldwide. It shares its wide-bodied design withthe rest of the Peerless 125 collection, but its barreland cap are 18 karat gold-filled, and its appointmentsare 23 karat gold plate. Instead of a Swarovski crystal,its cap bezel is adorned with a genuine ruby in a bril-liant facet cut, and in addition to its authenticity serialnumber, it’s engraved with a second series on its bezel,indicating its number out of 125 pieces. Assembled inthe United States, the limited edition pen comes with acrystal pen stand, exclusive presentation package, and
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certificates of authenticity from itsdesigner and from a gemologist.
The limited edition’s proportion-ately wide solid 18 karat gold nib alsocomplements the pen’s design, and isavailable in extra-fine, fine, medium,broad, or zoom, a nib that essentiallymimics a brush and will lay down aline that can vary from fine to broad,depending on the angle the writer uses.Having so many choices is a first forCross, and the wide range is intendedto expand the company’s relevance inthe fountain pen market. And thisvariety carries over to the non-limitedpens: although they come standard infine or medium, retailers will be able toswitch these for the extra-fine, broad,or zoom. All fountain pens are car-tridge/converter filled.
Creating the Peerless 125 was nota simple task. The company first wentinto its archives to research the origi-nal pens that inspired the design. Itwent through a series of sketches thatwere eventually turned into numerousprototypes, both as computerized
three-dimensional renderings and asworking models made by hand. Forseveral months the final experimentalmodels were extensively tested aroundthe world, until the engineers anddesigners were satisfied with the waythe pen looked and, most importantly,how it wrote.
“Designed to celebrate our heritage,it is the finest writing instrument thatwe have ever brought to market,”Jonsson says. “Peerless 125 celebratestwo great landmark moments in thebrand’s history: the 1889 debut of theoriginal Peerless Pen, our very firstfountain pen, followed by the introduc-tion of the iconic Classic Century col-lection in 1946 that featured the brand’sclassic Cross silhouette.”
By drawing on its history, butupdating it with modern engineeringand design, Cross has created a collec-tion that will be just as iconic in thecompany’s second century as thePeerless and Classic Century were inits first.
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The ballpoint models range from $175 to $275, depending on the pen’s finish,while the Selectip® rollerballs are priced from $225 to $325, and fountain pensare $450 to $550. The limited edition is priced at $3,900. (The crown of the limit-ed edition is directly below; the pen is seen on p. 44.)
For more information please visit www.Graf-von-Faber-Castell.com • Faber-Castell USA, Inc. • 800-311-8684For more information and a list of our authorized dealers please visit www.graf-von-faber-castell.com
Faber-Castell USA • Tel: 800-311-8684 • www.faber-castell.com
Pen of the Year 2015 – Sanssouci, Potsdam
After his victory in the Seven Years’ War Frederick the Great ordered the construction of his largest and
most ambitious building: the New Palace of Sanssouci. Magnificent ballrooms, impressive galleries,
a baroque palace theater – Paying homage to these splendid rooms, the “Sanssouci, Potsdam”
Pen of the Year brings the luster of a major era alive in such a fascinating manner.
The platinum-plated fountain pen is limited to 1,000 units, the rollerball pen to 300 units.
Handmade in Germany
www.laban.com
Distributed in the U.S. by Luxury Brands LLC
[email protected] • 469.888.4229 • www.luxurybrandsusa.com
Platinum’s New#3776 CENTURY COLLECTIONClassic designAdvanced technology
Platinum’s popular #3776 CENTURY Re-engineered with 21st Century Technology
• Unique “Slip & Seal” mechanism prevents ink from drying up even after months of non-use.
• Redesigned 14 karat gold nib and feed system regulates ink flow for an ultra smooth writing experience.
• Available in solid black and the Limited Edition Nice Pur demonstrator, plus rich translucent colors inspired by the
French landscape: Bourgogne, Chartres Blue and Nice in sandblasted clear resin trimmed in pink gold.
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The Universe of Writing Culture
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