| The name "pen" is derived from the Latin word | | | | possible since this is the one to combinerefinement |
| "penna", which means feather. This is a writing | | | | with high class style. In 1916 Walter R. Boss bought |
| instrument that, manually through capillary action | | | | the company and encouraged his son Ellery to share |
| applies ink to a surface, usually paper. Pens can be | | | | his passion for good pens. Ellery joined his father in |
| used with inks of many colors but commonly make | | | | 1920 and led the company for more than forty years |
| use of inks in shades varying between black, blue, | | | | retiring only in 1966. |
| red, and sometimes green. There are many different | | | | In those years Cross become a company known |
| kinds of pens, some of which are listed here i.e. Reed | | | | more as a line of personal leather accessories than as |
| pens, Quills, Metal nibs, Fountain pens, Ballpoints, Felt | | | | a pen maker. However, following a definitely |
| tips, Roller balls and the Porous Point. All the pens of | | | | ascending path, in 1971, it was listed to the American |
| the world are made around these different. Pens are | | | | Stock Exchange, and later on, new partners were |
| also classified depending on the type of tip that | | | | attracted to start designing other types of |
| accompanies the pen, there is the ballpoint pen, the | | | | appreciated fine products. |
| rollerball pen, the fountain pen, the felt-tip pen and | | | | Over the last two decades Cross pens imposed |
| also the gel pen. | | | | themselves more as being a work of art than simple |
| Cross pens appeared in 1846 as the elegant creation | | | | writing tools; and their price has often been |
| of Richard Cross; throughout his life Richard Cross | | | | considered relevant for the tradition they represent. |
| patented an incredible number of twenty one pens | | | | In 1993 the Townsend fountain pen and the Selectip |
| until he passed the company over to his son Alonzo. | | | | ballpoint pen were designed; only high quality |
| At present the company is proud to be preserving | | | | materials were used in the process of which we |
| the oldest tradition in the design and manufacturing | | | | could mention eighteen and ten karat gold, black |
| of chirography instruments. | | | | lacquer, medalist and titanium. The Century II |
| In 1879 the precursor of the ballpoint pen was | | | | appeared in 1996, it mainly relied on fourteen or ten |
| released by the company with a considerable | | | | karat gold, blue wood, black lacquer or rose wood. |
| commercial effect, and later on, in 1930 the | | | | These features strictly belonged to the Century |
| company's first fountain pen appeared. In 1946 the | | | | model for the international market. Another variety |
| company's new logo, the Century, was introduced, | | | | was produced exclusively for the American continent, |
| and it still preserves its meaning even today. Since its | | | | and the pen was plated with gold of twenty three |
| beginnings the company has sold more than one | | | | karats, medalist, black lacquer and chrome, the set |
| hundred million pens becoming a symbol of quality and | | | | also included a ballpoint pen, a rolling ball pen, a 0.5 |
| longevity. | | | | millimeters pencil and a fountain pen. Later models like |
| Cross pens are known as being more traditional than | | | | the ATX, Verve and Apogee respected the luxurious |
| trendy, they focus more on quality than on design, | | | | line the company has followed from its beginnings. |
| and here, the Century II model is the best example | | | | |