Cross Townsend Year of the Rooster Fountain Pen

Cross Townsend Year of the Rooster Fountain Pen

Named after a zodiac sign of Chinese horoscope, Cross Year of the Rooster Fountain pen embodies sheer beauty and wishful luck. Add to that, Cross's iconic Townsend silhouette and you'll have a writing instrument that will even surpass expectation. 

The new Cross Year of the Rooster Fountainpen is a new addition to Cross's popular Chinese zodiac heritage of writing instruments. The pen portrays meticulous craftsmanship of Cross artisans and their urge to create finest writing implements. It's rich, glossy Titian red lacquer profile is decorated by a 23kt gold engraved rooster pattern providing it a timeless sheen. The glistening body of the pen is accompanied by a matching cap with Cross's iconic conical top. A brilliant red Swarovski crystal is mounted on the conical top, adding the missing spark of flair to the pen. Couple that with elegant gold plated appointments and it makes this fine writer an absolute beauty to behold. 

Appearance wise the pen looks gorgeous and features a sleek profile. The pen is sturdily built and has a medium weight. In hand, the pen offers a balanced feel and exhilarates the joy of writing. Most of the pen's weight comes from its cap, but as the cap posts at the low back of the pen, it provides a hassle free writing experience. Cross Year of theRooster Fountain Pen has a smooth resin grip section that tapers down towards the nib. Like other Townsend writing implements, this fascinating writer also features a snap cap. The cap opens/closes without any hassles and the sturdy clip ensures that the pen tucks perfectly in every pocket. However, the pen is very comfortable to hold and easy to write with, and will surely make a decent writing companion.

Upon opening the cap, the pen displays a sturdy 18kt gold nib with an etched logo of the brand. The nib is smooth and lays down smooth and consistent lines without any hiccups. Available in medium, fine and broad, these nibs are an absolute delight to write with. For people who are not into fountain pens, the Cross Year of the Rooster writing implements are also available in Rollerball and ballpoint version.

Overall, the pen looks gorgeous and definitely lives up to the brand's name. This unique writer will make for a great collectible item and a prefect pen to carry around. Like other writing implements from Cross, this elegant writer also comes with a lifetime of mechanical warranty. This iconic writer is presented in a luxurious gift box with custom pen presentation stand, romance card, and decorated outer box sleeve - making it a perfect gift item.

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History of Presidential Pens

When President Obama sat down to sign the health care bill into law, he warned: "This is gonna take a little while" — because the president used 22 pens to affix his signature to that one document, jotting down one tiny portion of a letter at a time. The president then began handing those pens out as souvenirs — many of them to legislators who helped steer the bill through, honoring the tradition of giving away presidential signing pens. At least since President Truman, presidents have been using pens and handing them to people who helped push bills through. Probably the most famous one is when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act. He used multiple pens when it was signed. Harry Truman was the first one to have a box of pens. This tradition was  actually started by somebody who sent President Truman a box of pens that said, “I swiped this from Harry Truman's desk.” The Parker Jotter pen was President Kennedy's favorite pen to use at bill signings. Legend has it that he handed off the pens used to whoever was in attendance, as a souvenir of the occasion.

Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter used Parker pens, somewhat more expensive models than had been used up to that point. That continued through President Ronald Reagan, although a variety of models were used. During President Bill Clinton‘s administration, Cross pens came to be used. But it was during the administration of President George W. Bush that the presidential pen took on new heights, with the adoption of the Cross Townsend Selectip, a heavier, more expensive pen that can be loaded with a ballpoint tip, a roller ball or a felt marker.

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