When I first learned of the collaboration between Fonderie 47 and Cross (at The Pen That Is Mightier Than The Sword: Fonderie 47’s Exclusive Collaboration With Cross), I was struck by the respective – though diverse – strengths these two companies bring to the table in what eventually has become a common cause.

Fonderie 47 aims to help free Africa from the ruin of assault rifles, namely AK-47s, by producing products such as watches, jewelry, and pens that help fund their destruction.

Fonderie 47 Cross Peerless Collector’s Edition Pen

And as America’s oldest manufacturer of writing instruments (established in 1846), the Rhode Island-based Cross, known for its commitment to quality products, creates apt candidates for such a worthy purpose.

Entrepreneur Peter Thum, Fonderie 47’s founder and CEO, explained his motivations to editor-in-chief Elizabeth Doerr in an earlier interview. “The AK47 is a mass-produced, industrial object,” he said. “This weapon has spread around the world as a tool for state strategy, political ideology, and because of an accident of history [it was created by a communist country with no patent protections] as an open-source platform that allows anyone to produce their own version of the gun – and over twenty countries have. Since 1947, some 100 million AK-47-type weapons and variants have been produced.”

Cap of the Fonderie 47 Cross Peerless Collector’s Edition Pen

To date, Fonderie 47 has been instrumental in funding the destruction of over 50,000 of those weapons in war zones in Africa.

The Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector’s Edition

The Cross Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector’s Edition rollerball pen follows a limited edition fountain pen (see The Pen That Is Mightier Than The Sword: Fonderie 47’s Exclusive Collaboration With Cross).

Fonderie 47 Cross Peerless Collector’s Edition Pen

And it, too, transforms an object of disdain into an element of hope, incorporating a bit of blackened steel from a melted-down AK-47 into the design of its cap crown (“fonderie” is French for “foundry,” a place for melting and casting metal).

The serial number of the destroyed AK-47 engraved on the cap of the Fonderie 47 Cross Peerless Collector’s Edition Pen

To further the message, the side of the pen’s cap reveals the unique serial number of the gun that was taken out of circulation and used to embellish the special edition pen. Steel reclaimed from the weapons is fashioned into Fonderie 47 ingots by an American blacksmith at the company’s Brooklyn-based forge.

Fonderie 47 Cross Peerless Collector’s Edition Pen

The engraved brass body of the pen is plated with matte black PVD and trimmed with 23-karat gold plating. Markings on the barrel and cap reproduce the gun’s design.

Fonderie 47 Cross Peerless Collector’s Edition Pen

And if the profile looks familiar, that’s because it incorporates design cues from the famed Cross Century collection, though it is technically part of the Peerless line.

The Peerless Fonderie 47 Collector’s Edition accepts rollerball, ballpoint and porous point refills, and its packaging includes a wooden pen stand branded with the Fonderie 47 logo.

Fonderie 47 Cross Peerless Collector’s Edition Pen

A certificate of authenticity signed by Peter Thum and Cross designer Ramon Kingsley is also included. Each purchase of one of this edition’s pens funds the destruction of one AK-47.

For more information, visit www.fonderie47.com/products/peerless-fonderie-47-collector-s-edition-pen and/or
www.cross.com/writing-instruments/luxury-collections/peerless-series/fonderie-47.

Quick Facts
Edition: rollerball pen; also accepts ballpoint and porous-point refills
Cap and barrel: engraved blackened elements made from destroyed AK-47s; brass, plated with matte black PVD and 23-karat gold
Size: 156 mm (6.16 inches)
Guarantee: lifetime mechanical guarantee
Price: $350