The 10 Finest Aurora Pens Ever Created

Fabbrica Italiana Penne a Serbatoio – Aurora has been manufacturing practical and elegant fountains pens in Turin, Italy since 1911. The company sells its hand crafted products globally, continues to prosper and has become a writing materials legend. Aurora pens are the best design, have exquisite details, and employs the best of technology. These instruments are a prime investment and each comes in a bespoke clamshell case with a bottle of high quality Aurora ink.

Aurora has always been on the cutting edge, it was the first writing pen manufacturer to use celluloid, a transparent plastic, in the manufacturing process. Celluloid was first seen in the 1929 International Series and the beautiful material continues to be used currently. The company also produces its own solid gold nibs. The writing tools are shipped in their fashionable presentation boxes.

The very limited edition Ethiopia was released in 1935 for Italian soldiers on duty abroad. The Imperial Eagle and an Ethiopian word are engraved on the cap. There are presently very few available and they are considered by many to be the Holy Grail of fountain pens. Aurora pens have nibs that range from extra fine, fine, medium to broad. Extra Broad, stock Stub or stock Italic nibs are also available. The pens generally are about 5 inches in length and 22 grams in weight.

Enjoy your treasures, the products listed below will increase their value overtime:

1. Aurora 88 Demonstrator made its debut in the 1950’s and sold more than 5 million models, making it the most successful Italian fountain pen of its time. The pen has an 18k gold nib, in house piston filler, plastic body, and metal cap. Extremely durable matte black trim is part of the allure. It was the first pen to be exhibited at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, Italy. Price: $$625-$1,095.

2. Aurora Umberto Nobile LE was named for aviator and explorer, Umberto Nobile who in 1928 spent 48 days on the North Pole after his Airship Italia crashed. Nobile wrote in his diary everyday with his Aurora pen. The impressive tribute in black has a base metal of 925 silver with 18k gold plating. The barrel and end caps were made of woodgrain hard rubber, a popular material in the 1920’s. Like many pens of that area, these are in excellent condition with none of the shrinkage that celluloid presented. There is no filling mechanism, therefore, these devices hold up to 3.0 ml of ink. Price: $1,280-$1,600.

3. Aurora Kona’s design is inspired by Doric columns and the designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who is affiliated with Alfa Romero and Maserati automobile companies. It has a slightly retro style, a squeeze type cartridge converter, and it is suggested that high flow inks be used with this pen. The Kona was one of the earliest Italian titanium pens. The nib is solid 14k gold, and the style is sleekly slim. Black and rarely, grey models, are for sale or in collections. Price $80-$300.

4. Aurora Giuseppe Verdi Fountain Pen LaRoyal Limited Edition 99 950 is a pen lover or collector’s dream of precision and uniqueness. Only 200 of the black resin items were produced. Features include a silver cap engraved with bay leaves, and a detailed zither (symbol of art and music). The ring has Aurora in high relief. The pen is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Price: $1,495-$2,800.

5. Aurora Optima Riflessi Fountain Pen features a diamond-shaped, guilloche pattern on polished sterling silver with rhodium trim. It has large 18k white gold nib units. The piston-filler system is generous and reliable, with a transparent ink window. Colors included a classic black, silver, blue, brown shades and green. The nibs are adaptable to Stub, Cursive Italic, and Left Oblique customizations. Price: $1,300-$1,650.

6. Aurora Optima 360 Monviso Limited Edition has the superior quality of a handcrafted Auroloide body, good size and weight, and semi flex nib or full flex nib options. Auroloide is a trademarked celluloid derivation. The speckled black and white pattern is reflective of the area surrounding Torino, i.e., snowy mountain peaks and fog along the River Po. Only 360 were distributed world-wide. Price: $600-$800.

7. Aurora Talentum is a reliable ball point pen for everyday use. It is available in a range of colors such as Celestial Blue, perfect pinks, yellow and a more conservative shade of blue or black with a chrome cap and black resin body. It is designed with a slightly larger, more comfortable size to accommodate a 1.1 ml cartridge converter system and has 18k white gold nib. Price: $300-$600.

8. Aurora Mare Limited Edition Fountain Pen showcases a vibrant blue color accented with gold that is said to sparkle in sunlight, has a screw on cap with black finial, with the limited edition number printed on the side. A tiny seahorse engraved at the top of the clip, it has an ink window in addition to a hidden reserve of ink. Only 7,500 of these pens were produced. Price: $900

9. Aurora Pens Afrika 530 2 Piece Set is officially part of the “Land of Africa” pen collection, Reflects the exotic character of the continent using a warm mix of marbled, earthy colors such as olive green and amber to provide a tropical flavor. With its resin cap, gold plated trim, black onyx set in the head, 18K solid gold nib only a limited edition of 7500 were crafted. Price: $600-$1,100.

10. Aurora Venezia Fountain Pen, Gold Trim, 800-OV was the first of a series to celebrate Italian art and incorporates the talented eye of jeweler Edward Jud for gem like appearance. It has 18k solid gold decorations and nibs, and features symbols of the city of Venice such as gondolas in a perfect Gothic style. This handmade special limited edition of fountain, ballpoint and rollerball pens are available in burgundy, claret and black. Released to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy, other cities honored were Rome, Florence, and of course, Turin. The Turin tribute includes the city’s symbolic Rampant Bull, the Palazzo Madama gate way to the city, and the profile of Emanuele Filberto, the renowned Duke of Savoy. Price: $1,000-13,000.