History of Aurora
Aurora was founded in 1919 in Turin, as "Fabbrica Italiana Penne a Serbatoio Aurora", by Isaia Levi, a wealthy financier and merchant of tissues, which after the end of the First World War decided to invest in the production of writing instruments. Levi already saw the presence of many small producers in the industrial district of Settimo Torinese, but decided to give his company a precise direction towards an industrial production that should be at the vanguard in both technical and qualitative terms, but also with a strong push towards the marketing of its products with large advertising and a strong support for the sales network.
The company was born as an Italian producer, imitating the American pen models of the same period, but it immediately gained success for its quality production and for the functionality of its pens. In particular, in a period of strong nationalistic policies under the fascist regime, the company made a strong leverage in its promotional materials, that its pens were not subject to customs duties, and thus a lower cost than most of its international competitors.
The initial production was made of hard rubber models with the classical eyedropper or safety filler, clearly inspired by the pens produced by American companies like Waterman that had began to be marketed in Italy. These were black hard rubber pens in a smooth or chased version, and also, rarer mottled models. There were also luxury models in solid gold, gold plate and laminated metal overlays.
In the 1920s, the company began to produce lever filler hard rubber pens: the A.R.A. model, standing for Aurora a Riempimento Automatico, had a great success beyond Italy's borders and placed Aurora alongside major European manufacturers. At that time, the company followed the common practice of European producers who built models similar to those marketed by the big American producers, who dominated the stylistic trends and technological development in the industry. Although they were obvious imitations, some of these models often ended up well above the original production in terms of their quality or for specific stylistic achievements.
A few years later, Aurora started producing celluloid pens, and in 1927 introduced the Duplex series. The pen was a lever filler, proposed in four sizes. It was a clear imitation of the Parker Duofold with the cap in black hard rubber and a ball washer clip. But unlike the Duofold, the top models of the Duplex had a metal clip with fine filigree decoration, which made the Duplex a real jewel of Italian design.
In 1929, the company was restructured following a strategy of diversification. Two new sub-brands were created: the Olo, which later become an official sub-brand, which was focused on the production of economic pens, , and the ASCO, dedicated to the production of very economic pens for the lower end of the marked, initially aimed for the production of advertising / gift fountain pens, and later ,expanded into the mail order market.
Responding to the international success of the new streamlined style, Aurora started redesigning some of its models. In 1930, the new Superba model was introduced, still a lever filler and clearly derived from the Duplex, but with tapered ends characterised by a very original style. The pen was produced only in the pearl and black, red and lapis colours, and remained in production for a very short time, which makes it very rare and highly sought.
In the early 1930's, Aurora sought to expand in the international arena and to enter the Spanish and French market. There are also Aurora's pens found in Latin America, the result of exports to countries like Argentina and Brazil. In 1930, the company reached an agreement with Edac, producer of the Edacoto brand, for marketing the Le Duo Moderne in France - a set made up of an Aurora fountain pen and an Edacoto mechanical pencil. In December 1930 there was also the birth of the Internazionale model, also a back lever filler, who was used also in Le Duo Moderne set. The pen, produced in four sizes and in a broad mix of colourful celluloids, had a wide metal band between two rings, decorated with a Greek motif. In the same period, several pens intended for the export market, particularly for the French market, were also created; they are in general quite similar to the Duplex, both in style and for being lever fillers.
In 1933, the Novum model in two versions was introduced with smooth or faceted body and cap, and produced in a variety of different celluloid colours. The pen had a particular back lever filling system and a special security clip, present on the larger models, that at the insertion of the pen in a pocket triggered an hook that clipped the outside of the pocket fabric to prevent accidental drops. With several variations, the pen remained on the market until the early 1940's.
The Asterope model was introduced in 1934, two years after the similar design of the Pullman model by Météore. This pen can be considered an ancestor and forerunner of the Capless, produced by Pilot 30 years later. The pen had no cap; the nib could be moved inside the body of the pen, through a side slider, and was protected by a closing lid that opened when the nib was extracted. The pen had some success for its characteristic of being usable with one hand alone.
Another famous model, much sought by collectors, is the Etiopia, that is reported to have been introduced in 1935 during the invasion of Abyssinia by the fascist regime in its policy of colonial expansion. In that occasion Aurora, which had ties to the regime, launched a special pen for the soldiers sent to Africa. Because of this, the pen was an eyedropper filler equipped with a reservoir on the barrel to store dried ink tablets. The ink would be obtained by dissolving the tablets in water. The pen was made of white celluloid and the cap had an incision mark of an eagle in the roman empire style. But this story of a pen made for the soldiers sent to Africa, often used to underline the importance and rarity of the model, is not true as when the Etiopia was introduced in 1936 the war was already over. So the model was just a clever marketing ploy to take advantage of the war propaganda.
In 1937, the Superna model was introduced, a variation of a back lever filler in which the lever was equipped with a small ball on the outer extremity and mounted vertically in a semi-spheric aluminium structure located at the bottom of the pen. The ink loading was carried out by removing the back cover to access the the lever and operating it through the ball.
In 1938, following the trend of pens showing the ink level started by the Parker Vacumatic, Aurora introduced the Optima model, a plunger filler made of transparent celluloid, which remained in production until the early '40s. Another model of the same year was the Topolino, a simple button filler named after the Disney character, featuring a Mickey Mouse engraving, and targeted to young people and students and soon paired with the Biancaneve (Snow White). From the same period, the Iridia model and the ML line were produced for the armed forces officers.
The Second World War was a crisis period for business: the curtailment of raw materials, and the difficulty on gold procurement, led to the creation of steel nibs. As it happened to other companies, Aurora sought to replace the lack of material by inventing new marketing names, and called its alloy steel the Platiridio. In 1939, the Selene, a button filler model, was introduced; it was made in celluloid with white metal finishes with a Platiridio nib.
The company, unlike the rival OMAS, suffered heavy damage from bombing, as the manufacturing plants in Via Basilica were destroyed in 1945, and raw materials and archives were lost. After the war, great efforts were undertaken to rebuild the business and at the end of 1946, following the new market trends dictated by the Parker 51, Aurora introduced an hooded nib model. The design of the pen was entrusted to renowned architect Marcello Nizzoli: the end result was the "88", a masterpiece of Aurora production and a great success.
The "88" model was equipped with a very advanced piston filler, with differential threads. The pen was made with a metal cap in both gold-plated metal or using an alloy of nickel and silver called Nikargenta. The body was in celluloid with a transparent section, while the handle of the piston was in hard rubber. The "88" was qualitatively and technologically far more advanced than the Parker 51, and the only plastic part was the sheath of the nib, and the feeder had a sophisticated supply system which allowed for a very regular ink flow.
In 1954 (or in 1957), to counter the massive advent of the ballpoint pen, Aurora launched the Duo-Cart, an economic model cartridge filler. The cartridges were carried out in polyethylene, and designed by Giulio Natta, a Nobel prize winner for chemistry. A distinguishing characteristic of the pen was the ability to contain within its barrel a second cartridge, to avoid running out of ink. Following the same design, the "888" was also introduced, a cartridge filler version of the "88".
In the following years the advent of the ballpoint pen affected the production in an ever more massive way. The company was sold to the family Verona in the early 1960s, and always remained active in the market, as it began also to produce ballpoint pens.
In 1963, the "98" model was introduced, a piston filler equipped with an additional reserve of ink called Riserva Magica, which allowed the user to obtain a few drops of ink when the tank was empty.
In 1965 the economic line Auretta, was introduced, a cartridge filler produced in colourful plastic and targeted especially to students.
The last model of historical significance is probably the Hastil, designed by famous architect Marco Zanuso and launched in 1970. It obtained a huge international success, so much that a copy of this pen is permanently exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art of New York. Made with a thin cylindrical steel body, the pen is characterised by an advanced feeder (called Idrograph), by a nib mounted in a central position and by a cap with a peculiar retractable clip that falls within the cap when at rest, but that can be open when the pen is to be inserted into a pocket.
In the following years the company has remained on the writing instruments market producing quality products, expanding its production to roller pens, and occasionally making new fountain pens models and limited editions. To date, Aurora remains amongst the major Italian pen manufacturers.
The company was born as an Italian producer, imitating the American pen models of the same period, but it immediately gained success for its quality production and for the functionality of its pens. In particular, in a period of strong nationalistic policies under the fascist regime, the company made a strong leverage in its promotional materials, that its pens were not subject to customs duties, and thus a lower cost than most of its international competitors.
The initial production was made of hard rubber models with the classical eyedropper or safety filler, clearly inspired by the pens produced by American companies like Waterman that had began to be marketed in Italy. These were black hard rubber pens in a smooth or chased version, and also, rarer mottled models. There were also luxury models in solid gold, gold plate and laminated metal overlays.
 |
| An Aurora RA1 Laminated Fountain Pen |
In the 1920s, the company began to produce lever filler hard rubber pens: the A.R.A. model, standing for Aurora a Riempimento Automatico, had a great success beyond Italy's borders and placed Aurora alongside major European manufacturers. At that time, the company followed the common practice of European producers who built models similar to those marketed by the big American producers, who dominated the stylistic trends and technological development in the industry. Although they were obvious imitations, some of these models often ended up well above the original production in terms of their quality or for specific stylistic achievements.
A few years later, Aurora started producing celluloid pens, and in 1927 introduced the Duplex series. The pen was a lever filler, proposed in four sizes. It was a clear imitation of the Parker Duofold with the cap in black hard rubber and a ball washer clip. But unlike the Duofold, the top models of the Duplex had a metal clip with fine filigree decoration, which made the Duplex a real jewel of Italian design.
In 1929, the company was restructured following a strategy of diversification. Two new sub-brands were created: the Olo, which later become an official sub-brand, which was focused on the production of economic pens, , and the ASCO, dedicated to the production of very economic pens for the lower end of the marked, initially aimed for the production of advertising / gift fountain pens, and later ,expanded into the mail order market.
Responding to the international success of the new streamlined style, Aurora started redesigning some of its models. In 1930, the new Superba model was introduced, still a lever filler and clearly derived from the Duplex, but with tapered ends characterised by a very original style. The pen was produced only in the pearl and black, red and lapis colours, and remained in production for a very short time, which makes it very rare and highly sought.
In 1933, the Novum model in two versions was introduced with smooth or faceted body and cap, and produced in a variety of different celluloid colours. The pen had a particular back lever filling system and a special security clip, present on the larger models, that at the insertion of the pen in a pocket triggered an hook that clipped the outside of the pocket fabric to prevent accidental drops. With several variations, the pen remained on the market until the early 1940's.
The Asterope model was introduced in 1934, two years after the similar design of the Pullman model by Météore. This pen can be considered an ancestor and forerunner of the Capless, produced by Pilot 30 years later. The pen had no cap; the nib could be moved inside the body of the pen, through a side slider, and was protected by a closing lid that opened when the nib was extracted. The pen had some success for its characteristic of being usable with one hand alone.
 |
| The Etiopia |
 |
| An Aurora Superna |
In 1938, following the trend of pens showing the ink level started by the Parker Vacumatic, Aurora introduced the Optima model, a plunger filler made of transparent celluloid, which remained in production until the early '40s. Another model of the same year was the Topolino, a simple button filler named after the Disney character, featuring a Mickey Mouse engraving, and targeted to young people and students and soon paired with the Biancaneve (Snow White). From the same period, the Iridia model and the ML line were produced for the armed forces officers.
The Second World War was a crisis period for business: the curtailment of raw materials, and the difficulty on gold procurement, led to the creation of steel nibs. As it happened to other companies, Aurora sought to replace the lack of material by inventing new marketing names, and called its alloy steel the Platiridio. In 1939, the Selene, a button filler model, was introduced; it was made in celluloid with white metal finishes with a Platiridio nib.
 |
| The first version of the Aurora 88 |
The "88" model was equipped with a very advanced piston filler, with differential threads. The pen was made with a metal cap in both gold-plated metal or using an alloy of nickel and silver called Nikargenta. The body was in celluloid with a transparent section, while the handle of the piston was in hard rubber. The "88" was qualitatively and technologically far more advanced than the Parker 51, and the only plastic part was the sheath of the nib, and the feeder had a sophisticated supply system which allowed for a very regular ink flow.
In 1954 (or in 1957), to counter the massive advent of the ballpoint pen, Aurora launched the Duo-Cart, an economic model cartridge filler. The cartridges were carried out in polyethylene, and designed by Giulio Natta, a Nobel prize winner for chemistry. A distinguishing characteristic of the pen was the ability to contain within its barrel a second cartridge, to avoid running out of ink. Following the same design, the "888" was also introduced, a cartridge filler version of the "88".
In the following years the advent of the ballpoint pen affected the production in an ever more massive way. The company was sold to the family Verona in the early 1960s, and always remained active in the market, as it began also to produce ballpoint pens.
In 1963, the "98" model was introduced, a piston filler equipped with an additional reserve of ink called Riserva Magica, which allowed the user to obtain a few drops of ink when the tank was empty.
In 1965 the economic line Auretta, was introduced, a cartridge filler produced in colourful plastic and targeted especially to students.
In the following years the company has remained on the writing instruments market producing quality products, expanding its production to roller pens, and occasionally making new fountain pens models and limited editions. To date, Aurora remains amongst the major Italian pen manufacturers.