Aurora Nobile LE

[goodguy]

For those who followed the rollercoaster I went through till I got this pen I thank for the sympathy and show of concern. For those that don’t know about the TRILOGY here are the 3 posts I posted:

 

1. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=66368

2. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=66633

3. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=66739

 

This pen was very important for me when I bought it and after the whole ordeal I went through it became even more important.

For a long time I wanted a Safety pen. I also wanted an Ebonite pen and a pen with an eye dropper filler. I got all in one pen.

This pen is named after General Nobeli and his journey to the icy north. I will not get into the history behind the pen but this is basically a replica of a pen he used in his journey.

I never had an Aurora pen and I think this is a wonderful way to start with.

It was produced in 1919 pens only and compared with MB 16000+ in there WE LE line this is relatively a small amount of LE pens.

 

Let’s start with the box and the red tent. I think it really makes the whole pen experience ever more unique and interesting. I was always a sucker for unique pen boxes and this one made me very happy. The pen can be both stored inside the red tent or outside on a little detachable platform (you can see it in the pictures). This is definitely an eye catcher.

The box also includes the story behind the pen and an eye dropper to fill the pen.

 

Well how does it look?

 

This is a gorgeous pen. The GP cap is striking and works wonderful with the Red/Brown Ebonite body. On the top of the cap there is what I like to see as an Ebonite crown with the Aurora name attached to it. The upper and lower parts of the cap are adorned with an etching that adds so much to the cap. I also love the clip as it’s simple but very elegant.

 

The Ebonite body is all I was dreaming of and more. It really looks almost like wood but once you touch it you can feel it’s not wood.

The body is combined of red and brown Ebonite and it makes the pen look very warm and inviting to be touched, it is glossy smooth to the touch and I find myself stroking the pen with my finger without even thinking. I always loved RHR pens more then BHR and if you see the pen you know why.

In the lower part of the body there is a GP ring etched with the same motif you can see on the cap, in a way it breaks the pen to two pieces and gives the pen a more interesting and special look.

There is something really sophisticated and old looking about this pen. No doubt this is what Aurora wanted to make the pen look like and all I can say about that is Job Well Done.

 

Unscrewing the cap off and instead of looking at the nib you find it is missing. Oh yeah I forgot this is a Safety pen, that means the nib is hiding inside the body. So I hold the body in one hand and start twisting the bottom end clockwise with the other and the nib start coming out until its fully revealed.

I was expecting a tiny nib but was glad to see it is just the right size for this pen. This isn’t a very big pen, it is about the same length as a Parker 75 (13.2 cm) but the body is wider then the P75.

The nib is pretty simple looking and there are only few etching on it. It also say Aurora and 18K.

On the back of the nib (on the feed) it has a big M which of course means Medium nib.

I have heard a lot about Aurora F nibs and how toothy they are so I have decided to go with the M one.

The Safety mechanism feels very solid and sturdy. You can’t close the cap without returning the nib back into the body so this mechanism has to be strong and reliable or else you will find yourself with a broken pen very soon. It is obvious to me this pen isn’t the perfect pen for quick note taking. If you want something you can use all day long to write a word here and there I would say Pilot VP will do a better job with that.

 

So how the heck do I fill this pen you ask?

 

Well its actually very simple just fill the eye dropper with ink turn the knob counter clock wise so the nib is inside the body and fill the body with ink (yes you drip the ink on the nib inside). In the beginning this looks and feels very weird but unique and funny as well. I think the charm of a Safety pen is something everybody must try once to really appreciate.

 

So I fill the pen and now you want to know how does the nib feels. Well all I can say is I LOVE IT!!!

This nib is smooth and richly wet. I hardly touched the paper and it already left a gorgeous line (just the way I love).

I find the nib to be very stiff with little to no flex at all. The nice think is that it is very responsive, I can feel everything that happened on the paper while yet it is still silky smooth.

I am not going to bother to compare this nib to my Paragon because right of the bat it is obvious my Paragons nib is better with its flex, wetness and responsiveness that run supreme over all other nibs.

This Aurora nib is as good as my third best nib (MB VW).

It is not as wide as I though it will be and is the narrowest M nib I have from all my modern pens. I’d say it’s a true M nib.

 

The pen is not too heavy with the cap and once you take it off it is light weight and very well balanced. It feels comfortable in hand and even though I like big pens this pen feels very natural to use.

If you like posting your pens this one is perfect for that and it feels very well balanced posted.

 

The only things I didn’t like so much about the pen is first the size. Even though this is by no means a small pen I wouldn’t mind if they stretched it by another cm.

I also think the knob you use to protrude the nib could be a bit longer for easier use but this is not a problem in any way.

 

So is it worth it?

As I always say (or ask to be exact) is a pen worth 1000$+?

The answer is no. No pen is worth that much (unless made of gold or other precious metal).

Am I happy I got the pen?

You bet I am, I am ecstatic and LOVE this pen, it is a marvel of engineering and a marvel of design. If you are looking for a unique LE pen and willing to cough up the dough then this pen is something I would highly recommend.

[Rufus]

Amir/Frodo, and excellent review; clear and concise. Your observations on the nib exactly parallel mine on the medium nib on my Aurora Optima: stiff, especially in comparison with my Bexley and Omas nibs, and the narrowest line of the mediums I own; the sweet spot on my Aurora nib also feels smaller than on my Bexleys' and Omas'. We'll be able to do a side-by-side comparison at Saturday's breakfast meeting.

 

P.S. Does the cat like it or is it still giving it the sniff test?

Edited June 18, 2008 by Rufus

[Bryant]

Very nice buy Amir, and nice review! Congrats! And I love the tent! Now all your pens are going to want to go camping!

[Wolf]

Splendid review! I can see that the lady of the post office, waiting patiently, likes it too.

[lapis]

... now you know why that chick in the post office kept your treasure hidden for a few days...

 

(just kidding)

Mike

[diplomat]

Ehi! Congratulations. It is a great looking pen. I hope it will stay in your heart for long time. And the tent is just great isn't? It will make a superb figure in your display closet...

 

Just a question: is the nib always that dirty? Or just after being refilled the pen? Is in the box provided some sort of blotting paper to clean it?

 

Cheers,

 

Andrea

[goodguy]

Ehi! Congratulations. It is a great looking pen. I hope it will stay in your heart for long time. And the tent is just great isn't? It will make a superb figure in your display closet...

 

Just a question: is the nib always that dirty? Or just after being refilled the pen? Is in the box provided some sort of blotting paper to clean it?

 

Cheers,

 

Andrea

Because the nib is washed with ink all the time while the pen is closed then it gets dirty.This is a non issue and no there isnt a blatting paper in the box.

 

The tent indeed does look amazing in the pen case and I am really exited to to see the pen in it.

[Shelley]

Nive, i have always admired therse but from afar-very afar!

[Brian]

Nice review and impressions. I love the design and length of the gripping section along with the location of the threading. Beautiful retro styling and perfect compliment of colors. This thing is as much art as writing instrument. Thanks for posting this review.

[JFT]

Congratulation and thank you for a very nice review

 

The pen sure looks impressive!

[Maja]

Wow, you must trust your kitty cat a lot, Amir!

After what you went through to get this beautiful pen.......

 

Thank you so much for the review. The pen looks gorgeous, and it's nice to hear that it writes as well, too!

[Pravda]

Beautiful pen, great review and perfect shots

 

The cats likes it hehe I love how it has a retracting nib like the Boheme and also the packaging and all the signatures very nicely presented

 

 

 

[MYU]

Very nice review, Amir. Your photos do the pen serious justice. That IS a Holy Grail pen, if I ever saw one. I've seen one in person but did not handle it. The price was too much for me... but I think you said it well. The price is probably well above the cost involved in making it and the materials it is constructed of, but if it gives a person great pleasure then the price is worth it. Perhaps one day I'll find one gently used, ready to be passed onto another person who would appreciate it.

 

Enjoy this beauty! And be sure not to leave it out alone with the cat--she just might decide to give her paw a try at writing.

[SMG]

Amir, good on you buddy. That is one stunning pen. I hope you bring it to breakfast so I can ogle it. It was worth the trials and tribulations for that awesome pen.

 

BTW, I secretly love safeties as well.

 

Cheers,

Sean

[davidv7]

Maybe You could use the tent instead of the blotting paper Great pen, one of the best LE`s out there.

[georges zaslavsky]

Nice pen in terms of aesthetics. However like any other Auroras, the nib is pretty boring and dull. I have tried many auroras and their nibs are as stiff and dull as pitchforks.

[goodguy]

Nice pen in terms of aesthetics. However like any other Auroras, the nib is pretty boring and dull. I have tried many auroras and their nibs are as stiff and dull as pitchforks.

I agree its not the most interesting nib out there,it lacks the flex and feedback the Omas nib has but compared to other pens (I dont want to name names or we will get a big fight here) it is a good smooth nib with good feedback.

[goodguy]

UPDATE

 

I must add that even though this isnt a very big pen it has a huge ink capacity because of its ED an filler.

I use this pen constantly since I got it and it still going.Most other pens I own would have been filled already for at least once if not twice.

 

I also find that because of the light weight body and the relativly not big body this pen is very easy and comfortable to use for long term writing,perfect for a student or writers.

The nib is getting better and better.I am not sure if I get used to it or what but the fact is that it feels even better then it did in the begining.

Edited June 26, 2008 by goodguy

[calliej]

Looks great!

 

can't believe they gave a pen a tent! The mind boggles but it gives it that quirky collectors edge..... nice to hear that you actually use the pen too - much too nice to hide away in its little house.

[diplomat]

Just though that maybe someone could be interested to read the story of Umberto Nobile and the so called "Red Tent".

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umberto_Nobile

 

It is an interesting story of adventure and international collaboration. It is still famous here in Italy. At least a couple of movies were made after it.

 

Cheers,