Aurora 88
 
The "classic" Aurora 88
The model “Aurora 88”, designed by the architect Marcello Nizzoli, with is hooded gold nib and the ‘rounded’ cap, was introduced to rival the “Parker 51”. The classic 88 is available in three version: 88 (1948 – 1952 ca.), 88K (1952 – 1958 ca.) and 88P (1958 – 1964 ca).
All these pens have the piston filler and the same gold nib; on the 88 and 88K the section and the turning knob are in hard rubber (with celluloid barrel) and in plastic on the 88P.
There are 17 differents, all flexible, in the following sizes:
All the nibs are also available like “firm” nib, identifiable from the addition of the consonant “H” (HEF, HF etc.).
The caps are different in the three variants:
a. Aurora 88 – slim clip, rounded cap with jewel (rolled gold or chromed); the pattern is “ribbed fabric”; this is the gold filled cap...
...and this the "nickargenta" cap.
b. Aurora 88K – flat clip with a groove in the middle (with or without black decoration) and usually chromed jewel; new pattern:
c. Aurora 88P – redesigned cap: “cutted” at the top, with a black oval jewel, different pattern and clip:
There are some other little difference on the turning knob (more tapered on the 88K and 88P) and on the chrome ring between barrel and turning knob (bigger on the 88).
With the same style of the 88P, Aurora made the 888 and the 888P; these pens were fed by a double cartridge (the same introduced in 1954 with the Duocart). In the last pic you can see the 888P: this was my first fountain pen, a gift from my parents in 1965, when i was 9 years old. This pen has for me an inestimable value, of course…