Monday Pen

The pens at the left are from the Aurora Afrika series. My Aurora Afrika fountain pen is one of my favorites. It's one of my evening pens. (You've met the Pelikans, the 400 and the Niagara Falls. This completes my set of evening pens.) The ballpoint has the same striking design, but when I use a ballpoint, I use a simple, inexpensive Bic or something like that. I don't see the point of investing as much as you have to invest in a pen like an Aurora Afrika simply to have a ballpoint. Having a fine fountain pen is the whole point, so far as I am concerned.¹

The beautiful colors in the resin body speak for themselves, but one of the things I most enjoy about my Afrika is its nib. It took me 6-9 months to get it broken in. It was scratchy until either it adjusted to me, I adjusted to it, or both, but now it leaves a beautiful, wide line. And what makes it even more interesting is that my Afrika has a medium italic nib. Even though my penmanship is far from beautiful, when I write with my Afrika, the line has delightful variations in width and tone. It gives a dull, pedestrian (though legible) line a little spark and verve.

Here's the Fahrney's blurb.

Aurora presents Afrika - the first in a limited, numbered series celebrating the continents of the world. Aurora has captured the life, color and emotion of this adventurous land in the Afrika design. The resin barrel and cap in warm earthtones are hand-turned by a master craftsman and adorned with a matte gold clip and trim. The barrel ring depicts six African tribal shields. The black crown has a semi-precious agate stone set on the top as a symbol of harmony and peace.

Fahrney's no longer mentions the availability of the medium italic nib. I wonder if that means it's no longer available.