AURORA DUOCART The pen with the ink-alarm

May 22, 2008

AURORA DUOCART is a fountain pen of the '50s, acknowledged as one of the first plastic cartridge filled pen (see here in FPN) and probably the first with two cartridges.

But here I want to show you an odd feature of the Duocart: the sound to alert the user that the ink is near to ending. The device is very simple: a small ball hanging from the bottom tassel inside the barrel. If you have both cartridges fitted, the ball cannot move, but if only one cartridge is in, while you write the ball swings, uttering a tick-tock.

dissected barrel

A nice invention complementary to the idea of the double cartridge. In my opinion it was introduced since the Duocart mainly was a school pen and the device was an help to avoid the end of ink during a lesson. But the entire design of Duocart is easy: the oversized barrel to underline the 2 cartridges, the difference of colour between section and barrel and the addiction of this ironic alarm for forgetful schoolboys…

I do not know who is the designer of Aurora Duocart. Some writers of history of Italian fountain pens assert the author is Albe Steiner, a designer working in Italy in that period; he certainly was a graphics and design consultant for Aurora in '50s and 60s, but I could not find in his biography a reference to Duocart invention (only packaging and advertising, as he did for Aurora 88 too). Indeed Albe Steiner was the designer of the Aurora Sele pens line. In this link you can see some of the interesting works of Steiner for Aurora.

Duocart seems to me a variation of Aurora 88: the exact name is "Aurora 88 Duocart", they are similar in shape, the clip is the same (also if a little shorter) of 88 and so the nib and section: probably it was the result of a collaboration among Aurora, Nizzoli, Steiner…??….. I need the help of Aurora experts. Saluti a tutti, Giuseppe

Edited May 23, 2008 by gicoteni

May 23, 2008

This is one of the silliest and funniest inventions in pen history but I would love to have this pen.

Edited May 23, 2008 by goodguy

May 23, 2008

Dear Gicoteni

Thank you very much for the interesting article. Giovanni Abrate (Pennant Spring 2006) and Lee Ranitz (WES Journal Spring 2008) wrote about Inge Steiner as designer of the Duo Cart.

I think the later Dou Cart have the imprint "2 Cart"

Best

Dirk

P.S.: In the patent of 1954, no name is given :-(

Edited May 23, 2008 by Dib

May 23, 2008

Dear Gicoteni
Thank you very much for the interesting article. Giovanni Abrate (Pennant Spring 2006) and Lee Ranitz (WES Journal Spring 2008) wrote about Inge Steiner as designer of the Duo Cart.
I think the later Dou Cart have the imprint "2 Cart"
Best
Dirk
P.S.: In the patent of 1954, no name is given :-(

Hi Dirk, than you for you reply. If you visit the link I inserted (it is the link to Archivio Albe e Lica Steiner in Politecnico di Milano – Lica was the wife of Albe, but who is Inge?), you can see a lot of pictures of packaging and adverts for Aurora (for Duocart too) and sketches and pictures of Sele pens, but I cannot see an actual reference to the design of Duocart, that is much more important than Sele. This is why I have some doubt. Ciao, Giuseppe

May 23, 2008

Hello Giuseppe,

A good question: who is Inge ? I think Abrate and Ranitz are wrong. Maggi/Negetti/Nencini told us in their book "Fabulous Fountain Pens" the designer was Albe Steiner. Jacopini called him "Abe" :-)

Perhaps you can call the Archivio Albe e Lica Steiner and ask them ?

Best

Dirk

August 11, 2008

Does anyone know more about the invention of the Duocart's cartridges?

If this was the first modern cartidge it made history.

Without the invention of a successful cartridge the FP might well have become extinct.

Solitaire

August 12, 2008

Does anyone know more about the invention of the Duocart's cartridges?

If this was the first modern cartidge it made history.
Without the invention of a successful cartridge the FP might well have become extinct.

Solitaire

The first modern cartridge (or at least, the first pen which could use both cartridges and converter) is the Parker 45. I think Waterman made some pens which could use *glass* cartridges before.

The Duocart is uber-cool though.

Juan in Andalucía