1950S Parker 51 Vs 1950S Aurora Hooded "88"

[Leftytoo]

The Parker 51 (P51), of course, was a revolutionary pen. Its success influenced other manufacturers. I will not say "copy" and start a fight. The 1950s Aurora "88" with hooded nib (A88) is a good example. I like both pens - and the Aurora does have some differences. All comparisons are on a scale 1 to 5, 5 being best.

 

First Impressions - P51 = 4, A88 = 3. The P51 immediately says modern, exciting, new. The A88 says conventional, practicle, executive. I personally am not a fan of cigar-shaped pens, hence the scores. But Parker deserves credit for taking the classic design to a new level and doing so in impeccable taste.

 

Appearance & Finish - P51 = 5, A88 = 3.5. The P51 has an attention to detail and finish that is astonishing in its price range. The lustalloy cap and famous arrow clip are perfect when viewed under high magnification. Even the inside of the P51 has a mirror polish. The body of the A88 is somewhat odd: the blind cap is hard rubber, the barrel is celluloid, and the section (I think) is thermoplastic. Why 3 materials? There is no engineering reason I can think of nor any esthetic harmony. The celluloid is as good as I've seen - tough, hard, deep black. The gold-filled cap is well finished but quite thin.

 

 

Design, Filling System - P51 = 5, A88 = 4. The P51 has a strong clutch to hold the cap. The A88 also has a clutch, but it is thin with a weak grip, and one risks the cap falling off in one's pocket. The P51 has a stong clip; the A88 clip is weaker and more fragile. The P51 Aerometric has a squeese bar filler that is efficient, sucks up lots of ink, and very long lasting. The A88 has a piston operated by a blind cap. The ink window is one of the best, and the piston on mine looks to be original. A draw here except - the A88, like many older pens, "burps" with no warning when the ink supply draws down. I minimized this tendency by re-sealing the section threads and using a dry ink such as Pelikan. Still, a blob of ink on a shirt cuff or document is a bummer. I use the Aurora, a "city boy", mostly at my desk, and I keep it full. The P51, clipped to a tee shirt, goes out on mountain bike rides.

 

Size, Weight - P51 = 3.5, A88 = 5. Capped length P51 132mm; A88 136mm. Barrel + Nib P51 119mm; A88 129mm. Maximum diameter P51 11.2mm; A88 13.9mm. Both pens weigh 21 g. The narrow, tapering section of the P51 does not work for me. For long writing sessions I'll go to the A88.

 

Nib Design & Performance - P51 = 4.5; A88 = 4.5. Both nibs feel much the same - if you love the feedback of Italian pens, you will like the P51, and vice-versa. Both pens write well on all papers, and can be held in any position. Line widths are P51 0.35mm; A88 0.25mm. I prefer the tactile feedback of the A88: it is a little more silky. The outstanding feature of the P51 is ink feed. I think Parker really set the bar. Write fast or slow, with any ink on any paper, and the P51 flow never varies. Of course, there is no possibility of shading, either. When examined under magnification, the P51 line shows less bleeding into the paper fibers, it looks like masking tape was used. I get the impression with a P51 that there is a little demon in the pen, who is busy turning little valves to instantly control ink flow. You can't make the pen misbehave.

 

In the enclosed writing samples, the A88 image was sharpened slightly - my bad. Compared to the Sailor, considered by many to be a modern best, one can see that these two 60 year old nibs do themselves proud.

 

 

 

Overall, Cost/Value - P51 = 4.4/5; A88 = 4.0/5. Both pens cost about the same, and both are fine writers, as good as most modern pens with fine nibs. If you are a student and want a good pen to take to school, go with the P51. I find it easier to fill it each morning - three pumps and a single wipe with a tissue - than messing around with half empty cartridges. If you are building a collection, the P51 represents a milestone, and you should have one. If you already own a P51, and like it, then you should be very happy to add the A88. I know some will disagree, but I think my modern Aurora 88 piston filler with stub nib is both better looking and better built than the old A88.

[davidw]

thanks for the review. I have the parker 51 and the aurora. I still prefer the Parker 51 as

a writing instrument. BUt I do like the Auroroa for the piston design.

[sirksael]

Thank you for this interesting comparison.

I never really stopped and really looked at my 88, but it is indeed made out of 3 different materials like you say!

 

By the way, I'm not sure about the particular vintage, but my 88 has a cork piston, which imo will require more maintenance than the 51 filling system.

[Flounder]

Thanks for this interesting and detailed comparitive review, I had a mind to look for an 88 a while back, then changed my mind. How would you rate the 88 in terms of longevity? The few I've seen on eBay all looked a far cry from your example's freshness.

[Leftytoo]

Thanks for this interesting and detailed comparitive review, I had a mind to look for an 88 a while back, then changed my mind. How would you rate the 88 in terms of longevity? The few I've seen on eBay all looked a far cry from your example's freshness.

 

I got mine on a trade in Brazil. It appears to have had ample use and there are no signs of repair; this attests to good basic design and materials. The piston is firm and smooth, but not so firm as to suggest the screw might strip. Because the barrel is made out of really tough celluloid, I think this is a safe pen to buy. Much more dangerous are early piston pens with composite barrels (inserts) or early plastics. Examples are the Italian Radius (ca 1948) and the late 1930s Pelikan 100. In these, a dried cork piston can rupture the barrel. I have had sad experiences with replaced pistons on three occasions with three repair shops. In the case of my beloved Pelikan 100, I was able to open the pen and carefully re-shape the non-original rubber/cork/rubber piston to obtain just the right fit. As I described, the A88 is not as inherently tough as a P51.

[reprieve]

I love my 51s, so Aurora's vintage 88 appeals to me, too. The design is lovely; I especially like the lined metal caps. I find them even more intriguing because some of the nibs are quite flexible despite being hooded.

[..lol..]

Awesome comparison, I wish I had those pens :-)

[lovemy51]

like both!

 

but i still don't have an aurora 88 .

[Leftytoo]

I want to update the A88 burp problem. I fixed it, and the pen is now very dependable. I found that there are three ways to control burping: 1) Use a dry ink such as Pelikan. 2) After you fill the pen, with nib still pointed down, twist the blind cap to expel 3 drops back into ink bottle, wipe nib, invert pen nib up, and turn blind knob to its closed position and some air will be sucked in. This really works with problem pens, including CC pens. 3) Adjust ink flow. In the case of the A88, the ebonite feed has an ink flow adjuster which can be twisted to vary flow. See photo. I had to ajust the flow to a fairly dry position (which I personally prefer anyway). To find the right position I slipped a 1" length of plastic tube over the feed and timed water flow. Times to empty ranged from 2 sec (a Niagra Falls) to 50 sec (Sahara Desert). After three trials, I ended up with a happy medium. On pens without an ink valve, I suppose one could partly block the entrance into the feed. Adjusting the nib slot and feed seating is not very effective to solve a major burp problem. I tried.

 

The A88 is now my "go to" fine nib, and when it comes time to rotate pens, this sneaky Italian somehow cuts to the head of the line. My wife, maiden name Zagni, said: "I told you so".

Bob

[georges zaslavsky]

51 vac for me, great review anyways

[Albert26]

I definetly prefer the aurora 88 over the parker 51. In my view the aurora 88 is like the parker 51... but better. This is so for the following reasons:

 

- The aurora 88 is undeniably of a better quality construction than the parker 51, especially the earlier models. I don't know, when I hold that tough celluloid of the aurora 88 I have a feeling of everlasting quality that I do not experience with the parker 51. The parker 51 feels plasticky in comparison.

- The semihooded nib of the aurora 88 is easier to handle than the completely hooded nib of the parker 51, at least for me. When I use a parker 51 I must look at the nib constantly to make sure I hold it in the right position. It's just easier with the aurora 88.

- The filling mechanism: the aurora 88 simply holds more ink.

-The grip: the section is wider in the aurora 88, which is something that people with rather large hands like myself really appreciate.

 

I can say without a doubt that the aurora 88 is the most comfortable pen I have ever used. It even beats my lamy 2000, which comes close behind.

 

 

[rwilsonedn]

Just to add a bit to the discussion, I would offer two more points about the vintage Aurora 88. First, Aurora offered a wonderful semiflex F nib on the 88, which has beautiful writing characteristics. As I understand it, if Parker ever offered a semiflex nib for the 51, it's quite rare.

Second, old 88s can be beasts to work on, starting with getting the hood off. Once you get inside, I'm told, it is not uncommon for the piston assembly to be fragile or broken, so you can end up doing much more than just replacing some cork. They are reparable, but there's a chance the repair will be quite involved and potentially expensive. I think this is much less a problem for aerometric 51s, which seem to be indestructible.

ron

[Albert26]

Just to add a bit to the discussion, I would offer two more points about the vintage Aurora 88. First, Aurora offered a wonderful semiflex F nib on the 88, which has beautiful writing characteristics. As I understand it, if Parker ever offered a semiflex nib for the 51, it's quite rare.

Second, old 88s can be beasts to work on, starting with getting the hood off. Once you get inside, I'm told, it is not uncommon for the piston assembly to be fragile or broken, so you can end up doing much more than just replacing some cork. They are reparable, but there's a chance the repair will be quite involved and potentially expensive. I think this is much less a problem for aerometric 51s, which seem to be indestructible.

ron

Yes, I missed that. The flexible nibs of some auroras 88 are so exciting to use. While the parker 51 nibs are reliable, smooth performers, there's nothing special about them.

I cannot comment about the disassembly issues, since I have never needed to do so.