German powerhouse of affordable writing

 A Closer Look at the Lamy Pen Brand

History

    In 1930 a worker for the Parker pen company decided to leave and start his own legacy, this worker went by the name C. Joseph Lamy. The brand started out under the name "Orthos" and was founded in Heidelberg Germany making it a German institution of fine writing. Later in 1949 after World War 2 the production began on a newly designed series called "Artus", shortly after this in 1952 the brand became "Lamy". 

The same year of the "Lamy" name change they released the Lamy 27 which immediately showed the brands love for innovation and out of the box thinking. The brand would be cemented as a writing powerhouse in 1966 with the release of the first iteration of the brand's 2000 model. The brand now has an annual production of 6,000,000 writing instruments and a turnover exceeding 50,000,000 which has made them both the market leader in Germany along with one of the most globally important German design brands in history. Lamy despite previously being run by family members is now run by the first non-family member in the brands history, Bernhard Rösner. Now that we know a little of the brand's history, let's take a look at the current productions from Lamy that are available at Pen Boutique.

ABC

    The Lamy ABC is a staple of the European classroom where students are often taught to use a fountain pen at an early age. Constructed in a very sturdy way with wood and hard plastic, it's sure to hold up until the student has learned to properly handle a fountain pen. The cap also has a section where the student can write their name to keep track of it in a classroom setting. The benefit of this pen over some of the single use pens offered from other brands is that it can teach responsibility. Both through the students having to keep track of the pen but also learning to clean and take care of the pen. The ABC can be purchased from Pen Boutique at a price of $20.80 in both red and blue.

Safari

    The Safari, in my mind, is the logical "next step" to the ABC but is also a great addition to any collection. constructed of a solid plastic with a removable steel nib, the pen is quite durable and a really good option for the workplace or upper level schooling. Lamy also usually releases some pretty fun colors ever year as special editions, this years additions are both pictured above. This is a better option for people wanting to start writing with fountain pens but may be a little too old for the ABC which can feel a bit small in bigger hands. The Safari can be purchased from Pen boutique in a variety of different colors in the ballpark of $29.60 making it a great option for even the most casual fountain pen enjoyer.

Al-Star

    Very similar to the Safari, the Al-Star is essentially the same pen as the Safari but is made from aluminum instead of plastic which gives a higher quality feel. The aluminum finish makes it even better for keeping in a bag or purse for a quick fountain pen on the go and as it accumulates scratches and dents it gains character specific to you which makes it more personal. This is also great because it provides options in the same great pen for people who like different materials, nice to see Lamy try to please everybody. The Al-Star can be purchased from Pen Boutique for around $37.60 in an abundance of colors including the two special edition colors pictured above.

2000

    My favorite Lamy pen and quite possibly one of the most iconic fountain pens ever, the Lamy 2000 is a timelessly designed workhorse of a pen. The design was based on the Bauhaus principles of design and has remained unchanged for more than 60 years which just shows the timelessness of the design. The pen comes in both a Makralon finish (pictured above) and a stainless steel version that is a little bit more money. The hooded design on this gold nib keeps it wet and reduces the chances of hard starts and skipping which makes this a fantastic workhorse pen. The piston design also allows for a large ink capacity and for these reasons I don't think I'll ever let go of my Lamy 2000, its got a permanent spot in my collection for sure. The Lamy 2000 can be purchased through Pen Boutique for $199.20 or $319.20 for the stainless steel version.

Dialog

    Another prime example of Lamy's great and out of the box design concepts, the Dialog is kind of like Lamy's vanishing point. The Dialog has the same nib profile as the Safari and the Al-Star but its gold instead of steel which means that nibs can be swapped from different Lamy models. You'll notice the pen doesn't have a cap and instead you have to twist the body of the pen to expose the nib for writing and instead of having the clip away from your grip it is in the center of your grip. The construction of the dialog is also a very sturdy one that is sure to stand the test of time. The Dialog can be purchased through Pen Boutique for around $319.20 in palladium, black and white.