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Lamy 2000 History


bphollin

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For all the reviews of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen, there doesn't seem to be too much information on the history of the 2000 line beyond the oft-repeated high points (released in '66, Gerd A. Müller, bauhaus, fiberglass, etc). I'm curious if any of the Lamy/German specialists on FPN can help fill in the holes.

 

To my knowledge, the Lamy 2000 line has had the following models:

 

Standard Edition

Fountain pen (released in 1966, minimal design changes since then)

Ballpoint pen

Multi-Color ballpoint

Rollerball pen

0.5mm mechanical pencil

0.7mm mechanical pencil

 

I'm wondering if these "standard" editions were released at the same time in '66 -- probably not. Did the rollerball really come out in 1966? I'd believe the ballpoint did, but that seems very early to have a top-notch rollerball. Same with the mechanical pencils--when were they released, and were the different lead sizes released at the same time?

 

It seems that the limited edition 2000 models are more of a recent phenomenon, starting with the blackwood ballpoint released in 1996 stainless steel "namesake" edition released in 2000. There are a few articles on the web, but none of them mention the edition number (ie, how many of the SS models were released).

 

Limited Edition

Blackwood ballpoint (1996, 30 year anniversary of the Lamy 2000 line)

Limited Edition fountain pen (2000, namesake limited edition)

Ceramicon ballpoint (2006, 40th anniversary edition)

Taxus ballpoint (date?, any significance here other than material?)

Titanium ballpoint (2009 limited edition, any significance here other than material?)

 

I'm also wondering if there are "tell-tale" signs to dating certain 2000 models. Obviously the W. Germany imprints are one indicator of a date range, but that's not very specific. For example, I read somewhere that early 2000 models had an "L" stamped near the piston (I'm assuming "L" for Lamy). Or, I noticed that my W. Germany mechanical pencil has slight difference in the mechanism as compared to the one posted in Dillon Ang's review of a more recent L2K MP. Also, the clip is slightly different (the older model doesn't have a Lamy imprint on the clip) and there is no indication of lead size on the older model. Obviously these changes are iterative, but there's got to be some record of when the production changed.

 

Haywoody has done an excellent job sussing out information on the Lamy Safari in this thread. I'm equally curious about divining more on the Lamy 2000 range. I suppose one fun thing would be to hop on a plane to Heidelberg to see a friend there and tour the factory -- or to snatch up old, crusty 2000s that pop up on Ebay. In the meantime, any information or links you'd care to share would be most appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Brandon

Edited by bphollin
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Well, browsing through the Lamy.com (not LamyUSA.com) site filled me in a bit on the blackwood ballpoint pen, released in 1996 for the 30th anniversary of the 2000 line. It also mentions the Lamy ad campaigns in Der Spiegel and shows a small thumbnail featuring the four pillars of the 2000 line (RB, FP, MP, and BP). I suppose my next step is to research back issues of Der Spiegel!

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I think that while there have been two special (time limited) editions in the 2000 line (the ceramicon & titanium BPs) the taxus & blackwood have only been variants from the standard line i.e.just normal models.

 

To my knowledge, Lamy have only ever produced one true limited edition of any pen, which is the 2000LE. 2000 units produced to celebrate the millenium.

 

A display of amazing restraint for a major pen company.

 

John

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Thanks John, that's a useful distinction between special edition and limited edition. This is the first I've read that the stainless steel L2K was limited to 2,000 units. I appreciate your clarifications.

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I got a W. Germany 2000 pencil on Ebay, so they do come along. One thing, I suppose, is that people don't know they're vintage since the design hasn't really changed. The pencil came from southwest Florida, which makes sense since that is a big German tourist/retirement area. But you're right, I don't think I've seen any vintage 2000s come up on FPN since I've been posting. Other vintage Lamys, just not 2000s.

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The certificate in my year 2000 LE 2000 FP states the edition was of 5000 pens. There is also the year 2000 LE 2000 ballpoint, which was made in an edition of 10,000, to add to your list.

 

There was an earlier discussion about how to date the vintage 2000s. I have a handful of older pens and some literature about the history of the pens... somewhere. I am still up to my ears in boxes and probably won't be unpacked for a while. As soon as I do I will see what I can add to this thread and finally get back to the Safari thread I abandoned so long ago.

 

I have a bit of thing for the 2000 and all it's variants too. Glad to see you started this one Brandon, thanks.

 

/Woody

Edited by haywoody
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Great to hear I'm not the only one with a curiosity for 2000! My 2000 LE came to me without the box or papers, so thanks for that tidbit. I'd love to swap notes once you've come up for air, Woody, whenever that is. I know how moving and boxes go...

 

I found out that I have access to Der Spiegel back issues, so I'm looking forward to wading through them for Lamy ads from across the years. I'll search the boards for the 2000 discussion you reference -- my FPN search-fu is not so hot, though.

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No, Brandon you're not talking to yourself!

 

Another snippet of information; the Ceramicon was in an edition of 7500, and I really wish I had bought one. At the time I was feeling snobby about ballpoints, and although I was sorely tempted, I thought the price was just too high - ludicrous, really as the ceramic used isn't any old porcelain (as in the Lamy Lady or MB Pompadour) but that odd stuff that very expensive watch faces are made of. Any other high end pen manufacturer would have charged about five times as much, and then some!

 

Have you ever come across the blackwood sphere that Lamy produced, which turned the 2000 ballpoint into a desk pen? I have posted about this before, and once again have had the opportunity to buy one of these, and gave it a miss - grrr! Desk pens really aren't flavour of the month, so this has sunk without trace, but I think it's really neat. It wasn't sold as a limited edition, but I am sure it is pretty rare.

 

http://www.bureaudirect.co.uk/images/pens/lamy_blackwoodset.jpg

 

Like you, I bought my 2000SE FP on here, and didn't get the original packaging. I understand that it came in a typically understated cardboard box, but with a card autographed by Dr Lamy. Do you have this, Woody (or anyone else)? It would be a treat to see a good example.

 

John

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Like you, I bought my 2000SE FP on here, and didn't get the original packaging. I understand that it came in a typically understated cardboard box, but with a card autographed by Dr Lamy. Do you have this, Woody (or anyone else)? It would be a treat to see a good example.

 

John

 

Hi John,

 

I wish I had bought the blackwood deskball when it was available too. I got my pen without and now cannot justify buying one of the sets that turn up on eBay once in a while.

 

I do have the signature card that came with the 2000 LE. I don't have it at hand but I recall that the signature was not original. I will see if I can take some shots tomorrow but can't promise. Finding the pen, box, camera and light tent might be tough. I will get to it sometime.

 

/Woody

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John, thanks for pointing out the desk set. I'd seen it before, but it fell off my radar! Something else to be on the lookout for...

 

kmpn, WOW! That's a great blog! Here is a link to through Google Translator for readers of English: http://www.translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Flamylabo.blog73.fc2.com%2Fblog-entry-15.html&sl=ja&tl=en&history_state0=

 

Woody, I, too, would love to see the Lamy 2000 LE card, as your time allows!

 

Finally, FPN user manolo was kind enough to send me pictures of a Lamy 2000 set purchased off of eBay. (manolo would have uploaded them, but the uploader is still not working -- and so they are on my Flickr account).

 

I have a Lamy 2000 old set. When I bought it from the ebay I asked lamy and they told it should be from thelate 60's or the 70's. It is engraved "GULF", I guess this is the Gulf Corporation. It is a set with FP and BP.

 

Thank you for sharing these pictures with me and letting me post them for all to see! It is a nice example of an early boxed Lamy 2000 fountain pen and ballpoint set. From what I've been able to read in the last few days (mostly from kmpn's linked blog), it would appear that it is from the first or second production. I do not know the dates of when the minor design changes came into effect. One way to tell the difference between the first and second production is to look at the clip. Is it engraved with the word LAMY on the side at the top? On the bottom, does it have a ball bearing? If it has no LAMY engraving and if the clip has a small ball bearing, it is from the first production. If it has a LAMY engraving and a single machined clip, it is from the second production. In any event, the "L" at the end of the piston knob denotes that it is an earlier model. I am assuming it is stamped "W. GERMANY" somewhere on the pen, either on the black body or underneath the clip. Of course, I am not certain and so someone with more knowledge will be able to clarify better.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2510/3941582145_4d7f398723_b.jpg

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2582/3941582263_baa31efc98_o.jpg

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3941582519_fcbb22e813_o.jpg

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Hi all,

 

Thank you for uploading the pictures, I cannot do it since the web changed.

Nothing engraved on the clip, neither on it nor under it nor on the sides, nothing. A small ball under it.

I have found a small inscription in the papers that might help dating: "W 108, W.-Germany fr."

keep me informed.

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I forgot to add that it is stamped on the cap, near the open end: "LAMY 2000 W. Germany"

 

A gorgeous writer, although it is marked B it writes like a stub. Currently filled with Havanna Brown.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Some internet research and Ebay gambles have revealed a few more Lamy details. Apparently there have been at least four "generations" of Lamy 2000 pens, as follows:

 

1. First generation has an L on the disk, no Lamy imprint on the side of the clip, a "Lamy 2000 W. Germany" imprint on the cap, a straight clip with a ball bearing at the end, and a nib size imprint on the underside of the section just below the "ears" ring.

 

2. Second generation has an L on the disk, a Lamy imprint on the side of the clip, "W. Germany" on the underside of the clip, and a solid machined clip.

 

3. Third generation has a silver disk only, a Lamy imprint on the side of the clip, and "Germany 1" or "Germany 2" on the underside of the clip, and a solid machined clip.

 

4. Fourth generation is same as #3, only with solid stainless steel around the breather hole on the section.

 

Lamy 2000 Limited Edition: Solid stainless steel body, same section and nib unit as #3, polished clip, no Lamy imprint on clip.

 

Three Lamy 2000 clips. Background is first gen with ball bearing. Middleground is third gen with Lamy imprint. Foreground is Lamy 2000 LE with polished clip and no Lamy imprint

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/4012559783_8e42d65855.jpg

 

Three Lamy 2000 sections. Leftmost is first gen with slightly longer black piece at the breather hole. Middle is third gen. Right is Lamy 2000 LE. The fourth gen (not pictured) has stainless steel around the breather hole, not black plastic.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2527/4012559865_8c1756a704.jpg

 

Three Lamy 2000 "butts." Leftmost is first gen with "L" on disk. Middle is Third gen. Right is Lamy 2000 LE.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/4012559721_bd8f991dbb.jpg

 

Lamy 2000 first gen with long breather hole plastic and nib size imprint.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2637/4012560005_e174f22843.jpg

 

Lamy 2000 first gen cap imprint

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/4012559445_3c9cc6128f.jpg

 

Lamy 2000 third gen clip imprint

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2576/4012559583_7dceb590be.jpg

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Sounds very interesting, Brandon, thank you for sharing this. Now, any ideas for putting actual dates on these four generations of pens?

I guess the fourth started around 2007/8, since I have a third that was purchased on a B&M official Lamy dealer in September 2007.

<font face="Verdana"><b><font color="#2f4f4f">d</font></b><font color="#4b0082">iplo</font></font><br /><br /><a href='http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showuser=6228' class='bbc_url' title=''><font face="Trebuchet MS"><br /><font size="4"><b><font color="#8b0000"><font color="#696969">Go</font> <font color="#006400">To</font> <font color="#a0522d">My</font> <font color="#4b0082">FPN</font> Profile!</font></b></font></font><br /></a>

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http://www.roossinck.com/emoticons/iseewhatyoudidthere.jpg

Brandon, it's great to see you hunting down this information to satisfy our curiousity. Wish I could lend a hand, but all four of the 2000s that have passed through my hands have been pretty normal and boring (aside from the one I still own right now - it's been converted to an eyedropper, and it's apparently a hybrid model featuring a clip silkscreened W. Germany on it, but with a barrel sans "L" on the bottom). By the end of next week, it'll be even weirder, as a good friend and collecting buddy is sending me a replacement nib for it that likely predates the pen by 20 or 30 years (it's a nib from a 27/30 series).

Hey manolo, is that set engraved/silkscreened anywhere with the Gulf logo or anything?

(Thinks to himself, "How cool would it be if there was a little engraved Gulf logo on the top of the clip, or a color logo silkscreened on the top of the cap?" Oh, how awesome would that look next to a die cast model of the Gulf Porsche 917s from the Le Mans days?)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Rq%2Bgb01iL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Edited by RMN

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1118/726404937_328386ddc6_o.jpg

Brassing Adds Character: Available by clicking on my signature.

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