In 1962, Dr Manfred Lamy took over the company that his father had founded in Heidelberg, Germany. As its new Marketing Manager, the first thing Dr Lamy did was to hire Gerd Alfred Müller.
Müller, then a freelance industrial designer, was well known for his work with Dieter Rams at Braun. His hugely successful designs include the KM32 food processor and SM3 electric shaver. A number of Braun products designed by Müller are in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Dr Lamy had hoped to build up the profile of the Lamy brand and therefore worked to outline a consistent vision and distinct design aesthetic for the company’s products. The Lamy 2000 project was born from this collaboration.
First launched in 1966, the Lamy 2000 design proved to be a resounding success and has endured through the millennium and beyond. It has come to epitomise the values that Lamy stands for today.
Gerd Alfred Müller went on to design three additional products for the Lamy company – the CP1, ST and now discontinued Unic. He passed away in 1991.
Lamy CP1: The CP1 or “Cylindrical Pen 1” is a minimalist masterpiece which first made its appearance in 1974. Made of steel and coated with matte black titanium oxide lacquer, it challenged the notion that beauty required sophistication. The slim pen has a brushed stainless steel clip similar to the one found on the 2000.
The CP1 was a big hit in Germany at the time of its release and was also available in a white finish as well as brushed stainless steel. A premium version of the CP1 is available today with a fluted, platinum plated barrel. The ST is a close relative of the CP1 and has a flat clip.
The Lamy CP1 is a winner of the if Hannover 1988 award.
Lamy Unic: The Unic is an exceptional writing instrument of unmistakable industrial beauty. Created by Gerd A. Müller in 1984, the Unic has a cylindrical body and stainless steel nib section. Its functional design is a bold representation of Müller at the height of his creative prowess.
The Unic is a step up from the CP1 and has a distinctive large clip which wraps around the barrel of the pen. The Unic ballpoint is exceptional as it has a telescoping mechanism that propels the refill outward. The pen is available in both stainless steel and matte black and is highly sought after by collectors and fans of Müller.
The Lamy Unic is the winner of the following awards – the Design Centre Stuttgart in 1988, if Hannover and Design Centre Nordrhein-Westfalen in 1989.
