The article first part was about the planning of the safari and the period before entering the market. In this part, I will write about the appearance of the safari and the time that has passed since then, introducing the members of the safari family, its variants, and colors.
Market entry and the initial period
The safari family was launched in 1980, with four members: fountain pen, ballpoint pen, mechanical pencil, and rollerball. The first public presentation took place at the 1980 Frankfurt fair, where Lamy's exhibition stand was built to imitate a camp environment, sprinkled with desert sand, decorated with desert plants and stands, chairs, objects, and tents designed for the safari.
Despite lengthy preparatory work and thorough planning, it did not meet the expectations: the pen initially did not achieve the success among young people that was anticipated. The two colors were not eye-catching enough to appeal to the targeted age group. However, surprising successes were achieved among adults. The grip section, which ensures a stable hold, and the durable design also resonated with adults. This led to the idea of creating colors that would be more attractive to the older age group. The first such color, “umbra,” was introduced to the range when the designer, Wolfgang Fabian, mixed all the paints at hand, thus creating a very dark, almost black, but somewhat lighter and warmer color. This model became the pen with the fantasy name s2. The prototype of the other model, the alpin, was made by dipping a green pen into shiny white paint, while leaving the clips black. This immediately appealed to Manfred Lamy, as the development of the white pen was underway at that time, which was the world's first completely white pen, so a white safari fit perfectly into the product range.
After the initial few years of difficulties, these two colors brought the expected success for Lamy, first in the American market, and later in Europe as well. Initially, it was primarily not among the younger age group, but among adults. The (almost) black color showcases the clean design and avant-garde style much better, highlighting the geometric shapes, and fits much more with the usual Lamy appearance. Both the umbra and the white model are much more subdued and serious, while the original two colors are more likely to be imagined in a school pencil case.
The company quickly recognized this demand and did not continue to push the original safari theme. The two original colors – first terracotta, then green – were removed from the offering, with the emphasis shifting to umbra and white. The advertising campaign also changed, and the box associated with the pen became more subdued and serious.
Even in the 1980s, the range was expanded with a new color, red, and in the 1990s, yellow, blue, and light gray versions also appeared. These colorful models became significantly more popular among schoolchildren as well. The brightly polished colorful models carry a sense of playfulness and freshness, reminding in their material and color of the toys of the era, e.g., Lego bricks. After their appearance, many were sold to young people, thus Lamy ultimately achieved its goal with the safari: it became the most popular fountain pen among German schoolchildren.
Interestingly, Lamy treated the different colors as separate product families until the mid-2000s. Although the summary name was safari, officially this name only referred to the yellow pen, while the individual colors were known by different names. The official colors at the end of the 1990s:
- s2 – matte umbra (carbon black)
- alpin – glossy white
- hot – glossy red
- safari – glossy yellow
- sky – bright blue
- griso – matte light gray
The safari family
Lamy developed the safari not only as a fountain pen but as a complete product family, and unlike previous models (e.g., 2000, cp1), it was introduced to the market with the entire family at once. In addition to the fountain pen, a rollerball pen, ballpoint pen, and mechanical pencil were included in the offering. The grip section received a supportive grip for all four writing instruments. The rollerball pen was designed similarly to the fountain pen, with only a few minor differences distinguishing it from the former: the shape of the cap-retaining screw, the color of the cap that closes the end of the body on early models (black), and the absence of an ink window on newer models. The design of the grip section is also different; unlike the fountain pen, it can be held in multiple positions. This design was also adopted for the grip sections of the ballpoint pen and mechanical pencil, but there are greater differences in appearance for these. Both writing instruments inherited the cylindrical body, but without truncation, as the clip now provides protection against rolling.
The most special member of the family, alongside the fountain pen, is the ballpoint pen, which features a black rubber accordion on its push button, which has become an iconic part of the safari design. The mechanical pencil is perhaps the least conspicuous member of the family. Compared to the mechanical pencil, it is slightly bulky and lacks the rubber accordion that makes the ballpoint pen so interesting.
Thanks to the success of the safari, the family expanded in the mid-90s with a new member: the safari Twin was launched in 1996, a pen with two functions at once, equipped with ballpoint and mechanical pencil refills. Lamy produced it until the mid-2000s, after which it was removed from the offering. Lamy still manufactures similar two-function safaris today, the Twin pen, EMR, and ballpoint refill, which can be used on both tablets and paper. There is also a digital writing pen, the Safari note+, which most resembles the safari rollerball pen in appearance.
Colors and shape variations
The safaris have been manufactured in Germany, in Heidelberg, from the very beginning – just like the other Lamy products. Not only is assembly done at the Lamy factory, but every single component is made here, and the nibs of the finished fountain pens are tested individually before they reach the store.
Although today's safari and the original model released in 1980 are almost identical in design, they have undergone several minor and major modifications over the years. On internet forums and in articles, several generations are usually distinguished – primarily based on the components of the fountain pen – and the classification of these can be a topic of debate.
In the history of the safari, there were two years when the appearance of the pen was significantly modified. In 1997, it underwent a major redesign to make its production more economical. During the transformation, they achieved a reduction from the previous 14 components to 11 for the fountain pen. Although the goal was to achieve lower production costs, the transformation was a great success, eliminating the weak points of the earlier models (the clip-cap junction, the movement of the nib). Externally, this change is almost imperceptible, perhaps only noticeable at the screw on the top of the cap, which was previously made of metal, while the new model has solved it with plastic. The changes achieved their goal, and the prices of the pens were kept at the previous level.
The other significant turning point was the year 2010, when the biggest external change occurred in the safari. In the original version, the components that served some function – the clip, the cap fastening screw, the ink guide, the ring on the body – were uniformly black, but from this year, the basic model is produced with a chrome clip. By then, the safari was manufactured almost exclusively with a glossy finish, except for one or two models. The chrome clip, which almost acts as a decorative element, and the glossy surface made the safari a more vibrant, striking, and lively writing instrument.
Instead of the previous basic colors, new colors have been added to the range, and in 2004, a special edition series was launched that appears every year: one, two, or even three limited edition colors are released annually. The appearance of limited edition releases significantly boosted sales, as many seek these pens, which usually come in special, vibrant colors. This may be due to the fact that cheerful colors are no longer just writing instruments but also fashionable accessories with which the owner can express their personality.
Rarities, limited editions.
The basic colors of the safari and its latest limited models are available to anyone in stationery stores in Hungary. Those who like the earlier models with black clips can find them on eBay or other online marketplaces, often in new condition. However, for those who wish to acquire earlier special edition pieces, it is much more difficult. The pens from the first few series can be purchased on eBay at many times the original price – if they are available at all.
Even rarer are the first series safari models from the early 80s, in the two original colors. Lamy – one year late for the 40th anniversary – reintroduced the two colors in 2021, as part of the annual limited series. These look great in evoking the first series, but of course differ from them in their components and minor details.
There are pieces made to order for companies, which usually feature advertisements or logos, but there were also pieces made – as early as the 80s – that display the company's color, which Lamy achieved by repainting the clip. Due to this special color combination and the early series, they are very rare and often change hands for high amounts. A few years ago, a green clip white-bodied fountain pen-ballpoint pen set made for a German company sold for nearly two thousand dollars at an auction on eBay. This is, of course, not common, rather just an interesting exception, but it clearly shows that there are collectors willing to pay anything for a missing model.
The matte white version and the completely transparent demonstrator made in the 80s and 90s, which were not commercially available, are rarely encountered. It should not be confused with the also transparent vista model, which is a pen similar to the safari but differs in some of its components, which only appeared in 2002.
The variants of the safari and other models
Over the years, as the safari became increasingly popular, its variants and other pens utilizing the safari design or elements began to appear. The first of these was the joy, which appeared in the mid-90s, a fountain pen equipped with a calligraphy nib and an extended pen body. Aside from the nib and the length of the pen body, it is identical to the safari. In the 2000s, the aforementioned vista, the transparent version of the safari, was released. The aluminum version (AL-star, 1997) and the “luxury” Lx model (2016) were also introduced.
The nib and the corresponding ink feed in the fountain pen were specifically made for the safari. The early versions differ from the current ones in one or two minor details, but they are compatible with today's pens as well. Later, as safari sales grew, the nib was incorporated into more and more models, and newly designed pens also adopted this system. Nowadays, most Lamy pens use this system, in various color variations, made of steel or gold.
The icon that redefined the fountain pen
The Lamy Safari has created an iconic fountain pen that not only fits into the Lamy product range but has also defined it over time as the company's most successful product. It is simultaneously sleek yet playful and cheerful, functional and unusual, understated and groundbreaking, appealing to both children and adults, an iconic design product that is still affordable. It is timeless, yet has a touch of the 80s in it. Not many fountain pens can claim these qualities.
Upon its release, it seemed very special, novel, and groundbreaking, and it still does today, thanks to Lamy's design philosophy, which is based on clean geometric shapes and the demonstration of functionality. This is what makes it equally valid and modern in the school fountain pen market for the coming decades.
The success of the Safari also required Lamy's patience; it took 5 years for the market to accept and begin to appreciate the pen. Therefore, the Safari did not become one of the world's most popular fountain pens by chance. It is the result of thorough consideration and careful design, which could only come from a manufacturer that is so committed to its own identity and principles.
Sources
- Lamy – Forms of Success – 20 Years of Lamy Design, 1986, C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg.
- Lamy – Forms of Success – The Handwriting of Lamy 1966-1996, 1996, C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg.
- 40 Years of Design Brand Lamy, 2006, C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg
- Not just a pen Lamy, 2016, C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg
- The LAMY safari Class Pen, 1980, form · Magazine for Design 91, Verlag form GmbH, Seeheim
- …for LAMY, 1988, form · Magazine for Design 121, Verlag form GmbH, Seeheim
- Lamy catalogs
- Inside Stationery (Pt. 02): Wolfgang Fabian – Lamy Safari – https://scrively.org/inside-stationery-pt-02-wolfgang-fabian-lamy-safari/
- lamy.com
