In addition to great books, Politics & Prose carries an array of non-book items for gifts and personal use.  Every once in awhile an unusual product comes along that warrants a special mention in this column. Such is the case with a beautiful and innovative line of pens that we’re now carrying at the store.

Made in Gemany by Lamy, these pens first caught our attention because they are so sleek, attractive, and wonderful to write with. Each type—fountain, rollerball, and ballpoint—combines elegant design with functionality and comes in assorted styles and colors.

Given the company’s origins, it’s not surprising that its pens are so distinctive and have won so many awards for modern design over the years. Lamy began as a small operation in Heidelberg more than a half century ago. But at least initially, there was little about its pens to distinguish them from other brands. That changed in the 1960s when, searching to set itself apart in the design world, the company engaged the services of Gerd A. Müller, one of the most innovative designers at Braun, the German manufacturer of consumer products. Influenced by the Bauhaus movement, Müller believed in minimalism and in form following function, and he designed the first in a line of Lamy fountain pens that the company still makes today. A succession of other designers followed with pens that were at once modern, sleek, and original, while also comfortable to hold and smooth to write with. Not to mention reasonably priced.

Fast-forward a few decades since Müller’s first fountain pen, called the Lamy 2000, and the company’s inventory now consists of an array of writing implements, from the most sophisticated fountain pens to calligraphy utensils to mechanical pencils.

At P&P we’re carrying several fountain pens (with cartridges, not ink bottles), rollerballs, and ballpoints, in a range of styles, colors, and prices. Once you pick one up and write with it, we think you’ll understand what makes the pen so irresistible.

-- Brad and Lissa