Classic Pens LR3 Woodland Oak 2001

by Jim Mamoulides, February 9, 2024

Classic Pens LR3 Woodland Oak fountain pen 2001

A Walk in the Woods

The Classic Pens LR3 Woodland Oak fountain pen is the third pen in the LR series collaboration between Paul Rossi and Andreas Lambrou. The cut and carved sterling silver artwork by Paul Rossi was inspired by the American oak tree, with a filigree of leaves and acorns in two panels, one on the cap and one on the barrel. The overlays are on the Parker Duofold Centennial in Jade Green, to compliment the natural forms.

Andreas Lambrou and Paul Rossi began developing the limited series that would become the Classic Pens Lambrou Rossi LR collection in 2000, and by the end that year, they decided on five designs. Each design is numbered, LR1 to LR5, and debuted at the February, 2001 Los Angeles Pen Show.

Classic Pens LR3 Woodland Oak fountain pen 2001

The leaf and acorn form favors the American white oak, a common deciduous tree in the eastern United States. Similar trees in the white oak family include the bur oak, chestnut oak, and Oregon white oak. The leaves are identified by their rounded lobes and the tips do not have bristles like the red oak. Young white oak trees have a pyramidal shape that expands out to a majestic, rounded crown and can reach heights up to 135 feet and a spread of 80 feet, though most trees will be 80 to 100 feet tall. The common name, white oak, refers to the finished wood.

This same design concept was also used on the 2004 Classic Pens LS10 Inochi (Life), a maki-e artwork pen done on the Parker Duofold, Classic Legend, and Montblanc 149, though the leaf shape is for different oak tree. Andreas Lambrou’s description of that pen was, “The design was inspired by the oak tree, a symbol of strength. Its green leaves represent dignity, integrity and honor. Together with golden acorns, they mark a new season in the forest—a new beginning. The Inochi is a three-dimensional composition. It has a raised and textured background in shades of brown, representing the bark of the oak tree. The pen is decorated with acorns and green oak leaves.” The design is by artist Shogetsu Mitani, who is famous for his work on ceremonial tea containers.

Classic Pens LR3 Woodland Oak fountain pen 2001

The cap and barrel overlays are hallmarked 925 in an oval, indicating sterling silver, on the front near where the cap and barrel meet, and below the clip on the cap. The barrel overlay has Paul Rossi’s initials on either side of the hallmark. The back side of the barrel overlay is engraved with the edition number, as “No 9” for number nine.

The base pen for LR3 Woodland Oak is the Jade Green Parker Duofold Centennial. The Duofold Centennial was introduced in 1987 as a modern interpretation of the flattop Parker Duofold of the 1920s. Parker updated the pen in 1996 with several new design changes, favoring the Duofold streamlined design introduced in 1929. The changes included a new two tone 18 karat gold nib, a tapered cap top, a new cap top emblem, a single plated band on the nib section, two wide cap bands, a single plated barrel end trim band, and a shorter barrel end cap. In addition to black, three new marbled cap and barrel colors were introduced, Jasper Red, Jade Green, and Lapis Lazuli Blue, made from acrylic resin.

Classic Pens LR3 Woodland Oak fountain pen 2001

I don’t know how many LR3 pens were actually made, but I recall the edition was to be a total of ten. This example is number 9, so it’s likely that ten were made. These pens are highly prized, and a complete set is very valuable. They are rarely available for purchase.

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References

Parker Duofold, by David Shepherd and Dan Zazove, 2006 Surrenden Pens Limited, Brighton, UK, pages 278, 316-319

Quercus alba, N.C. Cooperative Extension, NC State University, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences