Help finding an old Lego booklet? Please

[Lego_Minon]

When I was younger me and my sister had a lot of Lego, and along with it a few instruction / helpful booklets. Sadly this Lego was passed on and so too were the booklets. :(

One of these showed you how to make an old fashioned phone using flat plates (i'm 99% sure these were green in the example shown) and making the phone piece out of normal bricks (I think they were red in the example shown)

The phone was similar in style to the attachment, quite blocky (obviously, as it was made of Lego)

I have been trying to find the booklet for several months now, and have drawn a blank at every turn :(

I would really like to find it so I can give it as part of a present for my sister's birthday, as she often reminisces about making these phones when we were children.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[davee123]

When were you "younger"? Could this have been a set from 2002? Or 1992? Or 1982? Or 1972?

I assume this is probably a Basic/Freestyle/Bricks & More/Universal set that had a limited set of instructions-- I assume it had other models in the booklet?

I believe there used to be a Mega Bloks Super Blocks phone (not LEGO) that was partially green, but I don't know if it had instructions, or if it was glued. It looked like this:

How large was it? Big enough for a kid to hold in their hand? Or was it smaller?

You show a push-button phone-- was it similarly a push-button, or was it a circular dial phone? Did it have a cord for the handset? If so, what was it made out of?

Did it have multiple steps for the phone? How many (approximately)? 3 steps? 30 steps?

DaveE

Edited June 23, 2016 by davee123

[Lego_Minon]

Hi Dave, sorry yes in hindsight not putting a year was daft :D I had the booklet in the mid 90s.

The book had instructions which I think were similar to the ones here https://uk.pinterest...10207476489065/

Not easy, but nor were they hugely complicated to build, roughly 10+ steps. You are correct there were other models in the book, but I have no recollection of any other than the phone, sorry.

It was not the one from you picture, although that has come up a lot in my search, i'm sure it was Lego, as apposed to any other brand.

The phone was pretty big, certainly large enough for a child to use as a play phone.

The phone was made to mimic a push button, I think it used 2x2 bricks to mimic the buttons. there was no cord, just the handset which went on the top.

I have also included a crude drawing to hopefully show how the phone was made up, the bricks jutted out, and i think it was made up of 2 flat green parts (there may have been a hinge to join them, sorry I can't remember more clearly)

[davee123]

Hm... Well, I looked through Peeron's instructions through 1999, and the closest match I could find was a phone from a 1973 idea book:

http://www.peeron.com/scans/221-1/41

But based on the above, I'll bet that's not right. Hmm... Do you know if it was an actual set? Or might it have been something else? It... could have been in a LEGO magazine, too. I think Brick Kicks and Mania Magazine were around at the time, although you sound like you're from the UK, so I'm not sure which ones would have been in the UK at the time offhand. There are some scans of the US magazines here:

http://www.miniland....agazine eng.htm

[edit]

Oh, here's some scans of the UK magazines from the time period, too:

http://www.miniland.nl/LEGOclub/lego%20magazine%20lezen%20eng.htm

[/edit]

DaveE

Edited June 22, 2016 by davee123

[Lego_Minon]

Thank you for looking, but unfortunately that's not the one (It's pretty cool though)

I'm almost sure it was a booklet / manual not a magazine. I don't think it was an actual set, as there were other things in the book, and i've searched like crazy and think it would have come up if it was an actual set. :(

[Lego_Minon]

Right i've been wracking my brains all night, this search mission is driving me crazy. I'm pretty sure the green part wasn't a hinged part but it did have ridges similar to one linked below, so you could fit them together and make a tent shape, if that makes sense. However, google is proving fruitless as it seems Lego haven't produced a large plate like this? (I think it was 16x16 but I can't be sure)

Were there any other brands at the time which imitated Lego and produced a part like this?

I'm 99% sure the booklet was Lego, but since i've not been able to find a mention of it anywhere, and nor has Dave, i'm getting very confused.

The plate (I think) were similar to this without the 1x4 bar, they had ridges so you could join them together to make a tent shape

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Car-Truck-Vehicle-White-Hinge-Hinged-Plate-Vehicle-Roof-Top-Lot-1-/201540539757?hash=item2eecc0956d:g:y9wAAOSw1DtXIXSr

[davee123]

Were there any other brands at the time which imitated Lego and produced a part like this?

Very hard to say. There were definitely other brands at the time. Tyco Super Blocks may have been around (they might have stopped by then), and Mega Bloks were also around by that time. Both are compatible with LEGO, and are often confused with LEGO. Cobi ... maybe? Not sure they'd be sold in the UK at the time, maybe just Europe. Best Lock? Not sure. And as to whether or not they had a large part like that? Ooof, very hard to say. Other products are very poorly documented, since there's not much of a dedicated fanbase.

I'm 99% sure the booklet was Lego, but since i've not been able to find a mention of it anywhere, and nor has Dave, i'm getting very confused.

It's possible that it's LEGO, although if it is, it would be a very difficult thing to find. A lot of "generic" LEGO sets contained minimalistic instructions, and haven't been scanned by LEGO fans. Once we get into year 2000 and beyond, people have been pretty good about getting instructions scanned-- and by 2005 or so, LEGO was even putting out PDFs of all their instructions, so we're pretty complete there. But mid 1990s and before is kinda sketchy. Most minifig-based sets and technic sets are documented, but there's a smattering of other sets that are NOT well documented.

However, given that it's a human-scale phone, it would normally be more likely to be in a LEGO idea book rather than a set (I would think). Most of the sets with instructions focused on minifig-scale constructions in the 1990s (that I know of), even in the "Basic/Freestyle" range. And I think all the idea books are pretty well scanned from the time period-- so... quite probably not in an idea book.

And as mentioned, there are a few other oddities that might qualify. Magazines sometimes put out instructions, and occasionally so did the UK catalogs (I believe). Also, LEGOLAND in Windsor may have sold or handed out similar sheets that aren't documented. LEGOLAND parks often had free license to make whatever they wanted, and could have made "phone" instructions, hard to say.

All that said, I can't seem to find anything in the LEGO documentation that matches what you're describing. You could also put out an APB on brickset.com's forums, too. There's a much larger contingent of UK-based AFOLs on that site, so you could get a response there that's worth something.

DaveE

[Lego_Minon]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Dave, what's an APB? I will definitely try and ask around. It's driving me crazy not being able to find it. :(

[davee123]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Dave, what's an APB?

Ahh, just silly American slang based on police terminology. In the US at least, police will put out an "All Points Bulletin (APB)", which basically means that they'll have all police units be aware of a certain situation. In TV shows and movies, you'll occasionally hear things like "Ok, we'll put out an APB on that red minivan!" or something similar. Basically means to have everyone be on the lookout for someone or something.

DaveE

Edited June 23, 2016 by davee123

[Lego_Minon]

Haha thank you for the insight into American life :) I'll see if they're able to help. (Although it's not looking very likely) :(

[Lego_Minon]

Eeek right after yet more googling / part searching I have found something which rings a bell. I'm 90% sure that the way the parts connected to form the phone shape used edges like these. where you could clip them together. I'm sure the plates used were 2 largish ones (perhaps 16x16) and a smaller one for the top on which the phone rested.

Now for my question, did Lego produce plates with this type of edge, as I can't seem to find any

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=312c#T=C

[davee123]

Now for my question, did Lego produce plates with this type of edge, as I can't seem to find any

Definitely not THAT large! LEGO has a few hinge elements that go together that way, but they're all in the 4x4 range or smaller that I'm aware of.

DaveE

[Lego_Minon]

Definitely not THAT large! LEGO has a few hinge elements that go together that way, but they're all in the 4x4 range or smaller that I'm aware of.

DaveE

Hmmm perhaps that 10% of uncertainty was warranted then, i'm sure they went together somehow I just wish I could remember 100%

This is so frustrating :(

[davee123]

Well, again, I don't think it's the one you wanted, but I found another set of instructions for a phone in one of the old LEGO magazines from the UK! Check out the 1988 Spring Bricks & Pieces magazine, page 9:

http://images.brickset.com/library/view/?f=bricksAndPieces/1988-1%20Spring

DaveE

[Lego_Minon]

Once again Dave I really really appreciate your help, the phone; as you suspected, isn't the one I remember, but it's still heartening to know that you're helping in my search.

I've applied to become a member of Brickset, just waiting for the confirmation and then i'll get posting.

I honestly never imagined finding it would be this difficult. :( It's so frustrating to have a partial memory that I can't 100% recall.

[BrickCurve]

Once again Dave I really really appreciate your help, the phone; as you suspected, isn't the one I remember, but it's still heartening to know that you're helping in my search.

I've applied to become a member of Brickset, just waiting for the confirmation and then i'll get posting.

I honestly never imagined finding it would be this difficult. :( It's so frustrating to have a partial memory that I can't 100% recall.

I have had quick look through Brick set with no luck. There is a 'Lego collectors guide' book that covers a large array of the older sets, it might have it in it. Try Amazon for that book.

Good luck in your search!

Edited June 27, 2016 by BrickCurve

[Lego_Minon]

Thank you BrickCurve. This search is turning into a wild goose chase. I'm sure I can't have been the only one to have had the booklet / brochure. However, I can't find a mention of it anywhere online or in the books I have purchased so far. I will take a look at the one you mentioned, and remain hopeful that I find it soon. :D

[davee123]

I will take a look at the one you mentioned, and remain hopeful that I find it soon. :D

Probably isn't in the books, since it's not likely an actual "set". The "LEGO Collector" books mentioned were intended to be listings of all of LEGO's plastic brick products over the years-- I think the most recent one is the 2nd edition from 2011 (1st edition was 2008):

http://brickset.com/sets/ISBN393597664X-1/LEGO-Collector-2nd-Edition

Those books are interesting, but won't have a listing unless it's actually a set. Further, I think between BrickSet, BrickLink, and LUGNET online databases, they're likely more complete than the books. So if it's in the book, I think it's in the database. Plus, the sketchy periods are mostly older stuff. I would expect most things from the 1990s are accounted for.

My suspicion is that it's probably not LEGO, given your description of the elements, plus the fact that we can't seem to find it anywhere. There are a couple possibilities still, but it's kinda iffy. I'd still recommend asking on the BrickSet forums, though. They may not know anything further, but at least there's a bunch of other Brits on there who may have a better chance of having seen it growing up.

DaveE

[Nantucketdink]

You aren't rembering Bristle Blocks instead perhaps?

Remembering

[Lego_Minon]

Probably isn't in the books, since it's not likely an actual "set". The "LEGO Collector" books mentioned were intended to be listings of all of LEGO's plastic brick products over the years-- I think the most recent one is the 2nd edition from 2011 (1st edition was 2008):

http://brickset.com/...tor-2nd-Edition

Those books are interesting, but won't have a listing unless it's actually a set. Further, I think between BrickSet, BrickLink, and LUGNET online databases, they're likely more complete than the books. So if it's in the book, I think it's in the database. Plus, the sketchy periods are mostly older stuff. I would expect most things from the 1990s are accounted for.

My suspicion is that it's probably not LEGO, given your description of the elements, plus the fact that we can't seem to find it anywhere. There are a couple possibilities still, but it's kinda iffy. I'd still recommend asking on the BrickSet forums, though. They may not know anything further, but at least there's a bunch of other Brits on there who may have a better chance of having seen it growing up.

DaveE

Hi Dave, i'm still waiting to be accepted onto the forum, will chase them up :) I suspect it may not have been actual Lego either, although the instructions certainly resembled Lego's own.

You aren't rembering Bristle Blocks instead perhaps?

Remembering

Definitely not Bristle bricks or stickle bricks as I call them. This was definitely small bricks like Lego. Thank you for your help though, every reply could lead me closer to finding the phone :D

[Modulex Guy]

Tyco Phone?

EDIT: Saw it in the first post. oops.

Edited June 29, 2016 by Modulex Guy

[Lego_Minon]

Tyco Phone?

EDIT: Saw it in the first post. oops.

Ah don't worry, I appreciate your help. :) Been away from home for a few days, will get round to posting later, fingers crossed someone knows of it. :D