Best site for Lego history?

[KrasiniArithmetic]

I've been getting deeply into collecting vintage Lego - particularly anything produced BEFORE 1970, with an emphasis on the period between 1955 and 1965. Unfortunately, I can't find a lot of quality information on this period. Miniland.nl is the best resource I know of, but it's somewhat lacking in some areas. If there is another resource I could go to for information on vintage Lego, I'd love to learn of it.

[Digger of Bricks]

1 hour ago, KrasiniArithmetic said:

I've been getting deeply into collecting vintage Lego - particularly anything produced BEFORE 1970, with an emphasis on the period between 1955 and 1965. Unfortunately, I can't find a lot of quality information on this period. Miniland.nl is the best resource I know of, but it's somewhat lacking in some areas. If there is another resource I could go to for information on vintage Lego, I'd love to learn of it.

You may want to perhaps take a look at @LEGO Historian's many topics... 

Eurobricks - LEGO Historian's Content

[LEGO Historian]

Or... you can buy my 2800 page Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide (73 chapters on everything LEGO).

I cannot say too much here, due to Eurobricks rules on buying/selling, but you can find info on my $29,95 collectors guide at the bottom of this post, or on the Eurobricks Bazaar, where I bumped the thread to the top, with additional information.

The nice thing about a download is that for one price you can download it to your PC, MAC, Tablet, or SmartPhone (or multiple devices), and no shipping or customs!  

 

[KrasiniArithmetic]

2 hours ago, LEGO Historian said:

Or... you can buy my 2800 page Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide (73 chapters on everything LEGO).

I just purchased the Collector's Guide to help answer some of my questions about the 1:87 vehicles. It's going to be a great reference as my collection grows!

However, there are at least two points upon which I'm still confused regarding some of those models.

First: How many colors was the Vauxhall Victor Estate produced in? Your guide lists three - Blue, Red, and White. Miniland.nl, which has been my resource up to this point, lists three - Red, White, and Black. This last one is not listed in your guide while the owner of Miniland.nl is unsure that blue was ever a color they were produced in. Since there is a good chance that I could be buying what appears to be a blue Vauxhall in the coming days, I'd like to know what you guys think about this discrepency.

Second: I may also be soon to buy a version of the Bedford Esso Tanker with a different painting pattern than is listed in your guide. It's most similar to the Norwegian version, with the stripe simply bearing the word 'ESSO'. However, it differs in that the stripe appears to have been only painted as a backdrop to the word and does not extend the full length of the tank. I suppose I can send you an eBay link to the listing, but I call dibs on it if genuine, so please don't outbid me!

Third: Where do you go looking to expand your collection? eBay is where I've been going because I don't know anywhere better to haunt.

 

[LEGO Historian]

That version of my collectors guide has an error.... the 671 Vauxhall Victor Estate should only be available in white (very common), black (rare) and red (very rare).  Those are the same colors that the 670 Jaguar was sold in... with that car in white (very common), red (rare) and black (very rare).  If you have one painted in blue... I would be very suspicious if it wasn't a "repaint".  I would want to check it under a jewelers glass to inspect it.

Here are the 3 (known) colors that the 671 Vauxhall are found in....

 

And here are the 3 known colors that the 670 Jaguar are known in (the 4th one appears to have been a white car that yellowed over the years)...

 

 

These 2 images are new ones that will be in the upgraded guide (free to current owners) coming out at the end of the year.  

 

 

[KrasiniArithmetic]

Thank you. That helps!

Here's the listing for the Esso Tanker I asked about:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Denmark-1950s-Bedford-Esso-Tanker-Truck-1-87-Scale-B/323841037319

In those photos, I don't see any obvious signs of paint removal on the side stripes - aside from the fact that the stripes are truncated. I'm not going to purchase unless I have some confidence, though.

[Collector245]

Hello

I also collect pre 1970 LEGO items. The decal on the side of that Esso tanker looks to be a replica. It may be that somebody found the Esso tanker then researched it and found out about the rare Norwegian version. Then they got a replica decal, put it on the side, then put the tanker up for auction hoping to make lots of money. If I saw the auction I would not bid on it, but I am not an expert. I would wait for LEGO Historian to reply before deciding to bid on it or not.

Best Regards,  William