LEGO Historian Posted July 3, 2012 Posted July 3, 2012 OK, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this... but here goes... 1) Where were the first LEGO motors sold? 2) What is the most valuable part in the 7760 Shunter Locomotive... 3) LEGO founder Ole Kirk Christiansen married a lady named Edith... what was her nationality? 4) Why was the tall modern Cypress Tree discontinued in 2002? 5) What LEGO tragedy happened on Oct. 30, 1969? 6) What LEGO tragedy happened on Feb. 4, 1960... that changed the way LEGO did business? 7) What set did this rare LEGO part (with cross supports underneath) originate from.... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=733eX 8) In the 1970s... what was DUPLO called in Australia? 9) What was the largest size LEGO baseplate (stud sizes) that TLG ever sold? 10) What was the 2nd oldest LEGOLAND park? Quote
Ricecracker Posted July 4, 2012 Posted July 4, 2012 I'll leave this open as a quiz, but I've removed the last section. Contests (including sweepstakes and raffles) are only held by Staff as we've had problems in past the with a lack of organization and follow-through. As well, I've quoted some sections of the site guidelines below regarding selling and self-promotion: New members are not allowed to sell/trade on this site, but we do allow long term members to do so in the Buy/Sell/Trade/Finds forum; be sure to read the rules to this forum before posting there. Please don't use Eurobricks as a billboard. You may certainly post links to your site in your signature, but don't join just to advertise your site. I'm sure people will enjoy the quiz regardless, and good luck with your book. Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 4, 2012 Author Posted July 4, 2012 I'll leave this open as a quiz, but I've removed the last section. Contests (including sweepstakes and raffles) are only held by Staff as we've had problems in past the with a lack of organization and follow-through. As well, I've quoted some sections of the site guidelines below regarding selling and self-promotion: I'm sure people will enjoy the quiz regardless, and good luck with your book. Thanks, wasn't sure... I was wondering why I couldn't post over there (since I've been a member since 2007)... but you have a 100 post minimum. Gotcha... (lol... to bad it wasn't a thousand word minimum... I'd have made that a long time ago... ) Quote
just2good Posted July 4, 2012 Posted July 4, 2012 Wait, there's a reason why the Tall Cypress Tree piece was discontinued? 4) Now that I think about it, was it because it was sharp and pointy? Quote
davee123 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 I think I know answers for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10. 1, 7, and 8 are befuddling me though. 1 and 8 MIGHT be referenced in one of the LEGO books, but I don't recall either offhand. I also found one reference to Duplo in Australia on BrickFetish, but it... seemed to just be called "Duplo". So maybe there's more to that story... Will we get any answers? DaveE Quote
The Blue Brick Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) (4. Did they stop the production of the Cypress tree, because they had finished rereleasing or producing main street. Also, did they need to bring that piece back in production and then discontinue after, or was it still being produced at the time? EDIT: Is it bad that I don't know any of these? Edited July 5, 2012 by The Blue Brick Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 5, 2012 Author Posted July 5, 2012 I'll give some additional info on the Cypress Tree... In 2001 this parts pack had 5 of them... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=10113-1 But in 2003 when the re-release of the 6390 Main Street Set (10041) came out... the Cypress Tree was NOT included.... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?S=10041-1 Quote
davee123 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 Can you clarify for #1 whether that's LEGO System motors, or motors for other toys that LEGO may have had? (I honestly don't know if other toys had motors-- and would a wind-up motor count?) DaveE Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 5, 2012 Author Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) Can you clarify for #1 whether that's LEGO System motors, or motors for other toys that LEGO may have had? (I honestly don't know if other toys had motors-- and would a wind-up motor count?) DaveE Dave, here's a hint... this retailer LEGO order form is dated August 1965... and it lists all the LEGO items coming out soon thereafter... pictured in my LEGO DVD (in the chapter on retailer catalogs, order forms, display models, display items, and signage).... Also... this previous order form lists what would likely be the most valuable LEGO item EVER.... "MINIATURE CAR ASSORTMENT". This would be a case of 75 1:87 cars (#261-#268)... each in their own small plastic garage with a paper band around each one. These individually would go for at least $150 each MISB... but a box of 75.... YIKES.... at least $11,000.... So far none of those have ever been found.... Edited July 5, 2012 by LEGO Historian Quote
davee123 Posted July 6, 2012 Posted July 6, 2012 Huh-- so the motor set that's listed on LUGNET/BrickLink was the first one? http://guide.lugnet.com/set/002 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=002-1 Interesting that the motor that came out in 1966 by LEGO proper (not Samsonite) was pretty different than this one. DaveE Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 6, 2012 Author Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) Huh-- so the motor set that's listed on LUGNET/BrickLink was the first one? http://guide.lugnet.com/set/002 http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?S=002-1 Interesting that the motor that came out in 1966 by LEGO proper (not Samsonite) was pretty different than this one. DaveE Yesiree.... The first mention of a LEGO motor was in a March 1965 USA "Toys & Novelties" magazine... by Samsonite LEGO. It appeared in USA/Canada by late 1965 as #002. What is really interesting about that motor... is that the #002 motor itself is found in a clear plastic housing identical to the #261-#268 1:87 garages. http://www.bricklink...mPic.asp?P=bb20 And the battery box is found in a clear plastic housing identical to the clear plastic boxes of the 1963-65 Architectural #518-#521 parts packs.... with that funky 8x11 gray plate. Although there's no plate in the battery box, the dimensions are identical (8x11), and the plastic box even has that "X" pattern on top. http://www.bricklink...mPic.asp?P=bb21 The first appearance of a motor in Europe coincided with the introduction of the first LEGO trains in mid 1966... using the blue housing (#100 & #101). These were also sold in USA/Canada in train sets... alongside the #002 clear motor, which was also sold in a few of the larger Samsonite Basic Sets, such as the #003 Master Mechanic Set. One final thing... the early Samsonite motor must have been developed in Denmark... those 8x11 boxed (#518-#521) architectural packs were never sold in USA/Canada.... although the #261-#268 1:87 car/garage was sold there... but ironically NEVER shown in any Samsonite LEGO catalog. The discontinuing of the #261-#268 and #518-#521 plastic boxes took place in late 1965... so either TLG reused the molds to make the Samsonite motors... or took the excess inventory of remaining plastic boxes and shipped them to Samsonite (with motor)... as we remember about TLG... they NEVER threw anything away!! Also... as a footnote... the Samsonite clear motors were discontinued in circa 1968. And the last occurrence of the 1:87 clear plastic garages? Ironically they were found in the late 1960s Samsonite #536 Designer Set (with 1:87 car)... 3 were found in the 1969-70 Samsonite #842 Sears exclusive Town Plan... and 4 were found in early versions of the 1970-71 Samsonite #157 4 Car Auto Transport sets (later sets had 4 non-LEGO "Minix" cars without garages). But these were gone from Europe by 1967 (one each was found in the #695 and #696 6 car packs). Edited July 6, 2012 by LEGO Historian Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 6, 2012 Author Posted July 6, 2012 Wait, there's a reason why the Tall Cypress Tree piece was discontinued? 4) Now that I think about it, was it because it was sharp and pointy? I would have thought that as well... but they were "soft, sharp and pointy"... If I'm not mistaken there were complaints that the last 2001 parts pack with 5 of the Cypress trees... that they didn't always stand up straight.... the trees often had a bend to them. This begs the question though... was TLG using the old softer green plastic on these trees to get rid of the remaining inventory of those pellets? (Remember... TLG never threw anything away). I don't recall ever seeing 2 versions (soft and harder) of the Cypress trees available in Bricklink stores, or mentioned anywhere. But yes... I had heard the complaint of some folks about the trees not standing up straight. And in 2003 the reissue of the Main Street set didn't have the Cypress Trees... they must have already retired the mold... ... the answer to #7... the gray 10x10 (with cross supports)... is this set (my friend Eric Strand recently had this image added to the Bricklink database... although without an inventory... you wouldn't have been able to cross reference it... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?S=005-1 This very small late 1960s #005 basic set was only sold in a few continental European countries. Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 7, 2012 Author Posted July 7, 2012 (edited) The Answer to #8...... Although the ad is not the best scan... it is Australian... Edited July 7, 2012 by LEGO Historian Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 10, 2012 Author Posted July 10, 2012 5) What LEGO tragedy happened on Oct. 30, 1969? That would be the death of Hanne Christiansen, the brother of LEGO principal owners Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, and Gunhild Christiansen Johansen. On that fateful rainy night 20 year old Hanne would join her 22 year old brother Kjeld on an evening to go to a Cinema. Older sister Gunhild (23) did not attend. Supposedly there were others in the car that fateful night, and although the details of who was driving were never released, speculation has it that the driver was the son of one of Copenhagen's largest Department Store owners. Anyway the nearest cinema to Billund (which was too small to have one) was in the larger town of "Give". So on that rainy night, the car in which both Hanne and Kjeld were passengers, skidded off the road on the way home from the cinema and hit a tree. Back in those days seat belts weren't even an afterthought... and Kjeld was severely injured, requiring 6 months of hospitalization and rehab. Hanne, unfortunately died of her injuries. Their father Godtfred Kirk was grief stricken (as would be expected) at having youngest daughter perish, as well as having his only son severely injured. He was so grief stricken for many months, that others in the company had to temporarily take over operations of TLG. Godtfred Kirk was even thinking about selling TLG, his grief was so bad. However, eventually he started his recovery from having lost his youngest child, and nearly losing his son.... and he once again took over the family business, and slowly recovered from his grief. It was a good thing too, because 1970 would prove to be one of the most difficult years in TLG history... the Italian Parliament just passed a bill forbidding the importation of construction toys, and litigation was started against the "underperforming" USA Samsonite LEGO licensee (which TLG eventually won, booting USA Samsonite out of the LEGO business by 1973). So today (after the 1995 death of Godtfred Kirk) there are only 2 branches of the Christiansen/Kristiansen family that own TLG.... the branch headed by Kjeld, and that by Gunhild. Together they own Kirkbi/AG, the Swiss holding company that owns TLG. Here are some 1955-58 spare parts pack boxes (in different languages as well as the international "LEGO System")... that show young Gunhild, Hanne and Kjeld. Hanne has the blue dress with yellow blouse. This info is found in my LEGO DVD.... Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 11, 2012 Author Posted July 11, 2012 2) The 7760 Shunter Locomotive is pictured on early 1980s medium sized LEGO catalogs... even in Canada, where the 12V train system and the 7760 were never sold!! The sticker sheet is often the most valuable item in any old LEGO set... but in the 7760 there was one item that was only ever found in that one set (2 of them)... the very valuable 1x3x2 classic window in blue... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=31&colorID=7 Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 11, 2012 Author Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) 3) My mistake... Ole Kirk Christiansen did not marry a lady named "Edith"..... that was his son's wife (mother of Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, and still alive). Ole Kirk, born in 1891 spent his teen years doing his woodwork apprenticeship in Norway. That is where he met his future Norwegian wife.... Kristian Sorensen. They were married in 1916 and returned to Denmark. They had 4 children... Johannes Kirk Christiansen in 1917, Karl-George and Gerhardt Kirk Christiansen in 1919, and finally Godtfred Kirk Christiansen in 1920. Their mother passed away a few years later, leaving Ole Kirk to raise his 4 sons. When Ole Kirk died in 1958, his youngest son Godtfred Kirk took over the company as managing director. Within 4 years he bought out his 3 brothers, who didn't like his preference for plastic over wood for toys. Image (from 1957) from left to right.... Gerhardt, Karl George, father Ole Kirk, Johannes and Godtfred. Image from my LEGO Collectors Guide dowload. For those who thought they had the right answers... check out EBAY "LEGO Guide download". Edited July 11, 2012 by LEGO Historian Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 11, 2012 Author Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) This discussion about the Christiansen founding LEGO family... begets the answer to #6... what tragedy happened on Feb. 4, 1960 that changed the way that LEGO did business... That was the day the LEGO wooden toy factory/warehouse burned down. Managing director Godtfred Kirk Christiansen decided to end wooden toy production after that calamity, and his 3 brothers didn't like that decision one bit!! So within 2 years Godtfred bought out brothers Johannes, Karl George and Gerhardt. 2 of the brothers went on to produce a toy called BILOFIX and BILOTOY... but that only lasted a few years. It was this momentous decision in 1960 that set TLG on its' course with the LEGO System of Play, consisting of the plastic brick as the primary toy. Today it is Godtfred's (died 1995) branch of the Christiansen family that are now billionaires... and the family of the other 3 brothers...sadly are NOT. However, many of the members of the extended family have and continue to have jobs with TLG today. My Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide (1949-90s) has an entire chapter (73) devoted to the history of LEGO sets/parts sales countries, and the family. Edited July 11, 2012 by LEGO Historian Quote
L@go Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 This is very interesting, and I keep reading all the posts. I can tell you, however, that the name of Ole Kirk Christiansen's Norwegian wife was most certainly not Kristian Sørensen! Kristina, possibly, but not Kristian, which is a boys' name in Norway - no exceptions :) Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 This is very interesting, and I keep reading all the posts. I can tell you, however, that the name of Ole Kirk Christiansen's Norwegian wife was most certainly not Kristian Sørensen! Kristina, possibly, but not Kristian, which is a boys' name in Norway - no exceptions :) Thanks... when I was researching that... I came across the name Krisitian Sorensen as both male and female name... and that didn't make sense to me. I even checked the best reference I could find... and apparently they had it wrong as well.... http://glsjacksonpotter.blogspot.com/2011/05/biograph-ole-kirk-christiansen-founder.html So I'll have to investigate her name some more... but MANY references have it wrong! And since I have your attention... can you confirm that these printed bricks "could" be found in Norway? GARASJE HOTELL SALG KOLONIAL TOBAKK DROSJE SLAKTER BAKER POSTHUS BANKEN TEATER Quote
L@go Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 (edited) Like I said, it's probably Kristina (or Kristin/Kristine). It should also be Sørensen, with an Ø, not Sorensen. But replacing the Ø with an O is common when writing Scandinavian names in English. Regarding the words on those bricks: They're all written correctly in Norwegian. As I said, I find it a bit strange that it says "BANKEN" as that means "THE BANK", not just "BANK", but I've seen your pictures of that brick and I know you're right :) Edited July 13, 2012 by L@go Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Posted July 13, 2012 Like I said, it's probably Kristina (or Kristin/Kristine). It should also be Sørensen, with an Ø, not Sorensen. But replacing the Ø with an O is common when writing Scandinavian names in English. Regarding the words on those bricks: They're all written correctly in Norwegian. As I said, I find it a bit strange that it says "BANKEN" as that means "THE BANK", not just "BANK", but I've seen your pictures of that brick and I know you're right :) Thanks, I misplaced my "keyboard translation sheet"... but ALT 0248... ø should have been familiar to me (I memorized the German umlauts only üäö) because Svein Strømberg & Co. was the Oslo Norway company that made LEGO for Norway and Sweden from 1953-61. Their LEGO subsidiary was A/S Norske LEGO from 1953-55, and from 1955-61 it was A/S Norske LEGIO. I believe that TLG made them change their subsidiary name.. because they sold non-LEGO products. I remember seeing "MECLINE" building system with "LEGO" on the box. TLG didn't like that, so the Norwegian subsidiary name was changed to "LEGIO". Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Posted July 13, 2012 OK... I think I finally found it... Ole Kirk Christiansen married Kirstine Sørensen... does "Kirstine" sound Norwegian?? If not then it's another source with an error, and it would likely be "Kristine". Anyway, she died in 1932 leaving Ole Kirk to watch after his 4 sons.... in 1934 Ole Kirk married Sofie Jørgensen (Danish) and they had a daughter Ulla in 1935. Quote
L@go Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 (edited) I don't know of anybody named Kirstine, so it's not a common name, but it does exist - and it's much more likely that that was her name than Kristian. Kirsti or Kirstin, or Kristine, are more common variations, though. Edited July 13, 2012 by L@go Quote
LEGO Historian Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 (edited) Well it looks like the name is indeed Kirstine.... #9) Largest baseplate... the Dacta #1005 48x96 stud (40x80cm) gray baseplate... it was intented as a wall board for the Dacta numbers and letters set... but is twice the size of the normal 48x48 gray plate. #10) Second LEGOLAND park? LEGOLAND Sierksdorf (1973-76)... located in the far north of Germany near the Danish border on the Baltic Sea. Not 100% sure of the reason for its' closure after 3 years (it's now known as HANSA LAND), but I bet the fact that you almost have to drive by this park to get to LEGOLAND Billund another 100 miles north of here... was affecting attendance figures at LEGOLAND Billund. But I know that is not the official reason given for its' closure... Edited July 18, 2012 by LEGO Historian Quote
Fugazi Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 #10) Second LEGOLAND park? LEGOLAND Sierksdorf (1973-76)... located in the far north of Germany near the Danish border on the Baltic Sea. Not 100% sure of the reason for its' closure after 3 years (it's now known as HANSA LAND), but I bet the fact that you almost have to drive by this park to get to LEGOLAND Billund another 100 miles north of here... was affecting attendance figures at LEGOLAND Billund. But I know that is not the official reason given for its' closure... Unsurprisingly, I never had heard of this park. Do you happen to know if there are still rides/attractions from the original LEGOLAND still in use in Hansa Land? I googled the park but didn't readily find this information. I did find a Brickshelf gallery of pictures taken in the original park though! Quote
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