Lego Part 3471, Tree Pine Large - Info?

[moschino]

Hello,

Few years ago I bought some spares from eBay and there were 3 x 3471 and 2 x 2435.

These were my first trees as I never bought any official set which includes pine trees.

I was surprised to notice a difference between the trees even if they were the same model.

The difference between them is the same as it is between the Shot Sword, 3847a vs 3847.

So, two of my trees are made of the same plastic as is the sword 3847, and one tree is made of ABS plastic same as the sword 3847a.

Unfortunately I couldn't find any official difference in their names on Bricklink and I wondered if there is any way to search for the tree that is made of ABS plastic.

I'd want to buy several models, but I want that particular model and not the model made of soft plastic.

Thanks.

Edited November 19, 2012 by moschino

[LEGO Historian]

Well since no one is answering you, I'll do so...

Below are the modern complete LEGO trees (not including palms and bushes). The ones one the right have sharp edges, including the (discontinued in 2002) tall Cypress Tree. The ones on the left have the rounded edges. There were many years of overlap between the trees. The small pine tree only came in the rounded edge version, and the Pine and Spherical trees came in both sharp edge and round edge trees.

The large Pine tree was introduced in 1974 and had a darker look to it, with very brittle branches that did not bend. Then by 1978 when the Spherical tree was introduced, both the sharp edged Spherical and Pine tree were made of a very soft bendable plastic. In 1979 the tall Cypress tree was also made of this soft plastic. Then in the mid 1980s the small Pine tree was introduced with a harder plastic and rounded edges. The large Pine and Spherical trees were also introduced with harder plastic and rounded edges... after the old inventory of trees was discontinued. The Cypress continued to have sharp edges and soft plastic until their last appearance in a set in 2001. Some of these later Cypress trees have a bent look to them (they didn't always stand up straight.

Now as to any of these trees ever being made of ABS plastic... I'm not sure about that... even the modern pine trees have some bend to them, although not much. So I think they have more give than ABS. Only TLG knows for sure. As for any comparison to those swords... can't help you there.. not familiar with those variations.

But to reiterate... the Pine tree came in 3 versions... 1974-77 very hard plastic with sharp edges and dark green... the 1978-1980s sharp edges and very soft plastic (lighter green)... and the 1980s-modern rounded edges with stiffer plastic (also lighter green).

Information and image from Chapter 45 LEGO Trees/Bushes & Plants of my 2800 page LEGO DVD/download collectors guide.

[moschino]

Well since no one is answering you, I'll do so...

Thank you very much.

Your reply is very helpful to me, so now I will understand what is all about these pine trees.

As for any comparison to those swords... can't help you there.. not familiar with those variations.

I don't need any help about swords because I know them well.

I just gave them as an example, and if I wasn't explicit enough, I can try to be more explicit now.

The difference between these two models showed in my post above are that one model is made of ABS plastic (hard plastic), and the the other model is made of soft plastic, probably because kids of that time used to break them.

These two different types of swords have two different types of codes, so when I want to buy a particular type of sword, I just enter its particular code on bricklink and I get what I want.

Too bad that the trees doesn't have different codes so I assume that if I want the trees with modern round edges, I'd have to ask the seller if they are this way or if they are made of soft plastic with sharp edges.

Then I have to hope that the seller will understand what I mean and I will get in possession of what I really want.

Again, thank you very much, you reply was very helpful.