LEGO Historian Posted December 15, 2012 Posted December 15, 2012 It doesn't happen that much anymore... but it used to be somewhat common that some LEGO elements were NOT sold in all LEGO countries. Granted some sets are still country specific... such as the South African flag brick set that was only sold there in the 1990s, some of the earlier Maersk sets that were mainly Denmark (since A/S Möller, the parent of Maersk is HQ'ed in Copenhagen), and many of the promotional sets... Weetabix, Kellogg's, Kraft, Quaker Oats, Unilever, Danone, Canada Post, as well as many of the airline and ferry line sets... (I have a LEGO DVD/download chapter that has over 100 promotional sets listed and pictured, which country they're from, advertisement images, and what year they were introduced, going all the way back to 1955). But LEGO parts that are unique to different countries... are another more obscure issue... Here's an image that I use in my LEGO DVD/download promotions, that shows a lot of parts that are country/region specific.... Starting in the upper right and going clockwise (followed by the middle).... 1) red waffle bottom plates and garage plate (without LEGO on the studs).... Denmark, Norway, Sweden in 1236 garage sets, and 1235 garage kits of 1955-56. 2) Wavy flags... 1957-72... these were sold in continental Europe, Britain/Ireland/Australia, Japan, USA and Canada. The very rare flag with the white background and red cross was only sold in extremely limited quantities in the Faroe Islands between Scotland and Norway. The rare Japanese wavy flag was only sold in Japan. Not shown is the scarce wavy Australian flag, only sold in Britain, Ireland and Australia. 3) Green classic windows/doors... only sold in Norway 1954-56. 4) 4 versions of the freestanding Esso Sign... sold in all countries (production 1955-67)... but the curved top version was only sold in Britain/Ireland and Australia. 5) 4 color variations on the 1x1 round bricks with Esso Oil Drum stickers. Only sold in Denmark 1955-58, and very very collectible. 6) Road signs with gray bases and white poles (1955-69)... sold in all countries except Sweden (where the poles were yellow). Also sold for a very limited time in in Britain/Ireland/Australia. 7) Dark blue classic windows/doors... only sold in Denmark (1954-56). 8) Traffic Light Pole and Traffic cone... only sold in Denmark (1956-65), Norway (1956-65) and Netherlands (1961-65) with black pole, and gray traffic cone. The white pole and white traffic cone versions are likely very rare painting errors. 9) 6 different sets of Esso gas pumps... the upper 2 were Denmark, Norway Sweden only (1955-57)... the lower right was Britain, Ireland and Australia only (1962-67)... the other 3 were worldwide (1956-67). 10) 1950s style flat bottom trees... only sold in continental Euope (1955-60). 11) 19 different road signs in 2 images with white base... these were only sold in Britain, Ireland and Australia from 1962-72. The rectangular "Motorway M1" is very rare. Middle images going down... 12) Yellow tall classic windows/doors... Sweden only (1954-56).... (NOTE: the LEGO Archives just recently obtained a set of these for the first time for their collections... off the secondary market). 13) 3 Esso printed bricks... ESSO SERVICE... worldwide... ESSO WAGENPFLEGE... only Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and German speaking parts of Switzerland... ESSO HUOLTO.. very rare... only Finland. 14) classic windows/doors (no studs on top, and no "glass")... Denmark, Norway, Sweden only... 1954-56. _____________________________________ This is just but a fraction of the country specific parts research I've done... and most of this is not available in any online database. Chapter 65 of my LEGO DVD/download, has this very complex assortment of LEGO parts from 1949-85 split up by country... with over 100 different parts that match "country specific" criteria listed and pictured. This chapter took up a long period of research for me to put together... but I like to play LEGO Sherlock Holmes.... 65.0 EXCLUSIVE LEGO ELEMENTS BY REGION (1949-85). 65.1 Denmark Only LEGO Elements. 65.2 Norway Only LEGO Elements. 65.3 Sweden Only LEGO Elements. 65.4 Denmark/Norway/Sweden Only LEGO Elements. 65.5 Continental European Only LEGO Elements. 65.6 Specific Country Continental European Only LEGO Elements. 65.7 Britain/Australia/Ireland Only LEGO Elements. 65.8 Europe/Australia Only LEGO Elements. 65.9 Europe/Australia/Canada Only LEGO Elements. 65.10 USA/Canada Only LEGO Elements. 65.11 USA Only LEGO Elements. 65.12 Canada Only LEGO Elements. 65.13 Other Country Exclusive LEGO Elements. Still available in the Eurobricks Bazaar... Quote
LEGO Historian Posted December 15, 2012 Author Posted December 15, 2012 It is not just exotic old parts that had a limited production location... some other regular parts also did... The 2x8 and 2x10 bricks were produced in many colors... but in trans-clear they were only produced in the USA... and then only from 1968-70 in the 045 trans-clear Samsonite LEGO parts pack. Another older piece... the 4x4 corner brick, first produced in 1955 and retired in 1972, was only produced in 4 colors... red, white, blue and yellow. However in USA/Canada (only) it was also produced in black from 1963-67. Even today we have a few parts that were only produced in specific locations. The Maersk blue 1x1 hollow stud round bricks (never found in any set)... all came from excess Windsor England model shop surplus that went to Pic-A-Brick walls in the UK. All the ones on the market today come from there. And then there were the old printed bricks that had country specific building names (from my printed brick chapter of the LEGO DVD/download) such as THEATER, GRAND THEATER, THEATRE, TEATER, TEATRO, TEATTERI... http://www.1000steine.de/brickset/miscellaneous/Lego%20Chapter%2048%20Vol2.pdf Quote
LEGO Historian Posted December 23, 2012 Author Posted December 23, 2012 Interestingly enough I just put some USA only and Denmark-Norway-Sweden only trans-clear parts for sale in the Bazaar. These are all new, and very rare in mint condition.... and at less than 1/2 the Bricklink price... Quote
LEGO Historian Posted April 10, 2013 Author Posted April 10, 2013 (edited) Have you evern wondered where some old parts that you may have gotten at a flea market or garage sale... or your uncles old LEGO collection... where they were originally sold from? Until the 1970s, there were a lot of parts that were not sold in all regions. And some parts were only sold in one country. Edited February 24, 2014 by LEGO Historian Quote
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