Lego Collector's Catalog

[gylman]

I was waiting for a lively discussion about this item announced by Jan Byer

http://eurobricks.hosting.ipsyn.com/eurofo...showtopic=15877

But unless I have missed it, there seems to be no reaction! :-(

Why?

Well, from my perspective this seems like a very cool thing, and I couldn't help but notice that keychains will get a whole chapter, so clearly these people are on the right track.

Anyway, here are pics from a gadget site.

[Asuka]

That

[Brickadier General]

Excellent, this is the kind of book I have been waiting for a long time. And at over 800 pages, wow. For more in depth stuff though, I still like the Lego history CD.

[Cardinal Brick]

Hmm, from the picture it

[snefroe]

well this is obviously going to be like a bible to me. the reason why i didn't start a topic about it is because i couldn't find pictures of it... but i will buy it as soon as see it... well... depending on the money i have left after these great many brilliant sets... and hope it's not too expensive

[Tarfful]

Hmm, from the picture it

[AFOL SF]

Hello... Would like to know if this book will be available in the US? :'-)

AFOL SF

[dunamis]

Thanks for starting a topic on this Gylman.

When I first saw that I was very interested. Now, after seeing the photos from it I can't wait to get my hands on it. Of course, brickset, peeron, lugnet are all excellent resources but nothing beats having something in your hand to refer to quickly.

I believe it is supposed to be available in the US this Summer.

As far as the gold/yellow bricks, I took it as a rating on how popular the set was (but I could be wrong.)

Anyway, looking forward to it and hopefully we can get some more photos.

[Tarfful]

Hello... Would like to know if this book will be available in the US? :'-)

AFOL SF

Hello and Welcome to Eurobricks AFOL SF! :-) Don't forget to introduce yourself here.

And to answer your question yes as far as I know it will be available for purchase here in the US.

Key data LEGO

Edited March 4, 2008 by GeneralTarful

[AFOL SF]

Thanks for the responses! I'd really like to get a copy when it becomes available (I wonder how much it would cost in US$). If you guys recall, there was something close to/similar to this which was published in Japan (300 or so pages), so naturally the wordings were in Japanese! Still, looking at the wonderful images of sets long gone is always a treasure to behold.

A little introduction about myself: I fell in love with Legos during my teenage years when it was first introduced in my native country, the Philippines in the early 80s. If I am not mistaken, it was the Space Sets that were featured in this huge show in one of the malls near where I live. Unfortunately, that was also the time of my 'dark age' due to the fact that even a small set cost alot of money. Fond of reading, I used most of my allowance on books.

Totally forgot about Legos until 1991 when I (finally) bought my first set - the Imperial Flagship (I hope I got that right) and never looked back. And thanks for the welcome, too!

I do apologize if my postings will be kinda wacky as I am not a savvy person when it comes to computers, postings, e-mails and bloggings. :-$

AFOL SF

[Jipay]

I have a pic of the cover but somehow someone turned the upload setting to "off". Just give me the time to crucify the responsible and I'll be back with a shot of the cover...

[CP5670]

I would definitely get this when it comes out. At 800 pages it must be very comprehensive. *y*

[Freddie]

I have a pic of the cover but somehow someone turned the upload setting to "off". Just give me the time to crucify the responsible and I'll be back with a shot of the cover...

Can the crucifying wait if it means we have to wait longer for the cover to be uploaded? I'm eagerly waiting to see what this catalog, uh reference book, looks like.

Nice to see a discussion started on this. I doubt this book will be off as much joy as going through the pages of the old catalogs, but seeing LEGO releasing something like this is appreciated. I'm wondering if LEGO discovering that AFOLS represent 20% of their customers had anything to do with it. X-D

[Cardinal Brick]

Cardnil Brick the Yellow bricks denote how rare a set is. ;-)

Thanks for that General Tarful, I should read things more carefully in the future. I can see there being a number of disputes about how rare a set is, the black sword and the armoury seem at least to be far more rare than BFF.

[Joebot]

This sounds kinda neat as a "coffe table" type book, but I'm not sure I see the value as an informational resource. Within six months, the book will be out of date as new sets are released. Websites like Lugnet and Brickset are much better resources in this regard.

The book also brings up an aspect of Lego bricks that I think is weird -- collectability. For example, if I own all the bricks necessary to build the famous yellow castle, can I truly be said to "own" the yellow castle? Can I sell those bricks for hundreds of dollars, even though I never actually purchased the yellow castle in a store??

Lego seems unique in this sense, compared to other collectibles. If I collect action figures, there's no question as to whether or not I actually "own" the figure in question -- either it's sitting on my shelf or it's not. But with Lego, it's sorta vague. If I own the pieces, do I therefore also own the set? It's almost a philosophical question!

Sorry, didn't mean to derail the topic. X-D

[AFOL SF]

This sounds kinda neat as a "coffe table" type book, but I'm not sure I see the value as an informational resource. Within six months, the book will be out of date as new sets are released. Websites like Lugnet and Brickset are much better resources in this regard.

n as to whether or not I actually "own" the figure in question -- either it's sitting on my shelf or it's not. But with Lego, it's sorta vague. If I own the pieces, do I therefore also own the set? It's almost a philosophical question!

Sorry, didn't mean to derail the topic. X-D

Maybe there will be a Volume 2?

[Svelte]

Maybe there will be a Volume 2?

Hopefully we don't have to wait another 50 years!

I'm very excited about this news. Great as brickset or peeron both are, it's nice to have a paper copy to flick through - just as a casual 'coffee table' reference and also to see how different themes/ styles have ebbed and flowed over the years. I think it will be a great source of inspiration as well (depending on how big the pics are - at 800 pages I wouldn't have a clue.)

[gylman]

If I own the pieces, do I therefore also own the set? It's almost a philosophical question!

Ah.... indeed a very philosophical question. It deserves a topic all its own.

As a collector, my answer would be that if you don't own the box and the instructions, but mostly the box, you don't own the set.

I know people will jump all over me for saying this, but let's face it the only unique aspect of a LEGO set is the box and original instructions. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of general purpose parts.

Bring it on!

*skull*

:-P

[WhiteFang]

This Catalog is great, i can't wait to owned one too ;-) I wonder how will they distribute this book. I seriously hope it will not restrict to S@H. Its defintely more fun to flip the pages with tons and tons of LEGO pictures back to 1958. Seemed so much fun and nice when you can physically look at it. I am not saying Brickset or other links are not good, we still need those sites to feed us updates :-D but i strongly prefer a physically copy of it. Maybe that's the reason why i keep some of the old yearly LEGO catalogue. *wub*

[Svelte]

As a collector, my answer would be that if you don't own the box and the instructions, but mostly the box, you don't own the set.

I know people will jump all over me for saying this, but let's face it the only unique aspect of a LEGO set is the box and original instructions. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of general purpose parts.

That's fine... if you define yourself a collector. I like to keep the boxes if I can, but some of them just take up way too much space and I don't have room to store them all. Does that mean I don't own the sets that I've bought and then discarded the packaging of? I think that definition is too strict.

What if I have multiple copies of one set, but only keep the packaging for one of them? Does that mean the second set I've got isn't really a set at all?

To stretch it even further, since 2006 we now have sets that inventory every part - if this set inventory list doesn't include sticker sheets, the box or instructions, can they really be counted as part of the set itself?

Is the set the physical parts or the concept, the copyrighted process of construction laid out in the instructions?

On the other hand, if boxes and instructions are so essential, what about bits of the set that can be discarded, ie bags or elastic band bricks? After all, these are supplied by TLC as part of the original product you purchase.

I would argue that it is mainly in the context of collecting *as an activity and interest per se* that original packaging and instructions become extremely important.

You could extend that for to say that for the true collector, you don't *really* own the set unless it's MISB. Ie, sold as the Lego group originally released it - sweet Billund air inside and all :-)

I have a lot of Lego but I wouldn't call myself a collector - I'd rather bust open those enticing new boxes rather than keep everything sealed and unopened.

Edited March 5, 2008 by svelte_corps

[gylman]

Well, it's like having a matchbox collection.

It's not the matches that make the collection, it's the boxes.

The matches are useful, but interchangeable.

Or looked at another way, say you have 3 LEGO sets MISB. You have three unique items worth collecting.

You open them all, heap all the parts in the middle, and toss the boxes and instructions. You have a pile of bricks, not three sets.

Oh, and of course, an MISB set is UTTERLY superior to an opened set. I definitely want that Billund air. :-D

That's why I need two copies of every set at least. One stays in the vault/display. The other is opened and built and eventually ends up in the parts bin. :-)

Oh, and the elastic band bricks!!! OMG - they're the most important part of all..

(kidding)

[Svelte]

Oh, and of course, an MISB set is UTTERLY superior to an opened set. I definitely want that Billund air. :-D

That's why I need two copies of every set at least. One stays in the vault/display. The other is opened and built and eventually ends up in the parts bin. :-)

If I had a vault I'm sure I would definitely agree with you.

My problem with MISB boxes is the Schroedinger's cat of the sticker sheet/ instructions problem. Is something really mint if the instructions are folded, torn and generally look like they've been through a spin cycle? And the stickers are contused, mutilated, and peeling off? Since this happens in pretty much every 2nd set I've bought over the last few weeks this is a genuine niggle.

You just don't know if it really is a mint set you have in your condition until you open the box.... at which point it is no longer mint.

[gylman]

If I had a vault I'm sure I would definitely agree with you.

My problem with MISB boxes is the Schroedinger's cat of the sticker sheet/ instructions problem. Is something really mint if the instructions are folded, torn and generally look like they've been through a spin cycle? And the stickers are contused, mutilated, and peeling off? Since this happens in pretty much every 2nd set I've bought over the last few weeks this is a genuine niggle.

You just don't know if it really is a mint set you have in your condition until you open the box.... at which point it is no longer mint.

And indeed, since these days I am as likely to be getting Czech and Mexican air, and even this is probably leaking out with the new cellophane bags that have holes in them..... the cachet of MISBie does diminish somewhat.

Sigh.

[blueandwhite]

Not bad.

That being said, I'm still waiting for an Idea Book that is aimed at AFOLs. The catalog is a great companion to any collection, but more than anything I would love to see an AFOL idea book representing the best of the LEGO world in a high gloss, professionally photographed format. The catalog seems almost like something a stamp collector might purchase. It's a great piece for set collectors and such, but I've always been more of a MOCer.

This catalog is nice but I think I can probably go without.

[Svelte]

And indeed, since these days I am as likely to be getting Czech and Mexican air, and even this is probably leaking out with the new cellophane bags that have holes in them..... the cachet of MISBie does diminish somewhat.

Sad but true. Maybe TLC will start selling sets of compressed tanks of super-fresh Danish oxygen for the serious collector to circulate through their vaults.

Of course... you'd then have to open the tank to pump back into your regular sets, which means your licensed air would no longer be mint either :-(

It's a no-win situation.

That being said, I'm still waiting for an Idea Book that is aimed at AFOLs. The catalog is a great companion to any collection, but more than anything I would love to see an AFOL idea book representing the best of the LEGO world in a high gloss, professionally photographed format.

That's a great idea.

Allan Bedford's Unofficial Lego Builder's Guide is a nice introduction to different kinds of building but I'd like to see a publication with a bit more advanced tehcnique - maybe standout AFOL MOCs where some of the techniques aren't immediately obvious, photographed and then explicated - the sort of 'How did they do that moments?' like the 45 degree angle or ski signage on Cafe Corner. Kind of a cross between an art book and a how-to.