Early 90s LEGO Pirate Scans

[David Thomsen]

So we were reading through this thread in another forum titled 'You Nostalgia, You Lose', where basically every post contains a nostalgic image (mostly from the 1980s - is anyone nostalgic for any other decade?) and you have to see how long you can read it before you start feeling nostalgia.

I was doing fairly well - I passed 'Guru Meditation Error' and 'Rescue Rangers' with barely a twinge - until I got to the scans of Pirate dioramas from old Lego catalogues.

Is it just me, or were Lego catalogues way more beautiful before lazy computer generated backgrounds became easy, back when people actually put effort into lighting and composition? I don't think I'd be anywhere near the fan of Lego I am today if it weren't for these warm images of Lego pirates and soldiers fighting against the sunset. Other themes also used to have much better catalogue dioramas, but for some reason the Pirates dioramas in particular always really struck me.

I'm just wondering if anyone can cite these brilliant catalogue images as part of the special kind of nostalgia they have for Lego Pirates?

[Southwest Chief]

Great memories in these old style dioramas.

I scanned another mid 1990s scan that I always thought looked great:

[Emperor Claudius Rome]

Ah, those were the days that I sadly never knew. Too bad, those sets bring on a classic feeling of pirates.

[Mister Phes]

Is it just me, or were Lego catalogues way more beautiful before lazy computer generated backgrounds became easy, back when people actually put effort into lighting and composition? [/b]

YES!!! I agree. I was quietly disappointed with the artwork of the 2009 Pirate theme for this very reason. Although the box artwork for 10210 Imperial Flagship was a step in the right direction.

I'm just wondering if anyone can cite these brilliant catalogue images as part of the special kind of nostalgia they have for Lego Pirates?

I certainly can. Back in the early 90s I spent hours looking at them, dreaming of one day having all the Pirate sets. The physical dioramas provide far better depth and atomsphere than their modern drawn counterparts. The extra effort really does add something to the presentation.

I passed 'Guru Meditation Error'

The Amiga equivalent of a BSOD!

[Rick]

These scenes in the catalogs always were so inspiring to me. Not just Pirates (I was slowly drifting into my dark ages in the early 1990s), but also the Town and Castle scenes. I can't understand they don't do them anymore, because they also serve a clear commercial purpose: "Look at the Town/Castle/Pirates scenes you can build when you own all these sets". This just doesn't come across in modern catalogs, because the interaction between sets is (hardly) not shown anymore.

[Captain Becker]

Wonderful times wich i couldnt experience I love these old dioramas, and the sets in that time..... But maby someday...someday lego will give us a new change and will give us these old sets.. even at that kinda weird at i think so. In that time thee was Bluecoats and no Redcoats, and today we have Redcoatts but no Bluecoats.. wich is a shame because i own only 1 bluecoat officers torso wich is in awul shape, i would cladly like to see Bluecoats, spaniards and Redbeard one more time sailing on the horizon and see theyr Armada in their full clory.......

Captain Becker

[Mister Phes]

I can't understand they don't do them anymore, because they also serve a clear commercial purpose:

I assume creating the physical displays took significantly more time and resources. With the modern digital approach, a photographer and graphic artist could get the job done a lot faster.

The previous approach would have required a minature builder to sculpt and assemble the landscape while a matte artist painted the backdrop. A more elaborate light setup would have also been required. This process may have taken weeks longer and consumed far more space because the diorama would have to exist until photographed.

Although the outcome was definitely worth the extra time and resources.

I love these old dioramas, and the sets in that time..... But maby someday...someday lego will give us a new change and will give us these old sets..

Your comment inspires me to go on a slight tangent which is box art.

These days the Pirate box art too is graphic art rather than a physical display.

When the Armada Flagship, Red Beard Runner and Enchanted Island were re-released in 2001, the box artwork was the set over a painted backdrop, which had been the pratice since 1996... I think...

Interestingly when the Black Seas Barracuda was re-released in 2002 the original box art was used, except it covered the entire box, rather than being restricted within yellow borders.

In any case, I don't recall any of the re-released sets appearing in the LEGO catalogues.

[Andre1983nl]

Tears in eyes, weird heartbeat .... FOR EVER PIRATE LEGO!!

I have also some old catalogeus.

I remember, i had a folding poster/cataloge with the pirates of 1989. Almost 1 meter weight.

Those days you did not mind went the cataloge was 1 year old an simple trow it away ... A WAIST These days.....

Greetings André

[Squarepants]

I had the pleasure of watching some old catalogues when I was still a child (I think I still have one from 1996 somewhere). And boy, what could a soon-to-be-AFOL think about the BSB when he was like 8 years old?Of course: "FREAKIN AWESOME!!ONEONE" :D

That being said, it took me 12 years to actually get one, and I didn't even build it yet (Cassubica took all the parts lol)...

[supersympa]

sniff sniff

I have those catalogs from 94 and 95...I often watch them, they were great!

I told myself the other day while building the 3221 lego truck...

"GOD I MISS THOSE mid 90's LEGO"

I have to say (again) that I was VERY dissapointed with the pirate lego serie...

I do not think i will go for pirate of carabean stuff...

I'd rather play with my old ones ;)

[RocketClone]

Ah the good old days.

[highflyingbean]

Ah the good old days.

That first pic was the year I stopped playing with legos till this year, wish I still had them, my mom gave a bunch away. Now as an adult I am going thru ebay!

[Brig. Brick]

I remember when I saw this catalog, I immediately fell in love with a pirate theme, were the first Lego minifigs with beards, hooks and wooden legs

oh sweet memories! :pir-wub:

[Artanis I]

Yep, I spent lots of time in my younger days ogling the catalogues & mini-catalogues that came in sets. Castle, Space & Pirate scenes were definitely my favourites. You know what? I only just noticed an error in the first picture, the raft has a wavy flag instead of straight one. Curious.

[Brig. Brick]

You know what? I only just noticed an error in the first picture, the raft has a wavy flag instead of straight one. Curious.

you have very good eye!!!!

[Uvga]

Thanks,

I really miss the old Lego "Style"

When i was a child i could look at them for hours

Uvga

[Boomchil]

You know what? I only just noticed an error in the first picture, the raft has a wavy flag instead of straight one. Curious.

It's not an error, this raft comes from the 6273 set (Rock Island Refuge)

Edited September 6, 2010 by Boomchil

[Nosaj]

The old ones give such a more piratey feel than the boring new pictures that show no action of the minifigs... all they have now is either boring pictures with a white background or ugly computer generated ones were they still show nothing happening between the minifigures...

Edited September 6, 2010 by Nosaj

[Artanis I]

It's not an error, this raft comes from the 6273 set (Rock Island Refuge)

Is it? Whoops I thought it was 6257. It is similar. Now that you mention it, it does look a bit skinny to be the one I had, and it also has the on the top, and 6257 didn't. I suppose I combined it in my memory with the 6261 raft (I had 2x) that had a on top. In reference to the forum the image was posted on, I lost on the first image.

[Destroydacre]

Good times. There's still a few other pirate dioramas from the early 90's that are missing that were pretty good. The one where Redbeard is tied up on the Imperial Trading Post comes to mind.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Destroydacre

[David Thomsen]

Good times. There's still a few other pirate dioramas from the early 90's that are missing that were pretty good. The one where Redbeard is tied up on the Imperial Trading Post comes to mind.

If you could find any, I'd be grateful if you could post them on this thread - it's surprisingly hard to find these scans.

[Capn Frank]

-snip-

I only just noticed an error in the first picture, the raft has a wavy flag instead of straight one. Curious.

There were multiple small errors in the pictures. I remember looking for them specifically and always finding a couple on each image.

If you could find any, I'd be grateful if you could post them on this thread - it's surprisingly hard to find these scans.

Hmmm. I'll see what I can do. I have a bunch of mid-90's posters and catalogs at home.

[highflyingbean]

I have a bunch, but this is the only one under 100mb

[Captain M]

I didn't scan these, but there's a website called The Brickfactory that has a lot of old scans. In particular, catalog scans. Check out this one I found:

[Alblego]

That's all brothers. They will never come back. Enjoy

Edited September 7, 2010 by Alblego