LEGO Historian Posted December 5, 2012 (edited) Back in the 1950s when LEGO was still using the old archaic slotted bricks (the slots were to hold windows and doors in place instead of via studs)... there were some really interesting items produced... and not all of it known to TLG. For example, the last 3 years that slotted bricks were produced (1954-56), TLG introduced the early types of the classic (1956-86) LEGO windows/doors. But these were 1 stud taller than the old ones we're familiar with. And these old windows/doors didn't have studs on top... but "wings" on the side to be held in place by the slots on the slotted bricks of that era. In Denmark the first early bricks came out in 1949, in Norway in 1953, and in Sweden in 1955. When Germany came online in 1956... all that was produced before was wiped away (no more slotted bricks or windows/doors with wings).... only windows/doors with studs on top and "whole bricks" without slots on the sides were now the standard (in 1956).... although it would be another 2 years (1958) before tubes were found on the bottom of the bricks. Anyway from 1954-56 there were some very rare and unusual windows and door colors produced. And since Denmark, Norway and Sweden had some of their own local production (in Billund, Oslo and Lerum respectively), there were some LEGO items produced that TLG Denmark was not even aware of since Norway had their own LEGO production until 1961, and Sweden was a hodge-podge of gettting LEGO parts from Norway and Denmark... and also apparently producing some items locally in Lerum (the LEGO capital of Sweden back then). Here are a few items in my 2800 page LEGO DVD download (still available in the Bazaar)... One is some very rare dark blue 1954-56 LEGO windows from Denmark... And up in Oslo Norway... they were producing these same windows in green (as well as the standard red or white)... a color that was unknown to the LEGO Archives until I sent them this image earlier this year... And then 2 weeks ago... I got another shock when another new color came to my attention... this one from Sweden... light orange LEGO windows/doors.... This last color will be in the next download of the LEGO DVD (in 6 months). That's the beauty of producing this as an evolving document... I can send out free future downloads to current owners. I already have an additional 5 "unknown" sets that will be in the next version of the 2800 page download... including a very interesting 1400 basic set... only sold in Japan. So many things yet to be discovered about LEGO... old and new... that's why I love to play LEGO Sherlock Holmes... Edited December 5, 2012 by LEGO Historian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted December 6, 2012 This now brings the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish tall classic 1954-56 Panorama Window colors (worth between 20 Euro to 100 Euro each!!).... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rolf Posted December 6, 2012 Definitely interesting. Can't wait to get update! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hrw-Amen Posted December 6, 2012 Very interesting to see those colours, I have loads in red and white but I don't think I have any of those colours and can say that I have never seen them before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) Very interesting to see those colours, I have loads in red and white but I don't think I have any of those colours and can say that I have never seen them before. Unless you were living in Denmark, Norway or Sweden in the short period of 1954-56, you would not have seen these window colors, and even if you were there... some colors such as red, white and blue were common to all 3 countries, while dark blue were only in Denmark, yellow and light orange were only in Sweden, and green was only in Norway. In 1956 LEGO windows/doors started having studs on top (the classic LEGO windows/doors of 1956-86), and each of the windows/door types was one brick shorter... and the smaller windows 1x1, 1x2, 2x1 and 2x2 were introduced. And from 1956-65 only red and white windows were produced, as seen in this continental European LEGO Retailer individual parts box, where children could buy as many of any specific window/door they wanted. It wasn't until 1966 that yellow classic windows/doors were introduced in the 325 Shell Station Set (not sold in USA/Canada). Small blue, black and gray windows were rarely produced, mainly in train sets of the 1970s and 1980s, and command premium prices. This European Windows/Doors Retailer Box image is from Chapter 43 - LEGO Service Packs and Individual Part Sales from my LEGO DVD/download. The hand written prices next to each window/door image was of German origin. These prices are fractions of Deutschmarks... from 35 down to 10 "Pfennig". Edited December 7, 2012 by LEGO Historian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
