Oldest Known LEGO Bricks Set?

[LEGO Historian]

Although I haven't heard back yet from the folks at the LEGO Archives (either confirming or denying any knowledge)... I think I may have uncovered the oldest LEGO bricks set ever produced.

The very first LEGO bricks sets were produced starting in 1949, and were virtual clones of earlier UK Kiddicraft block sets (which were only patented in Britain, France and Switzerland).

From 1949-53 the first LEGO sets were called Automatic Binding Bricks, and had those words written in large letters on the box. It was only starting in 1952 that the word "LEGO" was also found on the box . (Was there a fear of possible litigation that prevented earlier "LEGO" labeling?)

Here are the first Automatic Binding Bricks cardboard boxes.... and their approximate years...

Note: the box with the red coloring was used in Norway from 1953-54, after Denmark switched over to using the "LEGO Mursten" box labeling.

Anyway.... recently this box image was uncovered by my German LEGO collector friend Lothar.... a friend of his owned (and sold) this very old wooden box set)....

And the contents....

What makes me think that this is likely the earliest LEGO set type?? Well until the late 1940s wood was their primary material for making toys (they got their first plastic injection mold in 1947), and the earliest boxes for LEGO bricks may very likely have been produced in wood for a very short time before switching over to cardboard. Here are a few reasons....

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1) LEGO wooden toys were produced starting in 1932, when the company first started production. In 1948 (the year before the introduction of the Automatic Binding Bricks), TLG produced a set of wooden blocks that came in a wooden box.... (if you click on the left image, it will make it larger)...

http://lego.wikia.co...00_LEGO_Klodser

TLG may have started making these sets (or just this one set?) in wooden boxes and soon switched over to cardboard).

2) The SERIF font on the box top matches the earliest font on LEGO cardboard boxes (1949-50).

3) The number of 2x2 and 2x4 bricks (the only LEGO brick sizes until 1953)... exactly matches the count on the 700/2 set found here on a 1950-51 LEGO Automatic Binding Bricks catalog (as do the 8 + 8 + 8 window ("vindeur") and 4 doors)::

http://brickfetish.c.../dk_1950_2.html

4) The art card that came with this set (used for making a picture frame as seen in the upper left box top image)... matches that image :

http://brickfetish.c...700_3_1950.html

5) The white brochure (circa 1949-50) matches a similar one found in a 1950 Swedish language brochure (Automatic Binding Bricks were licensed to Sweden for about a year, but due to poor sales soon stopped)... with the "Automatic Binding Bricks" heading positioned in the same way:

http://brickfetish.c...e/abb_1950.html

6) The earliest (1949-50) Automatic Binding Bricks were known to contain 5 different brick colors (red, white, blue, yellow, green). By 1951 this was reduced to 4 brick colors (red, white, yellow, green), and by late 1954 it was reduced to 2 brick colors (red and white).

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If this wooden box (a 700/2 set) is indeed confirmed by TLG... the folks in Billund Denmark will likely have to search their archives/warehouse in order to find a copy of this set (if they have one)... since it is NOT on display in their collections or in their Vault.

These very early Automatic Binding Bricks sets are discussed in Chapter 2 of my LEGO DVD/download... and the 2 images of the wooden box variation will be in the next download upgrade in a few months (free to current/pending 2,800 page DVD/download Collectors Guide owners)....

Edited December 26, 2012 by LEGO Historian

[Pastajensen]

A, nothing is better then start the day with a Lego history lesson

[LEGO Historian]

Thanks Plage!!

So you live in Austria... here is the first Austrian catalog... of late 1957...

It's almost identical to the German catalog, but has only about 3/4 of the LEGO items available as the 1957 German catalog... love the cartoon "Mom.... when is Dad going to bed?".....

There's an entire chapter on LEGO catalogs.... this one is not yet in it... I'm trying to figure out how to "square" the image....

[Hey Joe]

Thanks, it's interesting. I'm curious about how much your friend got for that 'first set', if you'd care to post it.

[LEGO Historian]

It belonged to an acquaintance of an acquaintance.... I'll see if I can find out (this was sold a few years ago). I was dying to get an image of the white leaflet, but was told it was never scanned, unfortunately. It could have answered a lot of questions!

How much could such a set go for today?? Good question... maybe 2000+ Euros.

Edited December 27, 2012 by LEGO Historian

[Hey Joe]

Ok, thanks. I appreciate your postings and dogged determination!

[LEGO Historian]

Well it appears to be that my hunch was right.... that "first known" LEGO set did indeed have the earliest known LEGO brochure that came with it, and the bottom of the wooden box had "700/2" stamped with a rubber ink stamp on the underside of the box (that's how LEGO basic set boxes were labeled from 1949-53).

To give you an idea of how the early sets (apparently wooden as well as cardboard) were identified, here's a circa 1952-53 bottom of a 700/3 cardboard box (3rd largest size, after 700/1 and 700/2)... and it shows the rubber ink stamp of the set number (rather crude, but that's how they did it in the early years of TLG)....

This image is already in my LEGO DVD/download, and the 700/2 box and very first LEGO catalog of 1949 will be in there as well!

Finally glad to see that all the LEGO catalog years are finally accounted for (I have a LEGO DVD/download chapter on annual catalogs)... I was missing the first year... 1949.

Here's one of the 4 sides to the first 1949-50 LEGO catalog... the side showing images... (the other 3 sides mention sets and info)....

http://brickfetish.com/ideas/se/abb_1950_2.html

Edited December 28, 2012 by LEGO Historian

[sakletaren]

I found this discussion googling for a friend who has found three boxes of vintage lego in her attic. They are a bit chaotic on the inside - she doesn´t have the leaflets and the pieces are all over, but still they are very nice and the boxes are in good condition. I used the pictures above to help her date the boxes - 1950-1951 seems to be the year, but - now the question: What are the boxes worth? Someone bidded 100 SEK - but I told her to wait ;)

Regards,

Anna

[LEGO Historian]

Anna, you gave your friend very good advice....

The sets are very rare and valuable... especially since the boxes appear to be in great shape. Put together correctly, you could be talking about 1000-1500 Euros (or more)... for these 3 very rare boxes!

First of all, I can already tell by the writing on the boxes and the shade of the blue bricks in the box (that we can see) that these are of a very rare 1950-51 series of Automatic Binding Bricks... by a company known as Geas Konstharts of Gislaved Sweden.

The LEGO Company in Billund Denmark contracted Geas Konstharts to produce these sets for the southern Swedish market. Ironically neither LEGO Denmark nor Geas have any record of this... but I have catalog images of these very rare Geas sets. Since LEGO Denmark first started selling LEGO bricks also under the Automatic Binding Bricks name in 1949... early sales were very poor... and this was also the case with the Swedish selling Geas Automatic Binding Bricks... within a year production ceased, and large numbers of these sets were unsold, hence their rarity and obscurity.

These Geas Automatic Binding Bricks sets come in 3 different sizes. It's hard to tell in the picture above... but you have at least 2 of the 3 different set sizes.

Also, the fact that these are not technically a LEGO company product does NOT affect their value. I had a USA friend from Texas sell a midsized Geas Automatic Binding Bricks set (in a beaten up box) for over $500 at an Ebay auction a few years ago (a Fremchman bought it).

There should be 5 colors of bricks... red, white, green, yellow and what I call "peacock blue"... a wonderful shade of blue. These bricks will only be in sizes 2x2 and 2x4... and are not made of Cellulose Acetate, the normal material that the Danish bricks are made from. They are made of either styrene or polystyrene. There are also 3 window and 1 door types... windows in 2x2, 3x2 and 4x2... with the door in 2x4 size. The windows/doors will likely be in a mix of red, green and white... with possibly other colors. None of these bricks or parts will have any markings on the studs or underside. It wasn't until 1952 that "LEGO" started showing up on bricks... so these old Geas parts will be unmarked. Also, besides the bricks and windows/doors... there were thin 10x20 baseplates in these sets... and also some "art cards". The art cards were included because these sets had bricks with slots on the sides. And these slotted bricks could build picture frames with the art cards as the pictures. There are 5 known different designs to the art cards... 4 with landscaping, and 1 with a scene inside a Cafe (as seen thru the window).

Since you are not familiar with this forum... my name is Gary Istok... and I've been a collector for 53 years. I've written a 2,800 page collectors guide (1949-90s) on DVD/download... and have an entire chapter devoted to Automatic Binding Bricks... both LEGO Denmark, and Geas Sweden.

I would be willing to help your friend put the sets together to how they originally looked, if she wishes to sell them at auction.

I personally am not interested in these sets, except to get photos of the 3 restored sets before she sells them. I would credit her by name in allowing me to display images of her sets in my next update of my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide.

I have helped others put together old LEGO sets... and here's a thread on Eurobricks on this subject from very recently...

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=82227

If she wishes to have me help her (I live in the USA), have her contact me at (I hope I'm not violating any Eurobrick terms here)... istok.gary@gmail.com

I speak English and German... Or if she cannot speak those languages... you can be the go between.

I also have scanned copies of the 1950-51 Geas Automatic Binding Bricks catalog that she could have... in case she wishes to sell the sets (missing catalogs)... with a copy of the original.... I also have a copy of the original Ideas Brochure that came with these sets...

Thanks Anna!

Gary Istok

Also, in case your friend is interested.... I also have the 2800 page collectors guide available as a download (available within a few hours of ordering)...

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=73780

Edited May 18, 2013 by LEGO Historian

[LEGO Historian]

Anna,

Here is an image of one of the pages of 4 different 1950-55 catalogs... LEGO Billund (upper left), Geas Konstharts (upper right and lower left), and Norwegian Prima (lower right) for the Swedish market.

Here are some of the very old slotted bricks... the 3rd column from the left are the Geas bricks... I love that "Peacock" blue brick! And yes... these shiny bricks in that column are either styrene or polystyrene. The bricks on the far left are Cellulose Acetate, and the bricks on the far right are modern ABS plastic.

Here are the art cards that were used by the Automatic Binding Bricks... of all types....

Edited May 18, 2013 by LEGO Historian

[LEGO Historian]

I'm really disappointed that that Swedish lady named Anna never responded to my comments earlier in this thread. Those 3 sets are indeed very valuable... but moreso than she knows.

There's a Museum in a Swedish town that has this in its' collections... one of the sets shown above....

I guess she'll never know!!

[DPrime]

Well, I for one love reading your posts! So much history to learn - your work has been a real benefit to the community, especially to a guy like me, who's admittedly more of the collector type. :)

I will be purchasing your book as soon as I get just a little bit of money in my Paypal account - been buying a lot on Bricklink, lately. Just kind of getting back into the hobby after my "second" Dark Age. :)

[LEGO Historian]

Thanks so much DPrime.... the nice thing about having my nearly 3000 page (and over 6500 images) DVD as a download versus a physical DVD is that as I am learning ever more new and old secrets about LEGO, I'll be sending out updates every year for free to current and future owner.

And there's a reason I say secrets....

I just learned a new and (to me) very exciting secret about these old Geas LEGO sets.... this is not even known to the folks at TLG Denmark...

As I mention in earlier posts on this thread... after some online research the last few days using a "Swedish language" advanced search.... I found some VERY interesting revelations... in Post #9 I mention that the Geas Automatic Binding Bricks were made of either Styrene or Polystyrene. Well that appears to be incorrect.... and I am very happy about that.

Here is what I uncovered.... (I love playing LEGO Sherlock Holmes!!

This 3 part picture does say 1000 words....

The left side of this image shows Geas 2x4 bricks as they would appear arranged in a flat box when the set was new. Notice how shiny the plastic is.

The upper right image is of a 1930s era napkin ring... part of a set found on Ebay.

The lower right image is from my advanced Swedish Google search... and is a small blurb from a 1947 Swedish Business Directory. It mentions the Geas Konstharts (Industry) company of Gislaved Sweden (a small town in south central Sweden, and the known home of the elusive Geas company that TLG Archives have no information on). It also mentions that the Geas company made a lot of different electrical components that had plastic parts... and the plastic used was "bakelit".... otherwise known as BAKELITE.

Bakelite is an early plastic invented in 1909, and used very frequently from the 1920s-1950s for modern jewelry, streamlined radio housings, and many Art Deco and modern items. And Bakelite was also heavily used in many electrical components, such as light switches, and electrical components, due to its' high resistence to electricity.

Bakelite is probably unknown to AFOLs.... but it is very well known to 20th Century collectors of different collectibles.

So the napkin ring in this image is made of Bakelite... and when you compare the shine and milky look of the plastic bricks to the napkin holder... the resemblence is uncanny!! So these Geas Automatic Binding Bricks are likely made of Bakelite... as opposed to the Danish Automatic Binding Bricks, which were made of Cellulose Acetate... which warps (while brittle Bakelite does not).

Here's some very nice images of old Bakelite radios (very highly collectible)...

https://www.google.c...iw=1024&bih=679

And here is the history of Bakelite... which today is little used, because of its' expense to produce. Bakelite is still used for Backgammon pieces, as well as gameboard plastic pieces. But the interesting thing about this article is that Bakelite was replaced in many instances by (drumroll).... ABS plastic!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite

And here's the brick comparison pic once again....

1st column (left) of 2x4 bricks is old TLG Automatic Binding Bricks of Cellulose Acetate.

2nd column is of a non-LEGO brick of unknown plastic.

3rd column is of Geas Automatic Binding Bricks of Bakelite.

4th column is of modern LEGO ABS bricks.

Next week I'll be notifying the folks at the TLG Archives and Collections of this... and boy will they be surprised!!

Edited August 24, 2013 by LEGO Historian

[LEGO Historian]

Haven't heard back yet from the folks at TLG... but they are eagerly waiting for my next DVD download version to have some additions to their Archives!

Edited August 29, 2013 by LEGO Historian

[Herky]

Historian, just want to say thanks for all the info you have, been following your posts and appreciate the info you provide. I have a good interest in the early stuff, but was thinking 60s so amazing to see just how far back it goes. I had sent you a message about a Lego Esso Station that I think is a mashup of the original, I bought it cause I knew it was older but I know now it is incomplete but would appreciate any info you could provide. Would you like me to put a pic in here or just send it straight to you?

[LEGO Historian]

Hi Herky... you can post it right here... no problem! I get so many private messages, which I don't mind... but about 1/3 of them are like Anna above... they ask a question... I spin my wheels and time on answering a lot of questions.... and then.... nothing... no followups to other questions I have for them... just silence. And that can get quite frustrating...

But Esso Service Station is one of my all time favorites... so feel free to ask away... (note the Esso Service Station (#310 and #1310) were never sold standalone in the USA/Canada. They were only found in the #725 Town Plan Set.

And since we're on the subject of Esso Service Stations... here's some of the earliest ones....

The Denmark version was sold in much of continental Europe from 1956-58. The German version produced at the same time with the German language printed brick. And the Swedish version was also produced at the same, although it too had the international style "ESSO SERVICE" sign. The German and Swedish versions are very rare, and may have been superceded by the Danish version box in their countries.

The #250/#1250 Esso Tanker Truck is known in 5 language variations.

The first 2... Danish and English account for 99% of all the known tanker trucks. These can be found throughout the world interchangeably... not country specific.

The last 3 are the Norwegian (ESSO) and the 2 (BENSIN) Swedish variations. These 3 are all considered very rare, and were likely only produced from 1955-58, later being replaced by the Danish and Englsih versions.

And here are 6 different Esso Pumps variations. Since I last posted this, another 6 different versions have appeared, and will be in my next version of my LEGO DVD/download (free to current owners).... The upper left one is Swedish, the upper right one is Danish, both from 1955-58, the lower right unusual one is from UK/Ireland/Australia from 1962-67. The other 3 are the common ones produced from 1956-66.

Here are the 4 versions of the Esso sign, and the variations on the oil drums....

The freestanding sign with the curved top is the UK/Ireland/Australia version of 1962-67. The other is the standard version that comes in either black or blue edging, and with "ESSO" in various shades of red.

The Esso oil drums were only ever sold in Denmark from 1955-58, and are just 1x1 round bricks with an Esso Motor Oil Sticker. These are highly collectible and are worth about $100 each in excellent condition.

[Herky]

interesting, so what I think I have, from the pics I am posting, is someone who did the best they could in recreating this station but didn't quite get it right...plus I have other "signs" then which are not part of the set, a couple are clearly German or Danish maybe?

I thought 310-5 was sold here, but from what you say maybe not. There was one complete and pretty much mintish set on ebay for a long time, but I didn't have the $450 the guy wanted, but was drooling over it. I would love to try to use what I have to recreate it as best I could but I know the box would likely be the hardest to get but I can get the instructions from different places...just not sure where what I have came from, maybe the Town Plan set then? Thanks for any help on this.

[LEGO Historian]

The 310 Esso Service Station is really not an expensive build... even though the boxed set can cost up to $1000.

The costly parts are the extras.... the 1:87 Esso Tanker, the Esso gas pumps (when decals are intact and red lamps are in place), as well as the freestanding Esso sign. But these should all be in the $15-$40 price range, except when the truck is near mint.

Here's my version of the build (from spare parts)....

The garage had either a white (1956-62) or red (1963-66) garage door... with the red one being quite inexpensive.

Here's a scan of the instructions (back then you didn't get spoon fed instructions like today)...

http://www.peeron.com/scans/310-5/2

The garage kit....

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=820&colorID=1

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=821&colorID=1

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=822bc01&colorID=5

Esso truck/pumps Accessories...

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=P&catString=424

Freestanding sign...

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=bb108pb01

Rather inexpensive white classic windows and doors...

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=453bc01&colorID=1

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=31bc01&colorID=1

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=33bc01&colorID=1

The bricks can be all modern (for just a build)... and you already have the curved plates.

Cheers,

Gary Istok

[quiquinho]

Dear Friends,

This is my very first contribution to EUROBRICKS, and I wish you all my very best regards from Portugal!

Just a short note about the Lego Bedford Esso Tanker:

There were two variations in this model cast, the first version with side indicators painted in silver, and a later version with front indicators/parking lights.

Besides that, there is one small detail I have never seen discussed before:

Most (but not all) Bedford Esso tankers had a reference number on the underside, near the rear axle.

I confirm the existence of ref. numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8, but most probably there are more different ref. numbers (my Bedford tanker is nº 6, have the side indicators and body decals "Esso EXTRA MOTOR OIL").

Perhaps some Lego fan more expert could give me a hint of the meaning of these underside references?

Please accept my most warm regards!

Armando Fernandes

Edited March 28, 2014 by quiquinho

[B-Lister]

Amazing history lesson!

My family is in the Antiques business so I am very familiar with Bakelite. (Even the tragic history of the Bakel family.)

[LEGO Historian]

Dear Friends,

This is my very first contribution to EUROBRICKS, and I wish you all my very best regards from Portugal!

Just a short note about the Lego Bedford Esso Tanker:

There were two variations in this model cast, the first version with side indicators painted in silver, and a later version with front indicators/parking lights.

Besides that, there is one small detail I have never seen discussed before:

Most (but not all) Bedford Esso tankers had a reference number on the underside, near the rear axle.

I confirm the existence of ref. numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8, but most probably there are more different ref. numbers (my Bedford tanker is nº 6, have the side indicators and body decals "Esso EXTRA MOTOR OIL").

Perhaps some Lego fan more expert could give me a hint of the meaning of these underside references?

Please accept my most warm regards!

Armando Fernandes

Hi Armando, welcome to the group!!

The front and side indicator (turn signal indicators) 1:87 vehicle variations are known for the Bedford trucks, and also for the VW Buses, Vans and Pickups. Usually the different variations between the same models sell for the same prices, but this is not always the case, as with the VW Samba Bus (607).

The other item you mention... the "reference numbers" found on the bottom of the Bedford Esso Tanker Truck... is the mold number for that particular item. Most (not all) LEGO items have mold numbers found on them. The 2x4 brick is a common example, and can have an almost infinite number of mold numbers on the underside. In this instance, the Bedford trucks were produced in much smaller quantities, and therefore would have a single digit mold number. Again, these are not a determining factor for value.

On the otherhand the decals found on these vehicles are a very big determination for value. A Swedish or Norwegian decal on the 250 Bedford Esso Tanker Truck, would ordinarily be worth 10 times as much as a Danish or English one. There is a Swedish one currently on sale in Bricklink, selling for 500 Euros.

Amazing history lesson!

My family is in the Antiques business so I am very familiar with Bakelite. (Even the tragic history of the Bakel family.)

Yes Bakelite was a very popular material used in some very collectible and popular Art Deco Moderne streamlined plastic radios and jewelry.

The designs of old radios made of Bakelite is endless...

https://www.google.c...iw=1024&bih=636

Bakelite was never used by TLG for LEGO bricks... but only by licensee Geas Konstharts of Sweden for Automatic Binding Bricks made there.

Edited March 31, 2014 by LEGO Historian

[Mindblazter80]

Hello! Today I find the first box of this "first lego"! With all pieces and a note that have the sellers name on it!! Very cool box! What can I get for it??

I mean this "Automatic Binding Bricks" box..

(Im from sweden)

[LEGO Historian]

Hehehe... he found my Email... and I already told him the good new... the sets worth at least 500 Euros!!