LEGO Historian Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) I just removed this from another thread, since I'm waiting to hear back from the folks at the TLG Archives... One set that had 2 variations came out in 1989... the 6661 MOBILE TV STUDIO SET (see images below). This set came with a "TV" pattern on two 1x4x3 blue panels, and two1x1 yellow tiles with the number "2" on them. The box and instructions also showed these parts. This set would have been just another regular LEGO set, if it weren't for a German TV Station... WDR (Westdeutsche Rundfunk) is a Television station located in Cologne (Köln) in the German state of Northrhine Westphalia (Nordrhein Westfalen). This TV station may have ordered a quantity of these 6661 sets for a TV station promotion. The specific reason for it is not known (yet). This set, possibly produced for a promotion, had the two 1x4x3 panels printed with the "WDR" logo of that German TV station. However, it appears that TLG printed the WDR emblem "over" the existing "TV" emblem on the 2 panels, with the outline of the (regular sets) TV emblem very faintly visible underneath. Also... the only difference between the regular set and the promotional set are the 2 "WDR" blue panels. This set came with the same yellow 1x1 tiles with "2" on them. This promotional set had the same box and instructions (showing "TV" on the blue panels) as the regular 6661 set. This WDR version of the 6661 appears to be very rare, since their existence was only recently found out. So the production distribution of this variation was likely limited to northwestern Germany. A 6661 set owner would have to break the seal, and open the box in order to see which of the versions he had. I just sent this image to the LEGO Archives, and they seem to be unaware of this variation. So they are investigating. Maybe they will find out just how many were produced, and for what exact reason?? Fugazi.... I know you will likely want to move this over to the LEGO TOWN section of Eurobricks... (maybe after we get an answer from the LEGO Archives?) I just posted it here as a set of "General Interest". Edited February 28, 2013 by LEGO Historian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fugazi Posted February 28, 2013 On Lugnet someone hypothesized that the TV station may have had the printed panels modified for their purpose themselves. Given that often LEGO would assign a different number to a promotional set, I find this hypothesis compelling. But in that case, were the sets given away/sold as built models? Fugazi.... I know you will likely want to move this over to the LEGO TOWN section of Eurobricks... (maybe after we get an answer from the LEGO Archives?) I just posted it here as a set of "General Interest". It can perhaps stay here, as it is a topic of historical/collectors interest. I don't mind either way! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) Interesting hypothesis... thanks for the link Fugazi. I knew that the TV panel print was underneath the WDR panels. Although you would have to open the box to see if the "WDR" panels were inside... it would be interesting to find out if there are any sealed polybags from one of these sets to prove this theory incorrect. There is only 1 occurrence of a non-TLG produced promotional item that I can think of at the moment. That was back in the 1960s, when an Austrian automotive company named "STEYR-DIESEL" bought 30 1:87 white/green #258 VW Vans, and added their own company's water decal to them as promotions. (From my LEGO Collectors Guide 1:87 Chapter...) Even though these were not produced this way by TLG... it doesn't stop them from being very valuable on the secondary market! Edited February 28, 2013 by LEGO Historian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted March 8, 2013 (edited) Well Fugazi, looks like you wee correct! I asked the folks at the TLG archives, and they have no records of the 6661 set having a "WDR" image on any of the 6661 truck panels. They asked the German sales offices, and the German offices asked some of their senior sales folks about the 6661 "WDR" version. Here was their German reply.... ----------------------- "Liebe Kirsten, Die 6661 aus dem Jahre 1989 kenne ich. ABER ICH KENNE NICHT DAS WDR AUTO! Ich denke das hier vom WDR ein Aufkleber auf das Fahrzeug geklebt wurde. Ich habe auch schon bei älteren Kollegen nachgefragt, ob sie das WDR Auto kennen. Leider kennt keiner das Auto. In München wird das auch niemand wissen. Ein schönes Wochenende und liebe Grüße" ------------------------ So it looks like this was an inside job done by WDR, just like the "STEYR DIESEL" I mentioned in a previous thread. This would mean that every one of the 6661 sets with this panel with sticker over assembly was an opened set! I would still assume that the value of this set is more than a regular 6661, but it was not a TLG sanctioned set. Cheers, Gary Istok P.S. Will still include it in my next LEGO DVD/download version... but in a footonote as a "doctored" set. Edited March 8, 2013 by LEGO Historian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted May 20, 2013 (edited) I've since had to retract my hypothesis about this unique set. I've seen several "sealed" polybags with the "WDR" panels inside. So this must have been an inside TLG job. Perhaps in 1989 an executive from the German company WDR approached a senior executive at TLG Denmark and asked for an order of these sets? The TLG executive may have contacted the production folks, and had a few hundred or thousand of the "WDR" panels produced, and added to the regular production run of these sets... with the specific truck sets put aside for a special distribution to Germany. This could explain why the LEGO Archives and the LEGO Sales folks in Germany both don't have any info on this set.... because it probably bypassed all the normal channels. Just a hypothesis... although it would make sense if no one currently at TLG remembers this or has any records of it.... Also no special boxes or instructions could bear this out. Will be making some changes to my Collectors Guide..... Gary Istok Edited May 20, 2013 by LEGO Historian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fugazi Posted May 20, 2013 Thanks for the update Gary! It does sound unusual that there would be no record of these official promotional sets, but it has been more than 30 years and perhaps the employees who would know more about it are no longer with LEGO. The sealed WDR sets must be quite valuable now! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted May 20, 2013 Exactly Fugazi!! The march of time has quite an effect on TLG history. Sometimes things were done "behind the scenes". And without going thru official channels... some processes (such as documenting this specific set anomaly) fell to the wayside. And even the German sales folks would have been bypassed, if these sets went directly to West Deutsche Rundfunk (in Cologne Germany)... rather than thru the (then) German Sales Office at Hohenwestedt. It's these little "quirky" LEGO sets that I really love about the LEGO product. If everything they did was by the book... then it would have been a very dull collectible indeed. And TLG Denmark didn't always know what was going on in other markets. The biggest mysteries were what was taking place in neighboring Norway and Sweden in the 1950s, and USA/Canada in the 1960s and 1970s. Giving licensees the freedom to create their own product, often means that TLG didn't know what is going on around the world. Of course since 1993, when the last licensee (Courtauld's of British LEGO Ltd. in Britain, Ireland and Australia) returned their license to TLG... they've kept a close rein on what is done everywhere. TLG has been searching the auctions of Sweden and Norway for LEGO items that they did not previously know the existence of. And this also holds true for USA and Canada. Gary Istok Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
splatman Posted May 22, 2013 What are the chances that WDR bought a bunch of the 6661 sets and printed the panels themselves? Open all the boxes, open all the relevant polybags, print the panels, put them back in the bags, reseal the bags, put them back in the boxes, and reseal the boxes. Did any of the boxes and bags appear to have been resealed? That might explain both the WDR logo being printed on top of the TV logo, and the total (so far) lack of records. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted May 22, 2013 I was thinking of that as well splatman... but all the images I have seen of sealed polybags... they look like TLG sealed ones. I'm not an expert on packaging, so I haven't a clue as to how easy or difficult it would be to do a TLG type packaging that is identical to that of TLG. Makes for an interesting possibility. But I tend to think that with identical inner packaging on both types (WDR and TV)... it could be a TLG job. There is so much that goes on at TLG that has not been put into the company records, that if this were the case with the 6661 sets, I would not be at all surprised. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sid Sidious Posted May 23, 2013 Could you post some of the pictures you've seen? I know you aren't an expert on packaging, but no doubt some other Eurobricks members are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CopMike Posted May 25, 2013 Picture from BL member schluss in this thread: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted May 29, 2013 (edited) Thanks for the info on this Mike! A copy of this set went to German Ebay auction. I know the winner of that auction... my Belgian friend Stefaan... a great guy. This set really went for much less than I would have expected. Perhaps the rare version is not well known enough. But it was a TLG release this way... only TLG has no record of it... This set really is a sleeper... much rarer than the 62 Euros it was sold for! Edited May 29, 2013 by LEGO Historian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CopMike Posted June 27, 2014 It´s a tough competiton between TV crews these days ! The WDR one might not be able to broadcast, they´ve mounted the dish antenna wrongly and haven´t got their little antenna up either . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Historian Posted February 25, 2015 Well, I'm still finding out about this set, but I think I have the answers for the mysterious existence of this rare 6661 WDR version of the 6661 TV version of the Mobile TV Studio set of 1989-90s. WDR (West Deutsch Rundfunk) TV Station in northwest Germany, headquartered in Cologne, was 1/2 of a larger TV station that split in two in 1955. WDR started broadcasting on Jan. 1, 1956. So the 6661 Mobile TV Studio Set, which was first released in 1989, was a nice set to make for a 35th Anniversary keepsake for the 1991 Anniversary date. Here is the box for both versions... Well WDR executives wanted a quick anniversary souvenir... and one of them saw the 6661 TV version in a toy store. A few calls from WDR executives to some LEGO executives, and a batch of the "TV" panels were redone with "WDR" over the "TV" printing on the 1x4x3 blue panels (you can see the overprint). These new panels were sealed into the inner polybag of the set. And the end result was a 6661 Mobile TV Studio with the German WDR logo on it... Since this was done as a rush job, neither the instructions, nor the box top were changed, and unfortunately neither the Billund Archive/Collections, nor the German LEGO Advertising Department were notified. These special WDR sets were likely sent directly from Billund Denmark to Cologne Germany, in time for the January 1, 1991 35th Anniversary of WDR. Now to add the changes to my collectors guide chapters on LEGO Sets and Promotional Sets. More LEGO Mayhem!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
