LEGO Historian

Someone just the other day asked the question on Bricklink about whether or not the Star Wars 2009 introduced Battle of Endor 8038 set with "EXCLUSIVE ANNIVERSARY EDITION" was somehow rarer than other sets without this writing, but the question was never satisfactorily answered. LEGO boxes produced in the Czech Republic/Hungary sets produced for Europe generally have somewhat different printing on them than do those produced in Mexico for the North American market. This difference has often been the case, and in some decades past, there were even greater differences between boxes. During the late 1960s it was even likely that the sets themselves contained some different parts on both sides of the Atlantic. During the 1970s the same sets produced for the USA market even had different set numbers, than those produced for other countries. And even sets produced for the LEGO licensee (Samsonite for USA/Canada, Courtauld's (British LEGO Ltd.) for UK, Ireland, Australia) had different box types. Different box types first appeared in 1955, and have continued on in an almost dizzying array of box variations over the years. I'm finishing up a new Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide chapter (available as DVD download).. that shows some of the very complex (at times) array of different boxes that were used over the years for LEGO sets in different markets. The 2009 Star Wars set Battle of Endor 8038 set comes in 2 box types.... The upper box, with minimal printing was mainly for the non-North American market, and does NOT list the content parts count. The lower box was used in North America, and shows English/French/Spanish text, the parts count... and also shows "EXCLUSIVE ANNIVERSARY EDITION" printed along the bottom front of the box. Due to the large number of both sets produced, there is really no difference in value for the 2 set types. However, this is not always the case. Here is another example... the 1978 introduced YELLOW CASTLE Set... introduced in Europe, Australia and Canada as set 375 in 1978, and as 6075 in the USA in 1980. In 1980 model set numbers went from 3 to 4 digits, which would explain the difference. The USA sets of the 1970s and 1980s had English writing, while the European/Australia versions came without writing (except mainly to list the ages of play for children, in different languages), since they were for countries covering many languages. The 375 set for Canada was easy enough to tell apart from the 375 sets of Europe and Australia. Samsonite of Canada was still the LEGO licensee (until 1985) for that country... so there was always English/French writing somewhere on the box, and it would also mention Samsonite of Canada in small letters as well. Here's an example of a 1973/1974/1975 introduced set... the London Bus Set. The London Bus was introduced in Europe and Australia in 1973 under the 384 number, with minimal writing on the box. It was then introduced in Canada in 1974, also under the 384 number, but with "Building Toy" and "Jeu de Construction" in English and French within the LEGO logo on top of the box, and lesser writing in English and French (including mentioning Samsonite of Canada) on the side of the box. Then in 1975 the London Bus set came out under the 760 number, with the box showing English writing in large letters. (I'll explain the different set numbers in a bit). Here are the 3 versions of the London Bus set... the top is the Europe/Australia box type, the middle one is the Canada box type, and the lower one is the USA box type... More examples to follow....

No problem... LEGO stickers were first introduced in 1971-72.... and in at least one case a LEGO set came in 2 variations... with and without stickers. When a large number of LEGO Mini-Wheel sets were introduced in 1972, TLG had some sets already produced in 1971. The 685 Truck With Trailer was an example... When this model was first produced in 1971, it was for a 1972 set release date. However, by the time 1972 rolled around, many other sets were produced with LEGO stickers... and this truck, which was rather plain looking, was redesigned with some colorful LEGO rainbow logo stickers. Here are the 1971 produced no-sticker model, as well as the 1972 produced with-sticker model... both actually released into production in 1972.... The vast majority of these sets show the stickers present on the instructions, and box top. But early sets, instructions, boxes show no stickers.... It is this early no-sticker version of the 685 set that is much more collectible and rare.

I thought I would reopen this old thread from 5 months ago... my friend Henk from the Netherlands... who collects glued LEGO display models, and who alone is reponsible for 1 entire chapter of my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide (available as DVD download)... the chapter on glued display models... he keeps raising the bar on old LEGO display items. We fondly call him the "glue sniffer", because he does what few of us would dare to do... use glue to restore LEGO models. But since the models are glued to begin with, he just completes or restores them with glue and vintage parts. One of his most interesting models of all is a LEGO gear model. LEGO gears first came out at Christmas 1965 with USA/Canada Samsonite gears (not sold elsewhere). By 1970 a different platform of gear sets were introduced in Europe/Australia and later in Canada. These gears were the forerunner to the Technic system first introduced in 1977 as Expert Builder sets. These 1970 introduced gear sets had an 800 set as the large ear set, with a 4.5V battery powered motor... Here's the 803 Gear Set for building a truck with crane.... And here is one of my all time favorite display model... a machine that would have fascinated every kid and dad with it's working ingenuity. Henk got this machine in parts, and didn't know how to put it back together. He was assisted by several other old time LEGO collectors who found diagrams of the model in old publications. Although this is only about 80% functional so far... it is really cool!! http://www.flickr.co...N08/6846415027/ I believe that this uses 3 LEGO motor units. Although this must have been very noisy in a toy store... it got your attention!! This model will be the highlight of my LEGO DVD/download chapter on display models!

When I was little... we didn't even have LEGO in the USA... I survived until Christmas 1960 without LEGO (age 6)... when I got my first set from my uncle in Germany... a 700/1 basic set.... this was when Eisenhower was still president , and a full year before LEGO was introduced to the USA via a license to Samsonite... I still have 1 LEGO element that has a provenance to this early period... a 10x20 gray (thick) baseplate... without LEGO on the studs, but on the underside. Now 53 years later... I'm more into LEGO research... but I still have a bazillion LEGO elements... going all the way back to Automatic Binding Bricks of 1949-52. Rather than explain what I like to collect... a picture says a thousand words... I may not be older than dirt... but sigh... I'm older than ABS.....

One of the things that makes old LEGO so interesting is that there are always little anomalies and mysteries that never seem to make sense about it.

CopMike... did you let Maxx3001 see this image?? He'll trade away up to 2 of his children for this! Hehehehe.... And since I have your attentions... CopMike... have you (or any other Swedish Eurobrick members) ever seen a 1:43 LEGO Chevrolet Truck or Wagon, like the ones I've shown earlier on this thread? I'm about 3/4 finished with a new mini-collectors guide for the 1952-57 LEGO 1:43 Chevrolet Trucks... and am trying to find out if these vehicles ever show up at Swedish flea markets, auctions or sales?? So far I know that these trucks were sold in Denmark, Norway (LEGO sales established 1953), and Iceland (LEGO sales establilshed 1955). In Sweden LEGO sales also started in 1955, but I have never seen anything to show if these 1:43 trucks were actually sold for the Swedish market...

The (1954-63) LEGO Gnome was found on box tops, catalogs and brochures of the early LEGO era. Here are examples of the glued LEGO retailer display models produced at the Billund factory... figuratively marching their way across Europe... Hard to believe that a LEGO Gnome doll 55 years later would command over 800 Euros on the secondary market!!

It is astonishing studying the obscure early years about LEGO. From 1 counttry selling LEGO in 1949, to 4 countries by 1956 (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany)... by 1957 there were only 140 employees at the company... and by 1961 there were over 11,000 LEGO retailers in Continental Europe alone. By 1962 there were 42 countries selling LEGO, including the licensing of LEGO out to 2 companies... a British chemical giant named Courtaulds, which sold LEGO in Britain, Ireland and Australia, and suitcase/plastics maker Samsonite, which sold LEGO in USA/Canada. By 1962 the Godtfred Kirk Christiansen family were millionaires... although their Billund house was modern but modest, as seen in this 1962 German magazine article discussing the LEGO phenomenon. Godtfred, an unnamed LEGO exec on the sofa with his wife Edith are pictured along with the German General Consul of Denmark (back to camera), and manning the bellows at the fireplace, Godtfred's brother Johannes....

The LEGO Retailer Handbook binder seen in the previous images is seen in this 1961 Austrian Retailer brochure. This guide was provided to all retailers. The German language brochure mentions that by 1961 there were 11,000 independent LEGO retailers throughout continental Europe that were provided this guide, in the local language....

The LEGO retailer binders from Germany... upper left early 1960s, upper right mid 1960s. Lower image 4 binder tabs.

Just got some rare 1950s, 1960s and 1970s LEGO retailer brochure images, that give a lot of historic LEGO info! More stuff for my next DVD download version!! Here's an image dating to 1958, German retailer display showing LEGO set and parts pack sales to customers... In the late 1950s and early 1960s European retailers had a countertop display that held folded copies of the latest LEGO catalog.. available for only pennies each.... this is a German display...

Interestingly enough... (sigh)... I was around when those smooth base 1x1 round bricks were still in use... they had next to zero clutch power, although not every brick had that issue... perhaps it was due to them being made of Cellulose Acetate, and eventually they warped somewhat. But they were remodeled in 1966 with a tapered base at the time they were used in the 325 Shell Station Set... where the 8 1x1 trans-clear tapered base round bricks that held the gas pumps canopy up were centered on a 2x8 white plate. Prior to 1966 all the old style smooth base round bricks could NOT be placed between 4 studs. But starting in 1966 this was no longer an issue. This seems kind of a trivial reason to start having a tapered base... so it may have been another reason (such as clutch) for the remodeling. Also, in that image of the Little Red Riding Hood scene... that white construction in the left side of the image was window curtains. And that design (this took me a while to figure out)... was 1x1 "O" alphabet 1x1 bricks placed together to create that pattern... very clever! Also, I love the "Afghan" effect of the small plates used to make the bedspread in that image!

I have been studying a LEGO Retailers Guide from Belgium and Germany. Lots of very interesting information and some very whimsical pictures of old LEGO scenes. Such as some old images from an early 1960s LEGO Calendar.... A day at the beach..... Waiting for the prom date.... Little Red Riding Hood.... Raising cattle...

Thanks! That clears things up! As I mentioned before... I've owned many of those old "minifig stiffs" from the 1970s... and I never even noticed a cracking problem! Those parts stood up very well...

OK.... now I'm confused?? Not only do these not have arms... but they cannot have loose legs either... because there are no legs... Have you experienced problems with these before? I've had hundreds of these (1974-80) parts in the past... and I don't ever remember any cracking in the upper torso or lower torso parts... but then again most of mine have been in new or relatively new condition. And yes... the later (1978 introduced) regular minifig parts did have issues with cracking... even when in excellent condition.

I came out of my dark ages in 1979, before many of you youngin's were born! By the early 1980s I was attempting to order thousands of spare parts from TLG in Connecticut (to no avail)... However they did keep my name on file. In 1985 I built a display window for a resale toy shop called "Moms Toy Attic" in my hometown. 2 months later I got a call from the local newspaper, and they wanted to do a special on a 32 year old guy who builds large LEGO creations. I freaked out almost... because none of my friends knew about this, and I was worried how my friends and co-workers would react. So the article came out and they saw it. Surprisingly they were all most supportive and positive about it. Some drove 10 miles just to see my display window! A year later I got a call from Henry Wiencek the author of THE WORLD OF LEGO TOYS book... he wanted to include me (the only AFOL) in his book. So he mentions me on page 30. Then 3 months later I got another phone call from TLG... they wanted to send a representative to my house to check out my collection. I showed it to them, and they thanked me. A month later I got a phone call from CBC Canada, the Canadian national TV network. They were doing a special on 25 years of LEGO in Canada on their 10PM show THE JOURNAL. Since I lived in metro Detroit (right next to the Canadian border), they sent a crew down from Toronto to film and interview me. The show aired in early 1987 with a 82 year old lady from Saskatchewan who built the Canadian Provincial Parliament buildings of LEGO, a collector in Montreal who was the forerunner of Bricklink bin storage, and myself who built a cathedral, some office towers and other buildings out of LEGO. After it was aired (metro Detroit got the Canadian TV signal) I got a call from my 6th grade school teacher who said she was so very proud of me. So back before the days of the internet building with LEGO... it WAS something to hide over... and coming out of the "LEGO closet" was a terrifying thing. But today... with all that is available online, with the hundreds of thousands of fellow collectors out there... being afraid should no longer be an option for you! If anyone does make fun of you (and there are always a few "Eddie Haskell" types)... then just tell them that you're laughing all the way to the bank!

Well I haven't posted in a while, because I am working on a new LEGO Collectors Guide... this one for the 1:43 scale LEGO Chevrolet Trucks and Wagons. These were produced from 1952-57, and were sold only in Denmark and Norway. Because LEGO building sets were built to 1:87 scale (1/2 of the 1:43) Bedford trucks and VW cars... the 1:43 trucks were not considered part of the LEGO System of Play, so these will not be part of my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide, but will be in a separate document. In doing my research of these very rare and pricey 1:43 trucks... I came across a pair of these from Iceland, which started the first LEGO sales in 1955..... What is very interesting about the Icelandic language is that it is a very ancient language that is related to Danish and Norwegian. The Icelandic alphabet has 32 letters, some of the extra ones are vowels with accents. Shown above is the letter "D" with a line thru it, another Icelandic letter (along with the regular "D"). Most interesting among these printed Icelandic Chevrolet trucks is the letter "Z" in one of them. Since this truck was produced in the 1950s... the letter "Z" has been retired from the Icelandic alphabet! The 1:43 Chevrolet Trucks are today very highly collectible, mainly by European collectors. Regular Danish or Norwegian 1:43 trucks sell for hundreds of Euros each. Because Iceland has such a small population (less than 200K in the 1950s), these 2 very rare trucks would likely command over 1000 Euros each at auction!

Thanks 4everLego! Here's some more of those trucks... these are 1:43 LEGO Chevrolet Wagons... only sold in Denmark and Norway... The first one is an Electric Company Truck, the 2nd is a Police Paddy Wagon, the 3rd is a Milk Truck, and the 4th is an Ambulance... all date from 1953-57..... Also... for those who think I'm swimming in rare old LEGO.... sigh... that's not the case..... I'm working on a new LEGO collectors guide for the 1:43 LEGO Chevrolet trucks. No one has yet none one. That and continuing to expand my 1949-90 sets/parts collectors guide, and working on a monumental one for 1990-2014. So much work, so little time....

Hehehe..... it's from the 238 Building Idea Book... also known as Building Idea Book No.1, Building Idea Book No.2, and Building Idea Book No.3. This booklet was sold from 1960-66 in all countries... This idea book was sold in 11 different book covers (depending on date and country)... with all of the earlier Building Idea Book covers looking something like this..........

Ummmm..... I could swear that I've seen that model before (my model in my basement) ....................

Well, just got another previously unknown LEGO set box... it seems that the Danish-Swedish-Norwegian 1306 VW Repair Set came in not 2... but 3 box top languages. Apparently Denmark came with VW SERVICE, Sweden with VW GARAGE... and now Norway with VW GARASJE on the box top....

Nice wooden LEGO truck Modulex Guy!! Those are becoming very collectible and oh so valuable.... Wooden toys were made by TLG from the very beginning in 1932, until Feb. 4 1960, when the wooden toy LEGO factory/warehouse burned down, and TLG decided not to rebuild it, but stick to LEGO plastic toys. Here's an example of a LEGO wooden Tanker Truck, a plastic LEGO Esso Tanker Truck in 1:43 scale (early versions had tankers of wood, later versions had tankers of plastic), and a 1:87 LEGO Esso Tanker Truck. Wooden toys were 1932-60, 1:43 plastic trucks were 1953-57, and 1:87plastic vehicles were 1955-70... No one has yet written a collectors guide on LEGO wooden toys, and no one yet has written a collectors guide on the 1:43 plastic trucks as of yet... but I am almost done with a guide for that short production scale... just not sure if I'm going to make it separate from my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide, or include it as a chapter. Here's a 1953-57 1:43 BP Barrel Truck with Propane tanks made of wood... with the (very rare) box it came in it....

Well more updates on that 1575 Basic Set with game included.... It seems that the 1575 set had the game box within a bigger 1575 box... as one owner of the Australian set has told me. This now makes a lot more sense. So the box with the game in it is only the inner box, and therefore has no set number on it... only the outer box has the 1575 on it. So it appears that the 1575 set was sold in Denmark, Sweden, Finnland and Australia. Fine so far... but then after checking the Brickset database (Peeron, Bricklink and Lugnet don't say or show too much... the Brickset database shows a closeup of the outer box.... Sooooo... this (from 1000steine) image shows a 1575 box in English, French and Spanish... which would be perfect for North America... but this box is seen in Bricklink (in small image) from the person who owns this set... Jan K. , who said that he got the set from Australia (plus his image shows that the above image only shows 2/3 of the box top.... not the window portion of the lower 1/3 of the box. http://www.bricklink...em.asp?S=1575-2 It would seem odd to see this box as an Australian box with English/French and Spanish writing on it, but the Bricklink box from Jan K. is an Australian box... and it does indeed have 3 languages on the box (English, French and Spanish).... strange though....

Roger no, not all old is just old! Here's what I put together a few years ago... what I call the "Super Town Plan" layout... with modern bricks... old windows/doors (even a Minitalia window on the 2nd floor of the red building).... some 1950s and 1960s trees and Town Plan accessories and 1:87 cars/trucks, some more recent low and steep sloped bricks, and even modern railing pieces, decorated slopes, radar dishes and rounded plates.... a mix of 1955-95 parts...

Thanks for asking Roger... although the scene above uses mostly 1960s parts, those 2 green curved bricks on the roof are modern elements. My friend Jeroen... when he put thiis grouping together... he wanted green accents on the building to match the green rare VW Bus. The very first green LEGO bricks were the 10x20 baseplates which came out in 1953. Green bricks were produced for a brief time in the old slotted brick style, and the hollow bottom style in Denmark, Norway, Sweden from 1949-58, and then were discontinued for about 2 decades. The first LEGO plates in green were the USA/Canada Samsonite spare parts packs with small plates (518, 519, 520, 521). Ironically, while these parts packs were sold in all countries... in Europe/Australia they only came in red, white, blue, yellow, black, clear or gray starting in 1963. But in USA/Canada (Samsonite LEGO) they didn't have blue or yellow small plates packs... but did have green ones. So old small plates with "Pat. Pend." made of Cellulose Acetate were found in USA/Canada in the 1960s. As to curved parts... the 4x8 right and left curved plates (made only with waffle bottoms in USA/Canada, but with either waffle bottom (earlier) or circle bottom (later) elsewhere... were sold from 1955 until 1969, and then discontinued. Besides the macaroni bricks (from 1955-57 there were 4 varieties)... the 4x8 right and left curved waffle plates, the 4x4 round(ed) turntables and the 1970s 4x4 cone bricks... most curved LEGO parts came in the 1980s and later. Here is a LEGO Idea Book list showing the parts that were available from 1960-61 (black bricks came out in 1962, along with LEGO wheels, and small plates in late 1962)....