LEGO Historian

I agree with Fugazi.... Samsonite of Canada sets often come in blister packs, while they come in boxes elsewhere. The closest I could find for a match is set 6822 Space Digger.... it has just a red space minifig, the black walkie-talkie, and those gray jets. But the white minifig doesn't appear to belong, and there's a lot of other parts missing if it is a 6822 blister pack.... https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=6822-1#T=S&O={} That box artwork does appear to be from the early 1980s, when the 6822 was released. Here's a 1981 Canada LEGO catalog.... and it shows all the LEGO sets from that year (including the 6822)... that seems to be the best fit for this small packaging.... http://www.youblisher.com/p/1028879-1981-Canada-LEGO-Catalog/

The "target" bricks that WoutR is talking about were produced by a company in southern Sweden called GEAS KONSTHARTS of Gislaved Sweden. From 1950 to circa 1953 GEAS produced Automatic Binding Bricks for the Swedish market (as TLG did for the Danish market). Once TLG switched the name to LEGO Mursten in 1953, GEAS could not follow suit, and chose a different name... PRIMA for their sets. GEAS produced these sets until 1955 or thereabouts, which is the date that LEGO Sweden was inaugurated in Lerum Sweden. From then on the GEAS company no longer made construction building toys, although the company still exists today... they make plastic coat hangers!

Well I've not posted about my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide (1949-1990s) in over a year. And there a reason for that. I'm working on a bigger project.... but it still includes my Guide. I'm working on bringing it forward to 2016... and am about at 2002 so far. And of course current owners of my computer desktop guide (over 80 chapters so far)... will be getting future updates for free, since I keep your Email on file (no Spamming). My guide is being expanded and developed into a multi book format. However the first country to have it... will get it translated into their Asian language in book form. And once that comes out, I will no longer be able to offer the online English 2800 page version for sale to new owners... although free updates will still be available for current owners. I'm just giving folks who may have procrastinated in buying it a fair warning... that this will be a closed edition (except for current owners).... so if you are still interested in a $29.95 (US) guide... it will be a lot cheaper than when it finally gets out in English in a few years after Asia is done with me. So my online guide right now covers 1949-95... with 1949-2016 as the goal by next year (free to current owners). Here's hundreds of old LEGO items you've never seen.... https://www.flickr.com/photos/istokg/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/82930629@N08/ And there will likely be hundreds of new items that are obscure or prototypes that you may never have seen as well... when the final (free to owners) edition comes out. For only $29.95 US..... this will include over 5000 pages of LEGO items that include things not in the LEGO Archives/Collections!! No shipping required, and no customs!! You get it within an hour or so (depending on when I sleep!). I will likely have no early warning when ordered to stop offering the online guides for sale by the publisher... Ordering link below....

I had a LEGO cathedral built for 25 years.... that was a bugger to take apart!!

<p>Recently a Swedish LEGO collector who owns my computer desktop version of my LEGO collectors guide notified me that he found a set I don't have in my guide. It was a 1988 1571 Basic LEGO Set. Here it is..... The Billund Archives have no information on this set, but they do have one in the Billund Vault (that happens occasionally!). It is shown as the set in the white box.... The Swedish owner of this near mint set wants to sell it (since there seem to be only 2 examples known. And he just put it up for auction on Ebay.... under the heading.... Lego Basic 1571 not to be found on database ULTRA RARE Prototype? FREE SHIPPING

One of the earliest unreleased sets was the largest house set of the 20th Century. It was a USA/Canada Samsonite (only) 717 Junior Constructor Set. This set was intended as a British Contswold Cottage style house design, using 9 of the 10x20 thick baseplates. This model was found in all 1961-62 USA Samsonite LEGO catalogs, and all 1961-65 Canada Samsonite LEGO catalogs. But the 717 model actually produced never looked like this. Here is the image from a 1963-65 Candian Samsonite catalog..... Here is a model of the prototype 717..... Here is the actually produced model of this 717 Junior Constructor house set of 1961-65.... The reason that the larger house model was never used was likely due to the fact that there were many more parts, and 9 baseplates, instead of 4 for the smaller more modern house. Ironically... the windows/door count were the same. The weight of the box with the smaller model was alread 9 lb. (over 4 kg).... and the larger model would have brought it to over 6 kg. The prototype model was a variation of a model that was sold to continental European Retailers as a glued display model... as seen here in the 238 Building Ideas Book 1.... Recently a UK LEGO collector found a glued UK variation model of his house, so there are now 3 versions of this model... the never produced USA/Canada version (with an extra gable on the front left of the house), the glued UK version (with a slightly different build, but same window/door count), and this glued EU version. In my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide, there is an entire chapter that explains in great detail this model and the history of the variations, as well as instructions on how to build it, since it is made of common parts (even the white classic windows/doors are cheap to buy)..

I do believe that red parts were made for testing out new molds. But since so many parts of recent vintage come out in other colors, it does make you wonder if that is really true. Here is a 1955-70 (part 820 on Bricklink) garage baseplate. This was produced in red and white from 1955-57 for sale to the public in sets 1235 and 1236 in Denmark, Norway and Sweden only, but these had no "LEGO" on the studs. After 1957 they were produced only in white until 1966 (325 Shell Station Set) when gray ones were also introduced (and later found in 235/236 garage kits/sets). The LEGO logo on the studs was introduced in late 1950s (after the older molds without LEGO on the studs were finally worn out). So this part with LEGO on the studs should only be found in either white or gray. But here we have one in red. This was never re-introduced in any set in this color, and that points to this example as being a red test strike for a new mold. This part is unknown in any other color. Also known in red are the Esso Service freestanding sign (no ESSO decal), and gas pumps base, neither of which was ever found in any set. So I would say.... YES... red parts were produced as test strikes. But there is no way to tell the difference between a test strike piece, and a red one that was just produced for trial as a part needed either for the Model Shops, or as a potential part for a set that never was introduced.

In recent years promotional sets have become more complex in their variety. There are some promo sets, such as the Maersk sets that have a set number, and others that are more geared to only specific group, and don't even have set numbers. This group of 1270 sets is part of that 2nd group. Here's an example of a LEGO set made for the Autodesk software co.... it doesn't have a set number or even a year on the package.... Back of box.... Side of box... So the line between a "regular" LEGO set, a public promotional set, and a private promotional set are becoming more blurred. And then there are even those sets as the DONG OIL and RAMBOLL Oil sets, and many others, that don't have a set number. And then there's the sets (such as all the British cathedral sets by the Certified LEGO Builders that make things even more confusing.

Been away for far too long..... working on a series of LEGO books... The 905 Pirate set tall box (as well as the 1905 Sears exclusive canister version) were introduced in 1963... and this was the very first set to include any green LEGO elements... namely small plates that were introduced by USA//Canada Samsonite LEGO.that year. This set (the 905 square box version) is the only source of the 10x10 black baseplate. When LEGO small plates were introduced in late 1962, this was the first attempt at producing a LEGO figure set, back in the days before Maxifigs and Minifigs. The closest thing to these large figure sets produced elsewhere were the extremely rare 321 Clown Set introduced in Denmark in 1965, and Japan in 1967. They were not good sellers, as I doubt the 905/1905 Samsonite versions were either. The rare ($1000) MISB 321 Clown Set...

Thanks for all the anecdotal info John!! I appreciate your info! Now I can put some more pieces of the LEGO puzzle together. You started at Courtauld's in 1979 and production of parts there had already ended. From what I know... the Borg Warner chemical company of Grangemouth Scotland was the "tester" that tested the batches of ABS plastic that Borg Warner created for Courtauld's (British LEGO Ltd.) use in Wrexham. This was done by supplying them a real 2x4 brick LEGO mold that Borg Warner received from LEGO in Denmark. This testing was to verify that the ABS plastic met all the requirements for production. About a year ago... some marbled 2x4 bricks began appearing in the Grangemouth Scotland area... and these were sold at premium prices on the secondary market. These marbled bricks are today highly sought after by a growing segment of LEGO collectors who also collect European Bayer and BASF, as well as USA/Canada Samsonite test bricks. Apparently (as the story has evolved so far)... a pair of Borg Warner employees were mixing ABS pellet colors to produce some very nice marbled bricks... and distributed these to children (and adults) in the Grangemouth Scotland area. As the story continues... a LEGO company representative found out about these bricks, and had the LEGO mold confiscated, and testing by Borg Warner terminated. Well I have a feeling that that was only half the story. I now think that the testing of LEGO ABS bricks by Borg Warner was completed, since production of parts was being moved from Wrexham to Denmark. What may have happened is that with the production testing completed... the two Borg Warner employees may have taken some of the remaining ABS plastic pellets, and just had some fun with it, by using the LEGO 2x4 brick mold to produce some bizarre brick colors... before having to return the mold back to the LEGO company in Denmark. Here are some of these very nice, and very valuable Grangemouth marbled test bricks made in 1978.... This theory makes much more sense than just two wayward Grangemouth Borg Warner employees producing fantasy bricks on the side... thus causing the production of LEGO testing to be terminated by Borg Warner. This story is still not complete.... investigating some other things relating to British LEGO Ltd. Stay tuned!! I'm including another chapter in my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide (computer desktop document)... relating to these wonderful test bricks. For those of you waiting for your free updates (another download)... thanks for being patient... but there's so much new info on LEGO coming out of Britain, Scotland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Japan!! This is just another piece in the complex puzzle that is LEGO. LEGO Historian P.S. I hate that story about the burning/burying of the "Wrexham Hoard"... for future LEGO archeologists to uncover.... This story about such unnecessary destruction of surplus LEGO is not unique to Britain.... there are equally sad stories like this from Australia and Denmark....

Thanks for the heads up LEGO Guy Bri!! I never look over here in COMMUNITY.... Kerby87.... you have the following items.... The Petrol pumps are of the UK/Ireland/Australia variety, but unfortunately yours is missing the central lamp post. Here it is on Bricklink..... http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=bb70pb01#T=S&C=1&O={"color":1} The bottom of the red truck appears to be a Bedford Fire Truck #255... I can tell by the 2 fire hose pins at the back. Since I can't see the top, I don't know if the fire ladder is included... http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=255pb01#T=S&C=5&O={"color":5} The bottom of the blue truck appears to be a Bedford Flatbed Truck #253, but missing the white flatbed.... http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=253pb02#T=S&O={} The 4 VW Beetles are the VW 1200 model, LEGO item #261, but sadly the bumpers have all had parts broken off.... http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=260pb01#T=S&O={} Had these items been totally intact the 1:87 cars/trucks would be worth over $100 each.

Thanks all..... leg01982..... one of my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide Chapters... Chapter 48 - Printed and Painted LEGO Elements.... shows many POSTAL printed bricks during the many years of LEGO printed bricks..... enjoy!! http://www.1000stein...ter 48 Vol2.pdf Based on the country.... you'll find everything from POST, to POSTHUS, to POSTE, to POSTI, to P.T.T. to POSTERIJEN to ROYAL MAIL!!

Besides uniquely identified LEGO Train System sets fround in such places as Canada, South America, and Japan... I'm searching to find a true LEGO rarity.... LEGO sets of Iceland. Iceland only had about 200,000 people in the 1960s and 1970s, so the LEGO population from there would have been small. And the LEGO sets produced or (more likely) assembled there would have been done so by a contract with a company called REYKJALUNDUR.... a Tuberculosis Sanatarium where quaranteened people lived in a community that produced toys for the Icelanding market. Here's an early 1960s image of REYKJALUNDUR patients putting together LEGO sets.... And here's a small LEGO spare parts pack box with the REYKJALUNDUR stamp.... which makes a box worth maybe $20 worth over $500.... LEGO sets produced/assembled by REYKJALUNDUR ended in 1977 when TLG took over, due to too many specialized parts coming into production. But finding a blue track era LEGO Train set with the REYKJALUNDUR stamp on it.... would be worth a gold mine.... $$$ So my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide is getting into a geographic genre of LEGO sets not found anywhere.... many worth quite a lot!!

Besides the "bad Panda" message I get periodically (can't bring up the image requested).... I've not had any Flickr downtime. Perhaps Flickr is divided (some are at a more current release/functionality level) into separate databases, and some countries/areas are having issues that I'm just not seeing here in the USA with the most current version of Flickr.... unless other folks here are having issues as well. But I've not encountered any serious issues with Flickr, and I use it daily.

Well found out some new research on this very rare (only known) Automatic Binding Bricks set of circa 1949-50. It appears that the official LEGO timeline mentions making Kindergarten LEGO sets starting in 1950. Since all the Kindergarten (TERAPI) sets of the 1960s and 1970s were wooden box sets with red on the box top.... I suddenly realized that this could very well be the 1950 introduced Kindergarten set. It could explain why it's so rare (only one known).... and why it's made out of wood (as all Kindergarten sets were). I wouldn't change the value, since it doesn't change the rarity of it... but I would love to know what number this set was sold as. Perhaps it was the same set number (700/1) as the cardboard boxed set, just in wood.

Here's a small sample of the ming boggling number of wooden box LEGO sets produced in the 50s thru 70s era..... In the past I've only ever sold my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide as an entire computer desktop download for $29.95 for all 73 chapters. But I've come to the realization that some folks have a much more limited appeal for certain info without having to buy the whole package.... so I've decided to sell just chapters individually (or several packaged together as in Town, Space or Castle.... for only $5.00 per subject. The wooden box set chapter is far and away the most unknown series of sets online.

Unfortunately "known origin" has issues as well.... I know of many old time collectors that have "restored" their sets. Finding sealed sets from the 1960s is almost impossible to find... sealed sets from the 1950s are almost non-existent. Here's a sealed 1960-65 700/0 set.... no one will want to "unseal" it to check the parts!!

That is a 700 wooden box set with the dog-bone LEGO font on top. Originally there were 24 partitions, 8 in the pull out drawer, and 16 in the main part of the box. It looks like all 8 of the partition separators are gone from the pull out drawer, and 2 separators are missing from the bottom part of the box. The one you have is a Belgian one (square logo, but here is a Dutch one (which also includes a paper top for above the wooden top (first time I've seent his type of double top). These 700 sets were produced from 1957-65 (depending on continental European country), and each country had several different box top types over the years. The contents were mainly red and white bricks and windows/doors, along with some Town Plan accessories (road signs, Esso sign/pumps, garage kit, etc. These sets rarely had a number printed on the box, but usually contained a Content List that had the set number and itemized contents list. Once this sheet went missing, the box identity is often lost. Most LEGO databases list at most 5 or 10 wooden box sets... but there were a total of over 90 produced mainly in continental Europe (the boxes of each country look slightly different). My unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide has an extensive chapter on wooden box sets from 1957-78 era, with over 80 different boxes pictured, many with their content lists. In recent years, these have proven highly collectible with vintage LEGO collectors, now that identifications can be made easier. Some folks have had their boxes repaired, and although not as valuable, it adds to their marketability.

From what I was told several years ago by TLG Archive folks... The no logo bricks were produced from 1949-55. The block letter bricks were produce from 1950-56 The dogbone bricks were produced from 1954-56. The no logo molds may have ended up (eventually) in Sweden (Geas), Norway (A/S Norske LEGIO) and Iceland (SIBS Kubbar). The block letter bricks were produced in 1x2, 2x2, 2x3, 2x4, 2x8, 2x10, 10x20. (the 1x2 and 2x3 were introduced in 1952, the 2x8, 2x10, 10x20 were introduced in 1953). The dogbone bricks were produced in 1x2, 2x2, 2x3, 2x4, 4x4 corner, 2x12, 2x14 and 10x20. (The 4x4 corner,2x12 and 2x14 bricks were introduced in 1955). As to specific mold types within the variations of the different fonts.... we may never know start and end dates. Records were not kept, and it's like saying when was the last old gray part sold by TLG? Add into the mix things such as when did the filled in slots to the formerly slotted bricks start, and when did the last dogbone part end is further confusion. My first LEGO set ever, a 1960 700/1 basic set had all tube bottom bricks, and a 10x20 gray baseplate without LEGO on the studs, and a dogbone font underneath. LEGO Mayhem. In doing all my LEGO research, I no longer spend a lot of time dealing with things we'll never get an accurate answer for. Ditto for the Geas ABB and PRIMA bricks of Sweden.... when did they use Bakelite and when did they use Polystyrene.... we'll never know. The Geas company has no records of it. In fact TLG and Geas have no records of ever collaborating on sets/molds.

Thanks to all the folks who have contributed to the early LEGO Train System set info and images (blue track and gray track era). Found out that the first LEGO trains in South America were sold in Peru in 1967... so Spanish language boxes (stickers) that originate from South America are starting to become a known entity. Another area is LEGO trains in Asia, especially Japan, where the first trains were introduced in 1967 (4.5V)... and although the 1970 Japanese catalog shows 12V trains in that year's catalog... according to my Japanese acquaintances, 12V trains were not introduced in the blue track era.... likely not at all in Asia.

Trans light blue was produced along with a lot of other trans colors, but they appear to not be part of regular production sets. Some of these were recently sold. They are likely model shop parts. Older ones (without cross supports) may have been Bayer or BASF test bricks, along with other trans colors. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=3001&colorID=15 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3001 Here's an interesting Trans-clear part that I've never seen before, likely a factory prototype, since it was never used in any LEGO set.... a trans-clear classic LEGO door. These (1958-79 doors are only known in red, white and yellow.... Another new addition to my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide - Chapter 17- LEGO Prototype Sets/Parts Never Put Into Production!

Thanks dr_spock .... I can understand your frustration.... that was the one thing about FLICKR I didn't care for.... it tries to load an entire looooong page worth of pics out there and that can be a hassle for slower internet speeds. Although I have Comcast Xfinity.... (not sure the rate at the moment), but I too have to wait sometimes for loading entire pages of images. I do believe that they now have "film strip" function available where you don't have to wait that long.... but it;s relatively new, and I'm not completely sure on navigating it. But the really nice thing about Flickr, is that you can create public or private groups to share your images in with like minded images (such as I belong to 2x4 brick group... where the discussion is all the mold types, colors and test strikes of nothing but 2x4 bricks since 1949)... and then you can post comments on each pic, or cross reference (along with an image) to another pic's thread. Some nice new features.... but some features are dependent on fast internet speed.... the 800 lb. Gorilla. Thanks for answering my question!!

Well I got in late last night, but it was very slow going. Just out of curiosity, what is wrong with using FLICKR... yeah it's kinda goofy with all their upgrades, but they no longer have a 200 pic free posting limit... I alread have over 700 images out there. Now granted it's more than just LEGO images (way more)... but I and many of my friends can add text, comments and questions to our images... and also they can be viewed in many different sizes. I'm sure there must be a reason that folks aren't using it as an alternative, but besides it being available for more than just LEGO pics, please someone enlighten me why? Thanks. P.S. Having groups (for sharing group pics) and album capabilites, those become nice additional features to have.

This is a little bit off topic but I find it sort of funny.... the LEGO Louvre Archectural Set.... would it have killed TLG to just use 2x2 slopes and corners? If you cough too loudly this Pyramid du Louvre will fall apart.... Yeah I know... it's done this way to be "an interesting build"..... well how about STABILITY.... which this lacks. This looks more like one of the Mayan pyramids at Chichen Itza in Mexico's Yucatan Peninnsula, than it does the Egyptian version that architect I. M. Pei modeled his after. This is one of the problems with so many new constructions.... they look good... but don't touch them or they might break. Rant over..... Oh.... almost forgot... I've got a bazillion of the 2x2 regular trans-clear slopes... and I've been praying for a convex corner trans-clear slope for years to make skylights and other interesting architecttural uses... including a glass pyramid.... so I was quite annoyed when this came out in a very complex way..... ... sans the 2x2 convex corner trans-clear slopes....

You rang? The beginnings of LEGO in the United Kingdom began in 1959 when the Courtauld's Corporation, a British Textiles/Chemical maker got the license to produce LEGO for Britain, Ireland and (eventually) Australia. The first LEGO sets sold in Britain were sold in January 1960, and were imported from Denmark. A lot of the very old UK sets have that printing on the sides of the boxes. By 1962 Courtauld's started production of LEGO parts at their Wrexham Wales plant, and they produced most LEGO parts (a few specialty parts were still imported from Denmark) for Britain and Ireland. Australia came online to LEGO in March of 1962, and Wrexham also produced LEGO that was exported to Australia. The official name of the subsidiary of Courtauld's Corp. that produced LEGO for those 3 countries was called British LEGO Ltd. The reason that TLG licensed LEGO to Courtauld's in 1960, was the same reason that it licensed LEGO production to the Samsonite Corp. (called Shwayder Bros. in the USA until 1965) starting in 1961-62. TLG was still too small of a company to start producing LEGO in so many large countries... so they licensed the production to other companies. LEGO didn't like the underperforming USA Samsonite sales, so thei initiated litigation in 1970 to get the license back, which it did in 1973, and production moved to Enfield Connecticut. Canada toed the TLG line better, but after a hostile takover of the Samsonite parent company the license reverted back to TLG in 1985.... however production continued in Canada until 1988, when it reverted to the USA Connecticut site. Meanwhile British LEGO Ltd.'s parent company Courtauld's group, were having troubles of their own... and in the 1990s they split the company (a long story that can be best read by Googling "Courtaulds Corp. Wiki"). So in 1992 TLG bought the LEGO license back from Courtauld's and LEGO production ceased in Wrexham in 1993... with LEGO production moving back to Denmark (later to Czech Republic, Hungary and China). There... that's the quick version! Here are the very first LEGO Basic sets (1960-65) sold in Britian/Ireland and Australia... (largest to smallest) 700/0, 700/1, 700/3, 700/3A, 700/5. And here are the first basic sets starting in 1960 (some sets were sold until 1966)... sold in Britain/Ireland and Australia... the 306 VW Service Set, the 307 VW Showroom Set, the 308 Fire Station Set, the 309 Church Set (not sold in Australia), 310 Esso Service Set, and 236 Garage Set. TLG made a huqe quantity of spare parts packs, so that customers could buy just about any spare parts they wanted. Here are the first parts packs of 1960-65. I have an entire history of LEGO by British LEGO Ltd. (as well as all other regions in the world detailed in my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide, a 2800 page (7000 images) 73 chapter computer desktop document, that is downloadable. It talks about everything LEGO imaginable... LEGO sets, parts, retailer models, catalogs, advertising, TV commercials, idea books, different Systems, the plastics used... everything imaginable. Info on that is on my personal banner below, including links.... there's a whole world of British LEGO sets and parts that were not sold elsewhere, as well as parts sold elsewhere that were not sold by British LEGO Ltd. Getting back to the original question... I do believe that the 1992 sets were the last produced in Wrexham Wales.