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Gary Istok wrote:
>
> Jason Proksch wrote:
>
> <major snippage>
>
> > I am now leaning more toward the first 2 options. Perhaps the poor quality
> > reflects Samsonites inability to match lego's quality. Come to think of it, my
> > #717? Samsonite has some errors (or inconsistencies) in its instructions as
> > well.
>
>
> Did someone say "Junior Constructor"? Set 717.....
Muwahahh..:-) I knew that Gary would jump on this..:-) You make a lugnet
search for "junior 717" everyday, don't you?..:-)
Selçuk
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Jason Proksch wrote:
<major snippage>
> I am now leaning more toward the first 2 options. Perhaps the poor quality
> reflects Samsonites inability to match lego's quality. Come to think of it, my
> #717? Samsonite has some errors (or inconsistencies) in its instructions as
> well.
Did someone say "Junior Constructor"? Set 717..... from 1961-64. Is that the one
you are talking about Jason (by the way, glad you decided to "de-lurk"). If so, are
you talking about the earlier gabled house (1961-62) or the later flat roofed house
(1963-64) version of the Junior Constructor? I always thought the building
instructions were only on the inside lid of the box. Do you have other instructions
to this set? (Note: I first got the later version of thiis set as a kid in 1963, my
mother threw away the box, and I obtained another complete set on EBAY in 1998.)
Also, the (Samsonite only) Junior Constructor was the first model kit LEGO ever sold
(it was not part of the Town Plan).
Gary Istok
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Selçuk Göre wrote:
> Gary Istok wrote:
> >
> > Jason Proksch wrote:
> >
> > <major snippage>
> >
> > > I am now leaning more toward the first 2 options. Perhaps the poor quality
> > > reflects Samsonites inability to match lego's quality. Come to think of it, my
> > > #717? Samsonite has some errors (or inconsistencies) in its instructions as
> > > well.
> >
> >
> > Did someone say "Junior Constructor"? Set 717.....
>
> Muwahahh..:-) I knew that Gary would jump on this..:-) You make a lugnet
> search for "junior 717" everyday, don't you?..:-)
>
> Selçuk
Heck no, I just go home and get out the box, open it up, and smell the Cellulose
Acetate bricks.... a much nicer aroma than ABS ever had. Actually I have the model
house built. I have the 1963-64 version, which is of a flat roofed modern house (this
is the one shown in the LUGNET database for #717). My "holy grail" is to one day find
the 1961-62 version, which is of a European "manor house" gable roofed style (finders
fee). That earlier version, shown in the Joe Lauher/Bill Katz website (what ever
happened to Bill anyway???) in the top middle of the 1961-62 Samsonite Catalog:
http://www.chem.sunysb.edu/msl/LEGO/60s_d2.jpg
This has got to be one of the most beautiful box designs I have ever seen (my
prejudice showing thru), and the model, IMHO is the largest LEGO house model ever sold
by TLC.
This earlier version is also shown in Building Idea Book #1 (LEGO #238). Anders
Isaksson of Sweden has some nice scans of this book, and here are the two pictures
that give a detailed picture of this house, the very first model set LEGO ever made
(although for some strange reason they were only produced for Samsonite (1961-62 in
USA, 1962 only in Canada), and never in Europe (except in the idea book). Here are
Anders website pictures (notice that in the Samsonite version there is an extra window
in the roof (dormer) on the left side of the house):
http://user.tninet.se/~hbh828t/ideabook/12a.jpg
http://user.tninet.se/~hbh828t/ideabook/12b.jpg
The interesting thing about these Junior Constructor houses is that there are no
specialty pieces. They are all regular bricks, and a lot of classic windows and doors
in white (the later flat roofed version has 2 white classic doors and 14 white classic
windows - three 1x6x2 shuttered windows, and eleven 1x2x2 windows). Also they have
the old 10x20 thick gray baseplates.
Enough rambling,
Gary Istok
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In lugnet.general, Gary R. Istok writes:
>
>
> Jason Proksch wrote:
>
> <major snippage>
>
> > I am now leaning more toward the first 2 options. Perhaps the poor quality
> > reflects Samsonites inability to match lego's quality. Come to think of it, my
> > #717? Samsonite has some errors (or inconsistencies) in its instructions as
> > well.
>
>
> Did someone say "Junior Constructor"? Set 717..... from 1961-64. Is that the one
> you are talking about Jason (by the way, glad you decided to "de-lurk"). If so, are
> you talking about the earlier gabled house (1961-62) or the later flat roofed house
> (1963-64) version of the Junior Constructor? I always thought the building
> instructions were only on the inside lid of the box. Do you have other instructions
> to this set? (Note: I first got the later version of thiis set as a kid in 1963, my
> mother threw away the box, and I obtained another complete set on EBAY in 1998.)
> Also, the (Samsonite only) Junior Constructor was the first model kit LEGO ever sold
> (it was not part of the Town Plan).
>
> Gary Istok
My set is the flat roofed one. I know very little about it but got it on ebay
last year pretty cheap $20-30. I only have the instructions on the box (I would
assume that is the only instructions included) Do you mean to say this is the
very first model kit of legos? Or do you mean the first in the US?
What do you think it is worth?
I built the house, but it is pretty difficult from the 4 or 5 pictures provided
(along with a few mistakes).
Jason Proksch
PS I have to get back to all the 371 messages I missed over the last few days...
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Jason Proksch wrote:
> In lugnet.general, Gary R. Istok writes:
> >
> >
> > Jason Proksch wrote:
> >
> > <major snippage>
> >
> > > I am now leaning more toward the first 2 options. Perhaps the poor quality
> > > reflects Samsonites inability to match lego's quality. Come to think of it, my
> > > #717? Samsonite has some errors (or inconsistencies) in its instructions as
> > > well.
> >
> >
> > Did someone say "Junior Constructor"? Set 717..... from 1961-64. Is that the one
> > you are talking about Jason (by the way, glad you decided to "de-lurk"). If so, are
> > you talking about the earlier gabled house (1961-62) or the later flat roofed house
> > (1963-64) version of the Junior Constructor? I always thought the building
> > instructions were only on the inside lid of the box. Do you have other instructions
> > to this set? (Note: I first got the later version of thiis set as a kid in 1963, my
> > mother threw away the box, and I obtained another complete set on EBAY in 1998.)
> > Also, the (Samsonite only) Junior Constructor was the first model kit LEGO ever sold
> > (it was not part of the Town Plan).
> >
> > Gary Istok
>
> My set is the flat roofed one. I know very little about it but got it on ebay
> last year pretty cheap $20-30. I only have the instructions on the box (I would
> assume that is the only instructions included) Do you mean to say this is the
> very first model kit of legos? Or do you mean the first in the US?
> What do you think it is worth?
> I built the house, but it is pretty difficult from the 4 or 5 pictures provided
> (along with a few mistakes).
>
> Jason Proksch
> PS I have to get back to all the 371 messages I missed over the last few days...
Jason,
OK, yes the 4 pictures on the inside lid of the box are the only building instructions
that were included in this set. I first got it as a kid, and within 6 months my mother
threw away the box (I still have the original contents mixed in with other old LEGO).
Recently I got a 2nd copy of this set (I paid $63), but the set might only have been
played with once. The pieces were absolutely mint.
LEGO started with the Town Plan theme in the mid 1950's. Up until 1961, all LEGO sets
were either part of the Town Plan, a basic building set (only white and red bricks with
red windows), or a parts pack. In 1961 Samsonite was licensed to produce/sell LEGO in
the USA (starting in 1962 in Canada with the same sets). Their 2nd largest set (after
725 Town Plan) was the Junior Constructor #717. Both these large sets came in 2 versions
- the earlier 1961-62 version, and the 1963-64 version. What you and I both have is the
1963-64 version. The earlier 1961-62 version (gable roofed house), was the first model
kit not associated with the Town Plan. This was followed in 1963 with the Architectural
Sets (#750, #751, #752) consisting mostly of plates and clear bricks, and in 1965 came
the Train Sets. Other subsystems came later in the 70's.
The early LEGO sets from the 50's and 60's did not have the detailed instructions that
they have today. You had to use your own imagination to figure out how the back of
buildings are supposed to look. It was just a different philosophy back then. LEGO
expected you to use your own creativity to solve the puzzle of how to finish a building
when the instructions were not detailed enough. That was not, however, an example of
poor instructions like with the 371 set. Back when I was a kid TLC did not "spoon feed"
us instructions as to how to build LEGO buildings. You had to figure it out yourself.
That was actually part of the fun for building for me. Today TLC gives you instructions
for every piece in a set.
As to how much they are worth is one of those subjective questions. You paid $30 for
yours, I paid $63 for mine (includes shipping). I would have paid over $100 if I had to,
to get an example. If I found the earlier version in good condition, I probably would
have paid as much as $200. About 6 months ago I found a 1966 set on EBAY that I really
wanted (for the specialty parts), and I ended up getting it for only $18. A month ago I
found a 2nd copy, and I had to pay $115 to get it. It all depends on how many people
really want something at the same time.
Gary Istok
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