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One of the most interesting LEGO sets in recent times has been the 6661 Mobile
TV Set of 1989. This set was sold everywhere, and would have an otherwise dull
existence if it weren't for the fact that Germany has a very interesting
variation of this set... the West Deutsche Rundfunk (WDR) version of this set.
West Deutsche Rundfunk is a northwestern Germany TV Station that appears to have
had a promotional 6661 set made with the stations letters "WDR" printed on the 2
1x4x3 blue panels that make up the truck of this set.
What has been found among German LEGO collectors is a normal 6661 set with
normal 6661 instructions... and one polybag that has a pair of "WDR" panels
instead of the normal "TV" panels found in most examples of this set.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82930629@N08/8515592640/sizes/l/in/photostream/
When researching this special promotional set, I sent an image of it to the
folks at the LEGO Archives/Collections in Billund. They had never seen or heard
of it before, so they sent the image I provided to the folks at the LEGO Sales
office in Munich Germany. Again, they too had not heard of it, and wondered if
it wasn't just a normal 6661 set with stickers placed on it at a later date
after it left TLG.
Ordinarily one would think that this was not a TLG sanctioned set, and therefore
something that was created later. However, I'm aware of the existence of
several of these in MISB (Mint in Sealed Bag)... and that could not have been
done easily outside of TLG. And the 1x4x3 blue panels didn't have a sticker
covering the old image. No, it was an image that was put over the old "TV"
image on the parts.
Well that got me thinking about how this could have escaped the folks in
Billund. The only thing I can think of was that perhaps an executive at WDR in
Cologne Germany contacted an executive at TLG in Billund, and asked to have some
of the regular 6661 sets contain the WDR truck panels. If this was done as a
special project... then maybe it was produced without having documentation
produced about the existence of this special version. And if it was produced
for WDR in Cologne, then it may have been sent directly from Billund to
Cologne, thus bypassing the (then) German Sales Office in Hohenwestedt Germany.
Whatever the story really is behind this very unique set... this is a very
valuable collectible on the secondary market. Perhaps only a few hundred of
these were requested by West Deutsche Rundfunk... and distributed thru them.
Whatever the reason... it's sets like this that make my research of LEGO sets
and parts for my Collectors Guides... pure pleasure!! :)
Cheers,
Gary Istok
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In writing up the story (or lack thereof) of the mysterious WDR version of the
6661 Mobile TV Station Set... I've been thinking about my upgrades to my LEGO
DVD/download (all upgrades are free to current/future owners)... and decided to
start adding some anecdotal information to some of the more newsworthy LEGO
sets/parts, such as this 6661 set. Just having a statistic in Peeron or
Bricklink or Brickset... doesn't always do the more quirky sets justice.
So by documenting some of the more bizarre set stories, it's nice to give a
little more knowledge to the owners of these wonderful sets. For example... the
1592 Town Square Set... This set comes in a UK and a Dutch version. But there's
way more to it than that. The UK set was a Weetabix promotion in 1980. After
the promotion TLG had a bunch leftover... so in 1981-82 Germany's SpielzeugRing
(trade organization) sold these UK versions in Germany to their sellers. And
then in 1983 in the Netherlands... the Dutch version was sold as a promo for
UNOX Soup... a Unilever product. Well TLG had some UK 1592's still leftover
from Germany... so they sold the remainder of these to the Dutch... as well as
the Dutch version in 1983.
I've also added 4 new chapters (available as free downloads to current
owners)... as well as about 400 additional LEGO images. There is always
something unknown coming out of the mysterious world of LEGO... and I am always
snooping around looking for it.
After having a horrible 2 years (health, family, and financial issues)... I'm
starting to get things back together, and planning additional LEGO projects
involving the history of new as well as old sets. Also, my latest project about
a new LEGO DVD/download for the years 1990s-Present... will be FREE to any
current (1949-1990s DVD/download) owner... who asks! ;-)
I've been researching some LEGO things that the folks at TLG don't even have
records of! :-O There are a lot of things about some companies such as
Samsonite (the one everyone knows)... and other companies... such as Courtauld's
(Britain/Australia)... Svein Strømberg (Norway)... Geas Konstharts (Sweden)...
and a fellow by the name of Axel Thomsen... the Dane who lived in Sweden and
later moved to Germany to start LEGO sales there in 1956... this obscure man was
greatly responsible for why LEGO bricks have tubes underneath. So many untold
stories that really should be told. It's not just all about OKC, GKC and KKK...
there's so many people out there that have affected our LEGO System of Play...
that we don't know about, that I want to share with the world... and intend to
do so...
Anyway... I've talked enough... back to research...
Cheers,
Gary Istok
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In lugnet.general, Gerhard R. Istok wrote:
> One of the most interesting LEGO sets in recent times has been the 6661 Mobile
> TV Set of 1989. This set was sold everywhere, and would have an otherwise dull
> existence if it weren't for the fact that Germany has a very interesting
> variation of this set... the West Deutsche Rundfunk (WDR) version of this set.
>
> West Deutsche Rundfunk is a northwestern Germany TV Station that appears to have
> had a promotional 6661 set made with the stations letters "WDR" printed on the 2
> 1x4x3 blue panels that make up the truck of this set.
>
> Cheers,
> Gary Istok
As a followup I did some more digging, and it appears that this set was likely
for the 35th anniversary for the WDR TV station of Cologne Germany. The special
edition with very rare WDR panels was for the 1 Jan. 1991 35th Anniversary of
the German TV network. More information and photos on it here....
http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/15873/the-mysterious-german-6661-mobile-tv-studio-set#latest
There's even one for sale on German EBAY.
I do believe that as this set becomes more well known, it will increase in
value!
And of course it's part of my collectors guide! ;)
Cheers,
Gary Istok
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