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Folks,
John DiRienzo and I both recently got the same ancient Lego catalog from
a Belgian Lego dealer/collector as a complimentary gift after we both
won items in this gentleman's Auction. The catalog, in black and white
with blue background was made circa 1958-60 (before the advent of Lego
Wheels). It has a lot of very interesting models. John and I were
trying to figure out whether this was a catalog of items for sale, or of
items for display.
I think that the latter is true. When Larry P. came over for a visit
last Sunday, we were looking at this curious catalog, as well as some
other old Lego material. We discovered that two of the pictures (the
half timbered medieval house and the Hotel with the long row of windows)
were also in Building Idea Book #1 (1960-67), and a few of the pictures
were shown in the Architectural Set #751. The medieval house was also
in a 1962 Christmas window display in Detroit's historic Hudson's
Department Store window, of which I have a photograph.
As it turns out, this catalog is probably a brochure of model buildings
that TLG had available for Toy Store and Toy Fair displays, and for use
in its other catalogs of the late 50's and early 60's. This makes it a
very important early document of what TLG produced for advertisements
and promotions early in its' history.
A few of the pictures are especially interesting. The LEGO castle is
probably one of the earliest ever built out of Lego. And I really like
the Peking City Gate building as well.
John recently posted these pictures (along with his website) for the
folks in RTL to see. I just wanted to update the info on the catalog,
and show the LUGNET AFOLs (a more sophisticated group, of course) what
this important historical document looks like.
Thanks John for posting these!
http://www114.pair.com/ig88/lego/ib60/index.htm
Enjoy,
Gary Istok
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Gary Istok <gistok@umich.edu> wrote in article
<37CC03BF.ED23C6EC@umich.edu>...
> Folks,
>
> John DiRienzo and I both recently got the same ancient Lego catalog from
> a Belgian Lego dealer/collector as a complimentary gift after we both
> won items in this gentleman's Auction. The catalog, in black and white
> with blue background was made circa 1958-60 (before the advent of Lego
> Wheels). It has a lot of very interesting models. John and I were
> trying to figure out whether this was a catalog of items for sale, or of
> items for display.
> A few of the pictures are especially interesting. The LEGO castle is
> probably one of the earliest ever built out of Lego. And I really like
> the Peking City Gate building as well.
> Thanks John for posting these!
>
> http://www114.pair.com/ig88/lego/ib60/index.htm
Thanks very much for posting these wonderful pictures. I expecially like
the small piano. It's proof that you don't need buckets of bricks to come
up with clever models.
Regards,
Allan
--
Expert Builder Website - The Megaproject Showcase
http://www.execulink.com/~apotome/expert.htm
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Gary Istok wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
> John DiRienzo and I both recently got the same ancient Lego catalog from
> a Belgian Lego dealer/collector as a complimentary gift after we both
> won items in this gentleman's Auction. The catalog, in black and white
> with blue background was made circa 1958-60 (before the advent of Lego
> Wheels). It has a lot of very interesting models. John and I were
> trying to figure out whether this was a catalog of items for sale, or of
> items for display.
>
> I think that the latter is true. When Larry P. came over for a visit
> last Sunday, we were looking at this curious catalog, as well as some
> other old Lego material. We discovered that two of the pictures (the
> half timbered medieval house and the Hotel with the long row of windows)
> were also in Building Idea Book #1 (1960-67), and a few of the pictures
> were shown in the Architectural Set #751. The medieval house was also
> in a 1962 Christmas window display in Detroit's historic Hudson's
> Department Store window, of which I have a photograph.
Yes, it was amazing to discover how much was reused. The same building
(or an instance of the same building type) would appear in several
different pictures, and the same picture would be used (recropped in
some cases) in several brochures or as the packaging on a samsonite set
or so forth. TLG continues to do this to this day.
One example of this I really liked is a multistory "hospital-bus" circa
1973. In a German promo catalog it's described in detail and referenced
as a creation that Maria, aged 5, built. In a US promo catalog, it's
described in detail as well, and referenced as a creation that James,
aged 7, built. (1) Actually, I believe Susan Williams built it. :-)
1 - apparently TLG thought that US kids weren't as bright as german
kids?? 2 years older to build the same bus. Humph!
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ Member ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to
lugnet.
NOTE: I have left CTP, effective 18 June 99, and my CTP email
will not work after then. Please switch to my Novera ID.
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In lugnet.general, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> One example of this I really liked is a multistory "hospital-bus" circa
> 1973. In a German promo catalog it's described in detail and referenced
> as a creation that Maria, aged 5, built. In a US promo catalog, it's
> described in detail as well, and referenced as a creation that James,
> aged 7, built. (1) Actually, I believe Susan Williams built it. :-)
If this is the ambulance I'm thinking of, it was "Steve":
http://www.io.com/~rueger/lego/misc/quotes/howdoyouknow.html
-Tim
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You're right, it WAS Steve, not James. I just said James because I
wanted to insult the James's of the world.
Tim Rueger wrote:
>
> In lugnet.general, Larry Pieniazek writes:
>
> > One example of this I really liked is a multistory "hospital-bus" circa
> > 1973. In a German promo catalog it's described in detail and referenced
> > as a creation that Maria, aged 5, built. In a US promo catalog, it's
> > described in detail as well, and referenced as a creation that James,
> > aged 7, built. (1) Actually, I believe Susan Williams built it. :-)
>
> If this is the ambulance I'm thinking of, it was "Steve":
>
> http://www.io.com/~rueger/lego/misc/quotes/howdoyouknow.html
>
> -Tim
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ Member ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to
lugnet.
NOTE: I have left CTP, effective 18 June 99, and my CTP email
will not work after then. Please switch to my Novera ID.
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In lugnet.general, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> One example of this I really liked is a multistory "hospital-bus" circa
> 1973. In a German promo catalog it's described in detail and referenced
> as a creation that Maria, aged 5, built. In a US promo catalog, it's
> described in detail as well, and referenced as a creation that James,
> aged 7, built. (1) Actually, I believe Susan Williams built it. :-)
Eeeeeek!
I remember that bus. Until 2 minutes ago
I also actually believed that it had been built
by whoever it said on the UK catalogue and Lego had adopted it.
I feel soooo disillusioned... :)
Simon
http://www.SimonRobinson.com
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Simon Robinson wrote in message ...
> In lugnet.general, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > One example of this I really liked is a multistory "hospital-bus" circa
> > 1973. In a German promo catalog it's described in detail and referenced
> > as a creation that Maria, aged 5, built. In a US promo catalog, it's
> > described in detail as well, and referenced as a creation that James,
> > aged 7, built. (1) Actually, I believe Susan Williams built it. :-)
>
> Eeeeeek!
>
> I remember that bus. Until 2 minutes ago
> I also actually believed that it had been built
> by whoever it said on the UK catalogue and Lego had adopted it.
>
> I feel soooo disillusioned... :)
>
> Simon
For some reason, I always thought it was an ambulance.
--
Have fun!
John
AUCTION Page (More soon!)
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/2-many-toys/
TRADE Page http://www114.pair.com/ig88/lego/index.htm
MOC,CA++++(6035)SW,TR,old(456)+++TO++PI,SP+DU--#+++++
ig88888888@stlnet.com & IG88888888 on AOL
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John DiRienzo wrote:
> For some reason, I always thought it was an ambulance.
Krankenwagen I guess technically DOES mean ambulance (literally:
"sick/sickness wagon") but it sure looked like a bus to me.
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ Member ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to
lugnet.
NOTE: I have left CTP, effective 18 June 99, and my CTP email
will not work after then. Please switch to my Novera ID.
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Lorbaat wrote:
> In lugnet.general, Gary R. Istok writes:
>
> > Thanks John for posting these!
> >
> > http://www114.pair.com/ig88/lego/ib60/index.htm
>
> Indeed, and thank you Gary for pointing them out to us!
>
> Did you notice, by the way:
>
> http://www114.pair.com/ig88/lego/ib60/800/ib60-14.jpg
>
> These are so old, this could well be the first LEGO/Maersk cross-promotion. :D
>
> eric
Yes, I did notice that. It was also in the Building Idea Book #1. It looks like
LEGO and Maersk have been cooperating for a long time. Maybe Maersk is the
official truck hauling company for TLG, and always has been.
Gary Istok
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In lugnet.general, Gary R. Istok writes:
> Yes, I did notice that. It was also in the Building Idea Book #1. It looks • like
> LEGO and Maersk have been cooperating for a long time. Maybe Maersk is the
> official truck hauling company for TLG, and always has been.
I wonder how Maersk feels about the Colorline Semi? It seems to be exactly the
same as the fabled Maersk Truck.
That is, of course, assuming anyone at Maersk cares. :D
eric
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In lugnet.general, Eric Joslin writes:
> I wonder how Maersk feels about the Colorline Semi? It seems to be exactly • the
> same as the fabled Maersk Truck.
D'oh. Very similar, but not the same. I stand corrected by myself.
Well, I mean, I don't stand by myself, I am corrected by myself, which is a
totally different thing....
eric
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Gary Istok wrote:
> Yes, I did notice that. It was also in the Building Idea Book #1. It looks like
> LEGO and Maersk have been cooperating for a long time. Maybe Maersk is the
> official truck hauling company for TLG, and always has been.
>
> Gary Istok
I am no shipping expert, it's not my real interest. But this did
interest me enough to go digging. (because I am container crazy...)
If you go HERE:
http://www.maersk.com
you can get to HERE:
http://www.apmoller.com/main/background/background.shtml
where you learn that while A.P. Moller was a Swede, A.P. Moller (owners
of Maersk) HQ is in Copenhagen. Any other line as big as Maersk based
out of Denmark?
I like Maersk a lot, they run a tight operation.
Quoting without permission:
"For further information we recommend the book "With Constant Care..."
written by Ove Hornby
about shipowner A.P. Møller (1876-1965). The book is also available in
Danish under the title
"Ved rettidig Omhu...".
The books are published by J.H. Schultz Information in Denmark and are
available through
bookstores under ISBN 87-569-2358-9 (English version) and ISBN
87-569-2334-1 (Danish
version). "
Now, why would it be in Danish and not Swedish??? :-)
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ Member ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to
lugnet.
NOTE: I have left CTP, effective 18 June 99, and my CTP email
will not work after then. Please switch to my Novera ID.
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