Subject:
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Re: Brick.tube evolution?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Mon, 3 Jan 2000 17:15:53 GMT
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Viewed:
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734 times
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Jim Stroot wrote:
> In lugnet.general, Dave Schuler writes:
> > I've noticed this several times during my Lego career, but while browsing my
> > stash of 2x4 bricks I noticed it again and thought I'd ask. The tubes on some
> > of my older bricks have slots in them. I seem to recall realizing this years
> > ago, thinking at the time that my even older bricks were not so slotted.
> > Since then, they've gone back to non-slotted, with the addition of a small
> > interior "panel" crossing the center of the brick's underside.
> > These are terrible descriptions, I know, but I hoped Mr. Istok or some other
> > Lego historian might have some insight about the evolution of the common
> > brick. I'm aware that the tubes were not an original feature and were added
> > later for better grip. When did these changes in the tubes take place?
> > Dave!
>
> The Ultimate LEGO Book (DK Publishing, 1999) contains a "timeline" of the
> evolution of the LEGO brick. The first plastic LEGO bricks, introduced in
> 1949, although resembling modern bricks with the studs on top, had slots on
> the sides of the brick, and were hollow inside. The first stud-and-tube
> coupling bricks, introduced in 1958, resemble present bricks and did not have
> slots on the sides.
>
> According to this book, LEGO did not introduce a wheel until 1962!
>
> The Guide is pretty interesting, and has lots of cool pictures (always a
> plus), but it reads like it came directly from the TLC marketing department.
> For instance, it completely omits the Samsonite-LEGO period in the U.S., which
> I wasn't aware of until discovering these newsgroups.
>
> Perhaps our resident historians will write a definitive history of the brick.
>
> Jim
Just back from the Holiday grind.......
When the early bricks came out in 1949-52 they had the slots on the sides, and no
tubes underneath. They were not called LEGO until 1953. Around that time, the
slots on the sides of the bricks (visible from the outside) were removed (no
indication of this change was ever mentioned in either THE ULTIMATE LEGO BOOK or
THE WORLD OF LEGO TOYS). The 1956-57 LEGO bricks I have are all without tubes or
slots. From a top view, these bricks look just like the later "tubed" bricks.
Then in 1958, the tubes as we know them came out in LEGO bricks. That was also the
first year for regular sloped bricks (red only) as well.
There is an endless array of different LEGO brick variations, from the tubes with
slots in them, to tubes without slots again. The reason for these variations
(since the 1970's?) is a mystery to me. Perhaps it was a die variation.
I recently purchased a 1957 version of set #700 (with contents), the earliest of
the Town Plan sets. Here are some observations on some of the pieces that it has:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2x2, 2x3, 2x4 bricks - no tubes underneath, and no slots in the sides of the
bricks. From the top they look just like regular bricks. They don't build very
stable structures.
Classic Windows & Doors - 1957 was the first year for these, and those from the
first year are relatively unique because they all had a regular stud top (with
LEGO) on each of the window studs. All windows since 1958 have a hollow stud top
(with LEGO barely visible at the bottom of the stud depression).
1x6 and 1x8 beams (they only came in these size until the mid-1960's) all were
"postless" on the bottoms until the mid 60's, but did have a "half wall" partition
underneath at every 2nd stud interval (a 1x6 had 2 of these half walls, and a 1x8
had 3 of these).
The 1x2 bricks had no posts underneath. The 1x1 bricks and the 2x2 quarter circle
bricks look just like they do today. The 1x1 round bricks are of the early type
without the tapered bottom.
The 2x8, 4x8, 6x8, and 4x8 (curved) white plates (only color available until the
mid-1960's) all have the square holed bottoms, and no LEGO written on the studs.
The 10x20 thick baseplate (#700/e) also has no LEGO written on the studs. And it
has a flat textured bottom divided into 4 quarters.
--------------------------------------------
With the advent of the regular tubed bricks in 1958, some earlier LEGO items never
made it this far. Here are a few items that were discontinued by 1958:
1) 2x12 and 2x14 bricks. These were probably only ever released in Denmark without
the tubes. They were gone by 1958. Only the 2x8 and 2x10 bricks are still with
us.
2) Half Circle (macaroni) bricks (with and without the side notches), and quarter
circle bricks (without the side notches). Only the quarter circle variety with
notches ever made it to 1958 (and is still with us today).
3) 1x1 red round bricks that had labelled paper wrapped around them to make them
look like oil drums. These only came with the Esso Service trucks, and were not
part of the Esso Service Signs/Pumps.
4) Four small policemen in different poses, along with a traffic light on a pole,
and a small traffic island. These were also discontinued by 1958. These are
considered very, very rare - they came in a 1956-57 parts pack box only. I was
fortunate to have obtained this set last year.
Gary Istok
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Brick.tube evolution?
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| In lugnet.general, Gary R. Istok writes, as usual, an informed response! Thanks, Gary; I figured yours would be a good opinion to solicit. I appreciate the info! Dave! (25 years ago, 3-Jan-00, to lugnet.general)
| | | Re: Brick.tube evolution?
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| Gary Istok <gistok@umich.edu> wrote in message news:3870D948.840BCB...ich.edu... <snip> (...) earliest of (...) it has: <more snip> (...) until the (...) studs. Now you've got me thinking! Here in the UK, Airfix produced a LEGO-like range through (...) (25 years ago, 5-Jan-00, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Brick.tube evolution?
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| (...) The Ultimate LEGO Book (DK Publishing, 1999) contains a "timeline" of the evolution of the LEGO brick. The first plastic LEGO bricks, introduced in 1949, although resembling modern bricks with the studs on top, had slots on the sides of the (...) (25 years ago, 27-Dec-99, to lugnet.general)
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