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Subject: 
Re: Rarest Old Lego Part
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general
Date: 
Thu, 30 Dec 2004 06:17:31 GMT
Viewed: 
1178 times
  
In lugnet.general, Gerhard R. Istok wrote:
It has been soooo quiet in Lugnet.general for a while, so I thought I would
mention another old Lego item.

That would be the very very rare 1x1 old style round bricks (without the tapered
base) with an Esso Motor Oil sticker wrapped completely around it.  These rare
parts are known in red and white 1x1 rounds.  The origin of this part is
mysterious.  Many classic Lego collectors have been wondering where these come
from.  Some folks thought maybe they came in the old #310/#1310 Esso Service
Station, but the old boxes have no spot for these (remember those old boxes had
bricks nicely arranged within cardboard cutouts).

Manuel Cueto may have found the answer.  He has a picture of two old 1:87
trucks, namely the #251/#1251 Esso Flatbed truck showing some of these oil cans
stacked nearby (NOTE: northern Europe used a 4 digit number while central Europe
used a 3 digit number for Lego sets/parts from 1955-58).  If these did come with
the Esso Flatbed truck, then they probably were only included with those sold in
Denmark (version #1251).  I was fortunate to purchase 3 red near mint examples
from a Danish collector.  They were probably only produced 1955-58 in the Danish
#1251.  3 years ago I saw one white and one red (rather worn looking) Esso oil
cans sell for $150 on EBAY.

If anyone has any other ideas as to the origins of these rare parts, please let
us know!

Gary Istok

Well Eric Strand brought this to my attention.  These are the rare 1x1 round oil
drums I was talking about:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6939713035

The EBAY auction also shows the old 50's (earliest of 4 variations) Esso Pumps,
and old 50's (earliest of 3 variations) Esso sign.

The Esso delivery truck was produced from 1955-65.  It went by the numbers #1251
(northern Europe 1955-58) and #251 (central Europe 1955-58, and all of Europe
(plus Britain) 1958-65.  This version is a Danish one (#1251) and those are the
only ones (I believe) that came with the Esso Oil drums.  Like the Esso Tanker
truck (#250/#1250) and Esso Delivery Trailer (#252/#1252) it has Esso logos on
the sides and back.

There are 2 variations to the Esso signage on the side of these three trucks.
One variation reads "Benzin Esso Smoreolie", the other reads "Esso Extra Motor
Oil".  One would expect that perhaps the english version would be for Britain,
USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.  And the one that looks German/Danish
would be for continental Europe.  Well that is not always the case.  I've seen a
MISB British #810 Town Plan sets with the German/Danish variations, and I've
seen the English version in Germany.

Notice in the EBAY picture, the heavy warping (Cellulose Acetate) on the Esso
truck flatbed.

Gary Istok



Message is in Reply To:
  Rarest Old Lego Part
 
It has been soooo quiet in Lugnet.general for a while, so I thought I would mention another old Lego item. That would be the very very rare 1x1 old style round bricks (without the tapered base) with an Esso Motor Oil sticker wrapped completely (...) (20 years ago, 12-Dec-04, to lugnet.general)

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