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Subject: 
Re: Things you didn't know about Lego
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general
Date: 
Fri, 4 Feb 2005 15:40:15 GMT
Viewed: 
1086 times
  
In lugnet.general, Gerhard R. Istok wrote:

3) Samsonite of Canada appears to have gotten some 2x4 waffle bottom plate molds
(probably intended for Europe, but never used there).  This size waffle bottom
plates are unknown in Europe and the USA, but appear to have circulated in
Canada.  Canada may also have 2x2 and 2x3 waffle bottom plates, but I haven't
spotted any yet.  Note: All 1x1 plates ever produced are waffle bottom plates.

Here is a picture of a 2x4 waffle plate in a 1967 Eaton's Canada catalog:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1087765

6) USA Samsonite was the licensee for Lego from 1961-72.  Sometime around 1971
something happened.  Relations must have soured (or they did previously).  USA
Samsonite sets in 1971-72 were like no other in the Lego world.  They looked
very strange, and by 1972 the word "SAMSONITE" was dominant on the box with
"LEGO" in smaller letters.  1972 was the year TLG took back the license from USA
Samsonite.  But Samsonite must have pulled a fast one, and dumped HUGE
quantities of Lego parts into some very large sets (one had 1241 pieces, another
1252 pieces) and sold them to department stores as catalog items.  Even though
TLG took over in 1972, Samsonite Lego sets were selling in catalogs as late as
August of 1973.  As I have stated I think that things must have soured between
TLG and USA Samsonite.  Perhaps there was litigation?  As proof, TLG uses the
1972-73 begin date for USA LEGO.  Just look at the 1998 25th Silver >

Here are some comparisons between the 1971 and 1972 box styles.  The 1971 style
says "LEGO by Samsonite" and by 1972 the SAMSONITE becomes much more prominent
on the box.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=980468
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=980469

Here is a JCPenney Christmas 1972 catalog showing sets with 1241 and 1252
pieces!
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=951731

Eric



Message is in Reply To:
  Things you didn't know about Lego
 
I haven't posted in a while, since I have been busy trying to tie up the loose ends to the Lego CD. Eric Strand has found sooooo many new things that I didn't even know about, such as USA/Canada only department store sets only found in Mail order (...) (20 years ago, 4-Feb-05, to lugnet.general)

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