Subject:
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Re: Wonderful old Minitalia Lego Windows from 1970's
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general, lugnet.lego
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Date:
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Tue, 5 Oct 2004 15:03:28 GMT
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Viewed:
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975 times
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In lugnet.general, Marc Nelson, Jr. wrote:
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In lugnet.general, Gerhard R. Istok wrote:
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I just purchased some old Minitalia Lego windows from an Italian Bricklink
seller.
Note: it appears that Italy put some construction toy import restrictions in
place in the early 1970s, and when TLG could no longer export Lego to
Italy, so they created a local Lego product called Minitalia. The parts are
nearly identical to, and compatible with, regular Lego.
Anyway, here are the 2 styles of the Minitalia windows that I purchased (in
white and black):
http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=604mi
http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=3853mi
The first is nearly identical to the old classic Panorama window (1x6x3),
and the second is nearly identical to the 1x4x3 window with shutter clips.
I purchased these because I plan on building two 18th century style New
England houses that have many small windows (mullions).
It is a shame that TLG no longer has a decent window SYSTEM like they did
when the 9 classic window styles were produced from 1957-87 (although some
were already discontinued in the mid 70s).
The larger Panorama style window is one very similar to my own Living Room
window in my ranch style house in Michigan USA. With this window, and
several other classic windows (like 1x1x2 and 1x2x2), I can actually build a
model of my own house so that it actually looks like my house (although I
would have to make the roof with Lego plates instead of 33 degree low sloped
bricks, since there is no inside corner low slope). Not many AFOLs can
build an accurate model (in Minifig or classic scale) of their own house.
TLG now has over 10,000 different parts (they just went over the 10,000 part
count -- 10,083 to be exact, this past weekend in Bricklink), and yet they
basically have only (for building structures) the 1x2x2 classic window, the
1x4x3 window with shutters and panes or glass, the 1x4x5 window, and the
1x4x6 (3 pane) windows (all with different colors of tinted glass). And
these 4 window types are not all that compatible with each other. Getting
them to match up in glass tint, frame color, and style is very difficult.
Some folks have reverted to using train windows or airplane windows for
their buildings, or clear bricks.
Sad, but true.
(Getting off my soapbox)
Gary Istok
A Lego addict since 1960.
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Having only played with LEGO since about 1983, I have never seen either of
those windows before. Pretty neat!
On the second one - is the window one piece, or is it a seperate mullion
piece inserted into the 4x3 frame? This is one way TLC could greatly
diversify the existing window selection - by creating different inserts for
the window pieces they already use.
Id like to see a glass insert for the
arch window, as well as
mullions for the train windows, among other things.
Marc Nelson Jr.
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The 4x3 Minitalia window is a single molded part, and it is impossible to insert
a glass. Moreover the shutters are a little bit bigger than the normal Lego
shutters, you cant change them each others.
About those windows, and the whole Minitalia serie, Ive created a web page at
this address: http://www.lucajuventino.altervista.org/lego/minitalia.htm
You can find other informations about the Minitalia, a reference of the parts
and of the sets. It is not complete and if somebody has other informations, I
would appreciate if he find the time to write me.
Cheers,
Luca
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