Can you help identify these bricks?

Anthony_McLeod

Do you know anything about these bricks? More info here: http://www.nosvc.com/2011/07/24/can-you-help-identify-these-bricks/

prof1515

They're just novelty items of no practical use. If Lego concentrated more of their time on designing quality affordable sets and less on all the other garbage that they produce they could probably lower their costs a bit just by getting rid of the people whose job it is to design and produce this stuff.

Istokg

Ummm.... yes I do recognize those bricks... they're known as PRE-SCHOOL or JUMBO BRICKS and were made from 1964 until circa 1972 for Samsonite LEGO, and also (on a limited basis) in Europe from 1967-68.

Istokg

Here is a cut/paste from my "Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide 1949-80s" on CD.... Chapter 15 "LEGO Pre-School/Duplo/Nursery Bricks 1964-80".


USA Samsonite LEGO Pre-School/Jumbo Sets - 1964-72.
___________________________________________________________________

Set Set Year Element
# Description Introduced Count
___________________________________________________________________

#041 Pre-School Set 1964 24
#042 Jumbo Brick Pull Toy Set 1966 9
#044 Pre-School Set 1969 30
#060 Jumbo Brick School Set 1969 60
#105 Pre-School Beginners Set 1964 12
#300 Jumbo Bricks Set 1972 30


European LEGO Pre-School/Jumbo Sets - 1966-68.
__________________________________________________________________

Set Set Year Element
# Description Introduced Count
__________________________________________________________________

#501 Pre-School Pull Toy Set 1966-68 9
#502 Pre-School Medium Set 1967-68 8
#503 Pre-School Large Set 1967-68 16


These were a forerunner to the Duplo Bricks (introduced in 1969), and unlike Duplo... are not compatible with regular LEGO bricks. There is a slight difference between the sizes of the USA and European versions of a few millimeters in length/width.

I guess Brickset doesn't do columns/rows very well............

RJM

They're just novelty items of no practical use. If Lego concentrated more of their time on designing quality affordable sets and less on all the other garbage that they produce they could probably lower their costs a bit just by getting rid of the people whose job it is to design and produce this stuff.

Actually, these are very early bricks produced by Samsonite in the 60's/70's. They're pretty rare, and not compatible with real LEGO bricks.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=x1446&in=S

Istokg

Also, the LEGO font on those Pre-School/Jumbo bricks is known as the fat "Samsonite LEGO" font of 1961-72. USA/Canada sets of that era had a mixture of different fonts on their bricks.... either 1950s, Samsonite, the modern (1962-present, with a few variations), and the non-italics font (only found on some 1960s plates).

In fact some worn out (regular brick) LEGO molds TLG shipped to Samsonite... and they retooled the studs that were worn out... so with Samsonite, it is possible to find some (regular) bricks with 2 different fonts... and not always pointing in the same direction....

I've never seen the Pre-School/Jumbo bricks with more than 1 font however...

prof1515

Actually, these are very early bricks produced by Samsonite in the 60's/70's. They're pretty rare, and not compatible with real LEGO bricks.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=x1446&in=S

My mistake then. I thought they were those large novelty bricks like these:

http://www.greatbigstuff.com/legobricks.html

Or stuff like this:

http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-2x4-Brick-Coin-Bank-853144?c=Household-Accessories-Apparel-Home-Outdoors-ByCategory

davee123

My mistake then. I thought they were those large novelty bricks like these:

http://www.greatbigstuff.com/legobricks.html

Actually, those aren't novelty bricks either :) Those are known as "LEGO Soft", which are 6x normal LEGO bricks, and targeted at things like pre-schools. Their clutch power is abysmal, and they're very expensive-- and I'm not sure if they're actually compatible with anything (probably not).

I believe the known sets with LEGO Soft are 9020, 9021, 9022, 9023, 9024 (although BrickSet seems to only know about 2 of those sets)

DaveE

Anthony_McLeod

Given everything I've seen here I think these are this set: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=044-2

I have 6 blue, 12 white and 12 red for a total of 30 bricks which matches the description exactly here.

Thanks to everyone that posted. Any idea what a set like this might be worth?

prof1515

Actually, those aren't novelty bricks either :) Those are known as "LEGO Soft", which are 6x normal LEGO bricks, and targeted at things like pre-schools.

I've seen them sold as novelty bricks. Can't find the link to any of the sites that did that though. They appear to have since sold out of them and removed the listings. Considering Duplo is catering to the preschool market as well they seem a bit redundant. Maybe they're meant for toddlers.

davee123

Hm. I can't find too much in the way of intended age range-- the LEGO Education website says "2+" for LEGO Soft (Duplo is typically 1.5 or 2 up to age 5), but none of my old Dacta catalogs seem to indicate an age range for LEGO Soft.

But I think the idea is "pre-schools" rather than "pre-schoolers"-- basically, appealling to institutions, sort of like how day care centers and pre-schools will often buy those large cardboard blocks so that kids can build large creations with them. I get the impression that these are supposed to be on par with those types of construction toys rather than blocks for individual kids or families.

DaveE