Requesting info regarding Bayer and BASF Test Bricks

brickgitt · October 2015

Hi :-)

I'm looking for information regarding how to identify Bayer and BASF (and other ??) Test Bricks from regular Lego Bricks. Some Test Bricks are easy to identify, like fx Bayer bricks marked with letters on the studs (or a mix of letters, Lego logo, letters+numbers etc), but how about bricks with Lego on the studs + single numbers ''inside'' each tube and no ''pat. pend.'' text ?? are they also Test Bricks ?? and if they are, is it then Bayer or BASF Test Bricks ?? and how about the two bricks on the pictures ?? they also have no ''pat. pend.'' text, they are numbered at top with 3001 and with 1-177 at buttom. I have seen these been sold as ''complete (Bayer or BASF ??) Test Sets, containg bricks numbered 3001 + 1 to 4-###, but I have the same bricks numbered 3001 + 1 to 8-177 ?!? Well, for me it's a huge mystery, with 100's if not 1000's of bricks I can't determine are or are not Test Bricks - I hope I can find help here to get closer to solve my ''Regular Bricks vs Test Bricks''-mystery....

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA · October 2015

If you don't have it already - you need to get Gary's Guide! @Istokg will be along shortly...

brickgitt · October 2015

I have it, but that's one of the very few things in his excellent guide, that is yet only shortly explained. I'm pretty sure I have looked in the right chapter (chapter 49.7). I have followed a link in his guide and that helped me to some point and confused me at the same time ;-) Also, I have checked some other sites around the net, but just got more confused....

CCC · October 2015

Try asking on the bricklink forum. One of the only good things about it is the number of 3001 collectors.

brickgitt · October 2015

Ok - thanks, I will try there also - still hope to get replies here anyway ;-)

Istokg · October 2015

Hi brickgitt.... the last update (2012) of my guide... still doesn't show a lot of the different variations on the LEGO bricks, and links to Maxx and Arnoud's sites to go into further detail about the test bricks. Of course now there are OLO, Grangemouth, Wrexham and Loveland bricks to add to the test and production LEGO bricks to talk about.... besides BASF and Bayer.

So many directions to go into, unfortunately. :-(

I am also pursuing the different LEGO boxes throughout the years (Europe/USA/Canada/Australia/Asia)... as well as the local language LEGO box variations, to include in my update to the guide (free to current owners).

brickgitt · October 2015

Hi Istokg - it's really also a jungle with these test bricks, gosh it's confusing, but I'm still sorting bricks while trying to find information....at bricklink I have got some great help from ''WoutR'' - maybe you know him ?? I can't imagine you don't :-) I was thinking about the people you would try to contact ?? now I suddenly have all these test bricks also and will soon get a pretty old Lego wood bed I think is pretty rare....well, no hurry - looking forward to your update !! :-)

paul_merton · October 2015

I'd never heard of test bricks before. What are they for, and how did they end up in public circulation?

Istokg · October 2015

@brickgitt Many of these are confusing even to me. With many of these bricks, the mold numbers on the bottom may be the only way to tell if they are test or production bricks... although 3001old bricks in odd colors (besides Maersk blue, green, tan and dark gray) are likely test bricks from one of the chemical companies. Those colors listed could be model shop bricks.

@paul_merton Test bricks were used by chemical companies (Bayer and BASF in Germany, Borg-Warner in Britain, and Samsonite in USA) to test the mixed plastic pellet color batches via a genuine LEGO mold. In the 1962-64 era these bricks were produced to test the exact mix of the new ABS plastic that was replacing Cellulose Acetate... so bricks from the 1960 are the most plentiful.

The only bricks I know for sure about (released to the public) were the Bayer bricks and Borg-Warner bricks. The Bayer bricks were given to Bayer employees in bulk at Christmas 1965 in Leverkusen Germany (HQ of Bayer). The Borg-Warner bricks made their way out of the Grangemouth Scotland testing facility via 2 employees of Borg-Warner who used real LEGO molds to test bricks with.... and made marbled bricks with them in 1978... until a TLG representative found out about it, and the mold was taken back by TLG, and the license for Borg-Warner to test them revoked. These Borg-Warner bricks were released to people in the Grangemouth Scotland area.

So many of the test bricks in common colors are virtually indistinguishable from regular bricks. But Bayer and BASF created colors that were never seen before....

Bayer Test Bricks (from Maxx)...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5015319/uploads/editor/o2/6elekzrzkki9.jpg

BASF test bricks (from Maxx)...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5015319/uploads/editor/1o/45sqaewfknn9.jpg

brickgitt · October 2015

@paul_merton Here is a close-up of a few, as far as I know, test bricks....Top-Left has 1 stud with Lego and 7 studs with "A"; Top-Middle and Top-Right has 8 studs with C; Lower-Left has 1 stud with Lego, 6 studs with 3C and 1 stud with 3C turned 90 degrees; Lower-Middle has Lego on all 8 studs, not sure this is a test brick, but inside the pipes it says 3 5 0 as I think normal bricks does not say and also, the trans-red color....?!? and Lower-Right has 8 studs with "C". I'm new at this also, so I don't know much about the meaning of all this, all I know is, that normally a Lego brick would have Lego on all 8 studs....

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5015319/uploads/editor/pm/4pke4kgxx7j9.jpg

brickgitt · October 2015

woops, it should say "C3", not "3C"....

paul_merton · October 2015

Fascinating stuff. I'd love to have one of those marbled bricks, just for the novelty factor!

brickgitt · October 2015

Yes, marbled bricks looks great, but are hard to find - unfortunately I have no marbled bricks to offer you, but I'm looking for 'em....

paul_merton · October 2015

Yeah, I gathered they are pretty rare. I understand they still occur in today's moulding processes when they change the colour of the bricks for a new run, but TLG are very hot on making sure these inbetweeners never escape from the factories.

brickgitt · October 2015

Ok, I did not know that, but I can imagine they don't want this to happen nowadays....

pezhead · October 2015

I know where to get marbled bricks!!

pezhead · October 2015

I'll tell you if you want...

paul_merton · October 2015

^ okay...

pezhead · October 2015

Right.
So awhile back, I was looking for a Grangemouth test brick, but there were none for sale anywhere. Somehow, I was lucky enough to find a gentleman by the name of Olaf Blankenfeldt. (I'm pretty sure @Istokg knows him, as he has mentioned Olaf before).
Anyways, he has all kinds of reasonably priced stuff for sale, Test bricks, Marbled bricks, 1:87 Vehicles, I think he has some wooden stuff too. I guess he doesn't sell on bricklink or ebay but sells through his e-mail, which is '[email protected]'.
So there it is!

Istokg · October 2015

Yes Olaf is a great guy, from Germany. He collects all the very old LEGO Wooden and plastic non-LEGO System items, as well as marbled and test bricks, and many other unusual LEGO Systems Items.

One of his images is at the end of my non-LEGO System collectors guide... the 1952-57 1:43 Chevrolet Trucks/Wagons Guide. This shows a heartbreaking group of old worn and corroded trucks... that saw heavy playwear...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5015319/uploads/editor/2o/asznbh3adt55.jpg

These trucks are all made out of plastic and wood (tanker trucks only), with a easily corroded zinc front grill. This group of trucks in poor condition would be worth many thousands, had the trucks been in good shape.

Niels_T · October 2015

Also remember between test brick's, there are also the marbled bricks from changing color's in the mold's.

And think sometimes they get mixed up with test bricks.

Also did the Architecture set's 850,851 and 852 contain , modulex bricks with letter's on stud, so they also proberly get mixed up with test bricks.

@brickgitt if I should guess on Your bricks, at top picture, with mold pip stud, guessing newer brick, properly in between working process from going without part/element number (3001) to present bricks.

Like I have stack of pat. pend. erased with mold pip. stud, instead of mold pip side, also in between brick, like.

Have some marbled but only a few with font and not (bslot) 3001 but 3002's:

Istokg · October 2015

@Niels_T .... did you mean the 750, 751, 752 sets? Those LEGO Architectural sets (not Modulex) came with just regular LEGO plates and bricks.

Niels_T · October 2015

@Istokg

Ups yes sorry, 750, 751, 752,

Well I did have the 750 and it did contain bricks with M on stud, unfurtunally I sold it, and my Pictures aren't high res, so can't remeber which color's and if other letter's.

And as far as I could shiff up that would have been from Modulex.......... ?

Also the small modulex came in 2 different, so did guess the big one's also did.

Tried to look really hard, and it seems like it was the gray ones.

WoutR · November 2015

I should read the BrickSet forum more often :-)

Thanks for the compliment brickgitt, and to answer your question, yes, Gary knows me. Usually I have a lot of questions, sometimes I find part of an answer.

LDM · November 2015

brickgitt said:

Very nice bricks :)

Do you still have any extras? I haven't been able to find any teardrop C bricks yet...

rolyateel · November 2015

LDM said:

brickgitt said:

Very nice bricks :)

Do you still have any extras? I haven't been able to find any teardrop C bricks yet...

I'd like some of the teardrop C bricks too.
I have 7xC/8xC/8xF 1xA/1xB/1xC/1xD 2xA/2xB/2xC/2xD 7xG & Old Logo Bayer Bricks, plus a few BASF bricks (these are the one's I don't fully understand as they look like normal Lego bricks)
I also have a few Grangemouth Bricks thanks to Olaf

Requesting info regarding Bayer and BASF Test Bricks

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