Ancient copy of Bricks and Pieces unearthed

 

  • Ancient copy of Bricks and Pieces unearthed

    Posted by Huw, 03 Feb 2011 16:51. Filed under Brickset.

    I'm indebted to Mike H for sending me scans of an old copy of Bricks and Pieces magazine from 1975. If you are not familiar with B&P, check out our archive of issues from the 1970s and 80s. This issue, no. 2,  Spring 1975, would appear to be the second issue published: from the editor's note it seems that no. 1 was published just before Christmas in 1974.

    This issue is a corker, see if you can find the statements that made me chuckle:

    "Please don't write and ask if you can have 3 with cowboy hats instead of 2 or anything like that..."
    "It's not only children that build with LEGO you know..."
    "Follow the instructions very exactly..."

    We just don't write like that these days, do we, particularly to 7-10 year olds (more's the pity...)


    17 comments, latest one posted 27 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by LukeSkywalker in Ireland, 03 Feb 2011 17:04

That's a great headline! :) I must check out that issue archive actually, sounds really interesting, gotta read up on some Lego history.

Posted by Alemas in Germany, 03 Feb 2011 18:10

I LOVE this: "...all our new LEGO sets for 1976 are already designed now and we are starting work on 1977 and 1978!"! :) And this was released in SPRING 1975! :) Designers must have been quicker back in the day... :) BTW, what were "Golden Studs" and "Golden Bricks"?

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 03 Feb 2011 18:16

Back in the day they worked to a 3 year product cycle, now it's more like 6-9 months, I believe.

Posted by richselby in United Kingdom, 03 Feb 2011 18:38

"I wish I could tell you about some of the exciting things we've got planned for you but that must remain a secret". Pretty much the same story nowadays. Public cries of secrecy still figure big in Lego's PR.

Posted by jcilkmfoster in Hungary, 04 Feb 2011 04:34

Speaking of ancient, how about the SNOT in the "Super racing cars" section? Quality building technique for '75!

Posted by DrathMaul1997 in United Kingdom, 04 Feb 2011 06:35

Isn't it funny. When my Lego Magazine comes I scan it for any pictures that may not be on here (a rare thing) then tear it up and throw it away. If one of these Bricks and Pieces came along I would keep it, not to mention actually read it thru...

Quite different from the Advert-Filled Trash we get Nowadays, this actually assumes Children have the intellect to read more than a single paragraph written by a animated Brick Called 'Max'.

Sad Really.

Posted by David1971 in United Kingdom, 04 Feb 2011 07:10

I see they are highlighting a Starship Enterprise built by some cheeky young scamp. I trust that Paramount's lawyers got onto the case immediately and had all these newsletters pulped.

Posted by Thrund in United Kingdom, 04 Feb 2011 08:52

@Alemas - if I remember right (I was a young child myself at the time) the golden studs/bricks were the reward system Lego operated at the time. They were stickers included with sets and/or promotional events, and you used them to fill in a card which you then sent off for gifts.

Posted by SafePit in United States, 04 Feb 2011 19:03

I couldn't help it, I had to do the "What is it?" article... http://www.flickr.com/photos/safepit/5414554675/

Posted by umptybagger in United Kingdom, 04 Feb 2011 20:14

@SafePit I built it with real bricks as soon as I saw the instructions :3

Posted by SafePit in United States, 04 Feb 2011 23:45

@umptybagger My bricks are tucked away in the daughters closet, so it was easier pulling out the computer. Bet the real thing was more fun though.

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 05 Feb 2011 03:40

^ Nice one SafePit! A neat model isn't it!

Posted by bionicleboy95 in N/A, 05 Feb 2011 03:58

"A lot of you are asking about the new 'minifigures' that have been appearing in January's sets..."

Wow! That's an interesting line to me. We take minifigures for granted now, it's really cool to read something from back when they were new.

Posted by SafePit in United States, 05 Feb 2011 14:34

@Huw Thanks! Yes, It is a neat model.

@bionicleboy95 I agree. Those "new" minifigs soon replaced the macrofigs that LEGO was using at the time. Hard to believe a few short years later LEGO would replace the static minifigs with the versions we cherish today. I wish I had one of those cowboy hats though!

Posted by brickupdate in United States, 05 Feb 2011 21:21

Wow - this is incredible, I didn't know there was a collectors market like this for LEGO back in 1975!

Posted by Acidum in Yugoslavia, 06 Feb 2011 05:40

Excellent work!!! Even more excellent magazine!
But I have some trouble with several issues, they refuse to be opened...anybody else have the same problem?

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 07 Feb 2011 05:52

^Which ones, I'll look into it.

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