Random set of the day: The Big Family House
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 3290 The Big Family House, released during 1997. It's one of 10 Scala sets produced that year. It contains 265 pieces and 3 minifigs.
It's owned by 57 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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47 comments on this article
Big Family? There's only three of them, and one of them's a baby! Hardly a big family at all, that's just a normal sized one.
@MCLegoboy said:
"Big Family? There's only three of them, and one of them's a baby! Hardly a big family at all, that's just a normal sized one."
Oh no no my dear friend. The family is normal sized, but the house is big! Perhaps "Family's Big House" would be a better title.
Although to the legendary My Dad perhaps his family *is* big, as they have so much love!
I'd love to hear how the dolls can be classified as minifigures.
@MCLegoboy said:
"Big Family? There's only three of them, and one of them's a baby! Hardly a big family at all, that's just a normal sized one."
Stick a minifigure next to this family and you'll realize just how big they really are!
lovely house! I would want to live there!
More Scala! Better stuff in all the scala before the new year when Friends will take over! I love all the rare parts in this Scala house and it looks like great fun
Why did someone put a Lego clock in a doll house?
Seriously, VERY hard to spot "normal" Lego elements in this set. Some of those white parts would make some interesting greebling on a Blacktron Spaceship.
The Scala Baby is among the most terrifying objects known to man
It’s a big big house with lots and lots of room
It’s a big big table with lots and lots of food
She got sent to the Big House for wearing that awful wig.
"I just love going outside to get upstairs!" says mom. "Youre right dear, especially in the winter." dad agrees. "Oh dear, the babys bottle has frozen again, Ill heat it up."
One time I had a dream where a millennial on Instagram (maybe my cousin) made fun of zoomers for not knowing about the Scala dollhouses and being obsessed with the 501st Battle Pack. That's all I can think of whenever I see these sets now.
The year started with the terrorific My Dad (jan 9th). And it ended with this doll house. It's not nearly as cursed, but it makes it a near full-circle regardless.
And for that I am grateful -I think to myself as I lie awake paralyzed thinking of My Dad.
It's 04:27 here. Help.
I have a few of the scala pieces and they are great. I would never buy these dollhouses, but the actual Lego pieces that can fit to other Lego are amazing.
I wasn't around for these, I was only around for the more brick-built and modern Scala sets. My initial impression of these is that Sylvanian Families is better (well, the one thing these sets seem to have over SF is that these actually include all the furniture).
My Dad is back! Return of the King.
Most people probably don’t see the connection between Scala and SPACE! But there are many.
And yet, they’re rather rare at the same time. I believe it’s known as the Scala Exclusion Principle.
@MCLegoboy said: "Big Family? There's only three of them, and one of them's a baby!"
Maybe they're refering to the mother's truly-gargantuan hair?
That is a lot of nonLEGO LEGO. I wonder if all the parts say LEGO on them, somewhere. Otherwise, how would you know?
@MeisterDad:
I’m sure it does not at all involve a chill falling over the entire room, like if someone were to walk across your grave.
Nice Barbie house, where are all the Lego parts?
That light salmon colour is beautiful.
Aren't these Barbies?
My Dad is home with those flowers and creepy stare...
To consult someone from the comments of the My Dad RSoTD, their last name is Big.
Way to end the year.
My Dad, Michael Jackson and a baby. Very disturbing.
Say what you will about Scala and other such themes in LEGO, but they had some nice elements like that cake in the themes.
@MCLegoboy said:
"Big Family? There's only three of them, and one of them's a baby! Hardly a big family at all, that's just a normal sized one."
No no, you see that’s Mr and Mrs Big and this is their family house XD
@Lego_lord said:
"Nice Barbie house, where are all the Lego parts?"
You do realize that all those big chunky pieces have anti-studs on the bottom and are 100% compatible with "normal" LEGO, right?
Let's not also forget that a lot of the food elements which are still in use to this day, such as the apple piece came from this line.
From "When Lego Wanted to be Mattel'
Why is there what appears to be a bullhorn hanging up by the kitchen door?
Does Mr Big use it to scare away the scallywags on his lawn?
You can play a nice game of 'Spot the element still in use today' with this picture. I count at least 5!
@Mr__Thrawn said:
"The Scala Baby is among the most terrifying objects known to man"
It's the suckers-for-hands that chills me the most . . .
Everyone is sneering because of course they are, but as someone who actually had one of these sets in his house, they're excellent. It's a fully reconfigurable doll house that can be remade in as many different ways as you can imagine, and yes, it's compatible with regular bricks if you've got half a brain. A 2x2 brick fits over one of those "flower studs" and you're right back in system. My sister and I had a lot of fun with Scala. Don't knock what you haven't tried.
That's actually way better than a Barbie/Sindy house because it actually comes with the furniture and accessories plus My Dad, My Mum and Scary Baby.
If you had a Barbie or Sindy house they came empty and you had to buy everything separately. No one ever had all the furniture available (unless you were very very rich) so your house usually had a bedroom set but not a kitchen or vice versa.
This Scala set looks much better. However My Mum clearly needs a trip to a hair salon or possibly a hospital to check she is ok after clearly having had some sort of electric shock to create that interesting style.
It looks massive. Or big, you might also say.
And that's a good point, courtesy of misterbrickster ^. It may not be especially lego like, but a dollhouse that can be significantly reshaped is pretty notable as a feature.
Has anyone else noticed that they put the roof on the wrong way round in this photo as the attic should be on the inside as in https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=3290-1&name=The%20Big%20Family%20House&category=%5BScala%5DT=S&O={%22iconly%22:0}
The photo also shows a light tan colour for the stairs and balcony, whereas in reality really salmon pink https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265475288329?epid=671131376&hash=item3dcf8f6d09:g:PhoAAOSwPIdhzJFA&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&siteid=3&campid=5338255234&customid=&toolid=20003&mkevt=1
This set and Tuesday's RSOTD https://brickset.com/article/68529/random-set-of-the-day-scala-flashy-pool together are TLG's way of warning kids what may happen if you make different life choices.
@PDelahanty said:
" @MCLegoboy said:
"Big Family? There's only three of them, and one of them's a baby! Hardly a big family at all, that's just a normal sized one."
Stick a minifigure next to this family and you'll realize just how big they really are!"
Yet they eat the same LEGO apples.
Lego system parts that where used in other sets from this set:
1x1 plate (on baby chair)
Clock print (right side on lower floor)
2x2 tiles (on shelf on left lower floor)
Plant and flower pieces (in plant pots around the house)
Goblet (in a cabinet left lower floor)
Apple (on table right lower floor)
Lampshade (is upside down disk, on table in middle of lower floor)
@lost_scotsman:
Maybe My Dad got a handheld version of the machine from the Pit of Despair?
@bookmum:
I’m assuming the mom’s name is Rosemary, since that would explain the baby.
Glanced at this and thought it was a Chinese New Year set! The packaging reminds me of Sylvanian Families box art. I think I’d prefer Sylvanian Families to this for Nipper 3, but it looks pretty good for imaginative play.
@Goujon said:
"Lego system parts that where used in other sets from this set:
1x1 plate (on baby chair)
Clock print (right side on lower floor)
2x2 tiles (on shelf on left lower floor)
Plant and flower pieces (in plant pots around the house)
Goblet (in a cabinet left lower floor)
Apple (on table right lower floor)
Lampshade (is upside down disk, on table in middle of lower floor)"
The pots were also used in dark grey in 7191 UCS X-wing from 2000 as engine narcelles. Just to shut up stuffy AFOLs who think these parts are 'not lego' apparently XD
The books are still in use today.
Oh, and as mentioned before, the red bullhorn too!
The lampshade is used very rarely outside of Scala and only appeared in a handful of modern sets.
And for those worrying about the part versatility, one of my favourite Scala part uses is in 7313 . The wide laser barrel / sensor array on the left of the mech is actually a dark grey Scala support part for small tables. It's not in this set, but I just like to mention that awesome NPU.
So yeah...
@MeisterBrick and @Bookmum are right that a fully reconfigurable, complete and system-compatible doll house might actually make a good toy.
And this thing would be beyond Modular Building expensiveness if everything was built with system bricks you know. Those stairs alone... (Scala means Stairs in latin btw).
Oh, and it's nice to see a picture of the box for once instead of the instruction scans with only the heap of parts as the main image...
@GSR_MataNui said:
" @MCLegoboy said:
"Big Family? There's only three of them, and one of them's a baby! Hardly a big family at all, that's just a normal sized one."
Oh no no my dear friend. The family is normal sized, but the house is big! Perhaps "Family's Big House" would be a better title."
It’s a known issue in English sometimes called the ‘small book shop’ problem wherein an adjective ambiguously qualifies one of several nouns. Is it the books that are small or the shop?
@Mr__Thrawn said:
"The Scala Baby is among the most terrifying objects known to man"
Spawn of My Dad! :~O
OOH OOH! I think I saw a stud somewhere!
1 being named Marita in this is the only set she is in. https://brickset.com/minifigs/scaFemA03/scala-doll-female-adult-(marita)
Brickset actually reviewed this: https://brickset.com/article/57362 (It's further down)