While we didn’t get a lot of answers here we did get a ton of traffic and more importantly the good folks at www.bricksetforum.com were quick to identify the unusually large bricks and even help place the bricks into a set. Thanks to users Istokg and RJM for shining some light on the issue.
These are Lego Samsonite Jumbo bricks. Yes – that Samsonite. The best reference I can find (and backup here) says these were released in 1969 – probably this set. The set references the number of bricks as 6 blue, 12 red, 12 white which means based on what I have in front of me all pieces are here.
So mystery solved and a lot of history learned. I knew of larger than standard size bricks named Duplo or Quatro and smaller bricks named Modulex but I never knew of Samsonite – either the bricks or the association between the two companies.
And before you ask – no I have no idea what the value of these bricks might be. No one has them for sale on eBay or anywhere else that I can find. Technically they are still BobG’s – we sort of bought them together but I didn’t pay him for them on purpose. I figured if he had accidentally found the Holy Grail of Lego we were better off if I hadn’t bought them officially. While I am not a fan of selling any bricks he may not have the same problem. Now that we know what they are he can decide what he wants to do with them.
These bricks may not fit with any of my existing bricks but they are a pretty cool piece of Lego history. If you run across an odd Lego piece and either want it identified let me know. I’ve found some pretty good resources and enjoy doing the research. If you decide to donate those to McLeod Lego Museum when you are done we’ll add your name to the contributor list.
1. they were a gift to a friend. Don’t sweat it.
2. I doubt they’re worth much more than I paid.
C. I forgot what I was going to write here.
1. Pretty cool find regardless.
2. Maybe but with “vintage” toys you never know.
C. No idea. Can’t help you there.
They’re worth about 50 cents a pop – they’re not terribly useful because they don’t work with much of anything else LEGO makes. You can occasionally find the sets of them on BrickLink or eBay, but they’re not really in demand.
The jumbo bricks were also marketed as “preschool bricks” by Samsonite, and were sold into the first few years of the DUPLO line.