Norwegian LEGO sets and items

1953

Starting in 1953 there were very few sets available. Set nr. 700/2, 700/4, 700/6 and 700/a were the first and only ones. The 700/2 and 700/4 boxes had a different design using the Automatic Binding Bricks picture on a brown box with "LEGO Mursten" text. This design was only used for Norway. The 700/a is also the only item known which mentions "A/S Norske LEGO" and not "LEGIO", confirming the 1953 date.

It is unknown if the LEGO Chevrolets were available right from the start, but we have found an advert dating them to December 1953. Only the trucks being available first, the vans coming later. The steering cable for the trucks were also available from the start. You can read more about the Chevrolets in the Norway - Vehicles section in the menu above.

1954

At the start of 1954 you could now buy bags with loose windows and doors, using set number 700/b. Also a small supply of 700/3a boxes were sent from Denmark to Norway. They had the new design on blueish-green boxes and were renamed 700/3. The 700/3 set did not enter price lists and production in Norway until a little later.

Around the middle of 1954 lots of new toys were announced, more than doubling the production. We saw the introdcution of the following toys:
730/10 - "LEGO kubusklosser/sm책barnsklosser" (big building blocks)
30/1 and 30/2 - "LEGO Byggepinner" (Building sticks)
725 - "LEGO bokstavklosser" (Letter/alphabet blocks)
"LEGO Skutegalleri" (Ship gallery)
11/53 - "LEGO juniorratt" (Junior Steering Wheel)
"LEGO badedyr" (Bathing animals)
"Den magiske familie" (The magic family) - Nesting dolls
"Rudolf" - plastic clown
"Kulemosaikk" ("sphere/ball" mosaic)
275 - VW van
Chevrolet vans with and without motor

That was a lot, and it does not stop there! Two new sizes for the LEGO Mursten series was introduced, 700/1 and 700/3, and the design of the boxes were updated to the new version. This included 700/2 and 700/4 as well. With the Chevrolet vans we also saw the first mention of the Chevrolet firetruck and tow truck, two models with unique attachments only made and sold in Norway.

Towards the end of 1954 the 700/c set with tall classic windows may have been introduced, but we have not been able to pin point if it was late 1954 or early 1955. The Automatic Binding Bricks box for the 700/a was then replaced with the new LEGO Mursten design for both 700/a and c. 700/b was still being sold in plastic bags only, but possibly some boxed variants could be out there.

The new version of the 700/6 box has only been found with printed text mentioning the launch of "System i Lek". So we have not been able to date it any earlier than late 1955. Though we believe it should have changed around the same time as the other sets. Maybe we have just not found an early version yet.

1955

There were not a lot of news for the first half of 1955. They were probably busy with all the new releases from last year, as well as preparing for the biggest introduction of them all, "System i Lek" later the same year. However one item, nr. 999 "Småen" (The small one), was released as a promotional item at ESSO fuel stations in Norway. If you have not managed to guess what item this was, then I can tell you it was called the small one because it was the little brother of the ESSO Chevrolets. Later released using the set nr. 1250 as the ESSO fuel tanker for the new LEGO System. At the time it was most likely overshadowed by the brand new building system, called "Mecline".

Mecline was a copy of Tekno/Meccano, built with metal beams, gears and screws. The holes in the metal beams fit the Byggepinner, so you could make some interesting combinations. They also advertised the use with LEGO Chevrolets, creating different attachments for them. This was clever since Mecline alone would have struggled against the other popular metal building systems at the time.

The following Mecline sets were released in 1955:
40 - Junior
41 - Master
42 - Boss
43 - Chief
Extra sets XZ 1 through 12

The LEGO System

Then it was time for the big release! The LEGO System. First of all it introduced a lot of new elements in small building sets called "systemsett" (System sets). The first lineup was the following 15 small sets:
1210 - Small house 6x8
1211 - Small house 4x8
1212 - Small house right
1213 - Small house left
1220 - 1x2 bricks
1221 - 1x1 bricks
1222 - 1x1 round bricks
1223 - curved bricks
1224 - Named beams / "Text bricks"
1225 - Small plates
1230 - Small windows
1240 - Traffic signs (8 different)
1241 - Traffic signs (8 different)
1247 - ESSO pumps and sign
1248 - Trees and bushes

The first and only big "building set" from 1955 was the 1236 garage. Together with the 1210-1213 sets they were the first LEGO sets ever to introduce actual building instructions! The 1236 did have a sibling, set 1235. However this set only included the garage plate and door without the rest of the bricks.

The small system sets in Norway had a unique kind of packaging the first year. Instead of a push out tray in an outer sleeve, they were one piece with fold out "flaps". Also they were coloured on one end flap corresponding with the price of the set, yellow being the most expensive, blue being middle, and red the cheapest. The 1210 set was the only with yellow end flap.

We believe the big 700/1-4 did not recieve the updated "System i Lek" design until 1956. It seems like LEGO System and LEGO Mursten first was released as two seperate themes meant to fit together, before they were merged in 1956. At this point the slots were removed from the bricks, and it was all more standarized, or "SYSTEMized" if you like.

Next up we have the System cars and trucks. A lineup of 6 was introduced, two of which had seperate trailers. They were packaged in small boxes and had the following set numbers:
1250 - ESSO tanker
1251 - ESSO truck
1252- ESSO trailer
1253 - Flatbed truck
1254 - Trailer
1255 - Firetruck
1256 - Tow truck
1257 - LEGO transport truck

The special box for "Småen" (The small one) nr. 999, was reused for the 1250 ESSO tanker, just changing the set number on the box. The 999 variant can be seen mentioned in later price lists, inside paranteses next to the 1250 set.

The base for the whole town plan can not be forgotten either. Available as a thin foldable plastic cloth with roads and building areas printed on, set nr. 1200.

1956

Shortly after the release of the "System i Lek" a small special set was introduced. The 1237 - Garage side building. Building this set and placing it next to the 1236 garage with some ESSO pumps and sign, you basically had the 1310 - ESSO station set, which at this point had not released yet. The 1237 set never came out in Denmark, only a few were made for the Swedish market.

The 1270 - Motorcycles and cyclist set was also introduced this year. Weirdly not part of the first launch.

Then the first proper big building sets hit the market! The 1310 ESSO station in a special "gift box" with a banner across the top lid. As well as the 1309 small ESSO garage in similar packaging. The 1309 is also a mysterious set as it was only made and sold in Norway. Only one copy of this set has been found sound far, missing the inlay. It was meant to be a variant of the 1236 garage in a nicer flat "gift box" with a VW van included and an ESSO sign.

The 1200 town plan plastic cloth also recieved a sibling. 1200M, a solid masonite board with a similar town/road print on top.

1957

Another quite big year for LEGO in Norway. Multiple new big LEGO system sets hit the market.
1306 - VW garage with two cars
1307 - VW service station with two cars and street lights
1308 - Firestation with firetruck
1309 - Church with light brick and tree

The 1310 set also came out in a new colourful yellow box this year, exclusive to Norway. One thing worth to note is that the 1309 small ESSO garage set had to change to nr. 1300 because the church took its place.

A few new small system sets were also released this year.
1233 - street lights
1234 - letter bricks
1242 - flags
1242N - Norwegian flags
1245 - light brick
1271 - Police

We also saw the introduction of the Ferguson tractor series which had big success in Denmark. As well as some wooden toys. The tractor and equipment had the following numbers:
780 - Tractor (plastic)
668 - Jordskuffe/"Soil mover" (wood)
672 - Harv/"Harrow" (wood)
673 - Sneplog/"Snow plough" (wood)
674 - Kultivator/"Cultivator" (plastic)
675 - Dobbeltplog/"Double plough" (plastic)
676 - Vogn/"Wagon with 4 wheels" (wood)

The other wooden toys were:
300 - Chevrolet car
301 - Doll chair
302 - Ironing board
303 - Iron w/ cord

The big 1:38 scale VW beetle was also introduced this year.

1958

In 1958 for a change, a few items are removed from production. We no longer find Byggepinner or the 1:43 scale Chevrolets.

New for this year is the small system VW beetles also being sold in small plastic boxes, and a new farm equipment for the Ferguson tractor - nr. 679 Selvbinder/"Self binder".

Let us also not forget about the infamous Opel Kapitän either. Not mentioned in price lists from the first half of 1958, but has shown up in an order form from the second half. Sold to retailers in a box of 24 using set number 262. In 1961 the set number was reused for the Opel Rekord.

1959

More to come... Or less.., as we are approaching the end of the Norwegian LEGO adventure.