LEGO stud logos

[mpfirnhaber]

Here is my summary of the 6 stud logos I have seen on 2x4 3001old LEGO bricks (bricks with bottom tubes but no cross-support).

Wide logos touch the sides of the studs - narrow logos do not.

Straight O means the sides of the O are parallel. Round O means the sides of the O are convex.

The Narrow Open O logo is exclusive to Samsonite. I believe the Round O variants might also be exclusive to Samsonite.

If you have any data that contradicts any of this, please let me know!

[LEGO Historian]

Good job on the variations.... my eyes now require magnifying glasses for studs reading....

The "Narrow Open O" logo was unique to Samsonite. So when LEGO production started in 1961 at the Stratford Ontario Canada Samsonite plant, the first LEGO sales of 1961 went to the USA, with Canadian sales to follow in 1962. Among these first bricks were a mix of both the "Narrow Straight O" and the "Narrow Open O" bricks. So the beginning date for the Narrow Open O should be 1961, not 1968.

All of my green CA plates (only sold by Samsonite) have this same Narrow Open O variation. And these were introduced by Samsonite to the USA/Canada market in late 1962 or early 1963.

LEGO production for the USA continued from Stratford Ontario until April 1965, when the Loveland Colorado Samsonite LEGO plant (in a suburb of Denver) opened up.

For the USA... from 1961-65 the LEGO parts were produced at the Stratford Ontario Samsonite plant, the boxes were produced at a Detroit Samsonite plant, and the model shop was also located in Detroit. Detroit and Stratford were only 150 miles apart.

Here is a "Narrow Open O" Samsonite 1x1 blue plate from a "retooled" mold.... Samsonite parts were notorious for the poor quality on the parts, and this retooling shows it.... (photo: Yodoba)...

Edited March 25, 2015 by LEGO Historian

[mpfirnhaber]

I was wondering when you would jump in and give some insight. Thanks!

I have a bunch of white and red Samsonite bricks with extra-tall studs from re-tooled molds. But I had never seen it in a plate before. I'll have to keep my eyes open :)

Any thoughts on the two "Round O" variants? I have a feeling both might be exclusive to Samsonite, but I don't have much to back that up beyond comparing bricks. Samsonite bricks in my collectino have either raised studs like the one in my picture, or very sharp-cornered studs. And I've only seen those two Round O logos on bricks with sharp-cornered studs.

I've also seen those two Round O logo variants on bricks with the logo orientation turned 90 degrees :)

Here are some photos of all the different 2x4 bricks in my collection from each logo category:

https://www.flickr.c...57651542830222/

Edited March 25, 2015 by mpfirnhaber

[splatman]

I have a bunch of white and red Samsonite bricks with extra-tall studs from re-tooled molds.

Are they tall enough to completely fill stud notches in those pieces that have them?

Hey LEGO Historian,

Are you reading this? I've always wondered why stud notches, what you call "missing notches of plastic", are always taller than any LEGO stud I've seen. Did LEGO at any point, make bricks with taller studs, and the notches are always made taller to maintain backwards compatibility?

[Frits van Sambeek]

I have many ABS Lego bricks with pip edge. I collected these because my first basic set, early sixties, had these. The basic set contained some (1 x 1 and 1 x 2) CA bricks that didn't stick well. It also had a glass 2 x 4 CA brick that warped soon.