Preface

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A mystery will always spur an interest, and it is through the journey to your answer that meaning can be found.

I first saw this idea booklet back in 2017, in a local silent auction. It sat alongside a small collection of red and white bricks. I'd had no prior experience with this era; I was only 16 at the time and quickly losing interest in LEGO. I ignored and wrote it off as a novelty, but a family member lightly encouraged me to participate. I placed a bid for $20 and won.

And so, opening my idea book that first time, my interest finally spurred.

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Later, when I was shopping to expand my Samsonite collection, it was really hard to gauge what to expect, what to look for, and what I should pay. There was only one very detailed resource I could find, Istokg's Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide. A phenomenal light in an otherwise dark maze, the information contained within is simply unparalleled. I highly recommend it, though I'm sure most in this space have already stumbled upon it.

What I aim to do here is to focus my scope; we are mainly covering US Samsonite LEGO sets from 1961-1972 (1973 too depending on how you define the era). This way, I can be a lot more detailed and give a bit more anecdotal information where needed.

As an example, a while back I purchased a LEGO Samsonite set from the late 60s that came in a brown shipping box. There was only one number on it, "49-4418".

No other identifying markings. The parts within were basic elements and a dead end. No online catalog entries gave that number, no forums, nothing. My searches turned up empty, so I set it aside for a bit.

A while later, I started going through dead Brickset links I'd saved over the years(via Internet Archive) and buried in one was a hint. I learned '49' generally meant it was a Sears set, so I poked through old Sears catalogs and found it. At first, I thought that I'd discovered an unknown Samsonite set.

As I've worked on this site, however, I've since realized the answer was much simpler than I had first thought—it was a plain box 835 Advanced Builders Set, sold before the 835 had a colorful box, name, or even the 835 number.

In retrospect, I think back and realize how easily that confusion could've been prevented. I'm not the first to make that discovery, the current problem to overcome is that most of everyone's research is scattered, incomplete, and working with limited sources. It would be so much easier for everyone if it all were compiled and organized into one easily accessible hub. I know we're not saving the world with this information; it's simply a resource for those who need it when they need it.

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To close, I'd like to adapt the phrase on the front of my first idea book to demonstrate my thoughts:

"While all the information on this site cannot be found with any particular LEGO set, it illustrates the wonderful versatility of LEGO Samsonite. As we add to our collective knowledge through the process of collaboration, we will be able to answer that which could have been lost."