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While catalogs like BrickLink and Brickset are highly regarded and referenced databases, the trust and authority that comes with their information on older sets has unfortunately whittled away as I've compiled things myself. That doesn't mean they are entirely wrong about everything, but the errors and contradictions are so numerous that we can no longer take anything about LEGO Samsonite on faith.

What I aim to do here is to forget everything I already think I know. Then deep dive in to any and all sources that are available: catalogs, magazines, newspapers, etc. ANY factual claim is to be sourced and backed up with primary documentation. ANY limitation or best guess must be clearly designated as such. Evidence leading to that conclusion, along with contradictory evidence, MUST be provided. Online catalogs are NOT useful evidence for us, no matter how much they might agree with one another.

If I can't show it, I don't know it.

You, as the interested party, will have access to everything I used to know exactly how I arrived there. You'll also find anecdotal examples and such where appropriate, they will be provided as what they are: hearsay, not evidence. For example, I saw a surviving glued Samsonite retailer model for sale on eBay ~2020 for $1,000+. Useful as a testimonial as to the survival of those models, however not useful in evidence and any further elaboration would lead to fragile speculation.

Unfortunately, this means a much slower pace for content on this site, but I'd much prefer that to some of the simplifications you see in popular media. That is where a lot of assumptions and misinformation begin to spread.

So... you can't prove everything, right?

Of course. And not all evidence is conclusive, undeniable proof. In the newspaper clippings section, I point to several mistakes and errors, but we do not have the luxury to immediately reject what little remains. As researchers for a particular ancient time period do, we must take the evidence that is left, examine its limitations, and determine what usefulness it provides.

As a quick example, newspapers are difficult to immediately trust as an independent source. Deadlines were tight, editors weren't LEGO experts, etc. Instead, it is much more compelling when many newspapers across the country(and even store catalogs) all to agree on something. A good example of that in action is the mysterious 550-piece set I talk about in Unidentifiable Sets/Variants. So oftentimes, it isn't as simple as pointing to one source. This is especially true when evaluating things like retirement dates, as to cite a negative is not as simple as providing a link.

We're only privy to what remains, but that doesn't mean we can't know anything either.

The goal with this project is to leave no stone unturned, to exhaust as much of the conversation and chase down every last existing shred of information. Every page on this site should only continue to build out and refine its ideas. It will be as a living document, and nothing confidently touted should be radically changed. That means we did something wrong.