Kraft Sets (Late 1971)
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Much of the work presented here can be audited via: Kraft Promotion Dates (1968-1972)
Each Kraft promotion (1968-1972) followed a similar pattern, but this article is only concerned with the 1971 promotion. It would start to appear on Velveeta boxes as early as September with a set to order, and order fulfillment would go as late as May - June. It would be ordered via a boxtop on boxes of Velveeta.
Below is the box for the 1971 promotion. It is the same as was used for the 1970 Kraft promotion:
As seen on the Velveeta box, three different starter sets could be ordered simply numbered No. 1:
...No. 2:
...and No. 3:
Each came in a plain box, and were also available in next year's 1971 Kraft promotion.
Regardless of which set was ordered, the set would always contain two pieces of paperwork. It would include instructions for that model:
As well as a brochure for the consumer to order more sets. This one was only used in the 1971 promotion:
Below we will cover each of the sets in this brochure, though I won't have images of surviving examples/inventories for all of them as they are much more rare than the starter set.
Sets No. 4 & 5
By far some of the most coveted LEGO Samsonite sets ever created, the 271 Mini House and Vehicles and the 367 Mini Airport and Vehicles stand as icons of their own. They are incredibly rare as they were only available for the 1971 Kraft promotion:
They came in smaller boxes, similar to those used throughout the rest of the line. The one below belongs to the 367 Mini Airport (such can be confirmed as it has #5 on the label and is postmarked early 1972, image courtesy of Daan's Samsonite):
Presumably, the sets would mail in two parts, the above box for the pieces/instructions and the other box for the baseplate.
Each one had instructions for their intended models:
To date, the 271 Mini House's instructions have never been archived.
Set No. 6
Set No. 6 was the 77-piece set carried over from the 1970 promotion, though it's possible the assortment changed yet again, as my example contains yellow parts that aren't reflected in the 1970 assortment:
Set No. 7
Set No. 7 was a 159-piece assortment also available through the 1971 LIFE promotion:
It came with this exclusive idea card, relaying that the set was actually (at least internally) numbered 159:
Set No. 8
Set No. 3 was a 301 piece set also available through the 1971 LIFE promotion. It may have continued to use the same packaging from previous Kraft promotions:
Set No. 9
Set No. 9 was a 550-piece assortment. Oddly, the 550-piece set has a history dating back to 1969 as a retailer exclusive before it was brought into the 1971 Kraft promotion, though very likely with a different assortment.
Regardless, it would've came in a brown mailer box:
Set No. 10
Set No. 10 was simply called "Mechanical Parts". It was a 101-piece assortment with tow plates, wheels, turntables, hinges, and plates. It seems to have been very similar to if not the same as the Mechanical Parts set from other Kraft promotions 1968-70.
