Matthew Hocker

  • This German idea leaflet is from 1965 and features a wonderful illustration of a construction site with a narrow gauge (known in German as Feldbahn) engine in view. The reverse side of the sheet features an […]

  • “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. LEGO, always a new toy.” OK, I don’t speak French, but that is a rough translation of the major parts of this 1975 French Canadian advertisement.

    This […]

  • Varda Elentári Furrer recently shared a fun video of their LEGO garden railway on Facebook. A camera was placed in front of the train to give us an incredible view from the engineer’s seat.

    They layout is […]

  • This 1984 U.S. Mail Order Service (Shop-at-Home) brochure isn’t necessarily a holiday brochure, but I do think it sums up the feelings of anticipation and wonder that are characteristic of this time of […]

  • Since we are one day away from the big day, I wanted to share a very special piece from 1984. This one is from another Christmas card that the UK LEGO Club sent its members. It really captures the spirit of this […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Here’s a unique piece of advertising from 1979. This Christmas card appeared in a 5 page LEGO advertistment, printed in the November 1979 issue of the UK magazine, Radio Times. I would have shown the ad in its […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Day 22 has come a day late, so you will receive two advertising gifts today. It is a good thing I’m not Santa!

    This piece is the cover of the Holiday 2004 Shop-at-Home catalog. This cover features the LEGO […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Another holiday Shop-at-Home catalog without snow? You better believe it, and there is a lot to love here. Set 4552 (Cargo Crane) is in the middle of building a bridge, while the LEGOLAND California truck ignores […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Day 20, and we are getting closer to the end! This one comes to us from Germany in 1990 and is just in time for Weinachten. Santa stands by as LEGO figures parade out of his sack of toys. The Duplo train is the […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    The 1997 Holiday Shop-at-Home catalog doesn’t have any snow, but it more than makes up for this with the emphasis on trains. This one features set 4559, Cargo Railway. This is one that people tend to either love […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Another wonderful piece of “trainvertising” from Niels Thomsen (aka: brickalick). This unique piece is actually a Christmas card from 1970 and features a slender Santa piloting a present-filled train from the […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Today’s piece of trainvertising comes to us from the cover of a 2002 Holiday Shop-at-Home catalog. There are several classics here, including the UCS Naboo Starfighter, Fort LEGOredo, and Red Baron triplane. We […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    I have a soft spot for trolleys, and so does LEGO Ideas user, kevinszeto. He has posted a few of these vehicles to LEGO’s crowdsourcing platform, including one which hit 10,000 supporters but failed to pass the […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Flickr user Johnny N. has been kind enough to indulge our childhood fantasies by decorating classic “Thomas the Tank Engine” characters for Christmas! Disclaimer: These are renders, so there are certain parts […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Released in 2006, set 10173 was the first official LEGO Holiday Train. Because of this, it’s appearance on the cover of the Holiday 2006 Shop-at-Home catalog was pretty much set in stone. Has it really been 11 […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Flickr user de-marco has created an amazing little railroad maintenance vehicle.  In particular, the detail of the cab is stunning and uses an interesting offsetting technique.

    Want to build this for yourself? […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Niels Thomsen saw we shared his 1960s Christmas card the other day and, in response, posted pictures from his collection of LEGO wooden trains! LEGO made wooden toys from 1932 through 1960, the year in which a […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Today’s images come from a booklet advertising Christmas at LEGOLAND Windsor in 1999. How did the UK LEGO park celebrate Christmas that year, you might ask? There was a Peter Pan live show, Santa & his toy […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Flickr user Niels Thomsen (aka bricklick) has a wonderful vintage LEGO collection, filled with many unique and unusual items. Thanks to him, we are able to enjoy this circa 1966 LEGO Christmas card.

    The […]

  • Matthew Hocker wrote a new post 7 years ago

    Did you receive set 40235 (24-in-1 Holiday Countdown Set) this year? The set comes with instructions for building 24 different models (one for each day leading up to Christmas). Bill Ward has been doing each day’s […]

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