[RSS]: Swiss canister sets from the 50s and 60s

[Brickset 32]

Our new season of #ThrowbackThursday articles kicks off with this one on an interesting aspect of LEGO's early history, by Gary Istok:

1957 was a milestone year for the LEGO building toy. Sales had already started in Denmark in 1949, Norway in 1953, Sweden in 1955, and Germany in 1956. LEGO sales were introduced in Switzerland and Netherlands in early 1957, and in Austria, Belgium and Portugal in late 1957.

As most people know Kiddicraft was the inspiration for LEGO (to put it diplomatically). Switzerland was the first LEGO country that already had a Kiddicraft patent. However, by 1957 the resemblance between LEGO and Kiddicraft was no longer a problem. LEGO had introduced the System of Play in 1955, in non-slotted bricks and a different window system, so that there could be no confusing them.

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