What does ABB stand for?

Automatic Binding Bricks, the name of the first plastic bricks from 1949.

Why do several sets share the same name?

Basic building sets and similar boxes were sold in different sizes and versions. Each has its own set number, such as 066-1, 055-2 and 044-1.

What period does the theme cover?

The 501 sets date from 1949 to 1969.

System

Sets: 501
Since: 1949
Newest set: 1971

System covers the first two decades of plastic building bricks, from 1949 to 1969. It lists 501 sets and is the parent of several early sub-themes.

Sub-themes

Sets per decade

All decades

28 sets from the 1970s

1970s

About System

The first bricks

The earliest set here, Large Gift Set (ABB) (700.2-1) from 1949, carries the abbreviation for Automatic Binding Bricks, the original name of the plastic bricks. In the mid-1950s the bricks were reorganised into a system of play, where every set was meant to combine with the others. The tube coupling on the underside of the brick, introduced in 1958, gave the bricks the grip they still have today, and many of the sets in this theme come from the years around that change.

Building sets and a train

Basic building sets make up most of the larger boxes. Basic Building Set with Train (080-1) from 1967 leads with 712 pieces, and the 1968 Basic Building Set came in several sizes: 066-1 with 407 pieces, 055-2 with 256 and 044-1 with 225. Railway themes appear early. Train (323-1) from 1964 has 253 pieces and Station (342-1) from 1968 has 191. Clowns (321-1, 1965, 223 pieces) is a lighter subject among them.

Five sub-themes

Much of the era's range sits in dedicated sub-themes: HO 1:87 Vehicles with small model cars, Jumbo Bricks for pre-school children, Supplemental packs of loose parts, Town Plan as the first town layout, and Samsonite for sets made in North America. Each has its own page. Together they show how wide the range already was within its first twenty years, from basic boxes and spare parts to a complete town with its own cars.

Identifying vintage sets

Early sets were often reissued with small changes, which is why several share a name. Comparing parts lists on Bricoria helps you tell those versions apart and check what an old box should contain. Vintage boxes also differ from later ones in packaging and brick colours, so a full inventory is useful when you are dating a find.

FAQ

What does ABB stand for?: Automatic Binding Bricks, the name of the first plastic bricks from 1949.
Why do several sets share the same name?: Basic building sets and similar boxes were sold in different sizes and versions. Each has its own set number, such as 066-1, 055-2 and 044-1.
What period does the theme cover?: The 501 sets date from 1949 to 1969.