Answers.Body: <p>The Automatic Binding Bricks were first sold in Denmark in 1949. They were sold both in boxed sets and also loose in special wooden cases at retail stores. During the first year of production, neither the bricks nor the packaging had the LEGO name or logo. Beginning in 1950 the name LEGO was molded into the underside of the bricks, however the original molds without the name were still in use, so "nameless" bricks continued to be sold.</p>
  
  <p>The first boxed sets did not have the LEGO name or logo. </p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/G0xFX.png" alt="Automatic Binding Bricks box"></p>
  
  <p>Beginning in 1952, the boxes were marked LEGO <em>Mursten</em> (<em>Mursten</em> means "bricks"). Beginning in 1953, the Automatic Binding Bricks name was dropped and replaced with LEGO Mursten. The bricks were the same, only the name had changed.</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/pzdhz.png" alt="1953 LEGO Mursten box"></p>
  
  <p>In 1955, LEGO produced some <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=250-2" rel="noreferrer">1:87 scale trucks</a> as promotional items used by Esso dealers in Europe. These trucks were marked with the LEGO name on the underside, but were packaged in boxes that had only Esso branding and no LEGO logo or name.</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HSJj6.jpg" alt="LEGO Bedford Esso Truck package"></p>
  
  <p>Many modern LEGO pieces are produced without any LEGO logo or name. These are usually small pieces that have no studs or an interior surface large enough to hold the name or logo. Hollow-stud pieces such as the 1x1 round brick are not marked, for example. Neither are Technic lift arms and beams.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-14T19:23:37.093Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-12-14T19:23:37.093Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: 62Bricks
Answers.Body: <p>In addition to the answer posted by 62Bricks, I've been able to find other types of brick that are licensed by LEGO, but which are not branded as such:</p>
  
  <p><strong>Bayer Test Bricks</strong></p>
  
  <p>Bayer is a German chemical and pharmaceutical company with whom TLG has had a close working relationship over the years. Bayer has produced a number of <a href="http://thebrickblogger.com/2011/05/lego-bayer-test-strikes/" rel="nofollow">test bricks</a> for LEGO to test clutch (sticking-power) between bricks, new colours and new plastics. Some of these bricks have the usual "LEGO" branding on the studs, whereas others are unbranded, have a single letter on the studs instead - a letter which indicates the clutch strength of the brick.</p>
  
  <p>An article on <a href="http://thebrickblogger.com/2011/05/lego-bayer-test-strikes/" rel="nofollow">The Brick Blogger</a> has more details on these bricks.</p>
  
  <p><strong>OLO</strong></p>
  
  <p>Back in the 1970s, TLG licensed a Japanese company called Fujisho Co. to make LEGO type sets for the Japanese market, which were in many ways similar to the Italian Minitalia sets. The packaging and instructions carried the OLO brand name, and the bricks themselves had a "backwards K" logo on the studs. Parts packs were advertised for use with OLO, and these were regular LEGO bricks.</p>
  
  <p>For more information, see <a href="http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=81168" rel="nofollow">this post on Eurobricks</a>, and <a href="http://www.youblisher.com/p/601177-CHAPTER-75-OLO-EARLY-TLG-PRODUCED-LEGO-FOR-JAPAN/" rel="nofollow">this series of slides</a> about 1970-78 LEGO OLO sales in Japan.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-18T12:29:09.900Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-12-18T12:29:09.900Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Kramii
Answers.Body: <p>1x1 round bricks (the ones without the studs) have historically not had Lego molded anywhere on them; but I have now seen ones which have it molded right where you can see it, on the bottom lip.</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/bN4J6.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bN4J6.png" alt="bottom of 1x1 round brick" /></a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-02-19T17:14:25.617Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-02-19T17:14:25.617Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: RSchulz
Body: <p>Has LEGO ever produced bricks without the LEGO brand name on the parts, the packaging or both?</p>
  
  <p>I'm already aware of the following:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Minitalia. Available in Italy in the 1970s. The bricks were compatible with regular LEGO bricks. They had LEGO branding on the packaging but there was no LEGO logo moulded onto the studs of the bricks.</li>
  <li>Modulex. A building system aimed at adults, Modulex bricks are smaller than regular LEGO and incompatible with it. When Modulex became a separate company in 1965, the LEGO logo on the studs was replaced with an "M".</li>
  <li>LEGO's earliest bricks were sold under the name Automatic Binding Bricks. They didn't have the LEGO logo on them, and I'm not sure if the LEGO company name was on the packaging.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p><strong>Were there any others?</strong></p>
  
Tags: <history>
Title: Has TLG ever produced bricks without the LEGO branding?
UserDisplayName: Kramii
ThreadText: # Has TLG ever produced bricks without the LEGO branding?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-12)
  
  Has LEGO ever produced bricks without the LEGO brand name on the parts, the packaging or both?
  
  I'm already aware of the following:
  
  * Minitalia. Available in Italy in the 1970s. The bricks were compatible with regular LEGO bricks. They had LEGO branding on the packaging but there was no LEGO logo moulded onto the studs of the bricks.
  * Modulex. A building system aimed at adults, Modulex bricks are smaller than regular LEGO and incompatible with it. When Modulex became a separate company in 1965, the LEGO logo on the studs was replaced with an "M".
  * LEGO's earliest bricks were sold under the name Automatic Binding Bricks. They didn't have the LEGO logo on them, and I'm not sure if the LEGO company name was on the packaging.
  
  **Were there any others?**
  
  **Tags:** history
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2013-12-14. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  The Automatic Binding Bricks were first sold in Denmark in 1949. They were sold both in boxed sets and also loose in special wooden cases at retail stores. During the first year of production, neither the bricks nor the packaging had the LEGO name or logo. Beginning in 1950 the name LEGO was molded into the underside of the bricks, however the original molds without the name were still in use, so "nameless" bricks continued to be sold.
  
  The first boxed sets did not have the LEGO name or logo.
  
  ![Automatic Binding Bricks box](https://i.sstatic.net/G0xFX.png)
  
  Beginning in 1952, the boxes were marked LEGO *Mursten* (*Mursten* means "bricks"). Beginning in 1953, the Automatic Binding Bricks name was dropped and replaced with LEGO Mursten. The bricks were the same, only the name had changed.
  
  ![1953 LEGO Mursten box](https://i.sstatic.net/pzdhz.png)
  
  In 1955, LEGO produced some [1:87 scale trucks](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=250-2) as promotional items used by Esso dealers in Europe. These trucks were marked with the LEGO name on the underside, but were packaged in boxes that had only Esso branding and no LEGO logo or name.
  
  ![LEGO Bedford Esso Truck package](https://i.sstatic.net/HSJj6.jpg)
  
  Many modern LEGO pieces are produced without any LEGO logo or name. These are usually small pieces that have no studs or an interior surface large enough to hold the name or logo. Hollow-stud pieces such as the 1x1 round brick are not marked, for example. Neither are Technic lift arms and beams.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_0 on 2013-12-18. Score: 2
  
  In addition to the answer posted by 62Bricks, I've been able to find other types of brick that are licensed by LEGO, but which are not branded as such:
  
  **Bayer Test Bricks**
  
  Bayer is a German chemical and pharmaceutical company with whom TLG has had a close working relationship over the years. Bayer has produced a number of [test bricks](http://thebrickblogger.com/2011/05/lego-bayer-test-strikes/) for LEGO to test clutch (sticking-power) between bricks, new colours and new plastics. Some of these bricks have the usual "LEGO" branding on the studs, whereas others are unbranded, have a single letter on the studs instead - a letter which indicates the clutch strength of the brick.
  
  An article on [The Brick Blogger](http://thebrickblogger.com/2011/05/lego-bayer-test-strikes/) has more details on these bricks.
  
  **OLO**
  
  Back in the 1970s, TLG licensed a Japanese company called Fujisho Co. to make LEGO type sets for the Japanese market, which were in many ways similar to the Italian Minitalia sets. The packaging and instructions carried the OLO brand name, and the bricks themselves had a "backwards K" logo on the studs. Parts packs were advertised for use with OLO, and these were regular LEGO bricks.
  
  For more information, see [this post on Eurobricks](http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=81168), and [this series of slides](http://www.youblisher.com/p/601177-CHAPTER-75-OLO-EARLY-TLG-PRODUCED-LEGO-FOR-JAPAN/) about 1970-78 LEGO OLO sales in Japan.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2021-02-19. Score: 1
  
  1x1 round bricks (the ones without the studs) have historically not had Lego molded anywhere on them; but I have now seen ones which have it molded right where you can see it, on the bottom lip.
  
  [![bottom of 1x1 round brick](https://i.sstatic.net/bN4J6.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/bN4J6.png)
  
  
  ---
  
  