![Atop Empire State- in construction; Chrysler Bldg & [Daily] News in middle foreground. (1931)](http://www.retronaut.co/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Atop-Empire-State-in-construction-Chrysler-Bldg-Daily-News-in-middle-foreground.-1931--199x123.jpg "Balancing on the Empire State, 1920s")
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‘Lego’ ad, 1960
If you like this, check out:
“The Time-Machine” in Lego
The 'Colinne', 1967
Soviet Lithuania, 1960s/1970s
Afghanistan, 1950s / 1960s
Soviet Man in Space
'What is the use of the 'Pops'?" c.1963
M.C. Escher in Lego
Shooting 'The Prisoner'
Jack Kerouac Shoots Pool, 1967
Vintage Computer Ads, 1971-1991
HMV, Oxford Street, London, 1960s
Ikea Catalogue, 1965
Soviet Car Ads, 1960s / 1970s
Vintage Halloween Ads
Diner, 1962
Colour Tourist Photographs of the USSR, 1960s 
MiG-105 EPOS (Experimental Passenger Orbital Aircraft)
Futuro House, 1960s
'How Television Benefits Your Children' Ad, 1950
Woodstock, August 1969
Trampolining, 1960
The Samsonite connection was a deal that Lego did in 1962 for Samsonite to manufacture for the American and Canadian market. Lego has always been a Danish company.
As someone who grew up with Lego (and Meccano), and who probably went into engineering as a result, I have to say that the modern version of Lego is vastly inferior. As soon as they went down the route of making model specific kits with special parts, the level of inventiveness dropped dramatically. The whole point was to make something of your own invention, break it up and start again. The specific kits restrict this, IMHO. My lads used kNex, sadly they seem to have gone the same way.
Mind you, the newer Lego does allow you to do this……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIXByCAIzos
But the new specific sets have a ton of cool pieces that allow even more varied creativity. I never follow(ed) the “plans” of a given “set”. The parts all just end up in mixed in a bin and I go from there.
I know what you mean Alan, and as an adult, I was turned off by the increasing specialized pieces from a distance. I have gotten way back into legos with my 7 1/2 year old son, and as much as he enjoys following the directions, he has become increasingly creative with them over time and his original creations genuinely blow me away sometimes. There is a massive network of Lego collectors and fans we’ve explored a bit as well. It’s a never ending catalog and we never feel like we have enough (we honestly did have “enough” Legos long ago, though). They are a fantastic, though frustratingly expensive, toy.