POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

LEGO Fabuland set, 'Lionel's Lodge'

Object No. 2012/147/1-13

This is set No. 3678, 'Lionel's Lodge (Mayor's House or The Fabuland House)', from the Fabuland construction toy series made by the famous Danish toy firm, The LEGO Group, between 1984 and 1986. Fabuland comprises a colourful world of quaint cartoon-like shops, houses, an airport, post office, police station, bakery, service station, fun fair and flour mill inhabited by endearing animal figures which came with each set. Whereas the emphasis on standard LEGO sets was for construction, this series was intended for imaginative play with the construction element being secondary. Fabuland was marketed at both boys and girls aged between the ages of 3 and 7 years, who were too old for DUPLO and too young for LEGO Town kits. Rather than having a contemporary appearance, Fabuland buildings were simple and rustic from a by-gone age, the aircraft were bi-planes, the ship was a side-wheel paddle steamer and the automobiles came out of the 1920s. The animals were anthropomorphic and were given names with storybook-alliteration including Max Mouse, Bonnie Bunny, and Henry Horse. A well-developed hierarchy of social status and occupations saw the lion being given the position of town mayor, the bulldogs were policemen, the crocodile was an untrustworthy criminal, the horses were hardworking handymen and the birds all flew planes. The larger sets came with story books featuring the characters in the set which reinforced their personality and role in Fabuland. It is interesting to note that Fabuland has been described as a three-dimensional version of the popular book "What people do all day?", first published in 1968 and written by Richard McClure Scarry (1919-1994). Fabuland were said to be the first LEGO products to extend into books published by Ladybird Inc, clothing, and a 1987 British claymation television series, "Edward and Friends", set in a town landscape of Fabuland-constructed buildings. This Fabuland collection, which comprises some 60 Fabuland sets, most with their original boxes, together with four catalogues and 4 story books, was collected by a young New South Wales girl. It is said to comprise every set of Fabuland made by The LEGO Group between 1984 and 1986. The collection is especially interesting as it documents the "child collector" of the 1980s. The retention of the packaging by a young enthusiast is also rare. Fabuland was for children who enjoyed playing in their own toy town rather than building it. It was a bright, busy place of activity and industry inhabited by endearing animals where children could immerse themselves in their own colourful world of their creation. Margaret Simpson Curator, April 2012