Starting in the 1950s LEGO began individual parts sales, a practice that began with the Ferguson Tracktor in 1951. LEGO would supply dealers with wooden parts boxes and refill packs. These individual part sales would continue, at least in some markets, into the late 1950’s.
1956 LEGO Sets
1956 was another important milestone year for the LEGO Group. In this year LEGO began its expansion into various neighboring European markets including Germany and LEGO opened its first foreign sales company in Hohenwestedt, Germany. As LEGO began to expand sales they also simplified the Mursten theme. Since 1954 LEGO had sold both the old panel-like windows and doors and the new window system that relied on the studs for attachment. In 1956 the old windows were dropped. The slotted bricks were now obsolete and were replaced with a new solid wall design, the first change to the brick since 1949. This new, simplified system would be the only toy offered in new foreign markets.