Samsonite was an American manufacturer of LEGO sets which introduced the very first USA LEGO catalog for Christmas of 1961. LEGO and Samsonite created a partnership to produce and sell LEGO in the US. The result was a 9-year license for exclusive North American distribution rights. Samsonite began marketing sets under the name LEGO by Samsonite in the US in 1961 and Canada in 1962.
1975 LEGO Sets
1975 expanded Basic Building Sets and introduced more systematic, idea-led boxes. Proto-minifigures—small, faceless figures with single-piece legs—appeared in town and train sets, foreshadowing the 1978 minifigure. LEGOLAND-branded sets emphasized construction vehicles and realistic machinery, reinforcing everyday play before the arrival of dedicated Space and Castle themes.