WELCOME TO LIONEL’S CONSTRUCTION SETS
THE FOLLOWING CONSTRUCTION SETS WILL BE DOCUMENTED BELOW
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CONSTRUCTION MENAGERIE 1947
No. 111 – 1947
No. 121 1948 – 1949
No. 222 – 1947
No. 232 1948 – 1949
No. 343 1948 – 1949
CONSTRUCTION KIT PARTS FORMS
No. 444 1947
THE CONSTRUCTION MENAGERIE 1947
Lionel Construction Menagerie
When Lionel introduced its line of construction sets in 1947, they wanted to differentiate their sets from Erector and other construction sets already on the market. They saw their novel construction system using no bolts or nuts as a big selling point if consumers understood the way they worked. In an effort to educate their major dealers, who in turn would educate their salesmen and ultimately the buying public, Lionel developed the “Lionel Construction Menagerie”. This was a small construction set that utilized the same construction method and components as their full size construction sets. The use of animals that could be constructed following a very basic instruction sheet was likely used to engage prospective sellers of the Lionel construction sets. The compact cardboard tube container was likely sent to large distributors of Lionel products. The menagerie sets were also most likely made available to prospective buyers at Toy Fair. The Lionel Construction Menagerie Sets were never intended for retail sale. For that reason, surviving examples are rather difficult to find.
Author Russ MacNair
view of contents
page 1 of instructions, front cover
page 4 of instructions, back cover
page 2 of instructions
page 3 of instructions
LIONEL No. 111 CONSTRUCTION SET 1947
VIEW OF FRONT COVER
VIEW OF CONTENTS
inside view of the cover
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
NOTE THAT THE SAME MANUAL APPLIES TO BOTH NO. 111 AND NO. 222 CONSTRUCTION SETS
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LIONEL No. 121 CONSTRUCTION SET 1948 – 1949
view of first level
view of first level
view of bottom level with first level removed
view of bottom level with first level removed
INSTRUCTION MANUAL for NO. 121 LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT – LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT CHART – EXTRA PARTS FOR LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KITS form
SS0065
LIONEL No. 222 CONSTRUCTION SET 1947
VIEW OF FRONT COVER
VIEW OF CONTENTS
inside view of the cover
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
NOTE THAT THE SAME MANUAL APPLIES TO BOTH NO. 111 AND NO. 222 CONSTRUCTION SETS
SS0194
LIONEL No. 232 CONSTRUCTION SET 1948 – 1949
suitcase style cardboard box
top view, only marking on outside of wood box is the circle with “LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT 232” around “L”
view of first level
view of bottom level with first level and motor removed
INSTRUCTION MANUAL for NO. 232 NO. 343 NO. 454 LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KITS – LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT CHART – EXTRA PARTS FOR LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KITS form
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LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT No. 343 1948 – 1949
top view, only marking on outside of wood box is the circle with “LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT 343” around “L”
also shown
INSTRUCTION MANUEL for No. 232 NO. 343 No. 454 LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KITS – LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT CHART
note red painted cylinder not shown in catalog
motor is in the brown cardboard box front center
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BOTH SIDES OF EXTRA PARTS FOR LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KITS 121, 232, 343, 565 form
front side
reverse side
BOTH SIDES OF THE LIONEL CONSTRUCTION KIT CHART
front view
reverse side
LIONEL CONSTRUCTION SET No. 444 1947
metal set container
view of contents after lifting lid, first layer
view of second layer after removal of first layer
view of third layer after removal of first and second layer
view of inside the lid and third layer
instruction manual for LIONEL Construction Sets
Illustrating some of the many models that can be made with LIONEL CONSTRUCTION SETS
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