Information on old Magnuson, DPM, Creative Design Models kits?

[Dave Farquhar]

Hi,

I've come into possession of some HO building kits, unbuilt and still in the package. Since I'm a 3-rail O gauger, I don't know much about them. I have several styrene kits from Magnuson, which from what I can tell was founded by the same people who founded Design Preservation Models. There's an Illinois address on the packages. I also have several DPM kits with a Crestone, CO address on the package, so I know they're fairly old because DPM has been in Missouri for as long as I've been paying attention. Finally, I also have a couple of Creative Design Models kits, with a Georgia address on them.

Since it appears that Magnuson sold out to Walthers in the 1980s, I'm guessing all of these kits might date from that timeframe, or perhaps earlier. Does anyone know where I might be able to find more information about these?

Thanks!

[trainnut1250]

Dave,

 

All the info I have is incomplete:

I think the Magnuson kits are cast resin.  The old ones get sort of a sticky coating on them.  Great kits!  My friends and I buy them when we see them (I'm in HO).  I especially like the vehicles and some of the brick structures.  I'm hazy on the history but I believe they were sold to Walthers who used the molds as the basis for some of the cornerstone series but eventually ran the originals into the ground.....  I have an old Gazette article on the original Magnuson company before it was sold.  Typical mom and pop cottage industry.  You might try finescale group or the Yorke group on Yahoo groups and ask there for more accurate and complete info.

BTW check out Yorke kits, you might like them.  I see lots of Magnusson and Yorke structures on O scale layouts that I visit during "O scale west" coming up next week end here in Bay area CA...

 http://www.oscalewest.com/osw2008.html

 

Guy

[tomkat-13]

If you just want information look at old Walthers catalogs.

If you want what they may be worth, check on line auctions (ebay).

If you want to know what new ones sell for check Walthers.com or any of the online dealers in Model Railroader.

Some of the Magnuson models were retired & not continued.

[Dave Farquhar]

Thanks for that information, Guy.

As for checking eBay, I searched the last 30 days but didn't find any Magnuson or Creative Design Models that looked like what I had, which made me even more curious. I know the DPM kits are selling new for around $17. It looks like those are pretty much the same as what I have, just made under the new ownership. I don't subscribe to any of the services that let you search listings older than that.

Since I don't have any plans to go into HO scale, I'll probably look to sell or trade them for something I can use. 

[ctyclsscs]

I'm not sure exactly what information you are looking for, but here is a brief history as I recall.

Magnuson Models was started by Bob and Lynn Lunde. I believe that they were initially in WI, but I could be wrong. Almost all of the kits were cast resin. They eventually sold the business to Walthers, but right before they sold it, they released a few injection molded kits. I think there were four of them - Don's Shoe Store, Bill's Glass Shop, the Gemini Building and Leviathan Manufacturing.

After the sale, Walthers continued producing the existing Magnuson kits and added some new items since the Lunde's began working at Walthers and Bob continued to design new kits. Most of the new kits, though, were still resin. Apparently Walthers, at that time, wasn't interested in getting into the plastic structure kit market.

After a while, the Lundes left to form Design Preservation Models, which was basically a continuation of the four injection molded Magnuson kits mentioned earlier. Somewhere during this period they moved to CO.

After a number of years, they moved to MO and eventually sold DPM to Woodland Scenics. Once Walthers entered the plastic kit market they converted a number of the old Magnuson kits kits to styrene and sold off a number of other kits to JAKS Industries (SS Ltd), which are still available today.

It probably isn't too difficult to find out more information about the kits, but you won't find much about DPM in older Walthers catalogs since they weren't added until around 1993.

Jim

[Dave Farquhar]

Thanks, Jim! That helps a bunch.

Looking through the kits, I have Don's Shoe Store and Leviathan Manufacturing. Both say they are made of styrene. I also have M538, Post Office & Print Shop, and it's pretty clear even without taking it out of the package that it's not styrene. It looks like those are the extent of what I have.

I'll have to do some digging and see if any of these are out of production. 

[rolleiman]

I don't remember the exact time frame but 10-15 years ago Scale Stuctures Limited began re-releasing the Magnuson kits. I don't think they ever did all of them, I'm still waiting 12 or so years after I -preordered- it, the Menasha Wooden Ware kit (which I did find an original Magnuson kit). I don't know if they were exact but Walthers did produce (or distibute) the Merchant's Row series under their Cornerstone label. The were plastic however, not resin when sold by Walthers. I think they also did one called the White Tower Resturant kit, the type of building seen on corners selling those greasy slider hamburgers (not many around anymore).. Can't help with Creative Design Models.

 

[Dave Farquhar]

Thanks again, everyone! You've helped me a ton. If you ever need information on 3-rail O gauge stuff, I'll be happy to tell you what I know about it.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know anything about Magnuson 1" scale dollhouses made of resin?  I picked up two unbelievable ones at an estate sale in upstate NY?   They are stamped Magnuson and desinged by architect Robert Lunde.