The Wooden Duck

This is a cool model that harkens back to The LEGO Group's heritage as a wooden toy manufacturer. The very same wooden ducks that you will find in the history collection in the basement of The LEGO House, in Billund, Denmark. Unfortunately, the set is overpriced and there is very poor color matching (for Dark Red and Earth GreenDark Green colors). more less

All in all it's a nice set. There's play with it but not a great deal, and the quacking aspect is clever, but it's ultimately a nod at the Wooden Duck in LEGO's story. I'm really keen to see what's next in the theme. This will prove to be an interesting ride! more less

Would this keep a child amused for hours on end? Probably not. But the build is aimed at 10+, and is essentially a souvenir of a visit to the LEGO House. At a price of 599DKK, or $130AUD, it is on a par with other sets serving as souvenirs if the LEGO House including the Tree of Creativity (recently discontinued), and the Dinosaurs from the Masterpiece Gallery. Having visited the LEGO House in the past, this set captures the joy and nostalgia of the visit, more than a year since I was last there. more less

The downside of this set is that it is exclusive to the LEGO House and unless you have connections, it would be fairly difficult to get but if you're going to the LEGO House, it is a nice souvenir to bring home. Also the price of 599DKK is a bit high and the ratio is off from other LEGO House sets. With the set having 621 pieces and costing about $90 USD, that may be a harder pill to swallow it that compares to a licensed set. more less

After the first three LEGO House sets, the choice of the Wooden Duck did seem a little odd, especially since it was been done before, even if it was only a staff set. But when you think about it, LEGO House is a showcase of the brand's history both new and old. It heavily features numerous nods to the past and having a set which celebrates that makes sense. It may seem a little less connected to the attraction, compared to the other sets but it's a really nice set. Fun to build, great play features and it also makes for an iconic display piece. more less

The construction is pleasant, and it's not complex. Step by step you see the duck take shape and you become more excited to finish the build. The simple mechanism for opening the spout, even for small children, is no obstacle. The diversity in the tone of bricks of the same color, far from being an inconvenience, makes it seem that it has been painted by hand. Once in a lifetime, it didn't bother me. more less

It is so closely linked to the LEGO Group's history that it is a must-have and will be one of those sets that deserves to be on permanent display on the shelf. Even those who don't make the trip out to Billund will want to own this impressive LEGO brick replica of the wooden duck and should head to their preferred third party selling platform to order one. more less