What is it that makes a great smurf?

Is it in the design, it’s ability to capture a moment of time or is its simplicity? There are a number of things that make a smurf into a great smurf. The best thing there is no right or wrong answer to this question as everyone has their own opinion on this.

In my opinion Jolly Smurf is a great smurf. Jolly Smurf was made by Bully around 1973/74 and was originally only available for ten years. Schleich gave it reference 20079.

Jolly Smurf is a very simple designed smurf. Wearing his customary white pants and hat with a very happy disposition. The smurfs are commonly known for their happiness and good spirits, so Jolly Smurf fits into this theme quite comfortably.

The other thing that makes Jolly Smurf a great smurf is that it is still quite easy to find today.

We all have opinions about what makes a great smurf and mine is a smurf that represents all good things in life – keeping it simple and making people smile.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

The hit of 1998

Just like Eurovision, the smurfs like a good party.

In 1998 to celebrate 40 years of smurfs, (1958 to 1998) the limited edition Smurf Anniversary Band set was released. Only 7000 were ever made and this playset is still highly sought after today.

Included in the set, is Drummer Smurf with a seven piece drum kit, Keyboarder, Bass Guitar Smurf, Lead Guitar Smurf and Lead Singer Smurf. The set also included its own platform with a 40th anniversary banner and speakers.

Each of the band members are wearing silver pants and fluro coloured tops. Back in 1998 Bass Guitar, Lead Guitar and Lead Singer were also sold separately.

These were also released as regular smurfs and instead of wearing their silver pants and fluro tops they are wearing more regular clothing.

Just like Eurovision, the 40th Anniversary band set is well worth enjoying!

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Upgrading your Smurfs?

How actively do you go looking for better quality smurfs to update your own collection?

The other day I found myself looking at a tired old Chef Smurf (20042) that I had owned for sometime. It may have even been from my childhood days but I am not really sure. This smurf was starting to look a little tired with paint rub on his nose and fingers. The grim marks each time I clean the smurf is getting harder and harder to remove.

So should I discard my tired looking Chef, knowing I could quite easily get a new one that has no paint rub, that hasn’t been dropped onto the floor and has no grim marks?

Over the years, Schleich who makes the smurfs quite often re-release smurfs from the past. For example Chef was first released in Australia around 1980 and was most recently re-released in 2013.

I agree new smurfs always somehow have more sparkle but for me the vintage smurfs are just as highly collectible. There is something about going through an old collection as it feels like you are on a treasure hunt looking for an elusive smurf!

So I think I will have both, keep the older smurfs but always lookout for new ones to add to my collection.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Lights, Camera, Action

I like to collect smurfs with different markings.

This is an endless task, just when you think you have all the markings on a particular smurf, you will always find another one where at least expect.

So imagine my surprise when I found three movie smurfs, with an error in the year on the markings. I only ever thought they made these kind of errors with really old stamps but not smurfs.

The Movie Smurfs were first released in 2009 and were retired at the end of 2012. There were eight released as a set.

These smurfs can be found with two different markings – Made in Germany Schleich S Germany (c) 08 Peyo CE and Made in Germany Am Limes 69 D-73527 Schw. Gmund Schleich S (c) 08 Peyo CE + Timestamp.

But somehow three of these, with the second release with the address marking received the wrong year as part of the markings. Both Sound Smurf (20712) and Camera Smurf (20715) were given the year 04. Along with Actor (20716) who was given the year 03.

So for those of you who like to collect smurfs with different markings, don’t be alarmed when you find these smurfs. Who knows one day they could be worth a fortune because of the error!

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Are you getting confused?

It’s easy to get confused when collecting smurfs. Some share the same name, some look alike or some are performing the same activity or task.

I find this happens a lot especially when you are talking to someone new to collecting or to someone who knows very little about smurfs. The good thing is all smurfs have a reference number. But what happens if you don’t have any idea what reference number goes with what smurf.

In this case I would suggest that you try to describe the activity or the pose the smurf is doing in one word. This works for most smurfs, though not always.

Recently I came across Earache Smurf (20015) being confused with Naughty Smurf (20077). Both smurfs have their fingers in their ears and both wear the standard white pants and hat.

Upon closer investigation I noticed both smurfs have a different expression on their faces. The way they are placing their fingers in their ears is also profoundly different.

The expression on Earache’s face is – I can’t hear you, where we find Naughty is pulling a silly face with his tongue sticking out and his fingers in his ears are like they are waving to us.

Nowadays we are lucky to have many resources at hand to refer to when we get a little confused about smurfs. But this will never stop the confusion when collecting smurfs. What we call one smurf in English could be translated to something completely different in another language.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B