October 2017

There were 4 posts published in October 2017 (this is page 1 of 1).

Doctor Smurf

Come to think about it, we have all had to visit a doctor at sometime or other. Fortunately for us they do not look like Doctor  Smurf who wears a white coat, has a stethoscope around his neck and carries a thermometer under his arm. 

Doctor Smurf was first produced by Schleich in 1978 right up until 2006 and then again in 2011. I can’t think of too many smurfs that have produced for more than 28 years consecutively, so this just goes to show how popular Doctor Smurf was around the world.

There are a couple different colour versions to be found with Doctor Smurf. The first Doctor Smurf was sold with a yellow mirror and the end of the thermometer unpainted. This one is considered the rarest out of the all the Doctor Smurfs produced. The second Doctor Smurf was sold with a silver mirror and the end of thermometer is painted silver. This version is typically found with blue lines on the thermometer. The third version sold in the USA and produced by Wallace Berrie has a silver mirror and the end of the thermometer is painted. The thermometer has red and black lines. 

When the Doctor Smurf was first made in Hong Kong around 1978/79 these were spray painted. You can tell this by looking at the blue skin on the face. The other odd thing is that in the beginning they did not include any Hong Kong marking. On some of these you can actually see where they blocked out the old W.Germany markings. 

Doctor Smurf was first sold in Australia around December 1980 by BP Australia. At this stage smurfs were still in their infancy and only 27 regular smurfs and 9 super smurfs were available. In the ‘Smurfy Christmas for Everyone’ BP Australia brochure published in 1980, Doctor Smurf was introduced as one of six new regular smurfs available for just 85 cents. The other five smurfs included were Cricketer, Thirsty, First Aid, Toothbrush and Ice Lolly (referred as Smurfee in the brochure). 

If you love collecting smurfs based on their markings, Doctor Smurf is well worth persuing as there are at least thirteen different markings, possibly more if you were to count the paint dots as well. 

A smurf a day keeps the doctor away

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

 

 

New Hiker & Adventurer Smurfs

Who would you prefer to go on hike with, New Hiker or Adventurer? Both were released in 2001 by Schleich until 2005.

Let’s start with New Hiker

Carrying a heavy pack on his back, sweat running down his cheeks, while wearing a long sleeved red shirt with a yellow pocket, grey pants and brown hiking boots. His white hat also has yellow visor. There is also another Hiker #20041 in the smurf village but this New Hiker is a lot more serious.

The first release has grey between the shoelaces has shiny blue skin and was only available for a very short period. After this, all other New Hikers do not have grey between the shoelaces. It can also be found with either shiny or matte blue skin.

New Hiker can only be found with the markings © 00 Schleich S Germany © 2000 Peyo Made in China CE. It is also commonly found with a blue paint dot under it’s feet. However it is unclear why they included two years as part of the markings – 00 and 2000!

Schonwald Resort also released their New Hiker in March 2004. There were only 600 pieces released.

Adventurer, is my favourite smurf from the ones released in 2001. On more than one occasion an Adventurer Smurf has been on a hike with me and my husband. 

Holding a compass in the right hand and carrying a pack with his sleeping bag on his back. Over the years Adventurer was available it does not appear any changes to the figurine were made. The markings can be found under the feet – Made in China Schleich S Germany © 2000 CE with or without blue paint dot.

So who would I prefer to go on hike with? – I would have to say Adventurer as he appears to be having more fun and has a smile on his face. New Hiker looks a lot more serious and looks like he needs well deserve rest. 

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Super Racing or Tricycle Super Smurf

If you are lucky enough to remember you might recall Tricycle was once  referred to as Super Racing by National in 1978 and also by BP Australia in 1980. I don’t recall this but I am lucky enough to have old catalogues and posters that show this. A number of smurfs during this time were given different names to what we now know them as today. To give you some idea I have included a picture of a National mini catalogue from 1980. I just love this kind of thing. 

Today I thought I would share some information on Tricycle that was produced by Schleich from 1978 to 1986 and then again 1990 to 1993. It was also made in Hong Kong between 1980 to 1983 and sold in Australia, New Zealand by BP and in the USA by Wallace Berrie. The Tricycle Super Smurf can be found happily riding his red tricycle while his goggles rest on his white hat. 

Both versions can be found with no markings on the tricycle. It is not uncommon to find slight colour differences in the red used for the tricycle or yellow used for the wheels. For example the Hong Kong made ones tend to have more of a darker red tricycle and orange yellow coloured wheels. Also when Tricycle was reproduced in the 1990’s much lighter colours were used on the tricycle. 

The German smurf figurine can be found with © 78 on the right leg and the Hong Kong version can have W. Berrie Co on the right leg. As the figurine was also used for Super Smurf Log Car #40232 and Yellow Car Driver #20910, I sometimes think they can be easily mixed up with the tricycle. In my opinion you should never find Tricycle with China CE markings. It was also never made in China only in W.Germany and Hong Kong.

In the Der Schlumpf Katalog IV published in 2003, there are two prototypes versions listed. One is a red tricycle with green handlebars and wheels. The other is a green tricycle with red handlebars and wheels. I have never seen these prototypes listed anywhere else so if you happen to find one can you let me know! 

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Sleepwalker

With winter now behind us and warmer days are becoming more frequent, it is time for me to buy new pyjamas. So what better smurf to give me inspiration than Sleepwalker Smurf first produced by Schleich in 1972 seen wearing a long white nightgown with a yellow pom pom on his hat. Sleepwalker appears to be sleepwalking as he has both arms stretched out in front of him with eyes closed. 

During the time Bully produced smurfs, 1974 through to 1977 they sold Sleepwalker with a red pom pom on his hat. During this time Bully changed the colours on a number of smurfs they acquired from Schleich. By the time Schleich started producing smurfs again in 1977 they painted the pom pom yellow  or green. 

In Australia, Sleepwalker was first sold in 1980 by BP Australia and was made in Hong Kong. This most likely around the same time it was sold by Wallace Berrie in the USA. This version of Sleepwalker only ever was produced with a yellow pom pom. 

In the Smurf Collectors Club Newsletter 2 published in 1986 they list a version of Sleepwalker with a black pom pom. I never heard or seen a version with a black pom pom, so I presume it never actually existed. Also in the Der Schlumpf Katalog IV published in 2003, they list a version of Sleepwalker with an orange pom pom. This is considered a fake by most serious smurf collectors. 

Bully also produced a series of mini Sleepwalker smurfs for a variety of boardgames. Each figure can be found with a red, green, blue, black or yellow body with white pants and hat, with a round base it is standing on. Underneath the base are Bully © Peyo hand etched markings. 

Around 1980/81 Schleich also produced their own version of a mini Sleepwalker with a loop on the top of the hat and © Peyo marking on the base. These came in a variety of solid colours such as black, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and also produced transparent coloured one. 

Sleepwalker was last sold in 1984 by Schleich and is one that most adults recall having as part of their collection when they were a child. Now back to looking for new pyjamas without anymore distractions.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B