Rollerskater Smurfette

Here’s a list of everything you should keep in mind when searching for Roller Skate Smurfette and not all are obvious!

First released by Schleich in 1981 and sold until 1994, with article number 2.0126. It was also first made in Hong Kong in 1981 and was sold by BP Australia, BP New Zealand and Wallace Berrie in the USA until 1984. Wearing a short white dress, red-wheels roller-skates and her blond hair is in pigtails. While both her arms are stretched out either side of her.

The white shoes may have two red horizontal or diagonal lines on each shoe. This is representing a shoelace.

If made in W.Germany or Portugal the red rollers will be smooth, sometimes referred to as continuous.

If made in Hong Kong the red rollers are more defined.

All have a plain white dress and white underwear except for one where she is not wearing any underwear.

The one without underwear is highly sought after and has © Peyo hand etched into the right thigh. If seeking one, without the underwear ensure that you cannot see the outline of the underwear under the blue paint. I am unsure of the original origins of this one, though most likely made in Europe.

Her golden blonde hair are in pigtails with a red ribbon. Again the colour of her hair may vary depending where it was made. Lighter yellow hair commonly indictates it was painted in W.Germany or Portugal whereas darker golden yellow hair indicates it was painted in Hong Kong.

Roller Skate Smurfette was also briefly made and painted in Sri Lanka, so it is possible to find this Sri Lanka markings or with a black paint dot under the rollers. The Sri Lankan made one is similar to the Hong Kong made ones, all made around the same time.

The China made one, is quite different to all the others available. She has completely red roller-skates and no eyelashes, which makes her look a little freaky in my opinion. This Roller Skate Smurfette is a little harder to find.

Due to the popularity of Roller Skate Smurfette many fakes have also been made. These have included a Spanish fake with a dark pink skirt, with silver roller-skates, a Mexican fake made out of a yellow transparent material and no doubt there are many more.

Roller Skate Smurfette is still as popular as ever and can be found fairly easily. When it was first sold by BP Australia it was available for just 99 cents!

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Baseball Catcher vs Baseball Pitcher

Baseball Catcher and Baseball Pitcher, are one of those rare smurfs that were made especially for the US market and never originally sold in Europe. Like a number of rare smurfs that was made just for the US, in the Der Schlumpf Katalog IV it does not mention what years they were available.

Baseball Catcher was sold between 1982 to 1984 by Wallace Berrie. The Baseball Catcher is wearing a black face mask, white uniform, vest, knee pads and a brown thick padded glove. He is also in a crouching position.

Baseball Catcher can be found with two different markings. The first version was produced with the markings Made in Hong Kong Schleich S © 1981 Peyo and the second version has the markings Made in Hong Kong W. Berrie &Co. Schleich S © 1981 Peyo. Apart from the markings there is very little difference between the two.

Until recently I always thought that the only differences to be found were with the brown catchers mitt. From dark shiny brown to more of a dark olive brown. Then I was shown a picture of Baseball Catcher was a very light lilac uniform in the Der Schlumpf Katalog IV on page 88. Was this real or fake? Was this a prototype or painter playing with colours? I will let you decide….

Baseball Pitcher was only sold by Wallace Berrie in 1983. Standing on a grass pattern oval base, wearing black shoes, red socks, white pants, black belt, red shirt, brown high gloss painted glove, while holding a white baseball with black stitching. Like the Baseball catcher the biggest varaiance can be found with the colour brown used for the baseball glove.

By the time Baseball Pitcher was released in 1983, the smurfs being out of Hong Kong were only being sold by Wallace Berrie so the only markings to be found for Baseball Pitcher is Made in Hong Kong W.Berrie Co Schleich S © Peyo 1983. The markings can be found underneath the base and on the figurine.

By most collectors, both Baseball Catcher and Baseball Pitcher are considered rare, especially outside the United States. If anything if you were to compare how rare they both are, I would say that Baseball Pitcher is considered rarer as it was sold for one year. So expect to pay a little more for this. But both are worth collecting, even if you aren’t a sports fan just because gives you glimpse into American culture back in early 1980’s.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Scot Smurf

Just when you think you have got your head around the different colour variations on some of the smurfs, someone asks you a question that stumps you. Is the Scot smurf with brown pipes on his bagpipes, is this genuine or just a repaint? I am not sure why they had to ask me this question as I have never claimed to be an expert, but here goes……

Scot was first produced by Bully back in 1979. Wearing a red and green tartan gown and hat with a green pompom while playing the bagpipes. This version we also see Scot with white socks.

When Schleich started selling Scot they started painting the socks green and gave article number #20105. Schleich sold this with Bully markings until 1984 in Germany. After 1984 they were able to add their own Schleich marking to the smurfs and sold Scot until 1989. Oddly enough, the Schleich marked one with green socks is typically considered rarer compared to the Bully marked one with white socks.

Scot was also produced out of Hong Kong with white socks. The Hong Kong made Scot can be found with W.Berrie and without. So quite possible it was also in other countries apart from the USA. Wallace Berrie only sold Scot for two years between 1981 to 1983 and referred to as Bagpipe.

Now before I answer the big question – Is the Scot smurf with brown pipes on his bagpipes, is this genuine or just a repaint? It’s important to understand a little a bit of smurf history that I feel is pivotal. In 1979 Bully lost the rights for the smurfs and was not allowed to make any more smurfs after 31st December 1979. From 1980 Schleich were they sole worldwide maker and seller of the smurfs. We first see a picture of Scot with brown pipes on his bagpipes in the 1980 Schleich catalogue. So there is a good chance the pictures for the catalogue were taken some time in 1979. It is also highly likely that Schleich were experimenting with different colours or accessories on some of the Bully marked smurfs around the same time as they had just won the rights to produce the smurfs.

So in my opinion, yes this variation of Scot is genuine and exists as it can be found in 1980 Schleich catalogue. It is just a pity there are some rogue people out there who are taking advantage of their rarity by adding their own paintwork. After all its up to you and the kind of smurfs you like to collect that really matters.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Bowler smurf

Like so many unsolved mysteries, can anyone tell me why Bowler smurf was first released without any country markings? Bowler smurf is one of only a few smurfs that were made without W.Germany markings, first released in 1979. In the beginning it was just Schleich S and © Peyo signature markings on the back of the arms. Oddly enough also Bowler was never released in the UK by National.

The Bowler Smurf holds his red bowling ball ready to knock all of the pins down, while wearing his customary white trousers and hat. The smurf’s tongue can also be seen. The colour of bowling ball can also vary from orange to light red to dark red, depending when and where it was painted. For example my older ones have a more orange coloured bowling ball, where as the ones made out of Hong Kong have more of a red coloured bowling ball.

At some point, they added the year marking 1979 to the leg. It is unclear with Bowler why the markings were never added under the feet like the majority of others smurfs released during the early 1980’s. Perhaps it was meant to be used as a promotional smurf?

Bowler was released by Wallace Berrie in the USA in 1980 and was made out of Hong Kong. I have more than one Bowler smurf made out of Hong Kong with what appears to be two cavity markings. All the markings can be found under the left foot: Schleich S © 1979 Peyo Made in Hong Kong. Like many early smurfs made out of Hong Kong sometimes you can find the 1979 blocked out and replaced with 1980 then changed back. Wallace Berrie sold Bowler between 1980 to 1983.

Strangely though Bowler was never released by BP Australia as a regular smurf. It was only ever sold as an orange pedestal with Congratulations imprinted on it.

Bowler was released by Schleich from 1979 to 1986 and then once again in 1992. When it was released in 1992 they added a small CE marking next to the year marking on the leg and also one under the foot.

In 1996 when Irwin Toys attempted to sell smurfs again in the US they’re-released Bowler. This one is found with M.China on the side of the foot and kept the Schleich S © Peyo on the arms and the 1979 CE to the leg.

Bowler is a great smurf worth adding to one’s collection, as it can still be easily found today at a reasonable price. It is also a good one to display especially if you have a few of them. I have mine displayed in a row, so they all look like they are about to release the bowling ball at the same time.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Lion Tamer Smurf

Today, I wanted to share with you a variation of Lion Tamer that you might not be aware of and this is not even mentioned in the Der Schlumpf Katalog IV. Its Lion Tamer, #20115 with a short whip.

Lion Tamer was first released by Bully in 1979 for possible only six months. It was then sold by Schleich with Bully markings until around 1984. The first version has a yellow and red drum, with a yellow loincloth & whip. The size of the whip can be found both short and long. Sometimes this version can be found with four black spots on his loincloth.

When Schleich got the mould they changed the colours of the drum to green and black, with an ocher coloured loin cloth & whip. Schleich also made a green drum version with a shorter yellow whip. This is considered rare as it is harder to find than the one with the longer whip. Sometimes the Schleich version can be found with five black spots on his lion-cloth.

Lion Tamer was also made out of Hong Kong and can be found with the green and black drum and extreme blue skin. It was sold by Wallace Berrie for two years, 1982 & 1983. Not sure if it was ever sold by BP Australia.

Schleich sold Lion Tamer from 1980 to 1989. It appears very little changes were made to the figurine, just little variances in the paintwork depending where it was painted. I have also seen some people refer to the thickness of the whip but in my opinion this is a very minimal difference that it is not worth mentioning.

A lion tamer is a person who trains and tames lions for entertainment in places like a circus. It is thought that lion taming has been around since the early part of the 19th century. Like other smurfs that have been made over the last 50 years or so it is unlikely that a Liontamer smurf would be re-released due to changing shift in people’s attitude to animals performing in the circus. However a circus themed play-set featuring smurfs, that could be a bit of fun.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B