Random Thoughts on Smurfs

Some collector’s sites mention different coloured material when speaking about variations, like white material or blue material. Have you ever wondered what this means? Or how you can tell the difference.

This is referring to the different coloured pvc (Polyvinyl chloride) the smurfs are made from. Typically smurfs are blue or white but there are other base colours used.

A really good example is Mermaid Smurfette (#20142), as she comes in both blue and white pvc and can easily be seen by looking underneath the rock.

Some figures are easy to tell as there might be an unpainted area on the figure but others are more difficult to tell as they are completely painted. Typically you will find the W.Germany version with a blue pvc material and the Hong Kong version with a white pvc material which is then painted.

In the early days when they were producing smurfs out of Hong Kong they would oftern use spray paint to paint the smurf. This may have been something to do with the huge demand for smurfs in the early 1980’s. A good example of this is Painter Smurf (#20045) and can be easily seen by looking around the smurf’s waist.

A good tip it to look closely at the face especially the eyes and the hat to see if they have been painted and also at the bottom of the feet to see of there is paint missing.

Here are just some that I have noticed:

#20142 Mermaid – blue or white

#20065 Rugby – blue or white

#20176 St Patrick – green or blue

#20001 Papa Smurf – red or blue

#20137 Surfer – blue or white

#20167 Indian Smurfette – mustard or white

#20180 Papa Smurf with Pizza – blue or white

#20122 Cowboy – blue or white

#20108 Sauna – blue or white

#20213 Devil – pink or white

No doubt there are others that I can be added to this list……

Depending what base material was used on the smurf can make a big difference when it comes to adding to one’s own collection. The best example of this is Rugby Smurf, especially with the ones in the South African team colours.

More recently you are unlikely to find their variances with the base material like the ones produced in the 1980’s. This is because the smurfs are now produced out of the one place and not multiply places. The other thing is that Schleich is producing smurfs for shorter periods.

Happily collecting smurfs can never be called boring.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Smurf Cottages from 1996

The other day I was doing some Spring cleaning and somehow had mixed up my smurf cottages. I am referring to the cottages that Schleich released in 1996. For some unknown reason I decided to give them all a good wash at the same time, which resulted in the roofs being separated from the bases and the butterflies let lose. You would think by now I should know better.

I have acquired my smurf cottages in many different ways over the years. Some were acquired complete in their original box, others just came without their box or missing their butterflies. So you don’t fall into the same trap I did, I have created a mini checklist for each cottage.

4.9011 – Red Cottage

Roof Colour: Red and yellow

Butterfly: Red

Door Colour: Dark brown with a bell shaped window and red curtains

Base: Apricot

Roof & Base Markings: Made in China Schleich S Germany © 78 Peyo CE

Roof Markings: Made in China Schleich S Germany © Peyo 78 CE

Base Markings: Made in China CE © 78 Peyo Schleich S Am Limes 68 D-73527 Schw. Gmünd with time stamp.

In 1995 and 1996 Irwin Toys in America and Canada also sold this smurf cottage with the smurf figurine Snappy (#20401) in their own special packaging.

4.9012 – Blue Cottage

Roof Colour: Dark blue and red

Butterfly: Light blue

Door Colour: Dark brown with a bell shaped window and yellow curtains

Base: Light blue

Roof & Base Markings: Made in China Schleich S Germany © 78 Peyo CE

Roof Markings: Made in China Schleich S Germany © Peyo 78 CE

Base Markings: Made in China CE © 78 Peyo Schleich S Am Limes 68 D-73527 Schw. Gmünd with time stamp

In 1995 and 1996 Irwin Toys in America and Canada also sold this smurf cottage with the smurf figurine Flautist (#20048) in their own special packaging.

4.9014 – Smurfette’s Cottage

Roof Colour: Dark purple and with light purple

Butterfly: Yellow

Door Colour: Dark brown with a heart shaped window and yellow curtains

Base: Light pink

Roof & Base Markings: Made in China Schleich S Germany © 78 Peyo CE

Roof Markings: Made in China Schleich S Germany © Peyo 78 CE

Base Markings: Made in China CE © 78 Peyo Schleich S Am Limes 68 D-73527 Schw. Gmünd with time stamp

In 1995 and 1996 Irwin Toys in America and Canada also sold this smurf cottage with the smurf figurine Baby Smurf with toy car (#20215) in their own special packaging.

Boxes:

The smurf cottages can be found in two different boxes.

Smurf Head logo with dancing smurfs pattern
Peyo Creations logo with dancing smurfs pattern.

When buying the smurf cottages with their boxes, the Smurf Head logo boxes should contain the cottage with the Made in China Schleich S Germany © 78 Peyo CE markings and the Peyo Creations logo boxes should contain the cottage with the Made in China CE © 78 Peyo Schleich S Am Limes 68 D-73527 Schw. Gmünd with time stamp.

I hope this helps, though if you have any other tips or you feel something’s not quite right, please send them through so I can these to the checklists.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Smurfs on Holidays

For many of us, Summer is the best time of year to take a relaxing holiday and the smurfs understood this with three Super Smurfs showing us how it can be done. Smurf in Hammock #40226, Smurf on Holidays #40261 and Smurfette on Holidays #40262. For others a relaxing holiday may mean going on adventure but we can talk about those smurfs on another day.

Smurf in Hammock

First released in the USA by Wallace Berrie in 1983, we find a smurf lying on a hammock held up by two wooden poles on a grass pattern base. This smurf is holding a yellow drink with a white straw, while wearing red bathers and has both eyes closed and a sheepish smile. It wasn’t until 1985 that Schleich started selling Smurf in Hammock and then ended up selling it for the next 30 years until 2015. This would probably one of the longest selling Super Smurfs that Schleich ever sold.

Very little changes were made over the years it was sold, though little differences can be found such as the yellow paint used on the drink, the length of the straw, the material used for the hammock. Possibly the biggest difference is that the German version is made out of blue pvc material and the Hong Kong version is made out of white pvc material.

Smurf on Holidays

Smurf on Holidays was first released by Schleich in 2001 and was sold up until 2015. Lying under a palm tree, the smurf is wearing his sunglasses and his red bathers on a yellow beach towel with his arms behind his head. If you look close enough you will see a little ‘S’ on his bathers. Also on the yellow towel are two red and green stripes at both ends of the towel. In regards to the markings, the smurf’s are on his back, on the bottom of the palm tree and there are none on the towel.

Smurfette on Holidays

Also released in 2001 and sold until 2015 Smurfette on Holidays is a never smurf that on some days make you feel jealous. Smurfette can be found wearing pink bikinis and is sitting on her red beach towel under a palm tree. On her white hat is a red star fish and the towel has a green and yellow stripes at both ends. In regards to the markings, Smurfette’s markings can be found under her legs, on the bottom of the palm tree and there are none on the towel. This is a very cute Super Smurf!

Back in 2001, blue paint dots were added for the first time to some smurfs to indicate a new pvc material was used in production. Around the same time, shiny blue paint was also used on some smurfs and Super Smurfs. So both Smurf on Holidays and Smurfette on Holidays can be found with a blue paint dot under their foot and painted in shiny blue paint. If you are lucky enough to buy these smurfs in their original boxes they should also display a blue dot.

I hope you all have had a relaxing Summer break whatever takes your fancy

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Surfer Smurf this Summer

What’s your favourite smurf in your collection? Not surprising to most, I have more than one but as the temperature rises this Summer I have to say Surfer Smurf, first released back in 1982.

Surfer Smurf was released by Schleich between 1982 to 1994 and then again from 1998 to 2000. It was given article number #20137. This version was made out of blue pvc material and the smurf carries a 6.2cm surfboard with a rounded tip. The markings on the smurf can be a little tricky to read as they are between his legs. There are no markings to be found on the surfboard.

Surfer Smurf was also released by Wallace Berrie in 1982 in the United States. It was only sold for two years by Wallace Berrie but can be found with two different Hong Kong markings – W.B.CO. or W.Berrie Co. This version was made out of white pvc material and the smurf carries a 7cm surfboard with a rounded tip. The markings on the smurf can be found on it’s back and on the outside of the surfboard – Made in Hong Kong Schleich S © 1981 Peyo.

When Surfer was re-released in 1998 Schleich made changes to it’s markings by adding a large thin CE marking to the smurf’s back and removing the W in front of Germany, but made no obvious changes to the smurf. With this version can be found with a 6.5cm long surfboard.

I also have a Surfer that is extra special as it is painted in the most beautiful light blue colour and only has markings on the surfboard – Made in China © Peyo 1991 IMPS CE. I have not come across any other smurfs with this marking.

In the book Der Schlumpf Katalog IV, published in 2003 we see a picture of a surfer carrying a red surfboard and yellow bathers. In the book they refer to as a test version. The surfboard is identical to the yellow board just painted red instead. Like many other smurfs this is on my ‘most wanted’ list.

So if you have a favourite smurf that you would like us to discuss in 2019 or have any suggestions/feedback for any posts just send us a message. 2019 is going to be a big year as it marks the 40th anniversary of when smurf mania hit Australian shores, stay tuned.

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B