Andrew the toy dreamer

What makes someone want to sell toy figurines for a living? Surely someone who is passionate and someone who likes to work with liked minded people. Allow me to introduce you to Andrew from Toy Dreamer an online toy store, based in Melbourne, Australia.

How long have you been collecting Smurfs?

I have been collecting Smurfs for about 20 years. Can’t remember the exact day, but do remember waiting for ages to get my first box of Smurfs off eBay.

I think I started around 1999. I do remember I bought my first Smurfs off eBay. I also remember not properly checking the photos, but was impressed with the cheap price. When the Smurfs came and most of them had paint rubs, were missing bits and couldn’t stand, I understood why the price was so cheap. One good Smurf in the lot, so I had the start of a collection, though.

What’s the appeal?

I like the fact that there is a Smurf for everyone or every occasion. Different sports, jobs, happy, sad etc

How many do you have now?

Eeek! Being that I also sell them an collect them, that figure is a complete unknown. I have about 50 or more of certain figures. Rather than a number, let’s say that if my house ever burnt down, a river of liquid blue rubber would run a long way down the street 🙂

What is your favourite item in your collection?

The favourite item in my collection is…. well 4 figures. These were the first three Smurfs. I like Normal Smurf, Gold Smurf and Prisoner. All the same figure, just with different paint jobs. Out of the 3 of them Gold Smurf would have to be my favourite. I like all the original Smurfs in the first 50 or so released. I find the figures much more pleasing. Unfortunately I’ve found that Smurfs have become less appealing over recent times.

Do you ever find yourself having to explain your collection to people?

Umm… the guys give me a bit of grief if ever having a beer and a joke. I’m a reasonably big guy and my mates think it’s a funny thing. I also sell Smurfs in collectables store and most other store people don’t call me by my name but rather ‘Smurf’ or ‘Smurfman’

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that I am always on the look out for anything Smurf related. So if you have any suggestions on articles, let me know.

Keep on Smurfin
Kath B

Smurfette Witch

This is my favourite Smurfette figurine by far. Witch Smurfette #20198 can be found riding a broomstick while wearing orange shoes, a purple outfit with a matching purple witch’s hat with an orange hatband.

Wallace Berrie first released the Smurfette Witch as a seasonal special release for Halloween along with Pumpkin Smurf #20136. I am not entirely sure when they were sold like this but my guess is around 1983 or 1984.

Schleich also sold Smurfette Witch between 1985 to 1993. Both the Wallace Berrie and Schleich versions look pretty much the same except for the paint colours used. Like a lot of paint variances found with Smurfs, sometimes they are not always easy to tell the difference when viewing online. So here goes…..

Made in Portugal W. Berrie Co Schleich S © 1982 Peyo

The first Witch I would like to share is from Portugal. This one has lighter orange shoes and hatband. The purple outfit and hat are painted using matte colours. The blue paint used is what I refer to as dark smurfy blue.

There is also another version made out of Portugal that includes a black paint dot. The black paint was used with Smurfs painted out of Sri Lanka to replace the red paint dot. This version of Smurfette Witch can be found with shiny darker paint colours.

Made in Sri Lanka W. Berrie Co Schleich S © 1982 Peyo

It is quite common for this Smurfette Witch to be described as having red shoes and hatband, light purple outfit and hat. The blue paint used is a light smurf blue. Now this is where I beg to differ, with other collectors as I wouldn’t decribe her shoes or hatband as red. For me it is more a darker orange colour than red.

**Can you tell the difference of the Smurfette Witches?**

For most of us this may not seem like a big deal, however when I am looking to add new Smurfs to my collection it can be the difference of buying one Smurf over another Smurf. As they say ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’

Keep on Smurfin
Kath B

Baby Smurfs

There are three Baby Smurfs that are pretty much the same except for the colour of their pajamas. Baby White #20179, Pink Baby #20202 and Blue Baby #20203 all first released in 1984.

I know what you are thinking, there are not many versions of the Baby Smurfs to collect. But this shouldn’t stop you collecting these cute and adorable figurines.

Baby White

Baby White can be found wearing white pajamas with two yellow buttons on the back flap, while crawling along with a red rattle with a yellow bell. Wallace Berrie made two different versions, one with sky blue skin and the other they made has dark blue skin. The one with the very light blue skin can be harder to find. This is because it was only sold for one possibly two years.

Baby White is also sometimes referred to as White Baby with a rattle. Though as this is a long winded name it is commonly called Baby White. Baby White was only sold by Schleich between 1984 to 1989.

Pink Baby

Pink Baby is made out of a pink pvc material, so the pink colour can vary. The blue skin can also vary from sky blue to dark blue. Like the other Baby Smurfs, some collectors also mention the size of the yellow bell as a point of difference.

In the SCCI Newsletter Issue 41 (Summer 1996) they list two different variations of Pink Baby. I sometimes find these mould size variations are impossible to see with the naked eye. This is because we are often only referring a couple of millimemetres. Pink Baby was sold by Schleich from 1984 to 1990.

Pink mould. Light pink P.J’s, pale blue skin. Red rattle with yellow centre.
Smaller mould size. Pink mould. Dark pink P.J’s, dark blue skin. Red rattle with yellow centre.

Blue Baby

The similarities between Blue Baby and Pink Baby are striking. Blue Baby is made of a blue injected mold, where the colour of blue can vary greatly. The blue skin can also vary with this smurf from very dark to pale blue.

The most rare marking variation of Blue Baby is Schleich S © Peyo CE marking with a black paint dot. It’s possible that Schleich only sold this for one year maybe less. Blue Baby was only sold until 1990, when Schleich started to add the CE mark to their Smurfs.

One of the most rarest series by Schleich was the Lovables series released in 1986. Described as a ‘fashionable artcile combined with a figurine’. The Baby Smurfs featured in a number of these items such as Ball point pendant, Comic figurine with String of pearls and a heart shaped pencil sharpener. There is just one problem, I don’t own any of these Loveables Smurfs.

Keep on Smurfin
Kath B

Collecting Coin Smurfs

There is a good chance if you collect Smurfs, you probably collect other things as well. So if you collect coins you may be interested in adding these 13 different Smurf themed coins produced by Monnaie de Paris. Each coin depicts well known Smurf characters such as Brainy, Postman, Smurfette along with Gargamel and Azrael. Like all good things to collect, there is a limited number produced.

For many of us, your first Smurf may have been Coin #20029. Coin Smurf was first released by Schleich in 1976/77 until 1986. During this time there were at least two different moulds. The Coin Smurf was also sold throughout many countries.

The first Coin (also known as Money) had the coin held more forward and is a much smaller mould. This version only has © Peyo marking on the arm. I think it was only available for one or two years.

Coin Smurf with wider face

When I first started collecting Smurfs, I was curious to know when Schleich changed some of the figurines from a small mould to a larger mould with a wider face. I always thought that the large moulds were created in Hong Kong around 1978. This was because a lot of Bully Smurfs had smaller faces and the Smurfs made in Hong Kong were sold by BP Australia. However, it was to do with major changes implemented by Schleich in 1977.

When Schleich changed the mould for Coin Smurf, they changed the position of the coin to be held sideways. The coin can be found either in light or dark orange colour and shiny or matte colours. The feet were also no longer joined together.

When they started to produce the larger moulds, they also displayed their new Schleich S marking and © Peyo signature. The markings were added to under their feet. The theory behind this was that if someone picked up a Smurf, they could see that it was made by Schleich.

In Australia, the Coin Smurf was first sold in 1979 by BP. This was made out of Hong Kong and was very popular. It is not unusual to find this still today especially in rediscovered collections. They may not be in mint condition but they hold a special nostalgic memory.

Keep on Smurfin
Kath B

American Footballer Smurf

Can anyone tell me why Schleich choose the number 3 on the front of the American Footballer Smurf? #20132 I have always been curious why certain sports themed Smurfs were given particular numbers on their tops or bibs. Any ideas?

The American Footballer Smurf is holding the football close to his chest in one hand, while his other arm is stretched out – ready to defend himself. First released in 1981 by both Schleich and Wallace Berrie, the American Footballer wasn’t just popular in America but the rest of the world. It was sold between 1981 to 1986, 1992 to 1994 and 1998 to 2000 and made in Hong Kong, W.Germany and Portugal.

Made in Hong Kong

I have two from Hong Kong, one with W.Berrie markings and the other with just Hong Kong markings. With the Hong Kong variations the number 3 is always painted yellow on a shiny red shirt. The paint used on both of them are dark colours. Sometimes their blue skin can be described as extreme to really dark. It’s probably not surprising that in the Wallace Berrie catalogues they just to this Smurf as Football.

Wallace Berrie also used the American Footballer on promotional triangle pedestals, promoting places in the USA. These included Dallas and San Francisco.

W.Germany

It appears only W.Germany marked ones have the number 3 unpainted but you can still the outline. Both the helmet and the football is painted in lighter colours compared to the Hong Kong made ones. I have an American Footballer that has W.Germany markings with a mustard paint dot, which tells me it was painted in Portugal.

Made in Portugal

The ones from Portugal can be found with the number 3 painted and not painted. The yellow paint on the helmet can vary as well. It’s also possible to find ones with Portugal markings with a red paint dot, which tells us it was painted in Sri Lanka.

Around 1992 Schleich made changes to the paint they used on their Smurfs, to a lighter, fresher blue colour. The markings also now included a CE marking. In the beginning the CE mark was quite small but overtime this has changed to a larger size.

Fakes

Due to the popularity of American Footballer Smurf, fakes were also produced out of countries like Polland and Spain. The Spanish ones are still highly collectible due to the high quality piantwork and craftsmanship.

So if you are like me, you don’t have to understand the rules of a particular sport, to appreciate the Smurf that was made in it’s honour.

Keep on Smurfin
Kath B