20009

There are 2 posts tagged 20009 (this is page 1 of 1).

Eurovision for Smurfs

While we all enjoy the weird and wonderful at this’s year’s Eurovison from Portugal, I wanted to share with you a picture that I was recently sent. It is a picture of the album cover of Friends released by the American performer Chick Corea in 1978.


What makes this picture extra special is the portrayal of a smurf band. Trumpet, Drummer, Guitarist and an extra special smurf playing the piano – Lute. (without his lute).

In 1998 Schleich released the 40th Anniversary Rock Band, to coincide with the smurfs 40th annivery (1958 to 1998). Inluded in the set was Drummer Smurf and Drums, Keyboard Smurf and Keyboard, Bass Guitar Smurf, Lead Guitar Smurf and Singer Smurf with Microphone. The set also includes the stage, speakers and a 40th Anniversary Banner. Each band member was wearing silver trousers and different coloured fluro tops. Very Eurovision!

To complement this, Schleich also released Anniversary Display #40400 in 1998. This display box set included the new playset Drummer #40623, the new Super Smurf Keyboarder #40250 and three regular smurfs, Lead Guitar #20449, Bass Guitar #20450 and Lead Singer #20451. 

By 2002 Schleich had changed their tune and released 12 set Marching Band. This was the first time Schleich would base all their new smurfs on a particular theme. Up until then they had only released a pair of smurfs on a particular theme; for example Caveman and Cavewoman. 

The Marching Band smurfs were made up of twelve smurfs each wearing a red jacket with gold frogging, navy blue trousers with a gold stripe except for Smurfette who was wearing a navy blue skirt and their white smurf hat’s included a navy blue peak. As the Marching Band smurfs were only sold by Schleich in 2002 and 2003 these smurfs are highly collectible.

One of the biggest and most extraordinary music hits was ‘The Smurf Song’ performed by Father Abraham in 1978. This simple (annoying) song ended up making number 1 on the music charts in 16 countries. More recently Andre Rieu has also been performing ‘The Smurf Song’ at his concerts with Father Abraham, much to the bemusement of his audience. 

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B

Drummer Smurf Discovery

There is no better feeling than making a smurf discovery that you didn’t realise you had. Or when you are out looking for smurfs to add to your collection. When I first started collecting I would often find Drummer Smurf in a squatting like position with red and white drumsticks playing a red drum.

So imagine my surprise when I came across a Drummer with yellow drumsticks. At first I thought that it was not that unusual to find colour variations within a particular smurf. But there was something about this Drummer looked different to my other Drummers. So as habit, I picked up the smurf to look underneath for it’s markings and discovered it was a two piece mould with no markings under the drum.

Had I just come across a smurf that looked genuine to the eye but was actually a fake because it was a two piece mould that shared no markings under the drum. Surely not. The PVC material felt so real and not like a grotesque hard home made ones. 

I then suddenly recalled reading about some early smurfs made by Schleich were made out of two moulds. Once again I picked up the smurf to have a closer inspection and found a © Peyo marking on the arm. Slowly my breathing started to return to normal and collector’s instinct started to kick in. It was at that point I knew I had to have this smurf.

When I arrived home, I found one of my existing Drummer’s and started to examine the difference between the two versions. Sometimes it is not until you can closely compare two smurfs together that you really notice smaller differences between them. 

The Drummer with red and white drumsticks appears to be squatting behind his drum. You could almost see his knees are hugging the drum. The figure and drum are an one piece mould. 

The Drummer with yellow drumsticks appears to be almost standing behind his drum. The drum is a seperate piece to the figure. If you look at this Drummer from a side on view you can actually see how the drum slots into the smurf.

Schleich first made Drummer back in 1966 as a two piece mould with yellow drumsticks. At some stage between 1966 and 1972 Schleich started making Drummer as one piece mould, still with yellow drumsticks. It wasn’t until around 1977 that the Drummer was sold with red and white drumsticks.

If you have a passion for smurfs sold in Australia, Drummer was one of the first ten smurfs sold by BP Australia back in 1979. This is also one of the reasons why Drummer is still easily found today, as they can be easily found in someone’s stashed away childhood collections. 

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B