20014

There are 2 posts tagged 20014 (this is page 1 of 1).

Classic Review: #20014 Sunbather Smurf

Back in 1979 Schleich started making Smurfs in Hong Kong. To cut costs, Schleich would use spray paint on these Smurfs. This included Sunbather Smurf with yellow & black striped bathers and green & black striped bathers. Both sold by BP in Australia and New Zealand.

But did you know there are at least three different marking versions of the Sunbather Smurf made in Hong Kong?

  1. Schleich emblem © Peyo
  2. Hong Kong Schleich emblem © Peyo
  3. Hong Kong Schleich S © 1970 Peyo (emblem removed)

Schleich did also produce a painted version of Sunbather with green and black striped bathers. When looking for differences between the two, look at the back of the head where the Smurf has his hands. Also check the paint finish of the black stripes on the bathers. Lastly the painted version has a cavity number on his back.

In my opinion the Sunbather Smurf sold in Australia was only ever the spray painted variant.

Finally did you know Wallace Berrie referred this Smurf as Sleeping Smurf. Sold between 1979 to 1981.

Keep on Smurfin
Kath B

I am going to give Sunbather Smurf a score of 2 Papa Smurfs

Rare – but not too difficult to find

1 Papa SmurfNot really rare but still worth collecting
2 Papa SmurfsRare – but not too difficult to find
3 Papa SmurfsExtremely Rare – you’re lucky if you have this one
4 Papa SmurfsUltra Rare – requires skill to collect
5 Papa SmurfsVery Rare – a legendary Smurf

Question: Sunbather Smurf

I’ve started reading the SCII letters on the Hidden in the Woods website.

The first one http://www.hiddeninthewoods.com/files/Summer_1986.pdf mentions under the Variations section in page 1.

#20014 Sunbather: Bathing suits in Yellow & Black, Red & Black, Green & Black, Maroon & Black, Blue & Black, Red & White

I have two questions:

– Does anyone have a maroon/black stripe one they believe to be genuine?

– Does anyone have a blue & black one (I can’t even recall seeing one of these)?

Also in the DSK they list one with orange & black bathers. Again I ask is this variant genuine?

I consider the DSK to be one of the best guides you can buy as a Smurf collector – DSK stands for ‘Der Schlumpf Katalog IV and it was last published in 2003. I still regularly use it to look up Smurf variants, even though it is in German.

In my opinion there are four genuine Sunbather Smurfs by Schleich.

red/black
green/black
yellow/black
red/white

Over time the paints used may create slight variations or interpretations. Maroon/black bathers could be the same Sunbather Smurf with red/black bathers.

So why is it with Sunbather Smurf whenever you think you’ve got all the variations possible, you find there’s another out one!! How many different colour variations are there? Real or fake?

Keep on Smurfin
Kath

Did you know that Sunbather Smurf was first called Sleeping Smurf by Wallace Berrie in the US.

I give Sunbather a 1 Papa Smurf score rating. The yellow/black are extremely common in Australia but still worth adding one to one’s collection.