20045

There are 2 posts tagged 20045 (this is page 1 of 1).

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. 

Blue PVC – W.Germany Schleich S © 1981 Peyo.
White PVC – Made in Hong Kong W. Berrie Co. Schleich S © 1981 Peyo

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

Artist with Easel – Super Smurf

There are some smurfs that I have always tried to dodge and until recently Artist with Easel was one of these. Produced by Schleich  from 1986 to 1991, and only in 1984 by Applause (formerly known as Wallace Berrie) Artist with Easel is probably one of the harder to find Super Smurfs with it’s original box. For me it was important to not only collect the Smurf but also the box because that’s how it was put together for sale.

As I opened up the box, I noticed something very odd. The Super Smurf box did not look like the smurf on the box, it looked like the regular Painter #20045 and not the Artist #20089 with the red paintbrush that I was expecting to find. On the front of the box it displayed ‘Super Schlumpf Smurf!!’ and had Printed in Germany on the bottom of the box.

Upon closer inspection the Smurf had the markings Made in Hong Kong W. Berrie &Co Schleich S © Peyo 1978 and was painted with extreme blue paint.  The easel had never been assembled and included the painting without the © Peyo signature on it. 

So it looked like I had received a sealed box from Germany with a Smurf made out of Hong Kong and where the painting and easel had come from Germany. Things were just not adding up in my mind, on what I was expecting to find with Artist with Easel. This called on some drastic action – I needed some chocolate to help clear my mind.

My very special – Artist with Easel, # 40239

This form of action worked a treat, as I started to think rationally about the smurf that I had just received. Yes, it is quite possible that if Schleich were short on supply of the Artist Smurf that the Painter Smurf is the most obvious replacement. Also upon looking online at other smurf collections, I found other collectors with this version of Artist with Easel with this box.

Collecting smurfs, especially Super Smurfs is always challenging as it requires you to always have your radar switched on. By looking at other smurf collections is just one way to increase your knowledge base. As they say you never stop learning!

My Artist with Easel now proudly sits in a special place with some of my other rare smurfs. The box has been carefully stored away with my other Super Smurfs boxes so it does not fall into my three year old nephew’s grasp. This is an extra smurf for me as it has been on my ‘most wanted list’ ever since I started collecting smurfs. 

Keep on Smurfin

Kath B