Blue Cavern

Before Schleich started making smurfs in Hongkong.

Do you think the Bully and Schleichsmurfs were sold in the US?

Could they have been imported and sold?

Not sure, Andre...

As you know I wasn't living in the States back then so I don't know for sure but I've heard America discovered the smurfs thru the cartoons which I think came out in the early 80s This would also correspond with the release of the smurfs made specifically for the American market (Cowboy, Indians, Baseball, Football).

When I was in Germany last year I noticed how many Bully figures they sell in the toystores..but you never see them in American toy stores (at least I don't), so I don't think Bully smurfs were wildly sold in the US stores, however, I would not be surprised if you could find them in specialty stores like comic stores.

Hopefully, somebody who remembers the 70s will be able to tell us

I saw this auction of a US jazz-artist named Chick Corea.

This record was made in 1978 in Califonia. Off course they could have got the smurfs from other countries or took the picture somewhere else.

Just thought it looked nice. And look how they changed the smurf 20013 Lute to a pianoplayer!!

I was around back then, but can't answer your question either. I had already collected about 100 or so items in 1982 when Hardies came out with the glasses. But can't tell you if I bought them in 1982 or earlier. My guess is by then they must have been out for awhile, because I wrote Wallace Berry in 1982 asking for a list of Dealers and a Catalouge.

I started collecting in the mid 80's also. Almost all of my collection is from yardsales and I have a few bully smurfs that I bought locally back then. I bought them from many different yardsales over the years so they were probably sold in small gift shops back then.

Many of the stores I bought them in were Hallmark stores. But a few were not. The dealer that I bought out was a Print shop/gift store. There were also several mom and pop stores too. I was thinking about my travels back then, my wife and I drove many a weekend looking for Smurfs. We always went north of town. I don't remember ever going south. J.C. Penny also sold them.