Blue Cavern

Hi All

I am having a "little blue" trouble here as my collection of smurfs grow...I have no idea how to track them ??!!!

I collect variations as well and with a young daughter in tow (10 mths old), I can't be going through my drawers every time I need to check if I have a particular smurf or its variation

I would be eternally grateful if someone could advise me as to how on earth do I keep track of the smurfs I have ?? I would hate to see it grow so big that I have no idea of my own collection


Gladys

Hi Gladys, I personally used to use a Der Schlumpf Katalog and tick off the smurfs as and when I got them. If I had a variation I would tick the exact smurf but to start with I just used to mark each page as there is a little tick box in the corner. I would use pecil so if I got it wrong it was easy to correct.

At the moment I am using my website but will be going through the whole collection very soon to check I have everything up to date and I haven't missed any smurfs.

At the present I have a book in which I write each version as it arrives - several years ago I stuck in pics of all the smurf, 5 to a page.

However, this is getting a bit unwieldy so I am not building a DB to keep track but not making much progress now my leave is over

I use Microsoft Excel in a spreadsheet form showing the date purchased, the price, the value, smurf number, name (if it's a variation) and the condition. That way I can look the smurf's up by their number and see if I've got it and if it's in good or bad condition.

I was thinking of keeping a database via Excel as well but the keying in of all smurfs is such a daunting job !!!

How do you keep your smurfs to check if it is in a good or bad condition ? Currently I need to do a physical check and that slowed me down alot and as a result there are many a times when I missed bidding on an item as I was unsure of my own's collection's condition On a related issue, how do you rate your smurfs ? I normally keep whatever condition I have of that smurf and only do a replacement when I have a similar piece on hand. Yet this method also means that I may miss some of them and end up actually keeping duplicates of the same smurf but of different condition.

I have tried checking to see if there is a database of smurfs that could be used such as TY beanies babies but it seems as though that smurf is not that hot to have someone create a database for usage

Gladys, I personally write down what is "bad" about the smurf - for example, paint missing on nose or fingers, etc. or marks on the smurf or if it's overall scuffed. If I can't find any marks or rubs, I consider that "good"....if it's perfectly white on the hat and pants, and absolutely no dirt, I consider that "mint".

Also, one of our members here, Pauli, has an excellent Microsoft Word document on his website -- here is the link: http://users.utu.fi/pataka/smurflist_variations.doc

and if you wanted to keep a checklist by hand (not computer), you can print out this checklist from mv.com:
http://www.mushroomvillage.com/smurfs-f ... small.html

I have not found any blank excel checklists online though - if anyone knows of them, maybe they can direct us there. I typed all mine in from the beginning which was a LOT of work and not much fun.

I have 2 ways of recording the smurfs I have. The first one is very similiar to MV's checklist except it also has a box for Promos, raws, sockels, fakes, fake raws & others (like large smurfs or minis). This is just a tick box though and doesn't record the markings though.

So I therefore use a print out which was based on Der Schlumpf Katalog which includes tick boxes next to each variation/description and I also record the paint dots with this method as well. It involved a lot of printing as a lot of smurfs use an entire A4 page (some 3 pages) as I have also included the raws, promos, sockels, fakes etc also with each smurf. I use this everyday when looking to purchase new smurfs so I don't buy the same ones.

I also write down every smurf that I have coming as it can reach over 300 and be 2 months before I receive them (sometimes longer) so it's good to know what I have coming so I don't purchase the same smurf again.

I could help with some sort of system in recording the variations if you like. Just send me a PM with what details you would personally like to record and I will have a look at how this can be achieved.

Hi guys

All of you have been great ...as usual...

Appreciate the offer, Syd, of getting up a system but I do feel bad to put you to it since it's my own collection afterall and I shouldn't be troubling others esp since all of you did it yourself, I am sure i could as well *finger and eyes crossed*

I am interested in what you mentioned of having a printout based on the Katalog. Can I know where you get this ? Maybe I could use that as a start and refine it as I go along.

Thanks again everyone, I really am grateful for all these suggestions !!!

Cheerios
Gladys

I am interested in what you mentioned of having a printout based on the Katalog. Can I know where you get this ?

Hi Gladys

I put it together by translating the Katalog and then typing it all up. There is no other place you can get this at this stage. It took about 3 weeks to do and many hours but it was a great base to start with. However you could do the same with your collection and build it up as you add more.

I am willing to offer you advice and ideas on how to achieve a good system so if you want help then just send me a PM and we'll take it from there.

That looks very impressive Tam....I think this was an interesting question to ask by Gladys just to hear how everyone records their smurfs. I like how your one totals the amount of smurfs you have as you enter a new listing Tam....that would save me counting a lot of ticks....lol

For the moment, I only list them in the Katalog IV. Condition is either good or bad, and as long as it's complete, it's good
I have entered some of my other collections into MS Works, but the trouble is that no one else uses it, so I cannot export it very well. I have once made an Excel from a MsWorks, but it was a lot of trouble to get it right.
I'l probably start a database once my Smurf cabinets are made (way in the future), and the info I'll need is: Name, Cat n*, variation N*, markings, condition, Cat value, purchase price, estimated resale value, special (i.e. a box that says promo, sockel, sharpener, ...), and remarks. This is for all loose Smurfs, for the Supers you'll have to add things like box and so on. I don't know if I'll include the mold number, perhaps not, as I don't collect these separately (yet).

I'll probably make a list of all markings separately, so I don't have to describe the exact Bully marking all the time, but can just say Bully mark 1, 2, ...
Perhaps such a list can be made here on the board, like we have Dyar's lists of boxes, playsets, ...?

WOW, I am well impressed with everyone's high tech methods of keeping records. I found my sheets of paper yesterday where I had scrawled (in pencil ) down everything before packing the smurfs away. Maybe I really should think about making up an up to date database for the collection. It certainly would make life easier and quicker to check markings, condition etc. Cheers guys.

WOW !!! I am really really impressed

I never knew that there are so many different ways and things that one look out for while collecting something as simple as smurfs !!!

I am also very very impressed by the sheer amount of work that goes into a collection, seems that I am not the only nutty person here though my hubby do think that I am definitely nuts to be crazy over something small & blue

A great big THANKS to all who had shared. I am really very very grateful for all the unselfishness and sharing that I had encountered in this forum


Gladys

oh my


so far all I have is my display and cardboard boxes

I havn't done any record keeping.. except maybe my website

Well my hubby wrote me a computer program that you can put a pic of the smurf in and check off its markings, paint dots ect and give it a catalogue number etc so you can sort them all and search for them too. I can print off a list of smurfs acoording to any of the criteria in the program...ie condition etc.

But as I am pretty lazy/busy I only did about a hundred smurfs.

The easiest way for me was to make my wanted list on my website...I listed all the smurfs and now just delete them as I get them. So basically it tells me what I need to be looking out for rather than what I have...which makes life a lot easier for me

Hi Linda

You are SO SO SO LUCKY

Hmm...maybe it's time to go whisper in my hubby's ear while he is asleep as well

Gladys