Blue Cavern

So Andre does the Vfb only have HK markings NOT W Berrie??

Thanks

Martin

Well Martin,

it depends on for how long it was sold.

When this was made in the beginning it was marked 1980 and made in hongkong. Both the rugby and the VFL promo. This was 1981.

But in 1982 they sold this in US also so therefore the articlenumber 20150. But they still did not use W Berrie on the base.

It seems they changed the marking on the base around 1983. Then removing the year and adding w Berrie on the base. Instead they put the marking on the smurf with W Berrie and year on the smurf 20150.

So for the VFL.
If it was only sold before 1983, meaning 1981 and 1982, I don´t think it should have W Berrie-marked.

So faar I can´t see that any smurfs sold before 1983 in Australia were ever marked W Berrie.

After 1982 the W Berrie smurfs could have been sold also in Australia??? But then I don´t think BP had anything to do with them.

This is ofcourse only my guesses and opinions. Could be wrong and if someone has other information please let us know!

Do anyone have a VFL with W Berrie markings on the smurf? On base??

The smurfs without markings and only markings on the base are the first ones I believe.

So if the VFL only were sold during BP-era I don´t think it should have W Berrie markings?? And then also 1980 under the base.??

I don't remember seeing smurf in any of the Schleich catalogs...when did it get it's Schleich number?

It is the 1983 catalogue.

But I think it is in the 1982 ( fall) catalogue also ( Stefan only have the 1982 spring catalogue). W Berrie articlenumber 6207.

I call this VFL smurf( I think Dyar did the same???), because in 1981 when this smurf was sold the AFL was called VFL. This changed 1990.

So when this smurf was made it was a promo for the VFL ( Victorian Football League).

I saw it in the W Berrie catalog...but 20150 is a Schleich article number. I went thru all of the Schleich catalogs and could not locate this smurf nor the article number. So how come this smurf ended up with this Schleich article number and when? I have the same question about the Quarterback and baseball pitcher.....these are in the W. Berrie catalogs with a W. Berrie artcile number, but I could not find them in the Schleich catalogs from Stefan..yet all of them have a Schleich number

Maureen,

regarding the articlenumbers. Schleich have always given them german articlenumbers as soon as they are sold in any country. Germany, US, Portugal, France etc.

But the promos like the hexalotte don´t get articlenumbers like this.

So all the articlenumbers in the german catalogues shows when it was sold for the first time by Schleich in all different countries.

So as soon as there are gaps in the articlenumberserie. That articlenumber missing was sold first in another country.

I will explain Maureen.

Check these catalogue pictures from 1982 and 1983.

So for 1982 catalogue when the gaps first appeared.

Suddenly articlenumber 20136, 20138, 20146-20151 are not there.

This is because these were sold by Schleich already then but not in Germany.

20136 Pumkin ( last one given articlenumber in 1981. Sold as a seasonal figurine in US in 1981 with articlenumber 6530)
20138 Gardener with rake ( sold 1982 in US with articlenumber 6203.)
20146 baseball catcher ( US 1982, 6200)
20147 Cowgirl ( US 1982, 6205)
20148 bricklayer ( US 1982, 6208)
20149 Cheerleader ( US 1982, 6212)
20150 Touch football ( US 1982, 6207)
20151 Graduation smurfette ( US 1982, seasonal figurine, 6560)
20153 Santa smurfette ( US 1982, seasonal figurine, 6545)

In 1983 the gaps were because of these figurines. Actually you can´t see the gaps here but you see all these gaps in 1984 german catalogue because they always added the german ones first.

But all smurfs from 20163 Smurfette soccer to 20178 Tracker were also sold already in 1983, but in US.

So just buy following the german articlenumbers you can see in which order the smurfs were sold in all parts of the world!!!! The german numbers tells you almost exactly in which order they were sold by Schleich.

I am not trying to be difficult but is there any documentation of Schleich giving out those numbers?

For example?
20150 Australian Rules Football (missing number in Schleich catalogs)
20153 Christmas smurfette with long red coat (missing number in Schleich catalogs)

how do we know that Schleich didn't intend to have them this way?
20150 Christmas smurfette with long red coat
20153 Australian Rules Football

I am not trying to be difficult but is there any documentation of Schleich giving out those numbers?

For example?
20150 Australian Rules Football (missing number in Schleich catalogs)
20153 Christmas smurfette with long red coat (missing number in Schleich catalogs)

how do we know that Schleich didn't intend to have them this way?
20150 Christmas smurfette with long red coat
20153 Australian Rules Football

Yes Maureen,

in the Schlümpfe catalogue from 1986 sold by Schleich.

They give the australian football smurf articlenumber 20150.

Also santa smurfette with articlenumber 20153 is in that catalogue by Schleich!!

Thank you, Andre

That's what I was looking for and I knew you would be the one to ask

Mine is packed away..as is my Blue moon poster..and right now I don't want to take that closet apart

I did not know about "smurfee", Andre....thank you so much for telling us about it.

The question now is....who was first..the smurfee with the blue ice-cream...or the blue ice-cream named smurfee

Hi Maureen,

the ice-cream was made and sold before the smurf. So I think you then can call it a promo instead?? The ice cream was clearly painted to look like the Smurfee-icecream and the name also tells us it was connected to the ice cream.

These were the new smurfs BP australia added 1980( the Smurfee ice-cream was sold already in 1979). Small hongkong markings without W Berrie on all these first ones. But the first aid I have only seen with a little bit larger Made in Hongkong-markings??

Thank you, Andre....never thought of this one as a promo but will do so now

Hi again,

Will send me these pictures of the different wrappers you could find for the Smurfee Icecream. As said before he tells me it was sold already in 1979. So the smurf was made and named after this ice-cream in 1980 when BP sold this for the first time.

This promo can be found with HK markings on the arm and also under the feets. So 2 markingvariations of this promo.

And many many thanks for the pictures and the information Will!!!

Here is the close up of the trademark that also belonged to BP.

As you see the name Smurfee also belonged to BP!!

and another picture

Lia

I've been trying to remember back to 1979 when I was 7 years old.

My first Smurfee ice cream came from the local BP, and when we realized the whole family liked them, we used to buy them in packets from the Peters ice cream factory outlet directly. We also had a family friend who worked at Peters.

The blue of the ice cream was icy like a Popsicle, had quite a strong Blueberry like flavor and the white was vanilla icecream and when mixed together was heavenly. I was very upset when they stopped and wish I could share the flavor with you all.

The ice cream was sold before the smurf, I'm sure about that because I asked my dad to get me the smurf with the smurfee ice cream. I remember how happy I was to get him and now he's my favourite smurf. I had no idea the red and white version even existed and now want to add him to my collection.

I'm also fairly sure that smurfs started in Australia in 1979. I have drawings dated 1979 and not before.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Jo....I love the stories how we all remember little things from our childhood that got us in contact with the smurfs..and their country specific promotions.

It makes the special country variations even more special