Blue Cavern

I have already showed the UK playsetboxes available in the UK box thread.

But I wanted to share with you the order the german and US boxes were sold and the differences.

First the german boxes.

1977 Germany

The first playset, garden furniture was made when the large house was made. Moldyear 1976.

This playset was sold like in UK first without the number 1 on the box.

Like with the large house this playset was sold 1977.

I don´t have that box but I borrowed this picture from Dyars site.

I don´t know what is written on that box but the picture is the same as on the large house playset-box. And on that one is written that these were the only accessories available.

So the furnitures were made before the other ones.

1978 Germany

This year they started putting numbers on the boxes.

And also used only german and french writing on the front.

On the first box variation of this you can see that 4 playsets are available.
They also had dutch languages on the boxes in the beginning. And no window on the backside of the box.

Only on these 4 boxes you can have this writing on the backside.

1979 Germany

then they added the boat and the gas station.

As you see on the picture on the first box for the station they used the nationalsmurf. This is just like in the catalogue for 1979. And the reason is that these pictures for the catalogues and boxes has to be taken at least 6 months before they starts selling them. that is why we see so many prototypes or testvariations on the boxes, in catalogues or on posters. But since the National cleaner and pump was made before this playset they used these on the pictures.

Still using dutch on the backside of the boxes and still no window.

I don´t think there is a first variation of the boatbox which says 5 playsets available. Since these were sold the same year in the same catalogue.

1980 Germany

In 1980 they added 2 more playsets.

They also added the window on the backside and stopped with the dutch writing sometime around 1980/81. Maybe you can find the dutch writing on both these playsets also. During 1980 and 1981 they had 8 playsets as written on these early boxes.

Just like on the supersmurfboxes they also added the warrenty writing on the box in french.

And during 1980 and 1981 they also started changing the older boxes 1-6, by adding the window on the back and also adding the french warrenty writing.

And the gas station got the new picture also without the Nationalsmurf on it.

1982 Germany

This year they added playset 9. In the beginning just like the others with "french warrenty"-writing under.

And now saying there are 9 playsets available.

Before releasing playset 10 in 1983 they changed the french warrenty to this one instead which mentions Mafi. Still with backside saying there are 9 playsets available.

So playsets 1 to 9 is possible in the older boxes with only german and french writing on the front.

But if looking at the backside of some of the old boxes with the mafi writing they changed in late 1982 they say that 10 playsets are available.

But so faar I have not seen playset 10 in the old box!

1983 Germany

Just like with the supersmurfs all boxes made after 1983 have the ages warning. And they also added the english writing on the front and that the boxes did not include any figurines.

But as I said there is a slightly chance that there is an old box for this also??

After 1984 Germany

All boxes made from 1984 looked the same. Same markings, warnings etc. But of course with different articlenumbers and pictures.

I don´t have playset 3 in this box but I have seen it.

But I have never seen playset 6 in this new box. I have no idea why that one don´t seems to exist, but it could be that the petrol station was never sold in any country were they needed the english writing on the box??? So they could use the older boxes???

I know that many of the older boxes were used after 1984 also so it could depend on were it was sold??

Before changing to the polkadotboxes in 1996 it seems that they never made any CE marked boxes. They used the same boxes and just added the label with CE, like on most of the supersmurfboxes( they made a few CE marked boxes around 1992 for the supers).


So if you have seen any other german boxes or if you think anything seems wrong please let me know.

I will add the pictures of the W Berrie playsetboxes in this thread also later today.

Thanks André!
I enjoy it so much to see all these boxes!
( and just started a little little little bit with collecting them)

Lia

Hi Andre

Yes, thanks again.
Great info, and i can't wait to see some more ....

Good luck Lia

Tintin

Great Lia!! I think you need more space??

And I forgot to add the years for the playsets in the new boxes from 1984 to 1994. After that the polkadotboxes.

Playset1: 84-88 and 92-94.
Playset2: 84-88 and 92-94.
Playset3: 84-94.
Playset4: 84-88 and 92-94.
Playset5: 84-94.
Playset6: 84-88 and 92-94.
Playset7: 84-94.
Playset8: 84-91 and 93-94.
Playset9: 84-94.
Playset10: 84-87 and 92-94.

Though I have to say that between these years many of the older boxes also were used but with stickers.

1980 USA

OK, here are the US playsetboxes and chronological order with years.

When they started selling the accessories for the smurfs in US they used German-made ones in the beginning, like you see on the picture they have the german cottage with lightbrown door.

So when they sold these the boxes were made in Germany and the parts were made in Germany.

On the back you see that they had over 40 smurfs for sale then.

In the 1980 catalogue there were 41 normal smurfs and then the supers of course.

1981 USA

During this year they added 3 more playsets and also used HK made cottage on the pictures.

I think in 1980 they started making these 3 playsets in HK and they were sold 1981.

But the same year they stopped with playset 2, 3 and 4.

So these were never made with HK made parts in these boxes. Maybe they could have been made in late 81?? But I have never seen any HK marked Mushroom or Grass.

But both the gate, fence and the flower were made in Hongkong and used in the larger playset sold in 1983.

Also the stone were made in HK and used for the chaingang.

But these are so faar my conclusions and if anyone shows me a HK marked grass or mushroom I promise you I agree that in 1981 they used Hk parts in these 3 boxes. So if you have those parts I would love to see them.

1982 USA

In 1982 only 4 playsets were made and at this time only HK made playsets were used.

A funny thing is that they used the same backside on all these playsets. At least on mine??

They also had the same year on the boxes 1980. The only differences are the front pictures and the articlenumbers.