Blue Cavern

I got a "Have a heart"-smurf which I know is from 1980 or 1981.

Then I started to think about the marking of that smurf.

The congratulationsmurf is marked 1979. And the have a heart-smurf 1980. This means the mold for this smurf was made 1980. And it was sold in the german catalogues first in 1981.

My guess is that it must have been something like this. The "Ein Herz für Kinder"-charity was founded 1978. I am almost sure the smurf with this heart was sold or given away already in 1980, maybe even 1979. And that is why they used the congratulation-smurf in the beginning for this smurf. When they desided to have it in the Schleich-catalogue in 1981 they made this new mold for the smurf.

Also it seems the english "Have a heart" existed early, around 1980/81.

Do anyone have information regarding these smurfs??

It seems to me that this also is one of these late 70s smurfs Schleich sold or gave away, kind of a "promo", when Bully have the rights in Germany. Many of the smurfs made around 1978-79 seems to have been used for promotion in some way??

I have no info about the smurf, but the organisation "Herz für Kinder"was founded in 1978 , according to their site.


http://www.ein-herz-fuer-kinder.de/EHFK ... d-wir.html

Lia

What is really interesting is that they gave it it's own number because even if they started them out as promo smurfs they didn't give them their own number.

Is this an international organization or just limited to Germany? IN other words, are the English and French versions promos as well?

I don't know about the french words, but I think the english is short for "Have a heart for children".
The organisation started in Germany but went worldwide to raise money for children.

Don´t know if they did that this early though? Maybe just translated it to other languages. But I assume they donated the money, or part of them, for selling the smurfs to the organisation!!

I know the logo (heart shaped one) is definitely a trademark for the organization...guess that's why I always wondered why it got it's own Schleich number and is not considered a promo

I know the logo (heart shaped one) is definitely a trademark for the organization...guess that's why I always wondered why it got it's own Schleich number and is not considered a promo

Basicly Maureen, the articlenumbers work like this.

The numbers are used for smurfs that the toystores can order from Schleich and sell in their stores. The smurfs shown in the catalogues are only the ones the stores can order from Schleich, the other smurfs Schleich have made for other reasons are not in the catalogue and don´t necessarily get any articlenumber.

And I agree that this smurf is an exeption. But probably Schleich desided that this smurf should also be sold in the toystores. Probably because it was a very good way to distribute them all over Germany and it was such a item that many would like to support. Made for children and also the organization was for children. Off course many promos could have been sold in the catalogues, but Schleich must have considered this a specialcase??

Most likely Schleich raised money for this organization this way, also in the countries with english or french writing over the heart!

But I am also almost certain it was sold before 1981. Probably Schleich sold it a few years before and then desided to put it in the catalogues to reach more customers. An exception for a good cause!!!

Well, most promos were probably give aways from the companies to their customers or employees, so Schleich obviously would not put them in the catalogs as they weren't meant to be sold but only to give away by the company. Best example that we know are Dr. Dinch and Hexalotte..as well as the Fix & Foxi ones

It could very well have been that the Heart smurf was sold to raise funds for a fairly new organization back then and therefore put into the catalog as it became part of the Schleich smurf ensemble

I think all the way to 1986, when they sold this smurf they supported Ein Herz für Kinder financially. I would say that it would be inappropriate to sell a smurf with their logo without giving them any money.

Another thing from their website. This picture of Muhammad Ali.
It says he entered the ring supporting the organization. Ali´s last fight was 1981, so this mean that they probably had started spreading this symbol to other countries before 1981. ???

But I think he looks already retired on the picture??

Checked again and it said ehemalige, which means former??? So that means the picture is from after his career as a boxer!!