[Rachel]

Hi guys, I would like opinions please.

I recently bought this green Johan, it has obviously been repainted at some point as I can clearly see yellow patches in several places. What does make it slightly odd though is that the seller mentioned this in the auction but claimed that it was done like this by Schleich and this is how it left the factory, at least, that is how I translated it. If I am wrong, I would really appreciate someone who speaks German to tell me please.

Here is the description:

JOHANN MIT SELTENE GRUENER JACKE

Bei dieser seltenen Variante wurden von der Firma Schleich die Johanns mit der gelben Jacke uebermalen,anders hat es diese Variante aber nicht gegeben.

100%ige Schleich Bemalung,daher natuerlich Original.

It arrived in a sealed bag, which again, I know means nothing as this can be done so easily these days. What does puzzle me slightly though is the seller's claims and also the fact that EVERY green Johan I have seen close up has had the yellow underneath.

I didn't pay very much for him and I am not really trying to prove to myself or anyone else that he is infact genuine but I was just wondering if anyone else had any opinions on this or if they knew any more about the claim about the green Johans being "overpainted".

[Tintin]

Hi Rachel

I lost believe in some smurfs from the dsk,
and i am afraid this is one of them.
Same story for the 20096 with the yellow hammer.
You just never can't tell who repainted them !!

The story Schleich have repainted some smurfs i hear
before but don't know if that is true.

Really like to know this.

Tintin

[Guest]

I hope you find your answers Rachel !

[bundleofkent]

Rachel I don't own this one as like a few others he's too easy to fake and I'll only buy off people I trust. I understand your reasons for buying this one however.

As far as I know Schleich had nothing at all to do with the different coloured jackets of Johann. The only genuine ones are Bully hand etched and aren't yellow underneath...

Hope this helps

Martin

[Rachel]

Thank You gentlemen for your opinions and Gray for your encouragement.

I lost believe in some smurfs from the dsk,
and i am afraid this is one of them.
Same story for the 20096 with the yellow hammer.
You just never can't tell who repainted them !!

I totally agree with you there Tintin.

The story Schleich have repainted some smurfs i hear
before but don't know if that is true.

Yes, I had also heard the same story before but like you, treated it as a story without any proof.

As far as I know Schleich had nothing at all to do with the different coloured jackets of Johann. The only genuine ones are Bully hand etched and aren't yellow underneath...

Hope this helps

Thanks Martin. Yep I had always thought that the Johan's with green and brown jackets were Bullys as well and the first thing I did was check the markings with this one but of course they are Schleich.

BUT

This is where my very vague theory might work. Could it possibly be that Schleich and Bully were making these at the same time and for whatever reason the green Johans were selling better than the yellow versions so Schleich decided to copy Bully and overpainted some of their yellow stock.

This is probably completely wrong and the chances are at some point in the past someone has decided to paint a whole load of these to try and make a bit of cash...............

As mentioned, I am not sorry I bought him as he was very cheap and it is interesting to hear what everyone thinks.

[samismurf]

This is where my very vague theory might work. Could it possibly be that Schleich and Bully were making these at the same time and for whatever reason the green Johans were selling better than the yellow versions so Schleich decided to copy Bully and overpainted some of their yellow stock.


I think that if the green johan had sold better than the yellow one, the yellow would be the rarer one and not vice-versa. It's just a theory.

[Smurfysmurf]

Hi Rachel,
this is a very interesting theory....I have no idea what really happened, but I do agree he looks interesting...

It seems odd though that Schleich would repaint anything at all and not just release a variation like they have done with others

[Rachel]

I agree Maureen, I don't think Schleich would bother overpainting either really, they would just do new ones but I was trying to figure out some plausible explanation. I haven't been drinking wine this evening so that probably explains my brain workings.

I think that if the green johan had sold better than the yellow one, the yellow would be the rarer one and not vice-versa. It's just a theory

That certainly makes sense Sam. Thanks for your theory.

[Guest]

And so the plot thickens......................maybe German holds the key to the answers ! Interesting theories tho guys !

[Tessa-Dennis]

As for many things in this Smurfy world one could summon it up as:

- Schleich did repaint yellow ones to green and we shall never know for certain.
- Some Smurf foe repainted a whole bunch of yellow ones to make money of collectors and brought this schleich story to life, again we shall never know.
What I do know is that there was a seller who had dozens of these schleich green Johan's and has, in my humble opinion, a 'somewhat' questionable reputation. He is also one of the people mentioned as having contributed to the DSK!!

In this topic there is only one thing that is 100% certain and that is that the makers of DSK are just as much in the dark as we are. Our Smurfy bible is no different than a real wholy books, filled with information for some to be a certainty beyond doubt and for others just a novel

Sadly the people who do know the truth about our Smurfy doubts have taken the vowe of silence many years ago

About the translation Rachel, you are spot on and what you think it says is exactly what it says.

Dennis.

[Tintin]

100 % agree Dennis !!!!

Tintin

[Rachel]

Hi Dennis, I think you have made many very sensible points and I totally agree with your points of view.

I like your comparison of the DSK to the real bible, when you think about it you are 100% correct, although I did have a laugh when I read your comparison. For a long time I have tried to explain to smurfers that this isn't an official source, really it is just a number of private collections and it is up to us as collectors to decide whether all of these collections are presented by honest people.

Thank You for confirming my translation of the auction.

[Oprime]

So did I get it right, Bully has produced Johan with a green shirt (officially, for a fact), but there is not definite certainty about the Schleich versions? Does any of you have a Schleich Johan with a green shirt without any yellow showing underneath? Or can you always see the yellow?

And I agree with Rachel and other about the repainting. Would a big company like Schleich start repainting a batch of figurines just because the green shirt version sells a little better? Would it really be worth it? I would understand if it was about some more valuable items (like cars etc ), but little figurines which cost a few dollars each. Seems a little far fetched to me...


P

[Pitufo]

Hi, Rachel et al!!!!!!I have been reading this topic with a big interest!!!!!!!

I think all the green johan I have seen last fairs had yellow underneath ( I remember to have been speaking with Rachel about this at October´s fair with a green Joahn in our hands...)

About DSK: some of you can remeber my image at fairs with the book in my hands, can´t you? When I begin to collect smurfs again, I considered the book was the Bible ( as Dennis says )...I actually use the book as a orientative book, to see promos and markings variation...I don´t know the writers of the book and know nothing about their collections or reputation...IMHO, I think there is a lot of repainted smurfs on that book, and this is the only question to worry: that people think that a smurf , for being described at the book is original!!!

[Tessa-Dennis]

My schleich green shirt Johan has a spot of yellow paint as well near the sword, so I guess so far it is 100% true that schleich green shirt Johan's were yellow before turning green.

Maybe he turned green of envy or was fed up with being called yellow

Joaquin, you are right there, the problem is that new collectors tend to start out with the DSK as THE book which is true. I am glad to hear that you have noticed that there were some things questionable to say the least. When I started it was exactly the same, but I was made to see the light by people as TinTin!!

Dennis.

[Guest]

the best example is the tooth brushing smurf with blue tube... This is a fake in the DSK but an original one is existing....

[Rachel]

Thank You guys for your opinions and information, like Joaquin, this has been a very interesting discussion for me too.

I think my own opinion hasn't changed much, it is definitely a repaint, almost certainly not done by Schleich but there are a few stories floating around about it.

Oh the joys of smurf collecting.

So did I get it right, Bully has produced Johan with a green shirt (officially, for a fact), but there is not definite certainty about the Schleich versions?

Sounds like it Pauli.

I have never seen in real lifa a green Bulle Johan but I am looking out for one.

[Syd Smurf]

I tend to agree with Moey

I don't understand why Schleich would paint over a smurf already completed since it wouldn't be cost efficient

Dyar

[Smurfysmurf]

I tend to agree with Moey

Dyar

In that case we won't have a problem at all, Sir

[Pitufo]

I tend to agree with Moey

I don't understand why Schleich would paint over a smurf already completed since it wouldn't be cost efficient

Me too, but we can´t forget that Schleich does stupid things sometimes...For example not to share with collectors some questions about the authenticity of some dubious smurfs, so fakers don´t earn big amounts of money!!!!!!!!!1