[André]

I guess it is like this, when I look at the file.

And maybe you all know this already.

To the year 1983 the smurfs were released in the UK-box and the box with superschlumpf on front.

After 1983 they made the new box with both german and english writing on the front and stopped producing the other versions.

I don´t know when the hongkongboxes were released but maybe they also started 1982-83???

/André

[André]

If this is correct, this helps us with the combi-sets. There was a question regarding what boxes is suppose to look like in the combi-sets. I don´t know exactly when they were released, but I would guess 4.0703 and 4.704 should only contain smurfboxes with the GermanEnglishFrench-boxes.

Do anyone know when the smurf-combi-sets were released?

/André

[Smurfysmurf]

Andre,
are the HongKong boxes the Wallace Berrie Boxes? In this case it makes sense that they started in the early 80s as this is when Wallace Berrie got the license to distribute the smurfs in the US from what I know.

[André]

Hi Maureen,

yes the Hongkong-boxes are the Wallace Berrie ones. I nearly wrote Wallace and Gromit.

I will try to get all these boxes before the end of 2009. I mean the normal ones. Not the specialversions like superschtroumpf.

This will be my goal for this year.

I think I got about 140 boxes already so if I counted correct I still have 95 more to find.

/André

[Tojo]

Good luck with finding those missing boxes André

[Smurfysmurf]

Which ones do you still need Andre? Maybe some of us can help you in your quest

It will be nice to watch you get them and to celebrate with you at the end of the year

[André]

Well Maureen,

that is a lot of smurfs.

This is the ones I am missing:

I miss 5 Polkadots: Rocking horse, Smurfette on bike, Kitchen, bicycle( 40501), kayak.
I miss 2 Schlumpfiade: Fencer and pole vault.
I miss 2 olympiaschlumpf: bicycle and Hockeyplayer.
I miss all 6 olympiansmurf.
I miss 16 super with both schlumpf and smurf under. Sledder, chimney sweeper, leafboard, skier, fisherman, signbearer, butterfly catcher, gargamel, prisoner in cage, chain gang, stickhorse, photographer, rockinghorse, Volleyball, papa with blackboard and hammock.
I miss 9 superschlumpf. Leafboard, skier, fisherman, stickhorse, windsurfer, fireman, photographer, schooldesk, lawnmover and motocross. And other with articlenumber higher than 40218. I have not seen so many of these and don´t know when they stopped making these.
Many hongkongboxes. I already have 40203,204,205,211,215,217,218,219,223,224,226,507,508,509.
Many UK-boxes( I have only seen 11 which I don´t have but I believe there could be 16): I already have 205, 206,207,217,220,222.
I miss 6 UK- smportsmurf: Kayak, fencer, hockeplayer, polevault, weightlifter and boxer.

Many of these I have not seen yet but I believe they all exist.

And I have almost all different versions of the supersmurfs already except for some "hard to find ones", like hongkong-made jokey with trickbox. So actually I just need the box for many of these.

Many of these are very easy to find but I have just started looking so I guess there will be around 10 that will be very hard to find.

But I am in no hurry and it is just nice to have something to look for.

/André

[Smurfysmurf]

I agree.

My favorite part about collecting is looking for the ones I don't have yet...it's fun to be able to cross them off my list but I enjoy the searching for them even more at times

I'll be back in Germany in May, and you have no idea (or maybe you do ) how much I am looking forward to going back to the weekly fleamarket and also the little store I found all the nice smurfs last year

[André]

Maureen,

if I count correctly I have to get about 10 boxes each month so that is not so many.

The hard thing is to get the last 10 I think.

Now I just have to look at ebay or anywhere on internet and see one I don´t have, but it will be harder the more boxes I get.

/André

[André]

I got a good start and have about 20 more now. I had a collectorfriend in Sweden who I could buy some from and I found some on ebay.

/André

[André]

Do anyone have a picture that shows the different lockings on the HongKong-version vs The German-version of Jokey with Gargamel in box? It says in Katalog IV that they are different.

I have seen them both on Ebay but can´t see any difference.

/André

[Guest]

If I find time I will take a look. IMO the main difference at the Applause version : Gargamels head is made of metal

[Guest]

and this auction yesterday
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... :IT&ih=006

[steveparkes]

I won this one the other day too

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0324722113

[André]

Hi Tine and Steve,

I know you are on my back all the time.

Did you won that UK butterfly cathcer, Tine? I thought it was Martin!!

I placed bids on both these but no luck.

I will arrange a nice picture in the weekend with all the boxes.

You know that in the end of the year I will have 250 different boxes, Tine. I wouldn´t be surprised if you have more already.

/André

[Guest]

yes this was Martin for sure

[steveparkes]

Definately wasn't me, I already have the butterfly catcher in English box

[Smurfysmurf]

All this talk about super smurf boxes...um...made me buy some more as well.

No special ones, but I decided I should finally get the rest of the Polkadot boxes I still needed before they are all replaced by the new ones

Andre, I guess, you have been an inspiration to me to get back on ebay and look for super smurf boxes

[André]

It is nice to hear that.

But be aware when you are buying the boxes because there are many times when it is not the box on the picture that you recieve. Many sellers, who are selling a lot of smurfs are using the same picture and for them there are no differences between the germanversions. It is the same with the playsets. If it is marked with only german-french writings or german-french-english writing on the box many sellers don´t take notice off.

And it is the same with the content. For example in a polkadot-box you would like to get a CE-marked smurf and in a Hongkong ( W.Berrie)-box you would prefer a Hongkongmarked smurf.

In the german-printed boxes there could be many different versions, because they started with the CE-markings on the smurfs before they changed the boxes to the polksdots.

And I guess there is as always with ebay-auktions, fake-boxes aswell. I don´t think it could be that difficult to make a box.

I actually prefer the boxes with a little storagewear and old pricetags.

/André

[steveparkes]

Alot of the times too Andre sellers pinch other peoples photos so the box you get isn't the one in the photo either