[Lia]

more

[Lia]

more

[André]

Thanks Lia,

are these yours or just other pictures??

Great to see items like this!!

[Lia]

No ,not mine, but I saved some Heringpics.
I just like to have as much info as possible about Hering!

Lia

[Macbee]

Hey André!
Well, Sandra already had translated it all =D

About the 1980-1982 license, I don't think so. But it's a guess because I was very young (I was born in 1979).

I started to get these Hering Smurfs around 1984 or 1985 (as well as my cousins and school classmates). Smurfs were already a craze before 1984 so I'm sure I would have noticed their existence if they were available in toy stores in the early 1980s.

Smurfs WEREN'T popular in Brazil before the Hanna-Barbera cartoon (but I don't know exactly WHEN it started to air here). My earliest record about the cartoon in Brazil is in the cover of Smurfs Comics #1 (December, 1982). It says: "From TV to comic books" (any Smurfs fan knows this sentence makes no sense but this is another story):



I have found interesting comments on this video: http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet? ... ouOpQYy4uw :
Brazilian collectors says Hering's toy department was bought by "Trol" toy company in 1986 before it's bankruptcy. Hering / Trol officially closed in the early 1990s and I remember to still see Smurfs on sale in late 1980s. My Tailor Smurf was bought in the late 80s (and I guess it's easy to believe since it's in MUCH better shape than the others).

I don't believe Hering had sold unlicensed Smurfs - specially after being bought by Trol. Because Trol was owned by Dilson Funaro, Brazil's Minister of Economy from 1985 to 1987.

I think Hering had sold Smurfs in Brazil from 1984 to 1989 (once again - it's a HUGE guess!)

[Cassiebsg]

André...

Os Smurfs = The Smurfs

[André]

Thanks Marcelo,

it is really good to have a member living in Brazil in the 80s when we are talking about this.

Why do you think they erased the marking on the smurfs??

I don´t think they did this just because it was fun, do you!! There had to be a reason for erasing the Hering and made in Brazil markings.

But there is one more thing. They did not erase the Schleich and Peyo marking? Did they Lia??

So it could be that they made these in Argentina after 1983.

So only made in Brazil 1982 and then all southamerican smurfs were made in Argentina. And Minimodels got these molds and maybe used them for a while and blocked the marking Hering and made in Brazil and only left the Schleich and Peyo???

What do you Hering and Minimodels collectors say about this? I think you have told us before that some of the Heringsmurfs looks like they have been painted by minimodels?

And minimodels continued for awhile longer right??

Lia what is the last Schleichmold made by minimodels marked minimodels and which is the last one made by minimodels unmarked? I know you told me this before but I am to lazy searhing all the old threads I have started!!

[André]

But Marcelo if you seen them in stores in Brazil in late 1980 or around 1990. We have to open our minds again and start thinking from the beginning!!!

[André]

And Marcelo,

I don´t expect you to remember anything before 1985 if you were born 1979. Not many people remember things before 5 years old. Usually memories from before this age is things others have told us and we sometimes think are memories. I only have vaugue memories from my early childhood. I remember we made big landscaping scenerys with smurfs and animals and parents and friends had to pay to get inside the room and look. Like on a zoo!!

But I think you are the man to search internet regarding Hering history for us since most of the information probably are on Brazilian sites and in portugese?? So I hope there are more information to find regarding Hering history. See what you can find for us??

[Lia]

Thanks Marcelo,

it is really good to have a member living in Brazil in the 80s when we are talking about this.

Why do you think they erased the marking on the smurfs??

I don´t think they did this just because it was fun, do you!! There had to be a reason for erasing the Hering and made in Brazil markings.

But there is one more thing. They did not erase the Schleich and Peyo marking? Did they Lia??

So it could be that they made these in Argentina after 1983.

So only made in Brazil 1982 and then all southamerican smurfs were made in Argentina. And Minimodels got these molds and maybe used them for a while and blocked the marking Hering and made in Brazil and only left the Schleich and Peyo???

What do you Hering and Minimodels collectors say about this? I think you have told us before that some of the Heringsmurfs looks like they have been painted by minimodels?

And minimodels continued for awhile longer right??

Lia what is the last Schleichmold made by minimodels marked minimodels and which is the last one made by minimodels unmarked? I know you told me this before but I am to lazy searhing all the old threads I have started!!

André,

First of all, there are (as far as I know) only 4 smurfs that are both Hering and Minimodels, so I don`t think, Minimodels got the molds from Hering and went on with producing.
These 4 smurfs are: 20042 Cook, 20058 Champion, 20062 telephone and 20122 Cowboy ( the papa and grouchy only exists as Argentina fakes and are very different)
The telephone has ( very rarely) appeared in Argentina and painted as Minimodels, but it is an exception!

The last marked Minimodels (1982) are the capatain and the nurse and the gargamel with glasses.
the last smurfs unmarked are from 1985, aerobic smurfette, babies with icecream and the other babies. And Johann and Pewitt, also unmarked, but in different colors then Schleich.

[Lia]

Erased: Yes, they only erased the words Heing, made in brazil, but they left the words peyo and schleich.

Here an example of the beatsmurf

[Lia]

and...very difficult to see, the flute marking.
From the erased Hering word, only the "H" can be seen, but too difficult to photograph it, I tried...

[Cassiebsg]

Not many people remember things before 5 years old. Usually memories from before this age is things others have told us and we sometimes think are memories.

Oh, I have one very clear memory of when I was 3 and me and my parents went to see our new apartment that was still being built. And I have some clear memories of living in out first apartment (which we moved out when I was 3).

Think the age of things we don't have memory of is actually 3 and not 5.

[André]

Not many people remember things before 5 years old. Usually memories from before this age is things others have told us and we sometimes think are memories.

Oh, I have one very clear memory of when I was 3 and me and my parents went to see our new apartment that was still being built. And I have some clear memories of living in out first apartment (which we moved out when I was 3).

Think the age of things we don't have memory of is actually 3 and not 5.

You have a very good memory Sandra!!

I will ask my daughters today and ask them which Schleichanimals was possible to buy in the stores in Sweden when they were 3. It was only 7 years ago so they should remember that, right??

Anyway, not many people remember what was sold in the stores 30 years from now when they were 3 years old?? So it is not a bad thing checking the internet anyway. ??

[Lia]

just another picture from Hering toys with address info,perhaps it`s nice to see?

[André]

Thanks Lia,

all information is good.

I have a question for you regarding the minimodels.

As you know I only have one ( I can´t remember where I got it from?? Thanks Lia!!) Does these always have this type of strange Peyo style ? Schleich Europe never used this and therefore I was thinking the Heringsmurfs could actually have any type of peyomarking??

But there is another thing.

Schleich Europe confirmed to the SCCI that Minimodels in Argentina had the license to make smurfs in the end of 70s or beginning of 80s.

This goes very well with the smurfs made these years.

So for me it must have been the same with the Hering. These were the years when Schleich started spreading the smurfs to other countries outside Europe.

Angry is the last Hering mold. This mold was made 1982.

Why would Schleich not send any new molds to Brazil if Hering like Marcelo says made these all the way to the end of the 80s???? Extremely strange??? I don´t understand that. Maybe Marcelo can find out this for us.

I also remember buying smurfs in the stores in Sweden when I was young ( about 10 years old) and I especially remember the both different tennisplayers. We really like that they were different and we could have one on each side of the net. When I checked my old collection we didin´t get any of the smurfs between 20050 and 20067. And no higher than 20105. So me and my brother must have stopped collecting in 1978/79.

[Lia]

All marked Minimodels have the same peyo marking André!

I`ve often wondered why there were only 23 Herings and far more minimodels
Perhaps Schleich noticed that the Herings were far less quality then the Minimodels, who are a lot better painted andthat Schleich stoppedwith the license after 23 smurfs.
Another strange thing about Minimodels is, that they use the same molds, except for the special toothbrush.
And of course, the colors can be totally different, which is quite nice, especially for the babies.

Lia

[André]

Maybe it could have been something like this Lia,

When Bully had the license in Germany, Schleich started selling the smurfs outside Europe instead. And also wanted places to produce smurfs in different parts of the world for this distribution.

So for Europe they started the Portugese factory ouside EC. Both Spain and Portugal was outside EC at this time.

So it could have been similair between CNTs from spain and MB in Portugal, as with Hering and Minimodels.

They tested 2 countries and factories but after 1 year decided to only give one of them the license to continue making Schleichsmurfs.

This is just a guess though??

What do you mean when you say that it was strange that minimodels used the same molds?? Same molds as compared to what??

And as we know Schleich are very strict about how the smurfs are painted so would you say that only the unmarked minimodels have more drastic difference in colours??

[Smurfysmurf]

Maybe it could have been something like this Lia,

When Bully had the license in Germany, Schleich started selling the smurfs outside Europe instead. And also wanted places to produce smurfs in different parts of the world for this distribution.

So for Europe they started the Portugese factory ouside EC. Both Spain and Portugal was outside EC at this time.

So it could have been similair between CNTs from spain and MB in Portugal, as with Hering and Minimodels.

They tested 2 countries and factories but after 1 year decided to only give one of them the license to continue making Schleichsmurfs.

This is just a guess though??

What do you mean when you say that it was strange that minimodels used the same molds?? Same molds as compared to what??

And as we know Schleich are very strict about how the smurfs are painted so would you say that only the unmarked minimodels have more drastic difference in colours??

One of the big difference between CNTs and the South American smurfs is, that Schleich actually allowed SA to put the Schleich brand name on their smurfs, which is why I am still absolutely convinced that CNTs were never licensed by Schleich. Allowing for them to be sold in the open market, does not mean they were licensed by Schleich.

The interesting thing however is, that quality wise CNTs are much much better than either the Minimodels or the Herings. I even go so far as to say, if I didn't know better and just had to guess based on the quality of the smurfs (both the PVC and the paint jobs), I would say the CNTs are licensed, but not the Minimodel or Herings.

Of course, the opposite is the case based on the markings.
My personal view is/was (I don't have anything to go by other than a bit of knowledge of Schleich and German firms) that Schleich revoked the licence for the Herings when they saw the poor quality of them which would explain why only so few of them were made. The Minimodels are better than the Herings so Schleich either let the license run out without renewing it, or waited before revoking it.

Again, I have nothing to go by, it's just my personal opinion.

As to the timing of those South American smurfs...no idea...Marcelo's timing makes sense, I know most Americans didn't know about the smurfs before the cartoons (big difference to Europe who fell in love with the comic books) so I can see that the Herings were made after the introduction of the cartoon series which started in 1981 (I think) in the US. As to when it was introduced to Brazil..again ...more than likely a year or so afterwards, so we could put the timing of the Brazil Herings around 1983/4? (Give or take one year after the cartoon series started to be shown). I am pretty sure they weren't produced for many years, or we would have more of them (doesn't mean they weren't available in the stores for many years though if they didn't sell that well)

[Lia]

@ Maureen
I agree! CNT`s are so well made!!! Really well made!
I can`t understand that they never got a license

@ André
Let me try to explain what I meant, by showing some Minimodels, compared to the genuine.
Many marked minimodels look the same as the genuine smurfs from Schleich, except the toothbrush. ( see cake)
But the unmarked Minimodels have more colordifferences, see the baby and Pewitt.
The Minimodels toothbrush has always this strange yellow part on the toothpaste