[Clockwork]

Hello everyone! I am new here so let me introduce myself. My name is Bob and I live in Western North Carolina. I have had on and off collecting spurts with Smurfs for a few years now. This would just be me seeing something that reminded me of one I had in my youth and picking it up. I am an avid toy collector and the last thing I needed was another line to chase after. Well, things don't always work out and I found myself picking up more and more of these little blue guys enough to say that I actively collect now. I mostly still pick up just the ones that appeal to me, but give me a year and I'll be a variation hunter on top of it all.

My username is taken from one of my five favorite Smurfs. These are the "not wallet safe" ones where I will want anything that has them on it. They are Naughty, Clockwork, Jokey, Grouchy and the Angry/Black Smurf. Naughty still makes me laugh as do Jokey and Grouchy on the cartoon (June Foray cracks me up!). Clockwork was one I really liked when I was younger since he was robot-ish and cute (I have a thing for microcosms and automatons...go figure). I was in Brussels one Christmas '88 or '89 (I think)and found him in a shop not far from Manneken Pis. It was a fun find and instantly one of my favorites. My mother is Belgian and I remember getting some Smurfs at some point during the seventies from my grandmother before they came here and not knowing what the heck these things were.

It looks like I am back now picking out the ones I couldn't afford when I was younger and just reliving the magic these little figures brought to me for so many years. Thanks for having me here and I have a million questions. I'll be sure to read a lot before asking though.

[Smurfysmurf]

to the forum...I really enjoyed reading your story and would love to see pictures of your collection

[bwalters]

Clockwork. Hope you enjoy the forums. Just ask away. We will do our best to answer any question you have.

[André]

Welcome to the forum!!

I hope you will enjoy it here!!

[Tintin]

Hi Bob

Welcome to this great forum !!
I am sure you will love it

Tintin

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

Bob and enjoy yourself on the smurfiest place on the net.

[Clockwork]

Thank you all for such a warm welcome!

Ask questions? You may be in trouble there. I do have three that have bugged me for a while and I haven't found the answer yet. I'm sure it is somewhere on these boards, but the search has not found anything yet for me.

1. Why are some of the Jakks/Play Along Smurf figures different shades of blue? Was it a running change? I would like to keep them basically the same color, so I was wondering if there were some figures only in one shade or if they all have this coloring issue.

2. Are the small fly figures from the black/purple Smurfs story from a board game? I have seen them on eBay in various colors and they look like game pieces. I am curious about their origin.

3. I am still looking for the 50th anniversary label champagne bottle. Is this still available in the "Champagne Party" sets or was that a limited time only offering. I still see this pack in online stores, but am not sure if it will have that label or not.

Thanks!

[Smurfysmurf]

I haven't noticed this about Jakks Pacific smurf but I keep mine in the packages...are they all from the same round or different ones? I think there is a difference in the ones that you could buy at Target for $1.00 and the more expensive sets, but haven't heard of other differences.

If they were released at different times, they probably used different paint

I think the flies belong to a game, but I am not sure

I think you mean the special release champagner smurf which was released only in a very limited number for the 50th anniversary....I am sure you can find it on ebay but so far it has been to expensive for me.

Here is a thread in which Lia shows the different promos that were released for it

http://www.forum.bluecavern.com/viewtop ... ght=bottle

Is the one you mean the one next to the Schonwald sockel on the second picture?

[Clockwork]

Thanks Maureen,

I will have to take a picture of the ones I have. I picked up some from both here and aboard and both have a lighter or darker coloring. I have yet to figure out why there are two distinct variations of blue. I see some differences in the packaging (mostly being warnings), but they still are under the Jakks Pacific branding. Perhaps a change between releases or one color was more off model and changed during production? I'll snap some examples tomorrow.

The 50th anniversary bottle is the single figure with the "50" logo label. (http://bluebuddies.com/help/jpg/Special ... Bottle.jpg) Is he still to be found or is that pretty much vanished by now?

[Smurfysmurf]

I am sure you can still find the 50th anniversary promo one if you check on ebay (especially Belgium ebay) or online stores, but it was always the hardest one to find (at least I think so ) and will be pretty expensive

It was only released in a limited number..not sure how many were released though

[Clockwork]

I was not sure where to put these, so feel free to stick them in a more appropriate place if need be. The photos do not show the change in blue as well as I had hoped. The Smurfette hands shot shows it a little better.

Darker blue Tracker and Wild from US next to a Canadian (??) Greedy and Smurf.



Darker blue Clockwork and Handy from Italy. Same light Greedy and Smurf as above.


Here are loose ones that came from lots. I am unsure of the origin since they had no packaging. The darker Jokey and Smurfette also have white paint apps in the eyes. The "arms open" one is just the blue with no difference in eyes.





I looked at the dates for any clues and so far the 2009 dated ones (on the packaging) are darker than the 2010 ones. Nothing to show if it mattered for country though, so maybe a color change from the initial release? It's not uncommon for this to happen in toys where they make a running change to the production.

Thanks for the info on the bottle, Maureen. It's no biggie to find one at the moment. I happen to like the anniversary figurines and think that one is very cute.

[smurfer]

Great Smurfs Bob Welcome here

[stampysmurf]

Welcome to the Forum Clockwork!!

[Clockwork]

Thanks, everyone!

I just got a Smurfette and Poet two pack under the Play Along brand that are the darker blue. I have no idea why I'm obsessing over this color change. Time for my tin foil hat

[Benny]

Welcome to Bluecavern Bob!