I was checking the SCCI letters regarding Irwin for years, releases etc., because I recently got the large 8-pack of smurfs on cards.
It seems it was something like this:
In 11th of december 1995 Irwin started selling smurfs. At that time the smurfs television program aired at the cartoon network in the U.S. and was planned to started being aired in Canada in the spring 1996. Later this was changed and they started in fall 1996 instead.
Already in october 1996 Irwin stopped handling smurfproducts in the US and Canada because of bad sales. After the 2 first lines, posables and die casts, bad results, very few stores carried the rest of the new smurf products. So it seems not many stores sold the Schleichsmurfs??
All items sold by them was made in China, but SCCI thought some could have been leftovers because some smurfs were still marked Applause.
Irwin did not use the Schleicharticlenumbers. They had their own numbers.
13010: poseable smurf figures with accessories. Copyright Toy Island. Available feb 1996 on cards/try-me packaging. 5 different ones.
13020: Toy Island mfg in Die Cast Accessories. 4 different Vehicles. Available in window box feb 1996.
13030: Dipping diner and greedy smurf/ Picnicwish and Sassette smurf. Smurf-fun-time-activity sets. Windowbox feb 1996.
13040: Smurf carnival playsets with figurine. 2 different ones, Saturnride and Daisywheel. Available in Apr 1996 in closed box.
13045: Tree go around playset. July 1996
13051: Cameraviewer
13052: Phone
13053: Electronic smurf´n talk
13055, 13090 and 13095 plushes
13054 smurfbaby.
Schleichsmurfs:
20825: Normals on blistercards. More than the 20 figurines shown on the back of the cards are possible. But all are marked made in China and were sold during these years. Both french and US cards possible. Feb 1996. Sold in Blisterpacks or loose in counter-top boxes?? Loose smurfs sold with tags.
20824: 8-pack of the normalsmurfs on blistercards. Maybe 20826 also were used for this item. Both are mentioned on the wrapping.
20827: Keychains on cards. I don´t have any of those cards but I have only seen the US-cards and not any with french on them??
40300: supersmurfs on blistercards. 6 possible I think. Both french and US cards possible. May 1996.
41015: Schleich cottages with smurf. 3 different ones possible. Windowbox available June 1996. The articlenumbers 41011, 41013 and 41014 was first going to be used, but I don´t think they ever used those numbers.
I actually think these sold so bad that some ended up in Europe and was added CE-stickers??
I also think Party Pigs sold these later with stickers, or that could have been the later cards?? Have I missed anything?