[toydreamer]

I'm getting sick of all the custom made smurfs on ebay. One seller... (make that about 3-4 now) in Australia is pumping out more customs then the Schleich factory is pumping out 2007 indian smurfs. These customs make me sick and i think they're crap for smurf collecting. They're worth next to nothing and though some look good, they only hope to put a nail in the already fake-flooded market of smurf collecting.

Thought i'd whack up a poll about it.

Addition: I'm referring to the smurfs where they've added a 2 cent item and that's it. Not the great work where they've repainted a smurf as spiderman or zorro.

[Bunno Smurf]

Ummm wheres the depends option??

I hate the specific ones I think you are talking about. Whack a 2c coke bottle in a damaged smurf's hand and flog it off on ebay for $30. But then again I think anyone dumb enough to bid deserves what they get. Why would you pay $30 for something you could make yourself for $5?? Seems odd to me.

I have however seen some repaints that I like. For example the spiderman one and the elvis one. I think its pretty creative and just a bit of fun. I wouldn't pay truckloads for them though.

[Rachel]

Hi guys, I totally agree with you both.

Firstly the smurfs with items added are just ridiculous and like you guys, I just cannot understand why people keep buying them for huge amounts! In a way, you can't blame the sellers as in fairness, most do state in the auction descriptions that these are indeed homemade but these sellers obviously do not care about the hobby as a whole, just about making cash. If they are indeed smurf collectors themselves, they really should be very ashamed by their actions as they are really harming the hobby as there are collectors out there in denial and will swear that these smurfs are genuine. Also, I suspect that many genuine smurfs in a good condition are being ruined by this practice.

I do however agree with Linda that repaints that are using very damaged and otherwise useless smurfs can be fun but again I don't think these should be sold on for a profit.

[Tojo]

I would go with Linda here. Blatant custom made smurfs designed to rip people off by selling them for extortionate prices I definitely don't agree with & in my opinion these conmen should be sent to outer Siberia where they should me made to sieve snow.

Custom made smurfs made for fun & then sold with the information that they are custom made I think is ok. I like the custom made smurfs members here have made & if well detailed I think they could be sold for a higher price. It's basic economics. You want a Spiderman smurf? Where else can you get one except as a custom which someone has spent hours painting. I'd pay at least €5 for one which isn't much considering that the regular Schleich ones cost over €3 new.

So to summarise:-

custom made fakes made to con people = very, very bad

custom made smurfs which have never been available from Schleich / Bully = good for us collectors

[Smurfysmurf]

custom made fakes made to con people = very, very bad

custom made smurfs which have never been available from Schleich / Bully = good for us collectors

I was never really bothered by them but lately I have grown very aggravated at them when all you see on ebay are custom made smurfs. (although it makes it easier not to go on ebay )

I do however love the ones that I got from Smurfysteve as they are very very good and detailed...just smurfs you will never get from Schleich...even though they are in the cartoons

[Pitufo]

Because I love japanese food, I couldn´t resist when I saw a smurf holding a plate full of maki-sushi...But it is the only one I have bought, and I will not buy any more

I am agree with Linda, Rachel and others have said: there are lots of funny reapinted smurfs that I love...I would like to have some of them, but I am the worst painter in 5000 km around...And it´s simply absurd tp pay huge a mount of money for a smurf with a Box of Pizza Hut, that a guy has done last evening because he was bored... ( for the sushi smurf is absurd too, but I hope you forgive me )
This is not "to collect smurfs" but "to buy smurfs"...It´s not the same a collector than a buyer...

And the fake I hate the most are those that seem to be genuine: different colours of bag-school cones, differnet colours of apples( I think there is a red apple and genuine, but I never have seen it), the super smurfs with items from others animations like AJKwak, Snoopy...

[toydreamer]

Hi All,

Not really referring to the obvious repaints where people make things like zoro, spiderman, etc. I think they're fun and kind of kooky.

Referring to the smurfs - usually waiter - where they cut off the drinking glass and put a coke bottle on.

[Guest]

I knew what you meant Andrew, its the wickedness of some homemade smurfs which are passed on as rare items, that waiter smurf is a regular for it !

Good poll !

[SMURFYLADY1779]

I loathe sellers who refurbish a smurf to make it look like a rare variation. That is why I turn to everyone here. A lot of you can pick out a fake quite easily. I remember the I love NY apple and how a member said it was probably a fake because of the scuff marks around the lettering. I learned something new that day. You are not a serious collector if you buy a smurf holding a bottle of coors light thinking you just found the rarest smurf in the world for $30.00 bucks. If you did you will probably buy a MCDonalds Smurf for $100.00. I think some of them are cute and do admit to buying a kiwi and peach pie. I bought these smurfs as gifts for my sister who does not collect smurfs but does like pie. I don't think I paid a lot for them and I bought them knowing they were a custom job. However, I agree that the Seller should disclose that they are custom made. I think a seller should be thrown into Gargamel's pot for repainting a cone and calling it a COLLECTABLE smurf.

Doreen

[attombomb7]

hi!

I think as long as they mention home made or fake, its not that bad

but personally I avoid them, as I browse for fakes. and find it annoying

if there are too many to skip over.. what peeves me most is sometimes I

open one up that I think is special smurf to find out its one of these mass

made home made fakes.

there is the odd one that is clever, or some that suit someone personally

for fun, so I can understand why people buy these.

[ChunkMasterMC]

I think that for collectors they are a joke...I would never buy one for myself...but if I had a friend who liked the smurfs from their childhood...and they were a big sushi fan...and I could get it at a decent price...I may consider it as a fun gift (Please don't judge me too harshly!!!)

Fixing up really damaged smurfs to make them feel a little more confident within themselves and giving them an important place in your collection is more of a commuity service and should definately not be sold for profit.

Repainting smurfs and NOT telling people and selling them as MINT condition is completely naughty!!!

[XoioX2000]

I agree: When someone sells them in false pretence, it's definetly wrong...

I have bought some homemade smurs for 2 reasons:
1) either because I wanted to find out how they were made to expose them
2) or because they had become notorious (like the BT paper one).
But that 's only because the seller was well known and had gone a long way to explain it was homemade (he even said how he made it on his web site)

I do like making homemades, cuting up some old ones and painting them... but I have never sold them....

Cheers,

David

[bradley]

I know exactly what you are talking about Andrew.
I think its wrong and I'm getting sick of seeing these auctions on oz ebay. It has gone too far now. Absolutely flooded ebay and I still can't understand why people are bidding and paying high amounts of money for these. I want this user banned. I don't think it's good at all. Are they breaking any ebay rules here? would schleich come down on them about this. Schleich are strict on copyright. I really think it needs to be stopped.

He doesn't write CUSTOM SMURF in his titles but does state it in the description. People must know what they are buying. I know we have spoken about this before. It's just becoming out of control now.

Brad.

[SMURFYLADY1779]

Hey Andrew,

I think I know the seller you are talking about and it is the same one Gerda is angry with (and for very good reason). You have a very nice smurf shop and I can see you put a lot of time and effort into it. As a seller, it must be very frustrating for you to just sit back and watch people buy items that they think are authentic from a shady seller while you try your hardest to sell with integrity. Hang in there.

Doreen

[Simon X]

Looking the Australian ebay I was very shocked...There are so many custom smurfs in Australia...

http://cgi.ebay.de/SMURFS-PIMPED-OUT-PA ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SMURFS-SCHLUMPF- ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SMURFS-SCHLUMPF- ... dZViewItem

It seems like about 25% of the Australian-ebay smurfs are custom-smurfs...

That's really sad...Some of them are very cute but I would never buy them...

[SA Smurfette]

I know Simon, it's ridiculous

[Gerda]

I don't mind if someone takes a already broken smurf that could use a new coat of paint and makes something out of it. But to take a perfectly good smurf and turn it into something that is not smurfy at all (smurfs with liquore, smokes ) that is just wrong. But on the other hand it might be a wise investment to hang on to the waiter smurf because at the rate they are being transformed into "rare" pieces he might be worth something someday as he would become harder to find in his original state.



gerda

[samismurf]

lol your right gerda

[Yonna]

I think it's ok to make custom smurfs just as long as people don't start selling them as real or rare variations.

[SMURFYLADY1779]

That is a really good point gerda. What are some other smurfs that are more likely to be altered? I know the Papa smurf holding the pizza and the smurf with the cake....

Doreen