MushroomVillage.com - Featured Figurines: 2005 Classic Smurfs Set

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Featured Figurines:
2005 Classic Smurfs Set

In mid-November, Schleich sent its list of new for 2005 Smurfs to MushroomVillage.com! We were thrilled to learn that the new Smurfs theme was to be "Classic Smurfs!" For years, our members have reported to me (and the Smurf Collectors Club Intl before us) that they wanted to see more classic Smurfs! I have received reports from long-time Smurf fans that the "old" Smurfs were the best - just white shoes, pants and hats, and simple accessories - none of these pierced ears and belly buttons, cell phones, computers, or tattoos (except Hefty's of course!). Well, our prayers have been answered! With 2005 comes the "Classic Smurfs;" Papa, Smurfette, Grouchy, Brainy, Vanity, Jokey, Harmony and Baby Smurf! Schleich assured us that the new figurines are totally new, even though they are called "Classic Smurfs!"

Still, the first reports were followed by worries that perhaps these were simply reissues. Then again, all-new Schleich #'s had been issued. Our fears were soon put to rest when the images were released soon after! Yes, they have a familiar look, but as Schleich had told us, they were indeed all-new molds, cut by Schleich artists for this special series! The reason why they are reminiscent of some of the Smurfs we have seen in the past is because they are, afterall, "Classics," bucking the recent trend to modernize the Smurfs, and bring them back to their simple roots!

Here I show similar old figurines on the left, then the 2005 figures on the right:

The 20424 Papa Smurf Thinking has his mouth open, and is looking to the right. The 20533 Classic Papa Smurf on the right is looking straight ahead, and does not have his mouth open.

There is no glaring difference in pose between 20034 Smurfette, and 20534 classic Smurfette, but the style is newer in 20534.

On the left is 20157 Grouchy, on the right is 20535 Classic Grouchy Smurf. Again, similar pose, updated look.

20536 Classic Brainy Smurf most resembles 20094 Bookworm, but the other hand is raised, his eyes are closed and the book is gone.

20017 Mirror was never officially called Vanity, but who else would it be? 20537 Classic Vanity Smurf has the flower on his hat though, and that's as much Vanity as the mirror is! The Classic Vanity's mirror is painted with metallic gold paint!

Again, 20086 Present was never officially Jokey, but most of us presumed he was. 20538 Classic Jokey Smurf looks more like 40247 Jokey with Gift, but the box does not open.

Once more, 20047 Trumpeter and 20072 Trumpet Player were never officially "Harmony" but collectors liked to think that's who he is. 20539 Classic Harmony Smurf is sweating, and the trumpet is painted metallic gold.

There are lots of babies, but none quite like the 20540 Classic Baby Smurf - maybe 20219 Baby with Butterfly comes closest, but it's in the other hand. And of course that's no butterfly Baby has - that's his Reggae-Fest rattle!!

The Smurfs have the following markings. "Schleich S Germany" (with the second "S" in a circle) is the name of the manufacturer in Germany. The "S" in a circle is the Schleich logo. The pieces are also marked "Made in Germany." This is not to be redundant. Although Schleich is located in Germany, they frequently make use of facilities located outside Germany to manufacture Smurfs. In past years, Smurfs have been made in Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany/West Germany, Hong Kong/China, Portugal, Sri Lanka, and now back again in Germany. As Germany is part of the European Union, the Smurfs are also marked "CE" as all new-production Smurfs have been since 1990. The figurines are dated 2004, as Smurfs are dated the year the mold is carved, usually the year before they actually debut. There is also a single digit mold #, which lets engineer's know which cavity has gone bad in the injection machine, should it start spitting out defective Smurfs. Schleich has told us that this year's Smurfs were painted in their Tunisia facility. (In recent years they have been painted in China.) The figurines do not have a paint dot, and they have a "bracelet" sticker on them with "Schleich S" on one side and "CE" with barcode and Schleich # on the other side.

(Years ago, the Smurf Collectors Club Intl. reported that paint dots were a code used by Schleich to identify the Country in which the Smurfs were painted (The SCCI reported in the Summer 1988 newsletter that a green paint dot signified Tunisia, and in the Summer 1990 newsletter that the new 1990 figurines were painted with a black dot signifying Tunisia.). More recently, paint dots have been used to identify Smurfs made with different PVC formulations. Currently, Schleich has no such need to use a paint dot, so they do not have one on the new 2005 Smurfs.)

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