Blue Cavern

Hi,
Used to be a member, have been a way for quite a bit, was ill and other things going on in my life, but smurfing beer saw me bidding in an auction and told me you'd moved so thought I'd come and back and say hi.

Anyone my question is about sockles (which is odd as I don't actually like them that much), what I want to know is why they are called sockles (I'm sure this is going to be really obvious!) and also I seem to remember having read somewhere in the past, here? MV? about the reason there were lots of promotional ones of them was Schleich would sell you the bunch of smurfs and minimum 500 or 200 or something for you to print up, or so they were much cheaper. But there were some for Schleich had let some company have a much smaller number of and so they were much rarer or something? Does this ring any bells with anyone?

Thanks
Helen

Hi Helen

It's nice to see you back on here and I hope everything is now ok in your life. You were a very liked member so I hope we get to see more of you from now on.

I think (and maybe some of our Germanic speaking members might be able to be answer you more accurately) that sockel means base or stand in German.....hence smurf on a sockel (base or stand). I am probably wrong but I am sure someone smarter than me will gladly inform you better than I can.

I vaguely remember the discussions we had about promos and how they were organised but I am not sure where the thread is now. Maybe Rachel will know the story but I do recall something lile companies having to pay for a certain minnimum amount of promos to be made before Schleich would agree to it.

I am sorry I can't be much help on these questions but I am confident someone here will know more.......we always seem to have someone who knows the answer or solves the puzzle.

Good to see you back

Dyar

Thanks Dyer, that's jogged my memory, I think what I was thinking of was the MV article about the Schonwald promos
http://www.mushroomvillage.com/ff002.html

In which Pete says
"Schönwald initially purchased 5,000 blank blue Smurf-a-Gram bases, and then purchased figurines as they were needed to manufacture the promos themselves. This was an unusual arrangement - Schleich usually manufactures finished promos, and requires a 5,000 piece minimum order for each promo figurine - Schönwald was offered a special deal. As a result, the Schönwald promos are available in much smaller quantities than any other promo from that period."

Anyone who's got one in the Schonwald set, 20459 Nameplate looks as though there's some writing on the sign, does anyone know what it says please?

Hi Helen

Good job on remembering that post

I have the Nameplate sockel which says:

Olympiasleger und Weltmeister im Mannschaftsskispringen

THEN LOOKS LIKE A SIGNED NAME

Lillehammer '94 / Ransau '99

which translates to (I think...help Dominique, Simon....anyone)

Olympian and world champion in the....something

Sorry.....not as much help as I would of liked to be Helen

Here's a link to my Schönwald Sockels page for anyone that doesn't know much about these yet:

http://www.geocities.com/sgtpapas/socke ... nwald.html

Dyar

Hi Helen, Welcome back !

I know nothing about sockles, sorry, but that is great info on the Schonwalds

Hi Helen, welcome back, it is lovely to hear from you again.

I always used to call the sockels smurf-a-grams or smurfs on stands but "sockels" as Dyar mentions is the German translation and this seems to have become the more popular term, probably because it is quicker to write!

As for numbers of promo sockels, to be honest I am not really sure. The Schonwald are slightly different in that Schleich provided them as blank stands and stickers were added. As for printed stands, there do seem to be some very rare examples but whether this was due to only small amounts being produced or to the way they may have been distributed by the company involved, I just don't know sorry.

Interesting topic and one that I am still learning a lot about as I have never really focused on the sockels.

You might want to check out David's new site as he is definitely one of the sockel kings.

http://www.thedragonscave.co.uk/

Thanks for that link Rachel. Wow David's collection is really impressive, and I had no idea there were schonwald promotional leaflets.

Olympiasieger und Weltmeister im Mannschaftsskispringen

Olympic champion and world champion in team ski jumping

(if team ski jumping is an English word)

Yours truly
Gert

PS - Schönwald means nice wood
Sockels means Sockels (or Sockel) though

Uhm, that dragon's cave site doesn't work for me

Hi Helen

I thought I would introduce myself as I am fairly new to the forum and would not have spoken to you before.

Sockels??? I own only two sockels, so I am not the best person to answer your questions. Sorry. I do like them though and I hope to add to my collection.

I hope you enjoy the forum this time round.

Thanks for the translation Gert

Dyar

Hi Helen

Good job on remembering that post

I have the Nameplate sockel which says:

Olympiasleger und Weltmeister im Mannschaftsskispringen

THEN LOOKS LIKE A SIGNED NAME

Lillehammer '94 / Ransau '99

which translates to (I think...help Dominique, Simon....anyone)

Olympian and world champion in the....something

Sorry.....not as much help as I would of liked to be Helen

Here's a link to my Schönwald Sockels page for anyone that doesn't know much about these yet:

http://www.geocities.com/sgtpapas/socke ... nwald.html

Dyar

This smurf features a facsimilie autography of Christoph Duffner, one well-known German ski jumper, who was in the team of Schönwald (I guess that's why a smurf was produced in honor of him).

Here is something, which might help you.
http://www.fis-ski.com/de/606/615.html? ... ype=result

http://www.fis-ski.com/de/606/615.html? ... &sector=JP

Thanks for the info Dominique....that's very helpful

Dyar

Nice info Dom, Thanks.

It was my pleasure to help you out, guys.

Hi SmurfieDuck & Ritter_Schlumpfenherz, and thanks for the info...another little puzzle solved

I have seen that auction on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Werbe-Schlumpf-Schoe ... dZViewItem

Could that be the Schönwald-sockle 2008 or is it just homemade???

The auction's text says:
"Promo smurf on stand Schönwald "Angel" Completly new.
Strictly restricted again, so probably sold out soon."

Hi Simon,
This is not a documented Schoenwald....they normally do not come out until February of each year so if this is the 2008, then they are quite early. I wouldn't go for this one since it isn't a real one though If you scroll down this page, David has all the Schoenwald's listed.

Simon, I agree with Stace on this one....I think Tojo has a contact in Schonwald and usually learns about the new sockels when they first come out.
I wouldn't bid on this one until I hear about the new release from somebody other than a seller