[DrunkSmurf]

Hi I have a smurfette (christmas, green dress) marked Applause, a WB subdivision. I presume that's Wallace Berry? Did he quit Bully and start his own company?

[Guest]

Been trying to find my info about this, Wallace Berry were taken over by Applause I think. They are/were American companies. When I find my info I can confirm but I'm sure this was the case. Bully is not related to Wallace Berrie. Bully was started by the son-in-law of the man who owned Schleich (in Germany), he set up in competition with Schleich, I believe the factory was in the next village or something. Apparently the son-in-law made variations, took Schleich's planned designs and copied them, and this is where some of the variations came from.

[Guest]

By the way, Wallace Berrie was brother to Russ Berrie of the soft toy empire.

[DrunkSmurf]

Bully was started by the son-in-law of the man who owned Schleich (in Germany), he set up in competition with Schleich, I believe the factory was in the next village or something. Apparently the son-in-law made variations, took Schleich's planned designs and copied them, and this is where some of the variations came from.

Did the son-in-law meet with an "accident"?
By the sounds of it, he should have.

[Guest]

Apparently Mr Schleich or whoever the boss was had bought him and the daughter a house on the Factory site as well. Families, what are they like?

[lordsmurf]

Applause did all the USA Smurfs releases in 1995. They usually had no markings on the feet, just a blank Smurf. They came in a small bubble pack and were sold in many stores, including Toys 'R Us.

[DrunkSmurf]

By the way, Wallace Berrie was brother to Russ Berrie of the soft toy empire.

Are they no longer brothers? Is W.B. no longer with us? I need the lore.

The lore! The lore!

[Guest]

Here is some info

http://www.russberrie.com/ApplauseHome.html

Must type something up about this.

The company that became Applause was founded by Wallace Berrie, brother of RUSS founder, the late Russ Berrie. At the height of its success, Applause owned the licenses for Smurfs, Raggedy Ann and Andy, and other top-selling plush toys.

[DrunkSmurf]

So Russ bought out his brother's company?

It's a pity an enterprising toy company (like Applause) won't subcontract through Schleich. A small shop could probably manufacture small run smurf releases at a profit that wouldn't be worth Schleich's time.

Hell: Karen, negotiate a sub-contractor license, put Bunno and Rachel in the basement painting, and distribute your own licensed smurf run. What's a smurf licence worth nowadays? 50,000 GBP? Selling Dyar's collection would cover half of that. I think this is rolling. I'm on the phone with Schleich. Granted, they're a German company... that means they work about fifteen minutes a day, four days a week, right (with eight months vacation)? Anybody know the window?

[Guest]

LOL I wish!!!! Selling Andrew's collection, now there's an evil thought!!!

[Syd Smurf]

.....I would sell Attom's or Rachel's collection if I was you guys...their collections are bigger, jucier & tastier than my one.

Plus my collection has a few defects.......like Syd