Calico Critters/Sylvanian families

[phoebemiller]

Hi everyone!

This year I want to start a Calico Critters collection. If any of you have any pieces or sets you're interested in selling, please let me know! Any of you collectors? Any tips on buying? Is there a good forum for them?

Let me know!

Thank you!

[Waylah]

Hello! I collect sylvanian families/calico critters!

They're wonderful, high-quality toys.
I collect new ones; there are just a couple out-of-production sets I'm looking for.
I know there is quite a collecting community, with some who collect only the vintage ones.
Sylvanian families/calico critters have gone through a few phases, with different parent companies epoch and Tommy, but unlike Kenner vs Hasbro Littlest Pet Shops, all sylvanian/calico critters are very much in keeping with the same style as each other. There are some differences in the phases, flat hands vs hands with a thumb so you can make them hold things being a main one, but they're all basically very similar. They started in Japan and there are lots of reeeeaaly nice sets you can get from Japan. There are also sets that are identical between the Japan and English ones, just different packaging. I've found that buying on ebay from Japan is often cheaper than buying local!

There's a very lively active forum here:
http://sylvanianfamiliesforum.co.za/phpbb/

and buy/sell facebook group here: ooooh wait that's Australa/New Zealand only. I'm sure there's a U.S. one somewhere.

Are you interested in buying pre-loved or new?
I chose new, because I like opening pretty boxes and new condition.
If you go the pre-loved route, there are pros and cons. If you're a completest like me, it'll drive you insane trying to get all the original little pieces. If you're not, then you'll find an abundance of lovely pre-loved toys inexpensively. If you go vintage, then that's a whole other world. I'm pretty sure there are rare vintage sylvanians to compete with the likes of Ruby!

There's also a very active community of people who make handmade items of clothing for sylvanians, some are amazing. People aslo take great pride and joy in decorating the houses, walpapering and making carpets and curtains and so on. So if you like unique and crafty, there's plenty to enjoy.

Sylvanians are all vegetarian or pescatarian too, so I like that

[phoebemiller]

Hi Waylah!

Happy to know you're a Calico Critters collector! Did you have them as a child? I only had a chocolate brown bunny family, but I loved it so much! This was a later phase in my childhood. I think I had the LPS sets first.

I didn't know they have gone through different parent companies! Glad they've kept them pretty much the same.

I've been waiting for sales, and in the meantime looking on Ebay. I have noticed a lot of items from Japan, so it makes sense that it started there. I don't usually buy from overseas because I feel that it's more risky (plus pretty much impossible to return!). Do you recommend any ebay sellers from Japan?

I think I'd like to buy just new items. Right now my focus is to get figures. Later on I'd like to get the furniture sets.

I would LOVE to buy the Wildwood Rabbit family (chocolate brown), because I think that's the one I had as a child. I also love the hedgehogs. Well,I pretty much love all of them! The only ones I'm not too sure about are the white figures. I'm afraid they'll get dirty very fast. Do you know if they're easy to clean?

Thanks!

[Waylah]

I didn't have them myself as a kid, but my sister had a mouse set. I think she had a camping set too ... Actually I think my mum may have hand made the camping set. I'm not sure but I think they may have been second hand when she got them. We were poor when I was little (not that I noticed at all!) and would never have been able to afford a Sylvanian collection.

I buy from overseas all the time and have never had a problem. Well, nearly never. Once I bought a LPS jigsaw puzzle from the U.S. that never arrived, but I got a refund. Very occasionally small cheap items from china don't arrive but I always get a full refund. This is from years and years buying from overseas. Never had a problem buying from Japan. I got most of my LPS Japanese collection from Japan; I bought them off yahoo japan using this service which is basically this one guy in Japan who buys them for you then repackages them (really nicely!) and sends them on to you. Super awesome service, highly recommend, ask me for details if you ever find something special on yahoo japan auctions. But anyways, on ebay, it's easy and no fuss and they always arrive. I've bought a whole bunch of sylvanians from japan and they arrived safe, no drama. I can let you know the sellers I've used, but I assume they'd all be fine.

I have some white figures and they haven't gotten dirty, but they're not being played with by little kids! (yet!)
I don't think they're easy to clean at all, but I haven't had to try. Their flocking can collect dust and I'm not sure the best way to remove it. I remember reading on a forum someone attempting a washing-machine clean for a fairly grotty figure ... it didn't turn out too well. If you're planning on these toys being played with, presuming they don't go for a romp outside in mud puddles, I'd go in expecting just a little scuffing, but from what I've seen of pre-loved ones, they hold up generally well. They won't lose their eyes like overly-well-loved LPS.

[phoebemiller]

Thanks for the tips Waylah! I joined http://www.sylvanianfamiliesforum.co.za/ and I'm "PhoebeMiller" there too!

I didn't have them myself as a kid, but my sister had a mouse set. I think she had a camping set too ... Actually I think my mum may have hand made the camping set. I'm not sure but I think they may have been second hand when she got them. We were poor when I was little (not that I noticed at all!) and would never have been able to afford a Sylvanian collection.

I buy from overseas all the time and have never had a problem. Well, nearly never. Once I bought a LPS jigsaw puzzle from the U.S. that never arrived, but I got a refund. Very occasionally small cheap items from china don't arrive but I always get a full refund. This is from years and years buying from overseas. Never had a problem buying from Japan. I got most of my LPS Japanese collection from Japan; I bought them off yahoo japan using this service which is basically this one guy in Japan who buys them for you then repackages them (really nicely!) and sends them on to you. Super awesome service, highly recommend, ask me for details if you ever find something special on yahoo japan auctions. But anyways, on ebay, it's easy and no fuss and they always arrive. I've bought a whole bunch of sylvanians from japan and they arrived safe, no drama. I can let you know the sellers I've used, but I assume they'd all be fine.

I have some white figures and they haven't gotten dirty, but they're not being played with by little kids! (yet!)
I don't think they're easy to clean at all, but I haven't had to try. Their flocking can collect dust and I'm not sure the best way to remove it. I remember reading on a forum someone attempting a washing-machine clean for a fairly grotty figure ... it didn't turn out too well. If you're planning on these toys being played with, presuming they don't go for a romp outside in mud puddles, I'd go in expecting just a little scuffing, but from what I've seen of pre-loved ones, they hold up generally well. They won't lose their eyes like overly-well-loved LPS.