Official Tintin figurines: vehicles, statuettes and collectable scenes

An official Tintin figurine is not produced by the rights holders of Hergé’s work: it is produced by partner workshops, with their consent. This distinction may seem minor, yet it explains everything else — why a single display case brings together very different houses, why the materials vary from one piece to another, and why two equally authentic objects have neither the same rarity nor the same method of manufacture.

Our Tintin section mainly features vehicles and scenes: 1/12th-scale cars, the wooden and resin pieces by Michel Aroutcheff, the statuettes from Fariboles Productions, and the collections published by Moulinsart, now known as Tintinimaginatio.

What ‘official’ means on a Tintin figurine

Tintinimaginatio
— the Belgian public limited company formerly known as Moulinsart — is responsible for the commercial exploitation of Hergé’s work: publications, statuettes, figurines, textiles and exhibitions. One point is worth noting, as it changes the way we view an entire range of products: as part of its management of Hergé’s rights, the company has not granted any licences since 1999
and develops its projects with external partners. An official item is therefore not a ‘licensed’ item: it is an object designed in collaboration with the rights holder and produced by a specific company.

In practical terms, a single shelf might hold a resin figurine from Fariboles, a wooden vehicle from Aroutcheff and a 1/12th-scale car produced by Tintinimaginatio: three different areas of expertise, three different materials, all sharing the same respect for Hergé’s artwork.

And what about the collection of 111 polyresin figurines?

This is the series best known to the general public, but it is not the one we are offering. We might as well state the facts clearly, as they are public knowledge: launched on 26 October 2011 by TF1 Entreprises and Moulinsart, sold every fortnight at newsagents or by subscription, each shipment included a polyresin figurine measuring approximately 12 cm, a booklet and a collector’s passport. Originally planned to feature 77 figures, it was extended due to its success and, after five years of production, concluded with 111 models and 9 special editions, sculpted by Nicolas Preumont.

This is a newsagent’s collection, designed to be accessible and distributed in large numbers. The pieces brought together here follow a different approach: small workshops, limited runs, and often a serial number.

The Tintin vehicles, the centrepiece of the range

1/12th-scale resin cars

This collection, published by Tintinimaginatio, recreates the cars from the comic books at a scale that allows for fine detail. The models are hand-painted and come with a certificate of authenticity, in a double-flap box. Dr Finney’s Torpedo is a fine example of the spirit of the series: the car appears in its entirety in just a single panel of *The Cigars of the Pharaoh*, and it is this very car that Tintin drives to take the Egyptologist Philémon Siclone and the writer Zlotzky to the psychiatric hospital. The red racing car, released in 2023, was produced in a run of 1,250 numbered pieces; the Dupondts’ 5 CV Trèfle completes the series.

Aroutcheff’s lacquered wood

Michel Aroutcheff, born in 1946, founded his workshop in 1986 in Haute-Savoie; Tintin enthusiasts know him for his lacquered wooden vehicles. His work is not limited to a single material: his pieces readily combine wood, resin and metal, depending on the requirements of the object. The ‘Coke en Stock’ raft gives a good idea of this — a wooden raft, resin figures, added crates and stakes, an authenticity sticker under the hull, 35 cm long. The same approach is evident in the police van, the ‘Firefighters and Hand Pump’ set, and the signed collector’s edition rocket.

Large items

Some items go beyond the display-case format. The shark submarine measures 77 cm and requires a specially designed display space — it is the pocket-sized vessel invented by Tryphon Tournesol, which enables the discovery of the treasure in *The Treasure of Red Rackham*. These are pieces designed to create atmosphere as much as they are collector's items.

Statuettes and character scenes

Fariboles Productions

A French company founded in 1993, Fariboles sculpts, moulds, paints and assembles its resin figurines in its own workshop. Its Tintin pieces, now rarer, focus on scenes rather than poses: Tintin and Philémon Siclone, the Egyptologist from *Cigars of the Pharaoh*, or the Waffle Iron, a 22.5 cm statuette created in 2005 and produced in a limited edition of 400 pieces, presented in a screen-printed exotic wood box with its certificate.

Tintin’s Imaginary Museum

This collection, produced by Moulinsart – now known as Tintinimaginatio – treats the characters as museum sculptures, made of resin and measuring approximately 25 cm. Séraphin Lampion, the unforgettable broker from Mondass Insurance, and Bianca Castafiore, the ‘Milanese nightingale’, are among them.

The metal pieces

Rarer on the shelves, they have a distinctive presence: the scene from *The Divan* and *Tintin and Snowy in America*.

How to recognise an official piece

Four concrete indicators, independent of the manufacturer:

• The certificate of authenticity: it names the publisher and, for a limited print run, bears the piece’s serial number.
• Copyright notice: authorised pieces credit Hergé and his successor in title, either on the box, on the base or on a sticker affixed to the underside of the item.
• The original packaging: presentation box, flap box, foam padding. This forms part of the item itself, not the shipping packaging.
• Consistency of the print run: a limited print run is indicated by a specific number. ‘Limited edition’ without a number is meaningless.

A useful point: not all official items are numbered. Numbering applies to limited print runs; a standard series may well be genuine without bearing a number. The absence of a number is therefore not a sign of a forgery — the absence of any mention of the publisher, however, is.

At Zédibulle

Zédibulle Éditions is a bookshop specialising in comic books that has made collectables its second speciality. Items are selected one by one, rather than bought in batches. Do you have a question about a specific item, or any doubts about something you already own? Drop us a line: this is exactly the sort of conversation we’re happy to have.

Frequently asked questions about Tintin figurines

What is an official Tintin figurine?

It is a figurine designed in collaboration with Tintinimaginatio, the Belgian company formerly known as Moulinsart, which manages the rights to Hergé’s work. One detail often comes as a surprise: Tintinimaginatio has not granted any licences since 1999 and now works with external partners. An official piece is therefore not a ‘licensed’ item purchased from just any manufacturer, but a creation produced in collaboration with the rights holder by a specific company — Fariboles Productions, Michel Aroutcheff’s workshop, and a few others.

What is the difference between the collection of 111 figurines and the collector's items?

The collection of 111 is a newsagent’s series distributed from 2011 onwards by TF1 Entreprises and Moulinsart: polyresin figurines measuring approximately 12 cm, sold fortnightly with a booklet. Studio pieces follow a different approach: larger sizes, limited runs that are often numbered, a certificate of authenticity, and the original presentation box. Both are official; they are not intended for the same purpose.

Resin, wood or metal: which to choose?

Resin best captures the line and colours of the ‘ligne claire’ style, which explains its use in most statuettes. Wood is the hallmark of Aroutcheff’s vehicles and results in more substantial pieces. Metal, which is rarer, adds weight and a different patina. No one material is better than another: they each tell a different story.

How do you check the authenticity of a Tintin figurine?

First, look for the certificate of authenticity and the name of the publisher or manufacturer, then check for the credit to Hergé and his successor in title on the box, the base or a label underneath the item. For a limited print run, check that the number appears on both the figurine and the certificate. If you have any doubts about an item you already own, a photograph of the base and the certificate is usually enough to settle the matter: please send it to us.

Should I keep the original box?

Yes, without a doubt. The box and its padding are part of the item: they protect it from knocks and light, and a complete set is always more sought-after than the item on its own. Store the box away from damp, laid flat, and keep the certificate with it rather than elsewhere.

How should I look after a resin statuette?

Dust it with a soft brush or a dry microfibre cloth, without using any household cleaning products or solvents, as these can damage the paintwork. Keep the piece away from direct sunlight and sources of heat: light causes colours to fade, whilst heat can warp the resin. A closed display cabinet significantly reduces the need for maintenance.

Sources

• tintin.com — Tintinimaginatio (official presentation of the company and its rights policy)
• tintin.com — New collection of figurines (launch announcement, October 2011)
• tintin.com — The Official Tintin Figurine Collection (overview of the collection and interview with sculptor Nicolas Preumont)
• tintin.com — Red Rackham’s Treasure (Calculus’s pocket-sized submarine)