CAC 3D – Hergé & Co 2

The Essential Guide for collectibles 2° edition

Calling all Tintin-lovers! With this album, you can own every collectible figurine from the universe of Hergé in one go. For this fourth edition of the argus CAC3D dedicated to the work of Tintin’s creator, Christian Mallet has added the latest productions released from different manufacturers over the past three years. To reflect on such a rich universe, the preface needed to be penned by a deep and profound observer of all things Tintin.

This time, the choice fell on someone who has studied the entire bibliography of the master (« Should we burn Tintin? »), someone who knows Snowy as if he owned him (« Human Snowy, too human »), someone who himself put the characters (or their avatars) in a thrilling story (“Murders at Moulinserre”) and someone who interviewed the greatest specialists on the future of the character (« Tomorrow Tintin? ») : That someone is Renaud Nattiez.

This scholar quickly makes a confession to readers. He announces at the start that he is not himself a collector, but that he has always been intrigued by this strange species. With that one sentence, the thrust of his preface emerges. « I am not a collector. » He thereby declares that this book is not reserved only for collectors. The high-quality merchandise, sculptures and objects help bring the world of Tintin to life, maintain our devotion and extend our child-like fascination. Renaud Nattiez distinguishes two types of collectors: those who collect without knowing it, like him – readers essentially, young or old; and those who embrace collecting, though not necessarily specialists in the work, whose passion is imbued with an intellectual and playful nature. The two types meet, and rub shoulders. The author recalls that the adventures of Tintin are themselves dotted with collectors. Hergé was a collector of art, just as much as he delighted to see objects of art being made – here a sceptre by Ottokar, there a lucky charm by Arumbaya. The merchandise is part and parcel of the success. Nattiez asks a key question: does merchandise have the power to bring new readers to the world of Tintin?

                Rather than dwell on our own arguments in that debate, let’s enjoy the moment with this CAC3D. As already noted, there are two ways to understand the argus. The collector will look for estimates from his collection, in order to better resell pieces or buy new ones. The amateur will simply lose him or herself in the visuals, as each and every piece is photographed. 

In my last column about the previous edition, I presented some of the most remarkable objects from the book. Let’s have a look at some new products that emerged since that edition. In a model released in April 2024, Tintin drives the Blue Torpedo of Doctor Finney, in a scene from Cigars of the Pharaoh. Produced by Tintinimaginatio, this polychrome model in resin and metal was printed in 1,250 copies and costs €1,295. The same company released in June 2023 a resin statuette of the Maharajah and his son, adapted from the poster for the exhibition ‘Tintin’s Imaginary Museum’; it measures 29 cm in resin, costs €315, and was sculpted by the Moulinsart workshop. On the cheaper side, at only €110, you can buy yourself Tintin riding a motorcycle in front of Snowy and the sprawling Thompsons, a scene from King Ottokar’s Sceptre, in resin and polychrome metal at 1/24 scale.

                As if on a silver platter, Christian Mallet offers up all these products stemming from a universe, the universe of Hergé, that invites us to reread Tintin over and over again. We know that, on each rereading, we will always find something new.

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Collection : CAC 3D – The Essential Guide for collectibles 2° edition

Volume : Hergé & Co

Kind of Book : Argus

Author : Christian Mallet

Editor : Côte-à-cas éditions

ISBN : 9782491066451

Numbre of pages : 232

Price : 49 €

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