Debate: Papo vs. Schleich

Papo or Schleich?
Which one is your brand of choice? I have recently been considering to concentrate my collection on only one brand - but found it extremely hard to do. In my opinion, Schleich has the "Class"; Papo has an artistic realism. Both brands have strengths and weaknesses - they complete each other when collected together by us, collectors; satisfy the different demands of our imagination...

What do you think? Who would you choose as the ultimate brand?

For me, I don't like the thought of collecting solely Schleich or solely Papo, collecting a mixture makes it more exciting and interesting.

My brand of choice is Schleich, for simple reason - Papo is unavailable in my country and buying abroad is too expensive for me at the moment.
Furthermore, I have seen many photos of Papo models, they are great but they don't appeal to me as much as Schleich

EDIT: But I don't limit my collection to Schleich only

What you really want to do Gab, complete a brand? Make a diorama of a specific fauna, have all animals in scale? buy the best of each species? Complete some series?
Tell me exactily want you want and I give you my opinion.

Hi Gabriel,

Since I start collecting Animal Replica I only collect Schleich but lately I start collecting other brands even Made in China without brand. What I look when collecting animal replicas is to find the ones that really looks like the originals and I found this in Schleich and Safari (ones I have right now) and also on Papo that I will get my first one hopefully soon.

Also in may I will start buying some MOJO as they really look great and will complement my collection.

As Harriet mentioned, collecting all the brands let you choose the ones that you like most and have the best representatives for all the animals that you can get.

Alejandro

Roger wrote:

What you really want to do Gab, complete a brand? Make a diorama of a specific fauna, have all animals in scale? buy the best of each species? Complete some series?
Tell me exactily want you want and I give you my opinion.

Good question(s), Roger my friend. And my answer to you would be: I want some of each. Hence I believe the best thing to do is to keep collecting them both - for they complete each other perfectly.

Gabe wrote:

Roger wrote:

What you really want to do Gab, complete a brand? Make a diorama of a specific fauna, have all animals in scale? buy the best of each species? Complete some series?
Tell me exactily want you want and I give you my opinion.

Good question(s), Roger my friend. And my answer to you would be: I want some of each. Hence I believe the best thing to do is to keep collecting them both - for they complete each other perfectly.

So I have another question! OK, I agree, Papo and Schleich are very nice brands, but, for example, if you want a swan and you agree that the Collecta is the best why you have to buy the Papo or Schleich ionly because of the brand? Or, for example, my favourite hyena is the Mojo, why you have to select only from these 2 brands? Or if you want one of the many species only available in Safari range why you have to wait all your live for a Schleich or Papo without knowing if they will make it? :)

HKHollinstone wrote:

For me, I don't like the thought of collecting solely Schleich or solely Papo, collecting a mixture makes it more exciting and interesting.

...I agree! I think we must collect ANIMAL NATURAL REPLICAS (MODELS) and not brands! What is animals figurines for us? It,s only statuettes on shelves (as tableware, trinkets, knick-knacks and other things)? No! First of all we altogether LOVE the ANIMALS! So we are collectors of animal models. What is brand? It,s only way to collect best or all models of world animals! Is it right, Gabe?


PS BTW I love more Papo than Schleich... Well, what of that??

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I agree with your way of thinking, Roger. I'm adding to my wishlist those models, which I really like, regardless of their brand. However, I also think if it's available for me. At the moment I buy only those which are available in my country. When I'll finally complete my studies and get a job, I'll start buying online other brands

Roger: My answer this time will be: Don't want to have a massive collection in a short time. If I concentrate it will grow slowly...

Sergey: Wise philosophy!

[quote="Gabe"]Roger: My answer this time will be: Don't want to have a massive collection in a short time. If I concentrate it will grow slowly...


OK Gab, so tell me what of these collections is more massive, my 100 figures from 10 different brands or the 350 Schleich from a member of this forum?
My suggestion is, buy what pleases you without thinking in brands! 10 figures of 10 different brands are the same amount than 10 figures from the same brand, if you want diversisty, you could considere two different figures from the same species has uninteresting, so you can keep the one you like more and trade the other as or example, I loved more the Papo gorilla than the CollectA and bought the Papo and traded the CollectA that was already in my collection, of course I don't do it with every species, I have 5 hyenas from different brands and I don't want to trad any!...and 11 red foxes and some lions! But most part are one representing each species. Another strategy is to collect some families, for example, deers are very interesting in complete families because male, female and cubs are very different. You only should know what you want to collect! If you are able to do it it will be perfect... I was not able yet! ...but I'm enjoying a lot!
If the world only had Papo and Schleich I surely would collect both!
Schleich is a pleasure as collectibles, a very long history, many figures, rare figures and with a growing value, this is all a real collector love!
Papo has a short history, much smaller range and only some figures hard to find, but the more realistic works are from Papo, this is what a lover of animals figures loves even if he has not a collector spirit or many money!:)

I'm glad I've opened this thread - learned a valuable lesson. Thank you all, especially you, Roger.

Good night.

Good night to you too Gab! Glad to be helpful!:)

I think you migh see which of those brands produce the best animals that you´re looking for. I don´t know about other animals, but horses are far better by Schleich. Papo horses have poor detailed sculpting and painting, and the anatomy is not quite good. But Schleich are good figurines when talking about horses: great anatomy, great detailing and great painting.

But I´m sure Papo has some good animals, if not it wouldn´t be so popular. So my advice is that you have to see which brand produces better wolves, or elephants, or gazelles, or etc; and the choose.

Oh, I want to add that I not only have Schleich horses. I also buy Safari if I really like the horse, and even if I don´t like Papo I have some old horses by this brand. So I collect all the Schleich horses and I complete my collection with the models I like best from other brands.

I say this as an example of how you can collect :)

SyLoBe wrote:

I think you migh see which of those brands produce the best animals that you´re looking for. I don´t know about other animals, but horses are far better by Schleich. Papo horses have poor detailed sculpting and painting, and the anatomy is not quite good. But Schleich are good figurines when talking about horses: great anatomy, great detailing and great painting.

But I´m sure Papo has some good animals, if not it wouldn´t be so popular. So my advice is that you have to see which brand produces better wolves, or elephants, or gazelles, or etc; and the choose.

...I,m agree:
Horses are better by Schleich
Big wild cats .... by Papo
Dogs .... by Schleich
Elephants .... by Papo
Birds ... by Safari and Collecta
Hippos.... by Papo...........................and....and.....etc.......

Well, what of that?

I agree with you about farm animals, usually horses and dogs have their own series but are farm animals, and in this point Schleich is really interesting! But Gab only collects Wild life and my comments are thinking in it! ...and for example, Safari is probabily the best in prehistoric figures but Bullyland have in my opinion the most interesting range!! But for dino lovers Procon have almost everything, why only think in one range, I do my own range, where can I find a baluchitherium, only in CollectA, and a deinotherium, only in Bullyland (me, nowhere) and a smilodon??? In all brands, so I choose my favourite without thinking in brands!:)

Thanks again dear friends! Your comments helped me a lot!

So... If I have to choose between Papo and Schleich

Maybe I will choose LINEOL

The great thing in a collector life is you can collect what your wallet allow you to do... And this is already a cruel rule !

I think the right answer now is to look at Harriet's new cabinet : isn't it nice ?

Great tread, Gabe.

I have collected Schleich for perhaps 10 years, for the only reason that they were the only ones I knew about
(And Reisler, of course, but that is another story as I started 53 years ago)

But with this forum the great world of model figueres has opened. Papo is fabulous !

So are many, many others, - your string is good, because at some time it is neccesary to stop and think, - what am I really collecting?
Or else move to a larger house

PAPO, for sure! I think they are more realistic, and more artistic! They have a more refined look! I have said this all before! I just wish they would stick to a scale(using their big cats, making other animals comparable to their scale, since all the Papo big cats, for the most part look fine together).
I also like some of Safari LTD's figures, which I also collect! To me, Schleich, is more for kids, just not as realistic looking. Their figures have a bulkier look.
I think their 2 best wild animal figures are their male orang and their grazing zebra(which I have, because I thought they look good)!

baltimore zoo wrote:

.....

To me, Schleich, is more for kids, just not as realistic looking. Their figures have a bulkier look.

This reminds me of the good old discussion : Is Picasso rubbish ? That lady has got an eye in her forehead


To me it is a question of a figuere having charm, -having found some of the spirit of the animal, not neccesarily to be exactly a miniature-copy of the animal.
I love the old Schleich much more than the new ones, - the new horses ...hmmm, I buy them but never ever put them on a shelf.

I just adore most of the old Bullys, they are so naive.

The Papo-figueres are fabulous, but not only because they rook "real", - many of them are really small sculptures. Take the black African bull. Or the polar bear. Or the mandrill (THE, Mandrill ) and others.

How wonderful we have different opinions

What a interesting topic? Initially I tried to concentrate only Schleich & Papo and end up collect almost any brands. For now as long it appeal to me and up to my liking I will buy it. Nowadays become more picky and selective.

Currently My choice:
1. Schleich
2. Papo
3. Safari Ltd
4. Collecta
5. Bullyland
6. Mojofun - up coming

I buy whatever I like the most!!!!! It would be too hard to stick to just one brand! Schleich, Papo and Safari are easy for me to get locally, the rest take alot more effort.

My other real problem(besides keeping them all on one scale) is that there IS SO MUCH COPYCATTING!
It's fine for each company to make the same animal, but make it in a TOTALLY different position! They're so transparent in their approach!

baltimore zoo wrote:

My other real problem(besides keeping them all on one scale) is that there IS SO MUCH COPYCATTING!
It's fine for each company to make the same animal, but make it in a TOTALLY different position! They're so transparent in their approach!

Hear, hear !