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What are Sylvanian Families / Calico Critters?
Sylvanian Families are a range of small animals which come in different sets. Epoch is the Japanese brand which created the range back in 1985. Then Flair the English and most known brand took it on also under the name Sylvanian Families.There is an American Brand called Calico Critters which are basically the same. The Calico Critters line is currently distributed in the US and Canada by International Playthings, LLC.
In Australia, Tomy used to distribute them, but now its from Modern Families. I've got Hunter Leisure on the bottom of some of the packets that I've bought recently of older stock, so they probably stopped and Modern Families took over. Don't quote me on this tho, its just speculation from the information I've been told / figured out :)
In Australia, Tomy used to distribute them, but now its from Modern Families. I've got Hunter Leisure on the bottom of some of the packets that I've bought recently of older stock, so they probably stopped and Modern Families took over. Don't quote me on this tho, its just speculation from the information I've been told / figured out :)
What scale/size are they?
From doing a little research, it seems they're closest to 1/16th - 1/18th scale. Some rement items work well with them, but others can be way oversized. Barbie food is like a big platter to them aswell. Maple Town + Forest Families + Forest Friends + Li'l Woodzeez are the same size, so if you have items from those collections, they'll work perfectly!
Where can I buy them/How much do they cost?
Here in Australia, you can buy them from a large number of places all over. Most toy shops (like Toyworld / Toys R US) will stock them. Check Sylvanian Families Australian website for a full list of stock lists in your state. The families cost around $25AUD a set (2 children + 2 parents), $9-14AUD for 2 twins, and $7AUD for a single baby with some accessories (cot, bottle & blanket usually or a cot). Depending on what House you would want, the price changes. The starter home is about $40AUD, Cedar Terrace is around $80-90AUD at the moment, where as the Beechwood Hall is closer to $110-110AUD. Then for the Grand Hotel, you're looking at $250-$300AUD. Full Bedroom/Kitchen/Bathroom/Living Room sets are $35-40AUD each.
There are also many online sites to buy them from aswell within Australia. Check the official Australia site for them aswell, and also my links section for some different places.
You can always buy them from Ebay, Gumtree (in Australia) and Facebook aswell! There's many sellers, who stock the current and older sets. You can also buy them from other collectors / people who want to sell their items to another person who'll take care of them :) Research before you randomly buy the older figures, as sometimes people can try and fool unsuspecting buyers. There's several links on my links page that can help you know how old/rare something is!
There are also many online sites to buy them from aswell within Australia. Check the official Australia site for them aswell, and also my links section for some different places.
You can always buy them from Ebay, Gumtree (in Australia) and Facebook aswell! There's many sellers, who stock the current and older sets. You can also buy them from other collectors / people who want to sell their items to another person who'll take care of them :) Research before you randomly buy the older figures, as sometimes people can try and fool unsuspecting buyers. There's several links on my links page that can help you know how old/rare something is!
