Tintin 1/24 Model Car 29932 – La Voiture de la Castafiore – Le Sceptre d’Ottokar

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Manufacturer: Editions Moulinsart / Tintinimaginatio
Format: 1/24 scale model car on display plinth with illustrated diorama and clear acetate case
Condition: Brand new and unopened. The model, display case and explanatory booklet remain in their original presentation packaging.

Description

From the official Les Voitures de Tintin collection, this substantial 1/24 scale model of La Voiture de la Castafiore, reference 29932, recreates the blue saloon associated with Bianca Castafiore in Hergé’s Le Sceptre d’Ottokar (King Ottokar’s Sceptre).

The model depicts the large inter-war car travelling through the Syldavian landscape, its occupants represented inside and the body finished in a particularly attractive blue with contrasting black wings.

Produced by Editions Moulinsart as number 32 in the complete 71-model 1/24 Tintin vehicle collection, the model is closely associated with Bianca Castafiore’s first appearance in The Adventures of Tintin.

Castafiore encounters Tintin during his journey through Syldavia. Already established as a celebrated operatic soprano, she is presented with the theatrical confidence, formidable singing voice and generous personality which would make her one of Hergé’s most memorable recurring characters.

The substantial motor car suits her perfectly. Its scale and dignified appearance reinforce Castafiore’s celebrity status while also adding another recognisable period vehicle to the carefully constructed world of Syldavia.

This example is brand new and unopened. The model, display case and accompanying explanatory booklet remain in their original presentation packaging, making it particularly attractive to a collector seeking an unused example of reference 29932.

Reference: 29932
Scale: 1/24
Model: La Voiture de la Castafiore
Album: Le Sceptre d’Ottokar
Character association: Bianca Castafiore
Colour: Blue with black wings
Material: Resin, metal and plastic
Presentation: Display plinth with illustrated diorama and clear acetate case
Packaging: Original grey and white outer box
Documentation: Original explanatory booklet
Condition: Brand new and unopened
EAN: 2993200000001

La Voiture de la Castafiore: A Brief Account

The vehicle is associated with one of the most important character introductions in Hergé’s work: the arrival of Bianca Castafiore.

Tintin encounters the soprano while travelling through Syldavia during his investigation into the conspiracy surrounding King Muskar XII.

Castafiore’s personality is established immediately. She is grand, good-natured, theatrical and utterly confident in the effect of her singing upon those fortunate enough — in her view — to hear it.

The imposing car reinforces that personality. Its large passenger compartment and dignified appearance are perfectly suited to an internationally successful operatic celebrity.

Bianca Castafiore

Bianca Castafiore would become one of the most important recurring characters in The Adventures of Tintin.

Known as the Milanese Nightingale, she specialises in opera and repeatedly performs the Jewel Song from Faust.

Captain Haddock’s increasingly desperate attempts to avoid her performances became one of the enduring running jokes of the series.

Yet Castafiore is also a genuinely loyal friend. Beneath the comic theatricality, Hergé presents her as warm, generous and fearless.

Her first appearance in Le Sceptre d’Ottokar therefore has genuine importance within the development of the Tintin cast.

Le Sceptre d’Ottokar: A Brief Account

Le Sceptre d’Ottokar introduces Tintin to the fictional kingdom of Syldavia.

Tintin gradually discovers a conspiracy to steal the royal sceptre and force King Muskar XII to abdicate. The plot has much wider political implications and threatens the independence of the country itself.

Hergé created an unusually detailed fictional state, complete with its own history, royal tradition, costumes, architecture and language.

Realistic contemporary vehicles help anchor this imaginary country in the recognisable world of late-1930s Europe.

The Castafiore car belongs directly to that approach, combining a plausible period saloon with one of Hergé’s newly introduced fictional personalities.

Syldavia and Hergé’s Visual Research

Syldavia demonstrates Hergé’s increasingly sophisticated approach to world-building.

The country is fictional, but the details surrounding it are carefully constructed. Roads, buildings, uniforms and vehicles create a setting which feels internally consistent.

The inclusion of recognisable period automobiles is particularly effective. Cars identify wealth and social position while giving the imaginary streets a convincing contemporary appearance.

Castafiore’s substantial blue saloon immediately suggests a passenger of importance and reinforces her celebrity status without requiring lengthy explanation.

Hergé, Castafiore and the Motor Car

Hergé frequently used vehicles as an extension of character.

Captain Haddock’s cars, the 2 CV associated with Thomson and Thompson and the large American automobiles used by villains all provide immediate visual clues to their occupants.

The Castafiore car operates in precisely this way.

Large, dignified and comfortable, it provides an appropriately grand entrance for a character whose personality fills almost every scene in which she appears.

At 1/24 scale, this connection between passenger and vehicle is particularly clear because the occupants remain visible through the large windows.

The 1/24 Moulinsart Model

La Voiture de la Castafiore was issued as number 32 in the structured 71-model Les Voitures de Tintin collection.

Each vehicle in the series recreates a particular car or scene from Hergé’s albums and is presented at a consistent 1/24 scale.

Reference 29932 is especially appealing because it combines an attractive inter-war motor car with one of the most important character introductions in the Tintin series.

The illustrated Syldavian background completes the presentation and connects the three-dimensional object directly with Hergé’s original visual world.

In brand-new, unopened condition, the original presentation components remain together as issued, an important consideration for collectors assembling high-quality or complete runs of the series.

Why Buy from Us?

At Hornseys, we are committed to offering collectible Tintin models, books and related objects that meet high standards of authenticity, condition and presentation. Every item is handled, inspected and catalogued in-house at our Ripon gallery.

Our Tintin collection is personally curated by Daniel Hornsey, whose interest in Hergé and The Adventures of Tintin extends back to childhood. Individual models are examined for reference, condition, packaging and accompanying documentation before being offered for sale.

We wholly own all our stock. Postage is free within the UK, with tracked and insured worldwide shipping available. Every purchase is covered by our 14-day unconditional return guarantee.

Cataloguer: Daniel Hornsey

Daniel Hornsey has specialised in fine and rare books, maps, ephemera, artworks and collectable objects for over thirty years. Hornseys was established in 1976 and continues to research and catalogue its stock individually from its gallery and bookshop in Ripon, North Yorkshire.