The Desert Jeep – Model Car – 29947 – La Jeep Du Désert – 1/24 Scale – Second Edition – 2025

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Price: £95.00
Manufacturer: Editions Moulinsart
Format: Original pictorial wrappers with car on plinth in perspex case
Condition: New. In excellent condition. Model car and book are both unopened
Edition: Second Edition
Date: 2025

Description:

The second edition of this model which is dated 2025 in the booklet. These were originally produced in 2020 and sold out very quickly. Size: 20.5cm x 7cm x 7cm. From ‘Tintin In The Land Of Black Gold’. Material: Painted metal with resin and plastic. Comes in a perspex case in an outer box with accompanying brochure in French and English. Brand new. Mint condition. UPC: 299472

Tintin In The Land Of Black Gold: A Brief Account

Tintin in the Land of Black Gold (Tintin au pays de l’or noir), first serialised in 1939 and later completed and revised in 1950 and 1971, is one of the most politically charged and historically revealing stories in The Adventures of Tintin. Set against the turbulent backdrop of Middle Eastern oil politics, it blends espionage, adventure, and satire with Hergé’s growing commitment to realism and moral complexity.

It is also a story shaped by global events: interrupted by the Second World War, resumed after the conflict, and later revised to reflect the changing political landscape of the Middle East.

Origins and Historical Context

Hergé began the story in 1939, at a time when tensions around oil, empire, and nationalism were mounting across Europe and the Middle East. The early chapters echo pre-war anxieties: sabotage, mysterious political agents, and a creeping sense of international crisis.

The strip halted when Belgium was invaded in 1940 and was only resumed after the war, when Hergé reworked the political elements to suit a changed world. A final revision was made in 1971, replacing the original British Mandate-era Palestine setting with the fictional emirate of Khemed, created to avoid offence or controversy.

Plot Summary

The adventure begins in Europe with a wave of mechanical disasters: car engines explode without warning. The cause is traced to adulterated petrol — the work of saboteurs trying to provoke global chaos. Tintin is dispatched to the Middle East to uncover the plot, travelling first by sea and then overland into the desert.

In Khemed, he becomes entangled in a power struggle between the benevolent Emir Ben Kalish Ezab and the rebel leader Sheikh Bab El Ehr, whose insurgency is supported by shady foreign interests. Along the way, Tintin is repeatedly kidnapped, escapes across the desert, and survives political intrigues with the aid of old allies Thomson and Thompson, though their comic incompetence frequently worsens his situation.

The central criminal scheme is eventually revealed to be the work of the international arms dealer and recurring villain Dr Müller, who is attempting to destabilise the emirate for his own profit. The adulterated petrol is produced by Müller’s organisation, intended to trigger global panic and create opportunities for political exploitation.

Tintin’s pursuit leads him across the desert to hidden laboratories, smuggling routes, and military encampments, culminating in the unmasking of Müller and the restoration of stability in Khemed.

Characters and Motivations

Tintin

Calm, rational, and morally steadfast, Tintin acts here as a journalistic investigator, exposing a conspiracy that blends political manipulation with technological sabotage. His resilience in the desert — surviving dehydration, imprisonment, and ambush — highlights both physical endurance and unyielding integrity.

Thomson and Thompson

Their slapstick humour balances the tension of the story. Their misadventures with exploding engines, camel-riding, and disguise serve as comic relief without diluting the gravity of the themes.

Emir Ben Kalish Ezab & Abdullah

The Emir is portrayed as a dignified if temperamental ruler, while his son Abdullah, one of Hergé’s most memorable comic creations, provides mischief and anarchy. His practical jokes — firecrackers, exploding cigars, and staged emergencies — punctuate the story with humour and give insight into the life of royalty in a fictionalised Middle Eastern kingdom.

Dr Müller

The villain, cold and calculating, represents the dark undercurrent of international arms dealing and political manipulation. A recurring antagonist, Müller personifies destabilisation for profit and the moral emptiness of corporate greed.

Themes and Symbolism

Oil as Power

“Black Gold” is both a literal and symbolic force. Oil is shown as the commodity around which nations rise and fall, its value driving conflict, subterfuge, and foreign interference. Hergé’s commentary — subtle but unmistakable — acknowledges the geopolitical significance of petrol long before it became a defining issue of the late twentieth century.

Foreign Intrigue and Interference

The story critiques the meddling of external powers in Middle Eastern affairs. Though fictionalised, the politics reflect real-world tensions involving colonial powers, commercial cartels, and secret intelligence agencies.

Technology and Sabotage

The adulterated petrol serves as a metaphor for hidden corruption. The engines explode because something pure has been tainted — a reflection of the moral contamination underlying global politics.

The Desert as Both Setting and Symbol

The desert sequences highlight isolation, endurance, and clarity. The desert strips away comfort and illusion, leaving Tintin’s character in sharp relief: resourceful, determined, and unwavering in his moral purpose.

Artistic Highlights

Tintin in the Land of Black Gold marks a significant moment in Hergé’s development as a visual storyteller.

• The vivid desert landscapes convey both heat and emptiness through clean lines and open compositions.
• The vehicles, from armoured cars to vintage saloons, are meticulously rendered, demonstrating Hergé’s growing interest in technical accuracy.
• The 1971 colour revision refined settings, architecture, and geography, ensuring consistency with later Tintin adventures set in Khemed, such as The Red Sea Sharks and Explorers of the Moon.

Legacy and Importance

Though sometimes overshadowed by more celebrated albums, Tintin in the Land of Black Gold remains a crucial instalment in the Tintin canon. It is the bridge between early adventure tales and the deeply researched, morally thoughtful works of Hergé’s mature period.

It also introduces Khemed, one of the series’ most important fictional nations, and develops the geopolitical and ethical themes that recur throughout Tintin’s later adventures.

Above all, the album exemplifies Hergé’s evolving vision: adventure rooted in realism, humour balanced with seriousness, and storytelling grounded in respect for craft, research, and moral integrity.

Conclusion

Tintin in the Land of Black Gold is a tightly woven adventure story enriched by historical resonance and artistic precision. It captures Hergé at a moment of transformation — stepping beyond simple escapism into the complex world of geopolitics, technology, and moral responsibility.

It remains an enduring testament to Tintin’s role not only as a hero of action but as a seeker of truth in a world shaped by hidden forces and shifting sands.

Why Buy from Us?

At Hornseys, we are committed to offering items that meet the highest standards of quality and authenticity. Our collection of objects and rare books are carefully curated to ensure each edition is a valuable piece of bibliographical history. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Authenticity and Provenance: Each item is meticulously researched and verified for authenticity and collation.
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Cataloguer: Daniel Hornsey

Daniel Hornsey has specialised in fine and rare books, ephemera, and collectors’ editions for over thirty years. As a long-standing member of the antiquarian book trade, he has advised private collectors, curated catalogues, and sourced works for leading dealers, libraries and institutions across the world.

His fascination with Hergé’s work — especially ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ — began in childhood. Daniel recalls reading Tintin in original European editions and quickly recognising that these were not merely children’s books, but finely illustrated narratives crafted with artistic depth and wit.

As noted by the Musée Hergé in Louvain-la-Neuve, Hergé’s ‘ligne claire’ style has influenced generations of European comic artists and his original drawings and paintings command very high prices with his painting of ‘The Blue Lotus’ jar fetching £2.8m at auction in 2021.

By presenting these works through Hornseys’, he hopes to contribute to the continued appreciation of one of the 20th century’s most influential illustrators, helping new generations discover the artistry and legacy of Hergé.

Hornseys’ exhibit regularly at book and map fairs in London and throughout the UK and as long-established specialists in fine books, maps, prints and ephemera, Hornseys maintains full professional membership of the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association (PBFA). The PBFA is one of the most respected trade bodies in the rare and antiquarian book world, with strict standards of expertise, authenticity and ethical trading. Our verified member listing can be viewed here: Hornseys – PBFA Member Profile.