The Gibbons Large Oldsmobile Convertible – Model Car – 29946 – La Décapotable De Gibbons – 1/24 Scale – First Edition

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: First Edition

Description:

The first edition of this model. Size: 20.5cm x 7cm x 7cm. From ‘Destination Moon’. 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: 29946

The Blue Lotus: A Brief Account

The Blue Lotus (Le Lotus Bleu, 1936) is widely considered Hergé’s first true masterpiece — the album in which Tintin’s world becomes fully rooted in real cultures, real politics, and deeply humane storytelling. It marks the moment when Hergé moves beyond playful adventure and propaganda into a work of research, empathy, and artistic maturity.

It is also the direct continuation of The Cigars of the Pharaoh, resolving the mystery of the Kih-Oskh symbol through a story set in China during the early 1930s, against the backdrop of imperialism, drug trafficking, and political manipulation.

Origins and Importance

Before The Blue Lotus, Hergé had created exotic adventures based largely on second-hand clichés. Everything changed when he met Zhang Chongren, a Chinese art student in Brussels. Their friendship transformed Hergé’s approach to storytelling:

• Zhang taught him about China’s culture, language, and political struggles.
• He corrected stereotypes common in Western depictions of Asia.
• He contributed artistic advice (calligraphy, design, architecture).
• He encouraged Hergé to portray Chinese people with dignity and realism.

The result was a revolutionary book for its time: respectful, researched, and politically courageous.

Plot Summary

Arrival in Shanghai

Tintin travels to Shanghai to uncover the criminal organisation behind the narcotics ring encountered in the previous volume. The Kih-Oskh symbol leads him directly into the conflict between:

• the Chinese nationalist authorities,
• powerful criminal syndicates,
• and Japanese militarists seeking domination of the region.

The Opium Trail

Tintin discovers that the smuggling operation is run by an international gang headed by his old enemy Rastapopoulos, using a network of opium dens and covert transport routes.

The title refers to the “Blue Lotus”, a covert opium den that acts as a key node in the criminal organisation.

Japanese Aggression

The story boldly condemns Japan’s actions in China, particularly:

• the occupation of Manchuria,
• provocations engineered to justify invasion,
• and propaganda campaigns in Western media.

This political stance was extremely daring for 1936 Europe — The Blue Lotus openly sided with China at a time when anti-Asian stereotypes were widespread.

Tintin and Chang

During the story, Tintin rescues a young boy who turns out to be Chang Chong-Chen, inspired by Hergé’s real friend Zhang. Their deep, immediate friendship becomes one of the emotional centrepieces of all Tintin stories.

Chang helps Tintin navigate Chinese customs, language, and dangers. In return, Tintin saves Chang from a flood, cementing their bond.

The Madhouse Episode

Tintin is captured and drugged with Rajaijah, the “poison of madness,” causing hallucinations and paranoia. The scenes are visually striking and symbolically rich — a portrayal of psychological terror rendered with humour and grace.

Confrontation and Justice

With the help of Chang, local resistance members, and a sympathetic Japanese officer, Tintin dismantles Rastapopoulos’s drug network and exposes the political deceit behind the invasion plot.

The story ends with justice restored, villains arrested, and a tender farewell between Tintin and Chang.

Artistic Brilliance

The Blue Lotus is the birth of Hergé’s mature ligne claire style:

• bold, crisp outlines
• meticulous architectural research
• realistic scenery
• expressive but non-caricatured faces
• beautifully composed action sequences

Chinese streets, houses, temples, railways, and countryside landscapes are rendered with astonishing accuracy for 1930s European comics — thanks to Zhang’s guidance and Hergé’s determination to “get everything right.”

Themes

1. Anti-racism and cultural respect

Tintin’s conversation with Chang about Western prejudices (“All Chinese look the same”, “They’re cunning”, etc.) is one of the strongest anti-racist statements in early European comics.

2. Political courage

The book openly criticises:

• Japanese imperialism,
• Western indifference,
• corruption among local warlords,
• and international criminal networks.

This was far from the apolitical, neutral approach most children’s books adopted at the time.

3. Friendship and empathy

Tintin’s bond with Chang is one of the purest emotional threads in the entire series, later echoed decades later in Tintin in Tibet.

4. Truth vs propaganda

Hergé dismantles the mechanisms of fake news long before the concept existed — showing how lies are used to justify violence.

Legacy

The Blue Lotus is often cited as:

• one of the greatest graphic novels of the 20th century
• the artistic turning point of Tintin
• a pioneering work of research-based comics
• a symbol of cross-cultural friendship

Scholars view it as the moment Hergé became not just an illustrator but a serious storyteller, capable of depth, sensitivity, and political insight.

Conclusion

The Blue Lotus is a masterpiece of clarity, intelligence, and compassion. Through exquisite artwork, thoughtful research, and moral courage, Hergé created a story that transcends adventure to become a profound statement about humanity, justice, and understanding.

It remains one of the most admired books in the Tintin canon — a triumph of both narrative craft and ethical storytelling.

Gibbons: A Brief Biography

Gibbons is an unpleasant American businessman living in Shanghai. He is loud, rude, and openly racist toward the local Chinese population. Hergé uses him to symbolise the worst aspects of foreign colonial attitudes in China during the 1930s.

He appears in the International Settlement, the foreign-controlled part of Shanghai where Westerners often behaved as though they were above local law and custom.

Key Scene: Gibbons and the Rickshaw Puller

Gibbons is introduced in a famous and powerful scene:

• A Chinese rickshaw puller accidentally bumps into him.
• Gibbons immediately kicks and beats the man, shouting insults and treating him like a servant or animal.
• He shows no empathy or understanding — only racism and entitlement.

Tintin intervenes instantly, protecting the rickshaw puller and reprimanding Gibbons for his cruelty.
This confrontation is crucial because:

• It shows Tintin challenging Western prejudice.
• It establishes Gibbons as a foil to Tintin’s moral principles.
• It reflects Hergé’s new commitment to cultural respect, thanks to Zhang’s influence.

Symbolism and Function in the Story

1. Embodiment of Western Racism

Gibbons embodies the patronising and brutal treatment many Chinese citizens suffered under colonial powers. His presence exposes:

• hypocrisy,
• ignorance,
• and the arrogance of foreigners who felt immune to local accountability.

2. Contrast to Tintin

Tintin’s defence of the rickshaw puller highlights his:

• equality-minded moral code,
• respect for Chinese culture,
• rejection of colonial attitudes.

The contrast between Tintin and Gibbons fuels the political and ethical heart of The Blue Lotus.

3. Reinforcement of Anti-Imperialist Themes

Gibbons’s behaviour is part of a broader critique of:

• the foreign concessions,
• imperial exploitation,
• and the racism woven into daily life in 1930s Shanghai.

Hergé uses Gibbons to show readers that injustice was not only committed by villains with guns — it was woven into everyday interactions.

4. Early Example of Hergé’s Reversal of Stereotypes

Before The Blue Lotus, Hergé’s portrayals of non-European cultures were often shaped by European clichés.
Gibbons’s repulsive behaviour serves as a deliberate break with those early missteps.

Hergé is no longer stereotyping Chinese people — instead, he is criticising Europeans for stereotyping Chinese people.

Character Traits

• Arrogant
• Violent
• Openly racist
• Rich, entitled, and unreflective
• Cowardly when confronted by Tintin

He is not a complex villain, but a concise, effective symbolic figure.

Does Gibbons Return Later?

No. Gibbons appears only in The Blue Lotus.
His brief role is designed to illustrate, instantly and sharply, the social injustices Tintin witnesses in 1930s China.

Conclusion

In The Blue Lotus, Gibbons is a small character with a large narrative purpose.
He represents:

• Western prejudice,
• colonial arrogance,
• and the everyday racism Tintin refuses to tolerate.

His clash with Tintin is one of the most morally resonant moments in the book, underscoring the album’s core message:
respect, empathy, and justice must triumph over ignorance and cruelty.

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.