The Rally Citroen 2CV – Model Car – 29954 – La 2CV Du Rallye – 1/24 Scale

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Price: £125.00
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

Description:

Size: 20.5cm x 7cm x 7cm. From ‘The Red Sea Sharks’. 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: 29954

The Red Sea Sharks: A Brief Account

The Red Sea Sharks (Coke en stock), first published in 1958, is one of the most sophisticated and politically charged albums in The Adventures of Tintin series by Hergé (Georges Remi). Combining high adventure with moral seriousness, it confronts issues of modern slavery, arms trafficking, and political corruption, all within the framework of a fast-moving, vividly illustrated narrative. It marks a turning point in Tintin’s evolution from a straightforward adventurer to a socially aware figure, guided by compassion, reason, and integrity.

The story opens at Marlinspike Hall, where Tintin and Captain Haddock encounter an old acquaintance, Emir Ben Kalish Ezab, the ruler of the fictional Middle Eastern kingdom of Khemed. Political unrest has forced the Emir into exile, while a rival, the unscrupulous Sheikh Bab El Ehr, has seized control of his country. Tintin’s curiosity is aroused when he learns of suspicious maritime activity in the Red Sea involving ships linked to this coup. The ensuing investigation leads the heroes into a world of deceit and exploitation, exposing an international slave-trading operation disguised as a commercial shipping venture.

The narrative swiftly becomes a tale of moral courage. Tintin and Haddock discover that African pilgrims being transported to Mecca are, in reality, enslaved men sold into servitude. Hergé handles this disturbing subject with notable sensitivity for the time, combining humanitarian outrage with journalistic restraint. The treatment of slavery—still a living reality in parts of the world in the 1950s—is depicted neither sensationally nor abstractly, but as a violation of human dignity demanding intervention.

In terms of structure, The Red Sea Sharks is one of Hergé’s most intricate plots. The story weaves together several subplots: the return of the villainous Dawson from The Blue Lotus; the involvement of arms dealers supplying both sides in regional conflicts; and the reappearance of Tintin’s earlier nemeses, including the conniving Allan. This network of recurring characters gives the narrative a sense of moral continuity—evil, in Tintin’s world, is persistent but recognisable.

Visually, the album exemplifies the ligne claire style at its most polished. The artwork displays Hergé’s growing fascination with aviation, maritime detail, and geographical accuracy. Ships such as the Ramona and aircraft like the Mosquito and Consolidated PBY Catalina are drawn with scrupulous technical realism. The scenes in the Red Sea and Khemed showcase the artist’s sensitivity to light, space, and colour: azure waters, blinding desert heat, and sunlit metal create a vivid sense of place that grounds the story in a recognisable world.

Thematically, The Red Sea Sharks explores moral complicity. Tintin’s confrontation with the modern slave trade becomes a critique of international hypocrisy—where political and commercial interests turn a blind eye to human suffering. Even the villains are portrayed not as caricatures but as embodiments of moral blindness and greed. Hergé’s narrative tone, while never didactic, invites readers to consider the global systems that allow exploitation to persist under the guise of progress.

The story also includes moments of levity and humanity that balance its darker content. Captain Haddock’s explosive temper, the comic interjections of Thomson and Thompson, and the delightful cameo of Jolyon Wagg, the overbearing insurance salesman, provide humour without diminishing the seriousness of the subject. Such contrasts highlight Hergé’s control of tone—his ability to blend moral reflection with accessible adventure storytelling.

Importantly, The Red Sea Sharks deepens Tintin’s moral character. His compassion, courage, and refusal to tolerate injustice elevate him from journalist to moral witness. His insistence on freeing the enslaved men at great personal risk epitomises the humanitarian conscience that runs through Hergé’s later work.

From a historical perspective, the album reflects the anxieties of the late 1950s: post-colonial instability, Cold War proxy conflicts, and global trade’s entanglement with exploitation. Yet its core message—the defence of human dignity against corruption and greed—remains timeless.

Today, The Red Sea Sharks is regarded as one of the most accomplished Tintin adventures, notable for its moral intelligence, visual sophistication, and narrative depth. It stands as a powerful example of how a popular comic series evolved into a medium capable of addressing serious ethical and political questions, without ever losing its sense of wonder, wit, and adventure.

The Rally Citroën 2CV: A Brief Account

The Rally Citroën 2CV that appears in The Red Sea Sharks (Coke en stock) is one of the most memorable vehicles in Hergé’s canon—an inspired inclusion that blends humour, authenticity, and symbolic contrast. Within the story, the little French car becomes an unlikely emblem of resilience and ingenuity, perfectly suited to Tintin’s resourceful and unpretentious character.

The Citroën 2CV, introduced in 1948, was designed as a utilitarian “people’s car” for post-war France—a vehicle that could carry two passengers and a basket of eggs across a ploughed field without breaking a single one. Its minimalist engineering and endearing simplicity made it one of Europe’s most recognisable cars of the mid-twentieth century. In The Red Sea Sharks, Hergé transforms this humble icon into a comic yet credible rally car, deftly juxtaposing its modest capabilities with the grandeur and danger of Tintin’s global adventures.

In the album, Tintin and Captain Haddock encounter the 2CV during a car rally in the desert region near Khemed. The small Citroën, painted in pale yellow, is shown bouncing gamely across rough terrain—its corrugated bonnet, round headlamps, and narrow tyres rendered with Hergé’s trademark ligne claire precision. The scene, though brief, is drawn with affectionate accuracy: the suspension flexes dramatically, dust clouds billow, and the plucky little car looks almost alive, a mechanical underdog amid larger, more powerful vehicles.

The inclusion of the 2CV in a rally context highlights one of Hergé’s most enduring narrative instincts: his ability to root adventure in the everyday. While Tintin and Haddock are entangled in a high-stakes plot involving arms trafficking and modern slavery, this comic interlude reminds readers of the ordinary world beyond political intrigue. The car’s cheerful persistence serves as a visual metaphor for endurance through adversity—an echo, perhaps, of Tintin himself.

From a design perspective, Hergé’s rendering of the Citroën 2CV is exemplary. Every proportion and mechanical detail corresponds to the real vehicle, from its suicide doors and soft fabric roof to its high ground clearance and minimalist bumper. He based his depiction on contemporary rally-modified 2CVs, which, though far from powerful, were celebrated for their reliability and astonishing ability to traverse difficult terrain. The model used in the scene most closely resembles the 1956 2CV AZ, equipped with a 425cc flat-twin engine producing just 12 horsepower—a testament to Hergé’s humour and realism.

Thematically, the rally 2CV also functions as a social and cultural symbol. At a time when Western media often equated modernity with grandeur and excess, the 2CV embodied the virtues of simplicity, practicality, and efficiency. By featuring such a car in the glamorous and perilous world of international adventure, Hergé subverts expectations, celebrating human ingenuity over brute power.

For Tintin enthusiasts, the rally Citroën 2CV scene has become a beloved detail—a moment of light-hearted realism that enriches the story’s texture. It demonstrates Hergé’s ability to integrate real-world technology into his fictional settings with both technical precision and emotional warmth.

In cultural hindsight, the scene also foreshadows the enduring affection Europeans hold for the 2CV: a car that, like Tintin himself, transcends its modest origins to become a symbol of optimism, endurance, and unpretentious charm.

Thus, the Rally Citroën 2CV in The Red Sea Sharks is far more than a passing prop—it is a quietly brilliant storytelling device, fusing humour, realism, and symbolism into a single moment that perfectly captures the spirit of Hergé’s mature period: clear, humane, and effortlessly memorable.

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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.

Hornseys’ exhibit regularly at book and map fairs in London and throughout the UK and are members of the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association, the PBFA.

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.