Tintin In Armour – Figurines Tintin La Collection Officielle – 49 – Tintin En Armure

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Price: £85.00
Publisher: Editions Moulinsart
Publication date: 2013
Format: Original pictorial boards with passport and figurine
Condition: In near fine condition
Illustrations: Illustrated throughout

Description:

Original pictorial boards. Includes passport loosely inserted. Text in French. Includes the accompanying figurine. One from the collection of 111 books and figurines. Very slight wear. In very near fine, clean condition overall.

Tintin In Armour: A Brief Study

The image of Tintin in armour — most famously from The Secret of the Unicorn (Le Secret de la Licorne, 1943) — is one of the most memorable visual symbols in Hergé’s universe. It captures the essence of Tintin’s character: curiosity, courage, and a touch of comic awkwardness wrapped in a spirit of adventure and discovery.

Context and Appearance

Tintin dons a suit of medieval armour during his investigation at Marlinspike Hall (Moulinsart in French) in The Secret of the Unicorn. While searching the grand old house for clues about the model ship The Unicorn — and the treasure of Sir Francis Haddock — Tintin’s curiosity leads him to explore a gallery of historical relics.

Among these is a display of full knight’s armour. Tintin, ever inquisitive, inspects it — only for the armour to topple forward, momentarily trapping him. The resulting scene, rendered with Hergé’s crisp line work and perfect comic timing, combines suspense, humour, and nostalgia.

It’s a fleeting moment, but it symbolises Tintin’s role as a modern-day knight — the descendant, in spirit, of the very chivalric ideals represented by the armour.

Symbolism

The image of Tintin in armour carries deep thematic resonance within Hergé’s storytelling:

1. Chivalry and Moral Integrity:
   The suit of armour recalls the medieval knightly virtues of courage, loyalty, and righteousness — qualities Tintin embodies throughout his adventures. His moral compass is unwavering; he is brave without being violent, principled without being sanctimonious.
2. Connection to Heritage and History:
   In The Secret of the Unicorn, the armour also links Tintin to Captain Haddock’s ancestral past — the world of Sir Francis Haddock, naval officer and nobleman. Tintin’s encounter with the armour foreshadows his discovery of the Haddock family’s noble lineage and their connection to The Unicorn.
3. Comic Heroism:
   Tintin’s brief entrapment inside the armour adds an element of self-deprecating humour. Like many of Hergé’s best moments, the scene balances grandeur and absurdity: the modern boy reporter momentarily transformed into a clumsy knight.
4. Timeless Adventure:
   The armour represents the continuity between past and present — Tintin as the inheritor of an eternal tradition of adventure, duty, and exploration.

Artistic Analysis

Hergé’s clean, precise ligne claire (clear line) style gives the armour both realistic weight and symbolic clarity. The reflective surfaces, careful hatching, and historical accuracy reveal Hergé’s meticulous attention to detail and his love of museum-like authenticity.

Yet, even within that realism, the composition remains playful. Tintin’s wide-eyed expression and the stiff, imposing structure of the armour create a perfect visual joke. The image embodies Hergé’s genius for blending comedy with narrative insight — a still moment that deepens character rather than distracts from the story.

Broader Significance

The “Tintin in armour” motif has become emblematic of the series as a whole. It encapsulates the blend of modern curiosity and old-world adventure that defines The Adventures of Tintin.

• It situates Tintin within a European cultural lineage, connecting the 20th-century journalist to the mythic knights and explorers of earlier ages.
• It also highlights one of Hergé’s central themes: the persistence of human ideals — truth, bravery, and decency — across time.

In this sense, Tintin wearing or examining armour is not just a comic image but a symbolic portrait of the hero as timeless moral figure.

Thematic Continuities

This motif reappears metaphorically throughout Hergé’s work:

• In King Ottokar’s Sceptre, Tintin defends a monarch’s honour and sovereignty, echoing the duties of a knight.
• In The Red Sea Sharks, his defence of enslaved people echoes chivalric notions of justice and protection.
• Even in Tintin in Tibet, his loyalty to his friend Chang is a modern form of knightly devotion.

Thus, “Tintin in armour” becomes shorthand for his defining virtue — moral courage in a world that often forgets it.

Summary

• Scene: The Secret of the Unicorn (1943)
• Setting: Marlinspike Hall
• Meaning: Comic yet symbolic moment connecting Tintin’s modern heroism with the chivalric ideals of the past
• Symbolism: Courage, curiosity, heritage, and the timeless nature of integrity
• Artistic value: A perfect example of Hergé’s balance of humour, detail, and thematic resonance

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.

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.