tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89583592311225966222024-03-15T18:10:31.516-07:00Model Horse CollectibilityKirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-90714020838542814992024-03-05T14:13:00.000-08:002024-03-05T14:13:12.779-08:00Galloping Grail: Marilyn Newmark's Man O' War<p>All of my life, I've been a Man O' War fangirl. I grew up reading C. W. Anderson's horse stories and Walter Farley's wonderful fictionalized biography of the great horse. The awe both authors felt for the original Big Red undoubtedly influenced my interest in horse racing, the history of the sport, and the interplay of important pedigrees through the centuries. Even more than 100 years after his birth, Man O' War casts a long shadow over the Thoroughbred breed. He is still spoken of as the benchmark against which other great horses are measured. And while his sire line is sadly fading out, his blood can still be found carried forward through the generations by his outstanding daughters and their get. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2NJQMu2nVpTuVu4LpcJGwEA3v3eiqDfKpGSiy8thgCEOSXrcbJDb8gqWzeNWwpEswDIuiiKiHL50MLjPWwpMeMA5c3XFu8B2o9B5xplmP0D5iHafs_YrdD9DZzjQJWyHGrZR4O_xsyN0wG1kuVpJOJXtyYmBWzjl44ZxaiPcGDQRapgXTHs7rcdQ-oA/s488/mow_gallop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="488" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2NJQMu2nVpTuVu4LpcJGwEA3v3eiqDfKpGSiy8thgCEOSXrcbJDb8gqWzeNWwpEswDIuiiKiHL50MLjPWwpMeMA5c3XFu8B2o9B5xplmP0D5iHafs_YrdD9DZzjQJWyHGrZR4O_xsyN0wG1kuVpJOJXtyYmBWzjl44ZxaiPcGDQRapgXTHs7rcdQ-oA/w400-h320/mow_gallop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Over the years, I have made pilgrimages to various places where important parts of Man O' War's story played out. I have driven past what was once Nursery Stud, his birthplace (now developed, alas) and visited the barn at Faraway Farm where his sire Fair Play and dam Mahubah lived and are buried. (Apologies for the less than great disposable camera pix.)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vJFH3tcBvgwo25mmZGXp827vxr6XJZmWTSarSIlrVV_CRZuideExMvLF1Y7PbMugO6v2NphRbV4yEAIsiNQMv6WfB7HnhSSWJJL7Gag97HJuYc_MlWn2-AUI0x5L5A_BbSC5A2YoVfHVIUmaZHF-6pvwzng6G2FWJsKVQHfQbrQNniXwlYh9esKsP48/s706/faraway_farm_barn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="706" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vJFH3tcBvgwo25mmZGXp827vxr6XJZmWTSarSIlrVV_CRZuideExMvLF1Y7PbMugO6v2NphRbV4yEAIsiNQMv6WfB7HnhSSWJJL7Gag97HJuYc_MlWn2-AUI0x5L5A_BbSC5A2YoVfHVIUmaZHF-6pvwzng6G2FWJsKVQHfQbrQNniXwlYh9esKsP48/w400-h266/faraway_farm_barn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faraway Farms in the early 2000s (before restoration)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I've visited Man O' War Farm next door where he stood at stud for most of his stallion career and where he was originally buried. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYyxKQWRvogSddhwiWtGXAqYgu8Fb0qw68K7G_0bvo1sffC5RM9PHloC0XHFyWjhVr5788AFfdHdXyspfwzp8NxkFdNP9pwNU_sC5zvcvXX90bv9qRW7HI5qhfEgyE_d-jpYJxLpoPGytL_Xq79MmNdXtgVEc71gV1hVB-BqkC66GOtakDsLryQMjO0I/s696/mowfarm_gatepost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYyxKQWRvogSddhwiWtGXAqYgu8Fb0qw68K7G_0bvo1sffC5RM9PHloC0XHFyWjhVr5788AFfdHdXyspfwzp8NxkFdNP9pwNU_sC5zvcvXX90bv9qRW7HI5qhfEgyE_d-jpYJxLpoPGytL_Xq79MmNdXtgVEc71gV1hVB-BqkC66GOtakDsLryQMjO0I/w240-h400/mowfarm_gatepost.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAxE4ATN_lC3SaNFNliHWmKKD9HHoZbMUDtP__0PVNRlelunnLQJ3ipGbZVaFk_ye2hfcyVyGj1TwxoTB6WeMMouteNTXLjn95HiYNyeGXeKX0Pp0iV8t9ugfvBG9Fncy7rBYhxg2k9xX3Gq6GdPGwIi4tVPqu6ecdUzTpqwICp0Ko3FZl4CR_WntilE/s696/mowfarm_his_stall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="696" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAxE4ATN_lC3SaNFNliHWmKKD9HHoZbMUDtP__0PVNRlelunnLQJ3ipGbZVaFk_ye2hfcyVyGj1TwxoTB6WeMMouteNTXLjn95HiYNyeGXeKX0Pp0iV8t9ugfvBG9Fncy7rBYhxg2k9xX3Gq6GdPGwIi4tVPqu6ecdUzTpqwICp0Ko3FZl4CR_WntilE/w400-h254/mowfarm_his_stall.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His stall (before restoration)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I pay my respects at his burial place every summer (going on 35 years now) at the Kentucky Horse Park. Someday, I hope to travel to Saratoga and Belmont Park to see where he ran so many of his races. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEJumeUR7vvoralM3vOChqrcTqHu46Rhj2RMeZArm_tBeb83yx2flPZkThoV-cLL8tH5me-pyYEax7PBZ5Mn0XiyCxNCFfDPqzED_ntulfHbKt7tuBcREE370M1_P3qGoHmtv2SHQmDQbSRlEsFb2PmoY_j34FFtUUvOEJ4JeFSlshXSy0kKo9BVDD0I/s400/DSC_0249.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="400" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEJumeUR7vvoralM3vOChqrcTqHu46Rhj2RMeZArm_tBeb83yx2flPZkThoV-cLL8tH5me-pyYEax7PBZ5Mn0XiyCxNCFfDPqzED_ntulfHbKt7tuBcREE370M1_P3qGoHmtv2SHQmDQbSRlEsFb2PmoY_j34FFtUUvOEJ4JeFSlshXSy0kKo9BVDD0I/w400-h266/DSC_0249.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p> Not surprisingly, I own a lot of Man O' War models, books, and memorabilia. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeGQI4PSpAN-fYJCV3DGb6X8emFoAKWCMaCpW0uOjeMeeDTNTgpqeS5ndAwIEybjYfETBNstnHVEgfs7ujGwphF8Zv7zvBmwuG59fke8DvVa3-QBIOLstFwDoXPhzc0MzT5P6dmIttUAxxtWpwcEFLUKJmlMiRQZBKs1xIM8-OUTvmL2H4pLOOlE7sO0/s1200/mow_collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1200" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeGQI4PSpAN-fYJCV3DGb6X8emFoAKWCMaCpW0uOjeMeeDTNTgpqeS5ndAwIEybjYfETBNstnHVEgfs7ujGwphF8Zv7zvBmwuG59fke8DvVa3-QBIOLstFwDoXPhzc0MzT5P6dmIttUAxxtWpwcEFLUKJmlMiRQZBKs1xIM8-OUTvmL2H4pLOOlE7sO0/w400-h370/mow_collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is just the tip of the iceberg<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>For my 8th birthday, I was thrilled to receive a Breyer Man O' War, my most coveted model at that time. I remember cuddling him, pointy ears and all, while rereading C. W. Anderson's <i>Another Man O' War</i>. I don't have a photo of him handy, but he is a lovely rich red mid-1980s version. Once my family learned about the joys of model horse hunting at flea markets and antique malls, he was followed by numerous other older variations of Hess' traditional sculpture as well as by many copies of Maureen Love's smaller Classic scale model. I eventually also learned about the Hagen-Renaker origin of that piece and acquired several of those as well.<br /><br />In the early 2000s, collector Liz Bouras shared some photos of models at a show she'd attended on the now defunct Breakables Yahoo Group, and one of them was a stunning bronze of Man O' War by Marilyn Newmark. I remember Liz saying she had lucked into the piece on eBay for a very good price. I saved her photos on my computer and hoped I would someday have a chance to own such a wonderful piece. (Liz had exquisite taste in models, and I was very much inspired by her artistry and collection. I promise a blog on that subject is forthcoming!)<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p>In 2017, for the 100th anniversary of Man O' War's birth, the Kentucky Horse Park put together an interesting exhibit about the great horse's life and his importance in a post-World War I America. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjic-WK_cJTtz70mAWVLMfNx3vm6gExAbgsw_lIqW1U5oMTzI6jmEH8J9cg4NK2E1Zmxh4lWmnTxjXtxy_kfubHMdvGUdqJQm6zcTanXFUw14eHhUfNeG5uDNZeSJ9hxMa43cHoomMllohZJ8lL9wq0o6_fJDat4yc-knmzkLDgUuBE30OA4gOQBKxpgxk/s1200/20170715_133409_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1200" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjic-WK_cJTtz70mAWVLMfNx3vm6gExAbgsw_lIqW1U5oMTzI6jmEH8J9cg4NK2E1Zmxh4lWmnTxjXtxy_kfubHMdvGUdqJQm6zcTanXFUw14eHhUfNeG5uDNZeSJ9hxMa43cHoomMllohZJ8lL9wq0o6_fJDat4yc-knmzkLDgUuBE30OA4gOQBKxpgxk/w400-h226/20170715_133409_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkrYaOFNkfb94ephHts8eAiXi8X2k9svxYbpUwX2LEBeDwbRxKbEp-d9_8mtsjLMVpd7Jh54u-yzC2UGW18_kGTyYUxM-EF1WKNqAcCKkPETfLpwPUkJlEyQ5CTnBwKOoDyD87f4vFyZSJrmvCaOdsNPITOosnhPG1qw1q1W8HK4yavvE3khVjJU2dNI/s1200/20170715_140145_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1200" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkrYaOFNkfb94ephHts8eAiXi8X2k9svxYbpUwX2LEBeDwbRxKbEp-d9_8mtsjLMVpd7Jh54u-yzC2UGW18_kGTyYUxM-EF1WKNqAcCKkPETfLpwPUkJlEyQ5CTnBwKOoDyD87f4vFyZSJrmvCaOdsNPITOosnhPG1qw1q1W8HK4yavvE3khVjJU2dNI/w400-h271/20170715_140145_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The exhibit was a bit light on original artefacts, but it was full of terrific information on display boards. <br /></p><p></p><p>One
of the centerpieces of the exhibit was a copy of Marilyn Newmark's stupendous
bronze of Man O' War. It was the first time I had ever seen one in person, and I remarked to my sister Sarah how much I loved the piece and hoped to someday be well-enough off that I could afford to buy a copy of my own. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLrHly3QkFvBsT0c0WuHhc_9Lv-Yqh32OB9pj_vK0Ey3Va8XIhtB7icr19RP18Ap-bRkBwjCqWi5hLWw7WkUPJlfumFpuaBznIayGonK5XikDEGVWiBhNF2nRxr-P-al6B2fUnmgB5agCM2mbFG4q7MxB8q_5RrP_Tnd9uzywzFsseUXl-UNb-1IAuFU/s1200/20170715_135825_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1200" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLrHly3QkFvBsT0c0WuHhc_9Lv-Yqh32OB9pj_vK0Ey3Va8XIhtB7icr19RP18Ap-bRkBwjCqWi5hLWw7WkUPJlfumFpuaBznIayGonK5XikDEGVWiBhNF2nRxr-P-al6B2fUnmgB5agCM2mbFG4q7MxB8q_5RrP_Tnd9uzywzFsseUXl-UNb-1IAuFU/w400-h293/20170715_135825_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>The sculpture was issued in 1977 (I haven't been able to find the
edition size), and while they come up for sale on occasion, they're
usually well out of
my price range. Not to mention I would also worry about shipping such a
large, heavy item
balanced on two thin fetlocks. During the pandemic, one came up for sale
from an estate company in the Chicago suburbs which I could have picked
up, but auction prices were sky high, and I was quickly and very
decidedly outbid. C'est la vie. It wasn't meant to be.<br /><br />Fast
forward to a few of months ago. I was chatting with a friend online
about grail models, and they asked if I collected any bronze pieces. I
said that I had never really given a lot of thought to buying them, but
if I ever did, my holiest of holies would be a Newmark Man O' War. But
it was very much an on-the-back-burner kind of grail. Or so I thought.<p></p><p>My parents, sister, and I joke about being able to manifest rare models just by talking about them enough. Obviously, we can't <i>really</i> do that, but sometimes it does seem like certain things pop up on eBay or at estate sales when you've had them on your mind a lot. A couple of weeks ago, I got this text from my sister.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2dYBCE4ZmzKh6Us7NJo7ctKA7nNTDwtuc5EJYi7RGYMlSehBO_5T2n9_0jmCiwp7wJWPyn2m3AA8x4aKtgitsXXf08r2HUf4uZC6194Nwor532kMMN9uOSXclyzdtscOpcfnNbBzq5rF2pO7pY3KROTvKQ-xO5Yt3budj2v5BnCShoPsyvJaQCz-0_w/s1080/text1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1080" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2dYBCE4ZmzKh6Us7NJo7ctKA7nNTDwtuc5EJYi7RGYMlSehBO_5T2n9_0jmCiwp7wJWPyn2m3AA8x4aKtgitsXXf08r2HUf4uZC6194Nwor532kMMN9uOSXclyzdtscOpcfnNbBzq5rF2pO7pY3KROTvKQ-xO5Yt3budj2v5BnCShoPsyvJaQCz-0_w/w400-h338/text1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Needless
to say, I about fell over. Sarah remembered how much I coveted this piece, and this particular one was practically in her backyard. And at a fraction of the price it normally sells for at auction to boot! By the time I talked to her that afternoon, Sarah had already
contacted the seller to get the ball rolling because she knew the price and
location were just too fortuitous to pass up. Happily, the owner was
very motivated to sell it, especially with a potential buyer so nearby, and they offered it to my sister for an even lower price. I was so ecstatic I Paypaled her before she was even done telling me about
it! <br /></p><p>After a week of coordinating, Sarah made the short drive to pick it up, and she drove home with Man O' War wrapped in foam in a large
box safely seat-belted in her front passenger seat. She told me the
seller really wanted to be rid of the sculpture because it didn't match the
rest of the things he was selling in his antique mall booth. How this
piece ended up in the middle of nowhere Georgia I'll never know, but I'm
grateful that the racing gods smiled and the stars finally aligned for me.<br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0FbterXez-zYzN0IlIZEN6xD3e8FFPeHIcJhXu9aarMlmgyUpYERUcdMP6Zn3h160cvwJET1yZBwAhr-YcjLF4lOkBBIIj9p73-8lG6faZRSzPCbKR1I02UOzgj3ZDg6zw5PBIkW4HAFd5hbqfr3e1IoflM1rbQu-4Dx8QlVoGDRUOjFkDMAdhpcCS0/s2048/box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="996" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0FbterXez-zYzN0IlIZEN6xD3e8FFPeHIcJhXu9aarMlmgyUpYERUcdMP6Zn3h160cvwJET1yZBwAhr-YcjLF4lOkBBIIj9p73-8lG6faZRSzPCbKR1I02UOzgj3ZDg6zw5PBIkW4HAFd5hbqfr3e1IoflM1rbQu-4Dx8QlVoGDRUOjFkDMAdhpcCS0/w195-h400/box.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><p></p>I'm not entirely sure when we'll be able to trailer him home to me in Chicago, but I'm just thrilled to finally own such a remarkable piece of sculpture after so many years of admiring it. I'm so very lucky to have the most amazing sister ever! I can't wait to see her in July and visit with my Man O' War.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsEHNARHnngn1c7CVwdRqeuOHz-UzjMB2EBBsqIua8wh1RCu2m9wGPVCAuqnKgysp5kUm0rMFSuDk6dO9aP5wJy7RR7wvXcaQ_W5OIn19Rnn131Gi0brG9YFRj9MuqI4NslK__U-QpB58VjDAQPTXjb5PBK7vpR-Xd0RUzYuKRNMeCe9-ea8_L-SJSx0/s1140/newmark_mow1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1140" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsEHNARHnngn1c7CVwdRqeuOHz-UzjMB2EBBsqIua8wh1RCu2m9wGPVCAuqnKgysp5kUm0rMFSuDk6dO9aP5wJy7RR7wvXcaQ_W5OIn19Rnn131Gi0brG9YFRj9MuqI4NslK__U-QpB58VjDAQPTXjb5PBK7vpR-Xd0RUzYuKRNMeCe9-ea8_L-SJSx0/w400-h276/newmark_mow1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-4681352716077509142024-02-21T15:39:00.000-08:002024-02-21T15:39:32.042-08:00Remembering Andrea Gurdon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Longtime hobbyist and fellow model horse history nerd blogger Andrea Gurdon passed away on Saturday after a battle with cancer. While I didn't know Andrea well, we chatted a bit over the years at BreyerFest, and my sister and I always made a point to pick up her Morning Glory Ranch Sampler newsletter. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSrmp4qrgfOHgsglKLuCKwexF5kx2xzIhliD7YL24u_cpxSAnhkPcEKgB3lSOF-njWDS4ECgo7_73jTUs8COl5wjJWKgv-e5cXG66W5vH0YBlkJhp8IgKeiY6IzTFKijvPYrt_v8fdSkLSnFOLrPsgKGzNUdZdN6BahlGT__lZCq-LXBiGugzzDSKw90/s1232/amg_shaun_basch1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="945" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSrmp4qrgfOHgsglKLuCKwexF5kx2xzIhliD7YL24u_cpxSAnhkPcEKgB3lSOF-njWDS4ECgo7_73jTUs8COl5wjJWKgv-e5cXG66W5vH0YBlkJhp8IgKeiY6IzTFKijvPYrt_v8fdSkLSnFOLrPsgKGzNUdZdN6BahlGT__lZCq-LXBiGugzzDSKw90/w306-h400/amg_shaun_basch1.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Andrea at BreyerFest 2023</div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(photo by Shaun Basch)</i></div></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />Andrea began collecting in the 1970s, and by her own account, dabbled in a little of everything related to the hobby---showing, customizing, pedigree assignment, and even tack making. Her chief interest over the years became Breyer history, and since 2009, she regularly posted to her </span><a href="https://breyerhistorydiva.blogspot.com/" style="text-align: left;">Breyer History Diva</a><span style="text-align: left;"> blog. She shared interesting tidbits about Breyer history as well as stories of her own collecting journey. </span></div><br />Andrea was a regular at BreyerFest, participating in room sales, the live show, the hobby information booth, and the costume contest in particular. Sewing and quilting were another of her favorite hobbies, so it's no surprise she regularly excelled in the latter.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdwIgX4L_H04j7-X3UeGGWTEpdYW1cll76Pe104WtTe-O-xDXCG2wZ6Hc_uZqNrvMHe5UN5KdQfOrYYT_4OI1dJ5R9EW863z80ImkeQz5euSAcrqZ7-JqGv6MfOShOFSRrYGGK_rddKk-tISvRxt9hN4vNos-nBZy6OthNXO6YB-yV3-kqoULmcDk9cA/s2048/amg_shaun_basch2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdwIgX4L_H04j7-X3UeGGWTEpdYW1cll76Pe104WtTe-O-xDXCG2wZ6Hc_uZqNrvMHe5UN5KdQfOrYYT_4OI1dJ5R9EW863z80ImkeQz5euSAcrqZ7-JqGv6MfOShOFSRrYGGK_rddKk-tISvRxt9hN4vNos-nBZy6OthNXO6YB-yV3-kqoULmcDk9cA/w300-h400/amg_shaun_basch2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwork Andrea <br />(photo by Shaun Basch)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Some years ago at BreyerFest, I arrived earlier in the week than usual, and while wandering around the CHIN shopping in the middle of the day, I found Andrea's room. She had acquired some of Marney Walerius' photo albums, and we spent a fun afternoon flipping through the photos and exclaiming over the fascinating test run models pictured within. Andrea was such a font of knowledge, and it was a blast to talk to someone who enjoyed discussing odd minutiae as much as I do. <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0eU3xbDDDWMd4bVArziioj5G_qR3UJTNgzVZfEWfkzvE-cdhGKnRTjJMNJg4uw8AxN_PRz_vOVFUAA95dYaWV2bR4cE2gbJS8cE0FP6ut17KvaO4LRT9VoaOisY2u5c0TCkIV1LLSFK-0OmgU5-b_VU75F9YH5f6Kt2xxaANtvARktmUaEQLdtwgW7o/s3775/amg3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3775" data-original-width="2533" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0eU3xbDDDWMd4bVArziioj5G_qR3UJTNgzVZfEWfkzvE-cdhGKnRTjJMNJg4uw8AxN_PRz_vOVFUAA95dYaWV2bR4cE2gbJS8cE0FP6ut17KvaO4LRT9VoaOisY2u5c0TCkIV1LLSFK-0OmgU5-b_VU75F9YH5f6Kt2xxaANtvARktmUaEQLdtwgW7o/w269-h400/amg3.jpg" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea's MGR sampler from BF 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Andrea's close friend Shaun related that what Andrea feared most was being forgotten. Though she has left us too soon, Andrea's blog is a tremendous repository of information and a window into her quirky sense of humor. So many hobbyists have read it over the years, and I hope we can find a way to preserve her posts to honor her contributions to the hobby and her memory. I am hoping (with permission of course) to scan all the MGR samplers I've picked up over the years and add them to the <a href="http://www.modelhorsehistory.com/">Model Horse History</a> website I have been very slowly and haltingly building as a repository of hobby publications and ephemera. It's a small thing, but I hope it would make Andrea happy.<br /></div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-34973407452073640862024-01-17T12:44:00.000-08:002024-01-18T07:50:10.860-08:00Dog Gone (It): A Breyer Rin Tin Tin Mystery<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Though I've never had a dog of my own, I've always loved German Shepherds. My grandparents had several of them when I was growing up, and they were playful, affectionate, loyal dogs. I loved them dearly. Because of this, I've collected German Shepherd models by several makers---mostly Hagen-Renaker, Hartland, and Breyer. In particular, I'm happy to have a number of vintage variations on Breyer's Rin Tin Tin/German Shepherd mold, but I wish there were more releases to collect. The mold unfortunately had only two though, and the last one was over 50 years ago now.<br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The story of Breyer's Rin Tin Tin model begins on a battlefield in northeastern France in September of 1918 during World War I. Twenty-five year-old Corporal Lee Duncan, a native of California, had been sent to the town of Flirey to see if the surrounding countryside might be turned into an airfield for his unit. Like so much of that part of France, the area had been destroyed by shelling. While searching a bombed out kennel that had housed German military dogs, Duncan found one living German Shepherd and her newborn litter of five puppies. He gave the mother and three of the puppies to his superiors and friends in the unit, and kept the remaining two pups for himself. The following year, he managed to finagle passage for the dogs aboard his transport ship home. <br /><br />Duncan named them Rin Tin Tin and Nanette after <a href="https://www.houseofgoodfortune.org/bonheur-blog/nenette-amp-rintintin">yarn dolls</a> given as good luck charms to soldiers by French children. Nanette unfortunately developed pneumonia and died (and was subsequently replaced by another puppy with the same name), but Rin Tin Tin made it safely to California with Duncan. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />Lee Duncan had a hard and lonely childhood, and he got along with animals far better than with people (something I think a lot of us can relate to). He spent several formative years as a child in an orphanage while his mother worked to save up money to be able to retrieve Duncan and his little sister and provide a home for them. They all eventually settled on a remote ranch where Duncan learned he had a knack for training animals, especially dogs.<br /><br />When Duncan returned to California after the war, he intended to show Rin Tin Tin and eventually sell puppies from breedings with Nanette II. German Shepherds had become wildly popular due to their athleticism and usefulness in the war, and footage of Rin Tin Tin leaping a 12 foot wall at a dog show eventually made it into newsreels. Realizing he had a star in the making, Duncan worked tirelessly to break into the burgeoning movie business with Rin Tin Tin. They eventually scored a part with Warner Brothers, then only a small, struggling studio. But the partnership eventually spawned 23 silent films and made Rin Tin Tin a household name. In his films, Rinty wrestled villains, saved damsels in distress, rescued babies, thwarted bootleggers and claim-jumpers, and outwitted gangsters. Rin Tin Tin was expressive and athletic, and audiences loved him no matter what his role. His popularity made millions for Warner Brothers and was instrumental in turning the studio into the powerhouse it is today. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlIJq9Ud2h8q-ZDJl2V30YxUEphr6nVFdMBf3-ulgGL_SCcZFOEgiobt52aWDuK0qqjn9rXeNQh9F3xVADq1fX9bSlnLVTSlqsqQ-yfsOSGzgq6Hn6bACEyAnzschumr1SEn5AH597eApKBXWIOqbPVcFBAz6ZB6nC2oxktkpKoGr72TvTXQ7j9TBBpA/s954/A_Dog_of_the_Regiment.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="954" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlIJq9Ud2h8q-ZDJl2V30YxUEphr6nVFdMBf3-ulgGL_SCcZFOEgiobt52aWDuK0qqjn9rXeNQh9F3xVADq1fX9bSlnLVTSlqsqQ-yfsOSGzgq6Hn6bACEyAnzschumr1SEn5AH597eApKBXWIOqbPVcFBAz6ZB6nC2oxktkpKoGr72TvTXQ7j9TBBpA/w400-h318/A_Dog_of_the_Regiment.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Dog_of_the_Regiment.jpg">Warner Bros., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />The advent of "talkies" in the late 1920s mostly ended Rin Tin Tin's acting career, but he still remained popular with fans who flocked to see him at vaudeville shows. When Rinty died in 1932 a month shy of his 14th birthday, he was still such a celebrity that newspapers and radio stations around the country shared the sad news in obituaries and special broadcasts. In the years that followed, Duncan tried to recapture the Rin Tin Tin magic with several of the dog's offspring, but they lacked the intelligence and appeal of the original. Rin Tin Tin III did help keep the name alive during WWII when he and Duncan helped promote the war effort, and they had moderate film success after the war. But Duncan and Rinty's heirs return to fame didn't come until 1953 when one of his old Hollywood friends pitched a new television series aimed at children. <br /><br />Breyer's model was based on this show, <i>The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, </i>a Western for children that aired from October 1954 to May 1959. The TV show, despite the name, bore no resemblance to the life of the real dog. According to Wikipedia, the show centered on an orphan boy, "Rusty. and his dog, Rin Tin Tin (Rinty), [who] are the only survivors of an Indian raid on their wagon train. The boy and his dog are adopted by the 101st Cavalry at Fort Apache, Arizona, where Rusty is commissioned as an honorary corporal. Throughout the series, Rusty and Rinty help the cavalry and the nearby people to establish order in the American West." Duncan, who recognized echoes of his own lonely childhood in the premise of the show, enthusiastically supported it, and he trained Rin Tin Tin IV to be the titular star. <br /><br />Unfortunately, this latest Rin Tin Tin lacked the charisma and talent of the original, and producers chose a dog named Flame Jr, usually referred to as JR, to be the lead acting dog. Rin Tin Tin IV instead received visitors and fans at Duncan's ranch. The name and legend of Rin Tin Tin had come to encompass more than just one dog.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SMGJ3fBpVLcrZ4LGa0n-qOwZlfFhYSvxsESHK_3uc9a3RpkfDecYijLQ-PmWgrb7sSV_vVc1EYLD90EzmUjoANYMAmNGE4hZpan5enm5anu4tFoqaBmWbokrP8-0nyJ86k42MxJJtxMekgqsWE0xGXe6cEw7Osn3cN2JWyIFoLvJMirhZ9WRoEFJJs4/s310/adventures.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="173" data-original-width="310" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SMGJ3fBpVLcrZ4LGa0n-qOwZlfFhYSvxsESHK_3uc9a3RpkfDecYijLQ-PmWgrb7sSV_vVc1EYLD90EzmUjoANYMAmNGE4hZpan5enm5anu4tFoqaBmWbokrP8-0nyJ86k42MxJJtxMekgqsWE0xGXe6cEw7Osn3cN2JWyIFoLvJMirhZ9WRoEFJJs4/w400-h223/adventures.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-adventures-of-rin-tin-tin/episodes-season-1/1030235189/">Photo via tvguide.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The baby boom years after the war meant that the huge new generation of children, the first to have regular television access, were a highly receptive audience for licensed toys, and Westerns were hugely popular at the time. Promoters of the show raved about the "outstanding merchandising plusses for juvenile audiences" [1] and banked on the childrens' parents remembering their own fondness of the original silent films starring Rin Tin Tin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />Though Breyer was slow to cash in on licenses for other Westerns at the time, they did become official licensees for the Rin Tin Tin franchise. This was announced in the December 1955 issue of <i>Toys and Novelties</i>, and production had started earlier that year, meaning toy Rinty's were available for Christmas that year.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitB7-VVEXPDaJSZT3-EznxRC75MUr9PSegrA0sq3acFrq-8hL8_XKPLyKLYGA5f8inByicqlme_G9yDdJxMrPJiCr-wwuRR17DiXoIMyes8IRViLSLUOxbm2d_JO1Dk1ByBZ9c-xvsCLPAwadmvTcTk9i0jqOFIOa5KHltbMUPn-ir2V7N0qtcCkrgVo/s1000/tandn_dec_1955rtt_license.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitB7-VVEXPDaJSZT3-EznxRC75MUr9PSegrA0sq3acFrq-8hL8_XKPLyKLYGA5f8inByicqlme_G9yDdJxMrPJiCr-wwuRR17DiXoIMyes8IRViLSLUOxbm2d_JO1Dk1ByBZ9c-xvsCLPAwadmvTcTk9i0jqOFIOa5KHltbMUPn-ir2V7N0qtcCkrgVo/w320-h400/tandn_dec_1955rtt_license.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Toys and Novelties, December 1955 issue</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Breyer's Rin Tin Tin was sold in a colorfully decorated box with a hang tag. Badge shaped and square hang tags have been found. The tag references the "Fighting Blue Devils," the nickname for Rinty's cavalry unit at Fort Apache on the TV series.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCQf1s8NTGHWcI0fbwhOj9tvUyoeccbllHgXwScciOalmfZQEJSXIf9luN512Vte1n2ErpRDGaLtwS0uP5Xi3jCE_xXnvZk4w1GANECKIHN6EJqqqua33yEELYoOHKNkA157uh1qfkTwF0EaYk76Ffur7Vzw_ktdO6p6t3ov12rj03R6Crz6w0MZ_ozI/s730/rintintin1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="730" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCQf1s8NTGHWcI0fbwhOj9tvUyoeccbllHgXwScciOalmfZQEJSXIf9luN512Vte1n2ErpRDGaLtwS0uP5Xi3jCE_xXnvZk4w1GANECKIHN6EJqqqua33yEELYoOHKNkA157uh1qfkTwF0EaYk76Ffur7Vzw_ktdO6p6t3ov12rj03R6Crz6w0MZ_ozI/w400-h193/rintintin1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBGrhopTdBRJKmCXDiQ8UHQdlRe2JfPYUSf2O4styPJJHeTzLVlrW7Z6BIIbTYpufmqr6WS6wUYZ44tWJ8sAX-3J2xQrUiLaM_74-eyhfj_91lWq7E77FhSjSjOnn-xZ0igv-p33ByueDzOm1LyDMJUEN3zRRbd5L2K8DceUYWcGkAk0ubK855NeRo60/s1500/Rin%20Tin%20Tin%20with%20hang%20tag.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1500" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBGrhopTdBRJKmCXDiQ8UHQdlRe2JfPYUSf2O4styPJJHeTzLVlrW7Z6BIIbTYpufmqr6WS6wUYZ44tWJ8sAX-3J2xQrUiLaM_74-eyhfj_91lWq7E77FhSjSjOnn-xZ0igv-p33ByueDzOm1LyDMJUEN3zRRbd5L2K8DceUYWcGkAk0ubK855NeRo60/w400-h303/Rin%20Tin%20Tin%20with%20hang%20tag.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div> <br />Rin Tin Tin was made from 1955 to 1965, and not surprisingly, several variations are known. The most common variations are the "saddle" patterned dogs. They are molded in white or creamy-toned plastic and have a dark saddle down both sides of the barrel and along the topline onto the tail. They usually have a bit of shading around the eyes and on the ridges of the neck ruff. The saddle color ranges from a ruddy brown color to dark chocolate to nearly black. All Rin Tin Tins are glossy or semi-glossy.</div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddCXZ3Uf5bK0_u80-awPGliMDz7gbUOkgvXmyOJ_OBqVHtEH5dUlVR_Q2RgMSWNx4UUho-yc9FpajliT9AVn4shZbs2SqnnR-dUaKsUNWWTFPv1jL-DZk5tLLu6UG_pYgfNQzRtxDFVKfBATPbcHm5Sc7UWQxPwLqKW8_0Bew_0cK-Fz8sXArv14-7Ss/s2000/PXL_20231230_174913240.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="2000" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddCXZ3Uf5bK0_u80-awPGliMDz7gbUOkgvXmyOJ_OBqVHtEH5dUlVR_Q2RgMSWNx4UUho-yc9FpajliT9AVn4shZbs2SqnnR-dUaKsUNWWTFPv1jL-DZk5tLLu6UG_pYgfNQzRtxDFVKfBATPbcHm5Sc7UWQxPwLqKW8_0Bew_0cK-Fz8sXArv14-7Ss/w400-h199/PXL_20231230_174913240.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creamy and white plastic versions</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Less common are dogs with shading only along the topline but not on the sides of the barrel.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9QFg_VNp07Ef3c2vzT2qj1RLOO0pMhNLvnD11H1sIjIpVWJ_ReQ1NcYwRhAImbsTgtzdrDfFl4jvMOTTAhjus-BWrQjmOy0FdB8op29S1ENWM5dZoelhGQVcOEyQ90tBzVaLzv2ut4f97PzJmJfGSvMtfCs4W9WKWK30KbjTzeVCRcsj63GeBapZvM8/s2000/PXL_20231230_175038362.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="2000" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9QFg_VNp07Ef3c2vzT2qj1RLOO0pMhNLvnD11H1sIjIpVWJ_ReQ1NcYwRhAImbsTgtzdrDfFl4jvMOTTAhjus-BWrQjmOy0FdB8op29S1ENWM5dZoelhGQVcOEyQ90tBzVaLzv2ut4f97PzJmJfGSvMtfCs4W9WKWK30KbjTzeVCRcsj63GeBapZvM8/w400-h194/PXL_20231230_175038362.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Non-saddle and saddle versions</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The etching on this saddle version Rin Tin Tin is after market, but it's fun to see all the same. This dog was someone's souvenir of a trip to New York in 1956 during the height of the TV show's popularity.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2RsPXETRus4vfk0AiI-tP1FIfhhmyZHBosM0ZaKtgMOE0jLSPAW40aCG7wsaiy6kXIcu401q6S3V4nbqgKZMOuIkvulHqL2NNoSCC1g8Xd7v034DGLmc0suAvjnQPdFsVk4VxHiekSrEHeAPdz32o-P0i5OJjFOqmdgORUudD6v7Zf85j1T2Wio7uVo/s1500/PXL_20231230_174508030.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1500" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2RsPXETRus4vfk0AiI-tP1FIfhhmyZHBosM0ZaKtgMOE0jLSPAW40aCG7wsaiy6kXIcu401q6S3V4nbqgKZMOuIkvulHqL2NNoSCC1g8Xd7v034DGLmc0suAvjnQPdFsVk4VxHiekSrEHeAPdz32o-P0i5OJjFOqmdgORUudD6v7Zf85j1T2Wio7uVo/w400-h305/PXL_20231230_174508030.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The saddle version of Rin Tin Tin is shown in all extant Breyer catalogs until 1963. That catalog featured another more thoroughly painted variation with color on the ears, neck, hind quarters, and upper legs in addition to the usual saddle pattern.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJyT1f6oq41kHgsZlwyBtTX6yCmq3wdDwpQ6mwn61lx3j6aJgXBYiBB0YMc4jS8ei0Qop6CfNerVtj2gPdflDlrQBYZttRM5GvKA5t5uxnVcNxnVu_Snwe2BtYK_08W1uhgfq-Fc0p9jB9chUd8Xluylerti618GsU_AjHAVifB4xMGqCJ3D01MIGCw0/s1095/catalog_comp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1095" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJyT1f6oq41kHgsZlwyBtTX6yCmq3wdDwpQ6mwn61lx3j6aJgXBYiBB0YMc4jS8ei0Qop6CfNerVtj2gPdflDlrQBYZttRM5GvKA5t5uxnVcNxnVu_Snwe2BtYK_08W1uhgfq-Fc0p9jB9chUd8Xluylerti618GsU_AjHAVifB4xMGqCJ3D01MIGCw0/w400-h263/catalog_comp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Images from the 1958 and 1963 Breyer dealer catalogs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>This pretty variation (pictured on the right in the photo below) is much less common than the earlier saddle version. Like the earlier dogs, they vary a bit in terms of color and how much of the dog is painted. I have seen some that are lighter brown toned or have little color on the ears, neck, or shoulders while still having fully painted barrels, hind quarters, and upper legs. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89nYjl9nQD36tn5yEixeQjlQBjWrZ8a5eHrv3KEyvlMT12zyQEOq9s8oMXsltQey4ZxU-s1Hq6r_zc6kkrf7fuhq36R2G3ps8X9ArOFZ81OeGMkVlt3XiXM1bI5PfK2MqU5IfjRlfXmvpcn6MTYgjlASIVtRaSSjY6q8LPBR5fsSSftKE-fe4WPvsikc/s2000/PXL_20231230_175201228.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="2000" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89nYjl9nQD36tn5yEixeQjlQBjWrZ8a5eHrv3KEyvlMT12zyQEOq9s8oMXsltQey4ZxU-s1Hq6r_zc6kkrf7fuhq36R2G3ps8X9ArOFZ81OeGMkVlt3XiXM1bI5PfK2MqU5IfjRlfXmvpcn6MTYgjlASIVtRaSSjY6q8LPBR5fsSSftKE-fe4WPvsikc/w400-h155/PXL_20231230_175201228.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Non-saddle, saddle, and late run variations</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Dogs that appear to be transitional between the earlier and later styles are also known but hard to find.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy_120i2TYldaIM4PPLMKqwaoqobYPyAQSJdSVr2XQguY604_tSu-vJmf35k9DyR1ElezTYmnL5ALjJTjfnG91-iEXHQ-7Tk7a7emZMIsn0mBG3RpPLLUWduMNdPyjDtfY1dQUMnoWy_B8xuRM_w7uVXS4r6igxbai1FFlgSgDV6zegVKQEAvoeWFGHY/s400/transitional2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy_120i2TYldaIM4PPLMKqwaoqobYPyAQSJdSVr2XQguY604_tSu-vJmf35k9DyR1ElezTYmnL5ALjJTjfnG91-iEXHQ-7Tk7a7emZMIsn0mBG3RpPLLUWduMNdPyjDtfY1dQUMnoWy_B8xuRM_w7uVXS4r6igxbai1FFlgSgDV6zegVKQEAvoeWFGHY/w400-h300/transitional2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Worthpoint</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Nearly all </span>Rin Tin Tin<span style="text-align: left;">s have painted tongues ranging from red to pink. The dog with the unpainted tongue in the photo below may be unfinished or may have just been an oops.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYKKskAf0jnHQFpUqzSUzl3SzGtcMBJ70Bf2AzVXg0taJja0z0_XpZlp92RzfRTeHyQxFVBgrX6FilWcTYzt9WTbdCNaIOezv6q7NYErLDhnzGw4VWZgLpzwLCgCA3Do-hO9UyeZVMNrc49iASwxgIHV9Z1OHwG-V2C0r-4rRmhyphenhyphenimXqYKfTUFOUJWXk/s2000/PXL_20231230_175431472.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="2000" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYKKskAf0jnHQFpUqzSUzl3SzGtcMBJ70Bf2AzVXg0taJja0z0_XpZlp92RzfRTeHyQxFVBgrX6FilWcTYzt9WTbdCNaIOezv6q7NYErLDhnzGw4VWZgLpzwLCgCA3Do-hO9UyeZVMNrc49iASwxgIHV9Z1OHwG-V2C0r-4rRmhyphenhyphenimXqYKfTUFOUJWXk/w400-h248/PXL_20231230_175431472.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Non-saddle, saddle, fully painted, and 2 more <br />saddle versions</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Rin Tin Tin was last issued in 1965 which coincided with the end of the TV show which had continued to air as reruns from 1959-1964. The mold was released for a second time a few years later, from 1972-1973, as #327 the German Shepherd. Like Rinty, this dog also came painted in various ways. They can be found in shades of matte brown, charcoal, and black.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQ5Tet2ExAiAprvNCX4nkpf9iIF2qZycOjQbnJ57IjNRDsJOPPVccGGgOyQo3Z9ccmn7Ec8ZtbfqROyTkKuzj0oMZmwK2F032GBHJIdg-UDB4D8BZrF5ISv49zeHZQq7ydAw7NCiggp79mp1nNgknm5_De1XgzbyQTgHuDpDryy8Rh9qw-ijH3iTwpKs/s2000/PXL_20231230_175847045.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="2000" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQ5Tet2ExAiAprvNCX4nkpf9iIF2qZycOjQbnJ57IjNRDsJOPPVccGGgOyQo3Z9ccmn7Ec8ZtbfqROyTkKuzj0oMZmwK2F032GBHJIdg-UDB4D8BZrF5ISv49zeHZQq7ydAw7NCiggp79mp1nNgknm5_De1XgzbyQTgHuDpDryy8Rh9qw-ijH3iTwpKs/w400-h184/PXL_20231230_175847045.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black and brown variations</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Some are painted almost solidly while others have white on the neck, legs, or belly.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxopyUetl5uRIEPszKkmn715BIHa4uiazJtskm-9m2JyecJTkquU2nZ_HPf7x3NlqXCcX53E79ZAShOEaw4YEK-TGTNeLxfaCySXRAVd8Ujd8qApEw-VPZ_JybAlV29SnAyq4isZeOeCIyP_rgdUumgEblpcpkl74eYD-sj9aT-1tn5JStJGtgwu3WuU/s1500/PXL_20231230_175948190.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="1500" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxopyUetl5uRIEPszKkmn715BIHa4uiazJtskm-9m2JyecJTkquU2nZ_HPf7x3NlqXCcX53E79ZAShOEaw4YEK-TGTNeLxfaCySXRAVd8Ujd8qApEw-VPZ_JybAlV29SnAyq4isZeOeCIyP_rgdUumgEblpcpkl74eYD-sj9aT-1tn5JStJGtgwu3WuU/w400-h124/PXL_20231230_175948190.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike Rin Tin Tin who only had a painted tongue, the German Shepherds also usually have painted teeth.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDWff1ZjEeB8E_G9AxfUmKcxEmpjFVKIjNtn7MkZS7gbyHCAF-lpbvK8-LY2AGSwnrCfwI6viNNYKMOy1GVC5D2-gsVsRkAcCZHECiFAUVVKZo1VvKPGlexRAYlGms6Ycju2zlqPPieoEiItaur4uv9Cn6rnvIh2xKB95ZPjrQq006VjPhHzFiFmEQ3I/s1500/PXL_20231230_175926707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1500" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDWff1ZjEeB8E_G9AxfUmKcxEmpjFVKIjNtn7MkZS7gbyHCAF-lpbvK8-LY2AGSwnrCfwI6viNNYKMOy1GVC5D2-gsVsRkAcCZHECiFAUVVKZo1VvKPGlexRAYlGms6Ycju2zlqPPieoEiItaur4uv9Cn6rnvIh2xKB95ZPjrQq006VjPhHzFiFmEQ3I/w400-h278/PXL_20231230_175926707.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The later run Rin Tin Tins are easy to confuse with the German Shepherd because of their more extensive paint job. The German Shepherds are very matte however while Rinty is glossy.<br /><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeQDMXMF322mTc3GcEFl9KgG9bN-VSzIhH-1lXzDx9B_1D34T9XWt8e8s1Exn0UCyKVYAtQkg1a-ssXpCWtsaq3D7kpFZATCeQndZlH2PjTxd8AUefcq5c667Mu9I1Kpqw6RUyB9AWD1z3fcZxmiug7ve2hUIBqGNNRWY8dPYMMCmxddvrPyjpqitjzk/s2000/PXL_20231230_180037529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="2000" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeQDMXMF322mTc3GcEFl9KgG9bN-VSzIhH-1lXzDx9B_1D34T9XWt8e8s1Exn0UCyKVYAtQkg1a-ssXpCWtsaq3D7kpFZATCeQndZlH2PjTxd8AUefcq5c667Mu9I1Kpqw6RUyB9AWD1z3fcZxmiug7ve2hUIBqGNNRWY8dPYMMCmxddvrPyjpqitjzk/w400-h194/PXL_20231230_180037529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: German Shepherds in black and brown and <br />a late issue Rin Tin Tin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And as mentioned above, the German Shepherds usually have painted teeth while Rin Tin Tin does not.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiar_VjncahDwwwB2XGHV9zeGCO5B8ER7KDGc2ow8aRkl75dql4kUKUwz_N8UGEmn4m7zY3NURaOxr8Wic9QrgA5ogJtzCu3ciJ_jpQ3bnxWLxDKQ4PUXmC41LaUMdY9JLDzY9XKMFcwBsa2kybcHiP7ewLcRr9KfVRON_IEoxERgZee3sUfWiCD0kj9M/s1500/PXL_20231230_180110260.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1500" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiar_VjncahDwwwB2XGHV9zeGCO5B8ER7KDGc2ow8aRkl75dql4kUKUwz_N8UGEmn4m7zY3NURaOxr8Wic9QrgA5ogJtzCu3ciJ_jpQ3bnxWLxDKQ4PUXmC41LaUMdY9JLDzY9XKMFcwBsa2kybcHiP7ewLcRr9KfVRON_IEoxERgZee3sUfWiCD0kj9M/w400-h316/PXL_20231230_180110260.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German Shepherd on the left, Rinty on the right</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br />Since 1973, Breyer has reissued most of their other large dog molds like Lassie, Jolly Cholly, the Boxer, the Saint Bernard, and even the rare Small Poodle (after its <a href="https://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/01/breyer-mysteries-small-poodle.html">rediscovery</a>). The Rin Tin Tin mold however has been noticeably absent for the last 50 years. So too has the Large Poodle, but we do at least know the fate of that mold. According to Breyer historian Nancy Young, the Large Poodle was discontinued in 1973 as a cost cutting measure at the beginning of the oil crisis. The thick legs are solid plastic and a molding flaw on the left side has a tendency to crack. [2] It makes sense therefore why this mold has not resurfaced.</div><div><br />What has become of the Rin Tin Tin mold however is a mystery. Collectors have speculated for a number of years that the mold must be damaged or even lost. I had hoped that if it was still usable or at least could be fixed that it would have been released as a special run at the German-themed 2023 BreyerFest, but alas, no such luck. <br /><br />Given that Breyer still has the molds for the Small Poodle and the In Between Mare, neither of which were officially released until more than 40 years after their original creation, one would think the Rin Tin Tin mold must still be in their warehouse somewhere, too. Perhaps the damage is just too costly to repair? It's a shame if that's the case because I know many collectors besides myself who would love to have this mold in new colors on their shelves.<br /><br />Lee Duncan used to say that "there will always be a Rin Tin Tin," and while fans have carried on breeding the Rinty line, the dogs are no longer stars of the silver screen nor even a household name. Except to us Breyer nerds who keep his memory alive in plastic form. I hope you have enjoyed this post, and if you're interested in learning more about the life of Lee Duncan and the meanderings of his dogs and fate, I highly recommend Susan Orlean's book <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rin-Tin-Life-Legend/dp/1439190135">Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend</a></i>. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the horrors of WWI, the early days of Hollywood, and the baby boom years that were so formative for Breyer. <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><u>Works Cited</u>:<br /><br />1) Orlean, Susan. <i>Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend</i>. (New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 2011), 234. <br /><br />2) Young, Nancy. <i>Breyer Molds and Models: Horses, Riders, and Animals</i>. (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 1999), 325.</div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-47634325485188947472023-09-22T18:42:00.002-07:002023-09-23T09:18:22.764-07:00Breyer Production: USA vs China <p>Certain hobby topics seem to be cyclical on social media. Every time a new model is released, whether it's a web special or a Premier Club horse or some other collector exclusive, there will always be people lamenting tiny flaws and complaining that Breyers were better before production moved to China. There's honestly a lot to unpack in such a statement, not the least of which are the xenophobic undertones. I try to keep this blog upbeat and positive, but I am really tired of hearing this unfounded and frankly ugly invective.<br /><br />I have been collecting for 40 years now (holy crap), and my collection definitely trends very heavily to vintage models. I am a huge history nerd, so of course the old, rare, and weird models have great appeal for me. But I am also an artist and a horse color genetics geek, and while I am very selective about the new models I buy because I have limited disposable income, I am an enthusiastic collector of the fantastic new molds and intricate, realistic colors Breyer has been producing lately. <br /><br />But first, a brief history lesson. As most of us know, Breyer started making model horses in 1950 at their
Chicago, IL, factory. In 1984, Breyer was acquired by Reeves
International, and production moved to Pequannock, NJ, for a few years.
Plastic injection molding is an expensive business---each steel mold
costs more than $100,000 to tool---and by the early 1990s, Breyer, like so
many other American companies, began to move some of their production
overseas. The move happened gradually with the Stablemates starting production in China in 1992. The Little Bit/Paddock Pal and Classic scale molds followed a few years later in about 1997. And 2001 marked the last year that the Breyer dealer catalogs mentioned that any of their models were still made in the USA, meaning that all of the Traditional and Animal molds had been moved overseas by the following year.<br /><br />So how do we judge what constitutes "better?" The quality and intricacy of the paint job? The anatomical correctness of the sculpture? The quality of the molding itself? Factory flaws? Value?<br /><br />The quality of paint work seems to be the most common complaint when the subject of where models are made comes up, so I thought it would be interesting to compare Breyer appaloosas across the decades. The appaloosa pattern, in my opinion, is one of the most difficult colors to reproduce accurately in miniature. I still struggle with it despite having been a customizer for almost 25 years now. <br /><br />Let's have a look at the models in the photo below. The two appaloosa models on the left were made in the USA (1970s and 1996 respectively) and the two on the right were made in China (2023 and 2021). The appaloosa Quarter Horse Yearling on the far left is a typical example of how most appaloosa models were painted for decades with flicked-on spots over a vaguely defined white blanket. It gets the idea across, but it's not very realistic. Eventually, Breyer did begin to produce a few Appaloosa models with masked blankets and spots like <a href="https://identifyyourbreyer.com/Images3/66a1.jpg">Stud Spider</a>, but because the masks did not fit snugly, the models all had varying levels of overspray. Cinnamon, second from the left below, is truthfully a weird outlier for Breyer, but she's definitely not the only questionable paint job from the USA years. <br /><br />Adonis (rearing) and Danash's Northern Tempest (far right) are far more nuanced and correct. In terms of realism and intricacy, there's simply no contest. The models produced in China have carefully masked patterns that closely recreate real horse patterns. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae0yJegYRMwHwq5WiZ3X82TbsgahtHNFwBxdNKD2kv47UC9cg-PLNkWfuYtzRffPwAW8xYwYobKQ6B7yMHfJ3hImuGq6oZg19iVEFd_z3zIV3hxa2W8eK8ampx5fctsWZHFw7qdV5dnHad4bo3TV-85NhfM4vGKYxIUAe8O4dT37Yk0V97aq52YKJaSM/s1500/PXL_20230823_153154387.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1500" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae0yJegYRMwHwq5WiZ3X82TbsgahtHNFwBxdNKD2kv47UC9cg-PLNkWfuYtzRffPwAW8xYwYobKQ6B7yMHfJ3hImuGq6oZg19iVEFd_z3zIV3hxa2W8eK8ampx5fctsWZHFw7qdV5dnHad4bo3TV-85NhfM4vGKYxIUAe8O4dT37Yk0V97aq52YKJaSM/w400-h192/PXL_20230823_153154387.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breyer Appaloosas from varying eras<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In terms of anatomical and biomechanical correctness, most of Breyer's new molds made in the last 20 years have been better than those of the past. That is not meant to be a knock on Chris Hess, the artist who sculpted the majority of Breyer's models from 1950-1987. He was a serious artist in his own right having studied at the renowned Art Institute of Chicago. In addition to sculpting, he was also the craftsman and engineer who tooled all of the original Breyer molds. While many of his models do suffer from some common anatomical flaws---eyes set too high, incorrect musculature, etc---some of his pieces are still highly regarded by collectors for their timeless correctness, like Lady Phase.<br /><br />But horses are incredibly complex anatomically, and as much as I love a number of Hess' sculptures, they simply can't compare to the dialed in accuracy of the models sculpted in the last 20 years by the hobby's premier artists. While none of these new sculptures are perfect, the artists creating them have been better able to specialize in equine anatomy. They have had better and easier access to reference materials, and molding technology has improved to allow finer details and more intricate poses.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLEVTqrOnPGzORrV7c7HSQtpchhgM_SlNahTYsmq9sQ7o7BHcz7kavdOHQ0XObVa3BwdbxvwUDxMDYk5EnLKAxeOuZtNbLuzlbiNMo-a_yLyPOY9KLpCkdUIh9tORwwVtrpoJNGU-oYq1UrEsQp3ejq0c5zWYe6HrPSsZKyqnBA9IYMP5Gt4zaMjv24U/s1500/PXL_20230823_153530352.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1500" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLEVTqrOnPGzORrV7c7HSQtpchhgM_SlNahTYsmq9sQ7o7BHcz7kavdOHQ0XObVa3BwdbxvwUDxMDYk5EnLKAxeOuZtNbLuzlbiNMo-a_yLyPOY9KLpCkdUIh9tORwwVtrpoJNGU-oYq1UrEsQp3ejq0c5zWYe6HrPSsZKyqnBA9IYMP5Gt4zaMjv24U/w400-h171/PXL_20230823_153530352.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morgen Kilbourn's True North mold (left) and Chris Hess' <br />Quarter Horse Yearling mold (right), both lovely in their own way</td></tr></tbody></table><p>When it comes to molding quality, once again, there's just no contest. Most older models have prominent seams pretty much all over---back, belly, up and down the legs, across the chest, and even on the face. Because I customize as well as collect OFs, I have become very well-acquainted with the seams on most molds, and I have found that prepping vintage models is usually a bit of a nightmare. The old mold Proud Arabian Mare pictured below was made in the late 1950s, but seams like this were typical on pretty much all models well into the 1980s and 1990s. <br /><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmD13S0PfgINn8EFJMsGSAkJahbXmIBMx-1QT-eEryG1cvRVXBOFIBq3TfgiCV0t5unO1gYmsj49nIIbPAkt-t7NtRg9G7AG33tjj7BliNrVyNNEoGkiMIK7du97RW_EkfLE6mz91sYThBR0eCNAEJhMjaoIosx99H-0o2LKtriUuDBNmrLZs9gOYH34/s960/pam_seams.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="960" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmD13S0PfgINn8EFJMsGSAkJahbXmIBMx-1QT-eEryG1cvRVXBOFIBq3TfgiCV0t5unO1gYmsj49nIIbPAkt-t7NtRg9G7AG33tjj7BliNrVyNNEoGkiMIK7du97RW_EkfLE6mz91sYThBR0eCNAEJhMjaoIosx99H-0o2LKtriUuDBNmrLZs9gOYH34/w400-h201/pam_seams.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Lindsay Diamond</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Molding models in dynamic poses is a challenge, and the technology was just not there yet for some models molded in the USA-years like this Scratching Foal from the 1970s. <br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aYoA0rHXzGTuRPeO-OkNfJdkHiRcWlxn-xiCFRyKl-3EZ9CXUVl0yAbrrTecPtPWGdd33wiPnrDGLIn8XcKVIPehcKaJn5IQS6CuKoLeCnTISvAfSxGIV-quodmRN2FX9eSjlSOWTvBf1zlFQqLaprxC8ESMA2twn2pzFo79W7lDQuhUcFGPQKcCDCE/s1000/scratching%20foal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="872" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aYoA0rHXzGTuRPeO-OkNfJdkHiRcWlxn-xiCFRyKl-3EZ9CXUVl0yAbrrTecPtPWGdd33wiPnrDGLIn8XcKVIPehcKaJn5IQS6CuKoLeCnTISvAfSxGIV-quodmRN2FX9eSjlSOWTvBf1zlFQqLaprxC8ESMA2twn2pzFo79W7lDQuhUcFGPQKcCDCE/w349-h400/scratching%20foal.jpg" width="349" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Jen Boss</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In addition to prominent seams, many older models show evidence of careless seam cleaning and lax clean-up of the model in general. This can be seen in the form of chatter marks from dremels skipping over the surface of the model and sometimes extraneous bits of plastic that should have been sanded off but that were instead ignored and painted over.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="980" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNI0QRcQXH0SHlxKubF3LUS9TOmsDOogAtkZtoYFVoEdS-1EMlRqX2dhc41-QrJMtJ-d-_KQZFbVNuxk7ZeI7lU92oqzzUpyNNKLLt-H1WeDXU_rVukjstgXcBTxo1LgHpn3V1r2JNNzKGUQva43Saq8KcTgeKw66VOp9k1VwZ5-YWdFk9PAIaZXEI7s/w393-h400/seam_chatter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="393" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dremel chatter on a Clydesdale Stallion <i>(Photo by <br />Jennifer Tirrell)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVRrsBTmPdv3Iiw70X-ri80vB0eS5_Uv0v_7GSCMQyJ25pSqgrgn_IbLKp4YAnqMNbxUNnuQVubntchQncQdaj-oXalAaGJ6KUyOAlcYQuC6-KniJx_3Y1dnRrCPoa9aHYtq_2zT1eaj3YamrKegRAKlGBa22rCg_4wPXs_-LcMru8Gi4ByW1Xn3JNZg/s853/shetland_pony_plastic_goobers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="853" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVRrsBTmPdv3Iiw70X-ri80vB0eS5_Uv0v_7GSCMQyJ25pSqgrgn_IbLKp4YAnqMNbxUNnuQVubntchQncQdaj-oXalAaGJ6KUyOAlcYQuC6-KniJx_3Y1dnRrCPoa9aHYtq_2zT1eaj3YamrKegRAKlGBa22rCg_4wPXs_-LcMru8Gi4ByW1Xn3JNZg/w400-h248/shetland_pony_plastic_goobers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excess plastic gunk on the belly of a Shetland Pony <br /><i>(Photo by Matt Hanson)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcka28kuQ2epPMSO-EyfsHZv3b6WxdZ1AXw4OkOGSha4zA93PnBu_-NS0jv8k3bFPRLndSsZ0O4Y8b0wgJkemXtJLLNA8nrA9uPSGnjuqzG51nFJjZNwWeAWv_ZQ7sz-ALFeHYbv6ru5QtjWsMj5h5tteADOSO9m2XALBI2oSOoVh0LrR4KxP2OtLkMtw/s764/clyde_extra_plastic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="764" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcka28kuQ2epPMSO-EyfsHZv3b6WxdZ1AXw4OkOGSha4zA93PnBu_-NS0jv8k3bFPRLndSsZ0O4Y8b0wgJkemXtJLLNA8nrA9uPSGnjuqzG51nFJjZNwWeAWv_ZQ7sz-ALFeHYbv6ru5QtjWsMj5h5tteADOSO9m2XALBI2oSOoVh0LrR4KxP2OtLkMtw/w400-h304/clyde_extra_plastic.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excess plastic on the neck of a Clydesdale Stallion<br /><i>(Photo by Mel Grant)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />Many older models, especially some of the Classics, are also more likely to need details sculpted back in when prepping,
especially on the heads and legs. For example, I love the Classic molds
sculpted by Maureen Love, but they take much, much longer to prep
because of the poorly cleaned seams, misshapen legs, hooves, and faces, and often
crooked, blobby ears. This is frustrating to deal with as a customizer because it means many hours more work to make the model suitable for painting. But as an OF collector, too, it's sad to see careless prep work on otherwise exceptional sculptures. The Classic Arabian Stallion pictured below is not at all unusual in terms of how poorly the seam across the face was cleaned, the blobby ears, and the shallow, barely there nostrils. And as if this poor guy didn't have enough problems already, his star is completely off-center. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJomcusxX3jrbb17FXznj8ILt-tUIEYcnWtI3345kSTlEv_GWCOsFT-fh5ZMRYF1Rn9O8TDPtFTHzkKvYXJvkUZH1X751pvAiw348zej9syxdseb2r-4gNJphsFVgGSYuXWgI6kKi16t3tYVjZm10HfoKyYOzGNnqVPzqv933L7z9ksIquKMelzrfUdI/s704/cas_whoa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJomcusxX3jrbb17FXznj8ILt-tUIEYcnWtI3345kSTlEv_GWCOsFT-fh5ZMRYF1Rn9O8TDPtFTHzkKvYXJvkUZH1X751pvAiw348zej9syxdseb2r-4gNJphsFVgGSYuXWgI6kKi16t3tYVjZm10HfoKyYOzGNnqVPzqv933L7z9ksIquKMelzrfUdI/w291-h400/cas_whoa.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Levi Kroll</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In contrast, it's a breeze to prep modern, made in China molds because they hardly have any seams to clean. Most only need a little clean up on the manes and tails and behind the pasterns. These molds also have better sculptural detail such as well-shaped, concave ears and nostrils and realistic heel bulbs and frogs. Most older molds need to have those details carved or sculpted by the customizer, adding to prep time. In the OF show ring, most judges will excuse seams because that is just the nature of OF models, but cleaner seams and better detailing on an excellent sculpture is hard to beat.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mGxHeMiNGZ8lI9dUk7Tcgc1-oybNg5sYBL4p14DVJHSeIXVp9wQxzIRUIYn764TOEHyLuKtvMKuPNO-nCGfEPR8kdbRPjBTup2ILa6jTPQ0yhNg9W9_2GYK9YV7kcTpgpEjSuPOiqWdZFv9ZU1LbOvPXzRuhM3oOjnntSgJ2K_dOObplXmTDFU3WQE0/s1500/PXL_20230823_153834245.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="1500" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mGxHeMiNGZ8lI9dUk7Tcgc1-oybNg5sYBL4p14DVJHSeIXVp9wQxzIRUIYn764TOEHyLuKtvMKuPNO-nCGfEPR8kdbRPjBTup2ILa6jTPQ0yhNg9W9_2GYK9YV7kcTpgpEjSuPOiqWdZFv9ZU1LbOvPXzRuhM3oOjnntSgJ2K_dOObplXmTDFU3WQE0/w400-h164/PXL_20230823_153834245.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No seams!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rHJpgR7kzoFN3NkpSU877lDhm5clph31A39eHYMi9iniWRPd3uTdqbjVPHcMGxEektil0zEOsFDWA_Z4y328IPwvVzCp3C5QzSood_TrAkKW-6RhnkL5CElcyMLQ6PoYTO1oqtpntZ4lAVi8a4ukewmE5e5mpfHpuf0hSKpwmukjbGIlPaY1D-xqwsU/s1200/PXL_20230823_153843661.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1200" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rHJpgR7kzoFN3NkpSU877lDhm5clph31A39eHYMi9iniWRPd3uTdqbjVPHcMGxEektil0zEOsFDWA_Z4y328IPwvVzCp3C5QzSood_TrAkKW-6RhnkL5CElcyMLQ6PoYTO1oqtpntZ4lAVi8a4ukewmE5e5mpfHpuf0hSKpwmukjbGIlPaY1D-xqwsU/w400-h354/PXL_20230823_153843661.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">None here either!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Most older Breyers were made for many years, sometimes decades, so paint colors often varied over the course of the run. Collectors generally don't mind this kind of inconsistency because <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2018/07/my-variation-addiction-dapple-grey.html">variation collecting</a> can be a lot of fun. <br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlW83qsTgxyeItwMYFXI2UBGNwj0ZhQ1yQhGz7_oZm1HoCk-U7LEwKIhPppbauYQruvVjlSLTxk14XWtUo-CPc5c0d5vWYeEfRJNrn7tHZD8n1RdBJLWUdYOdEoM1V4m15bW4G2_BJwzZZgcOTRVu53KAb3P7oRv5oGNRvaf6MmpG-Nenl2Ed_PwqP7M/s1200/20160828_164910_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="1200" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlW83qsTgxyeItwMYFXI2UBGNwj0ZhQ1yQhGz7_oZm1HoCk-U7LEwKIhPppbauYQruvVjlSLTxk14XWtUo-CPc5c0d5vWYeEfRJNrn7tHZD8n1RdBJLWUdYOdEoM1V4m15bW4G2_BJwzZZgcOTRVu53KAb3P7oRv5oGNRvaf6MmpG-Nenl2Ed_PwqP7M/w400-h195/20160828_164910_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three variations of the #216 Mahogany Proud Arabian Mare<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>However, one of the common complaints about models made in China is a lack of consistency in painting, and I personally just haven't seen it. I often buy multiple examples of models I plan to repaint---one to keep OF and the others to paint and sell. For at least the last 10-15 years, I've been finding it much harder to pick out the nicest model to keep because the shading and detailing is pretty consistent across the board. There are nuances, but they're much more subtle than they were 20+ years ago. <br /><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhSjLGaf67LqGgNEOAFOW-5FnPa3OmdNAQSu-etKt3pvHFwyWz9H5iy5SeS8nDJNETt0jYBkzYudweV3KobVFozQi4mNeEuw8ups813entUCcQptQ_A5ZwKKjgb-GNkiK-EoAme9_WlHJLHNqgdjrMuBP9YG0BO5jWm-T7_lcM1Xcv4GfVM5Px6sUxSs/s1200/rapunzels.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="1200" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhSjLGaf67LqGgNEOAFOW-5FnPa3OmdNAQSu-etKt3pvHFwyWz9H5iy5SeS8nDJNETt0jYBkzYudweV3KobVFozQi4mNeEuw8ups813entUCcQptQ_A5ZwKKjgb-GNkiK-EoAme9_WlHJLHNqgdjrMuBP9YG0BO5jWm-T7_lcM1Xcv4GfVM5Px6sUxSs/w400-h143/rapunzels.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I still can't decide which one to keep OF<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Painting flaws like overspray, misaligned masking, or missed spots are another common complaint about models produced in China. And while those problems definitely occur, they were just as common on models produced in the USA. I would argue the mistakes made on new models are generally not as egregious or weird as some of the ones found on older models. For example, someone was having an off day when they painted the eyes on this Clydesdale Foal. Did they sneeze? Or have the hiccups? <br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14aDLYIa6eICuxYhStijMnF2JqyVHtoRdtgARUghftjkhbvZBxh2a_rf4HXbGZm9BkWzBhach4JIivL9IdiyEeVG2NFUXEYUazSVjaGKTP8RCUOrmllLmbtE0b4Q0iS1V0cABlhKkeP4z3BsOYZjpYbqPJYDHXnaavWjkPF5_ze2FtsZoKgx8g5kWiqU/s960/clyde_foal_painting.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14aDLYIa6eICuxYhStijMnF2JqyVHtoRdtgARUghftjkhbvZBxh2a_rf4HXbGZm9BkWzBhach4JIivL9IdiyEeVG2NFUXEYUazSVjaGKTP8RCUOrmllLmbtE0b4Q0iS1V0cABlhKkeP4z3BsOYZjpYbqPJYDHXnaavWjkPF5_ze2FtsZoKgx8g5kWiqU/w400-h400/clyde_foal_painting.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photos by Beau Schenfelt</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The buckskin Quarter Horse Gelding sometimes had a thin partial dorsal stripe, but this poor guy has a giant dorsal blorp. This kind of mistake would be relegated to the regrind bin these days.<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmNVSjaDoTlpzw3krRO0ednYsyA1Fvt6QzFF2yt1rbXai4QUaxuEGF5bRL8LW0j6wK8jxE09AYcqVxyfMJAUGuaWOn86CUb_X-tYfmGpBebYUGbHnwk7KpsQaqLR3sEGY6a0oXu4SA_Bw_I4dz_jtMxp0PDNpNeDZsgBvUIdUMcYL8MJ_4l6s-AueLhU/s930/qhg_dorsal_blorp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="442" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmNVSjaDoTlpzw3krRO0ednYsyA1Fvt6QzFF2yt1rbXai4QUaxuEGF5bRL8LW0j6wK8jxE09AYcqVxyfMJAUGuaWOn86CUb_X-tYfmGpBebYUGbHnwk7KpsQaqLR3sEGY6a0oXu4SA_Bw_I4dz_jtMxp0PDNpNeDZsgBvUIdUMcYL8MJ_4l6s-AueLhU/w190-h400/qhg_dorsal_blorp.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Kelly Weimer</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Splatter dapples and appaloosa spots have a definite nostalgic charm, but I suspect most collectors would not find these streaks acceptable now. We give it a pass on vintage models because we know quality control was pretty lax for a long time, and there's nothing to be done about it now.<br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0s_EsKSUbtKNC-0rrs_qkL01_C7GMdWJQniexamZ7mgqggornuQMLky6oySRIuNrWcE3N5R-3dnmTxs5R4-LZW7WwCh033kw9Axn4NMU8D6liRcxkikG5DM4nyvicRsr899RYmotW-GkBs-VB3bbtAVOJrTJJ9bv5maHjcegD9NU3jd8ZGjkBRVX86JA/s2016/appy_streaks1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0s_EsKSUbtKNC-0rrs_qkL01_C7GMdWJQniexamZ7mgqggornuQMLky6oySRIuNrWcE3N5R-3dnmTxs5R4-LZW7WwCh033kw9Axn4NMU8D6liRcxkikG5DM4nyvicRsr899RYmotW-GkBs-VB3bbtAVOJrTJJ9bv5maHjcegD9NU3jd8ZGjkBRVX86JA/w300-h400/appy_streaks1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Sara Parr</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Poor Cinnamon's ultra precise polka dots and pinking shears blanket go too far in the opposite direction. She's kind of cute in a "bless your heart" sort of way, but this too would never fly for modern collectors. (We definitely laughed about it in 1996 when she was released, too.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKHCHmauzHa14ayhoF1T7zVd7xb8fc2AazFR3lz75iNX0-xhcwmRhgnutMZtFrHfVj_WWfg1xXzy48m3cImRWNdtLJ62fjcCuK3SO9dB0twnsRvU1m74ZndksQmOfIyp5QX8EvcjanMJ12TXH56TyP2XLAxKjzdoLUXDGlzK7ukYjGku22zIcxj0t24w/s1500/PXL_20230821_150456159.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="1500" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKHCHmauzHa14ayhoF1T7zVd7xb8fc2AazFR3lz75iNX0-xhcwmRhgnutMZtFrHfVj_WWfg1xXzy48m3cImRWNdtLJ62fjcCuK3SO9dB0twnsRvU1m74ZndksQmOfIyp5QX8EvcjanMJ12TXH56TyP2XLAxKjzdoLUXDGlzK7ukYjGku22zIcxj0t24w/w400-h323/PXL_20230821_150456159.MP.jpg" width="400" /><br /></a></div><p>Dani, the 2021 BreyerFest celebration model, meanwhile is perhaps the most ambitious, widely-available, mass-produced OF model horse ever made. For the price of a virtual BreyerFest ticket (early bird tickets were $72.50), collectors received this absolutely stunning model. That's hardly more than one would pay to buy a regular run model online or even in a store. It still blows my mind that Breyer offered a hugely complicated, BreyerFest auction model worthy paint job like this to thousands of collectors as a large, easily obtainable run. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubu7yuFSlIsrbb0ivTcWHmWUa6632OqWvSbvEaA8mFmzCI1KQuLXuxtbHm-Amkec_J9m3kCTRfTkXJg8lWTVrV6EW0O1Z6P__MToLMWIuU8wQBMmK-d76FxK0rdf64NYvZ35ENZL1Z9YNR-iJgVDKc6ecm0zbRzG8aryu5miEV29p_MojV80of4MwggU/s904/dani.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="904" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubu7yuFSlIsrbb0ivTcWHmWUa6632OqWvSbvEaA8mFmzCI1KQuLXuxtbHm-Amkec_J9m3kCTRfTkXJg8lWTVrV6EW0O1Z6P__MToLMWIuU8wQBMmK-d76FxK0rdf64NYvZ35ENZL1Z9YNR-iJgVDKc6ecm0zbRzG8aryu5miEV29p_MojV80of4MwggU/w400-h284/dani.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">We have come SO FAR, my friends. This model just makes <br />my heart sing. She is so lovely.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In terms of value, regular run and special run models made in the USA and China have been a mixed bag. Some continue to appreciate in value while others can be hard to sell even below cost. Mold, color, and rarity have much more bearing on value than which country the models were made in. Prices on rare models from both countries have been trending up significantly in recent years, and while they seem to have peaked during the pandemic, the market doesn't seem to have cooled much on true oddities. <br /><br />With all this in mind, I think it's fair to say that both nice models and flawed models have been produced in the USA and in China. That is simply the nature of mass-production. But that said, it would be disingenuous to suggest that Breyer horses are regressing in quality and have been for the last 20-30 years. It's very clear to me, both from an artistic standpoint and from a showing and judging perspective, that Breyer models have only been getting <i>better</i> every year, especially the last 5 or so years. The technology for molding, masking, and painting has improved markedly in the last 20 years. Sure, there have been bumps in the road here and there, but by and large, the product Breyer is putting out is phenomenal for a mass-produced, still hand-painted-by-actual-human-beings toy. The models coming out of China, whether regular run or special run, are straight-up amazing. And to deny that is a slap in the face to all of the artists in our community whose sculptures and design work for Breyer have driven this renaissance in OF quality.<br /><p>One last thing to consider is that Breyer moved production to China for a very good reason---cost, both production cost and consumer cost. For 50 years, they were rightly proud to declare that their products were American made, but when the choice is to either go out of business due to high production and consumer costs or move production overseas and stay in business, there really is no choice at all. It was cheaper for Breyer to move all of their molds to China and then pay to import the finished products back to the USA to be able to offer consumers a reasonable price-point for purchasing rather than to keep production in the USA. Obviously, that speaks volumes about how broken the manufacturing laws and incentives are here in the USA and also, even worse, how poorly workers in China are paid. (I am not a student of economics, so I'll leave a deeper dive on those subjects to others.) But I do have to wonder how many collectors who complain about the quality of Breyers made in China would still buy them at 5 to 10 times the price if manufacturing were returned to this country? I'm guessing not many.<br /><br />So, with all that in mind, the argument that models made in China are not as good as those made in the USA is absolute bunk. As the photos in this post show, the models made in China are better in easily quantifiable ways. They're much better prepped before painting, and the paint jobs themselves are more complicated, more consistent, and more realistic. The sculptures are more correct, more dynamic, and more diverse in terms of represented breeds. It is of course absolutely fine to prefer older models stylistically; I too am nostalgic for the models I grew up with, and I thoroughly enjoy collecting older pieces and learning about their history. Who doesn't love a beautifully shaded old glossy after all? But declaring USA-made models "better" with no tangible examples as to why makes one wonder what these anti-made-in-China collectors are <i>really</i> complaining about. Why not just enjoy both for the positives they each possess? <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJMoW5kich9qTexRKIq7RqjsikX-8WN6TVf2pwsTP_ICp_2T76G6-P-kJybB5Xmat2ujpW7XWcFng9GifZbpuxw3_vM5hkTg29BLX9eTxHT-KYMAYtnYHJFO5nxErtBaws-f4pAfq0N_nDrBZa5YjVxT7n-CpuFXAgrGNoVIinlF4eiyOeBuKyjlCCl4/s894/both2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="894" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJMoW5kich9qTexRKIq7RqjsikX-8WN6TVf2pwsTP_ICp_2T76G6-P-kJybB5Xmat2ujpW7XWcFng9GifZbpuxw3_vM5hkTg29BLX9eTxHT-KYMAYtnYHJFO5nxErtBaws-f4pAfq0N_nDrBZa5YjVxT7n-CpuFXAgrGNoVIinlF4eiyOeBuKyjlCCl4/w400-h235/both2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-36824222587401158382023-09-09T11:52:00.004-07:002023-09-11T08:11:37.507-07:00Hartlands Oddities: It's Not Easy Being Green<p>If you grew up watching the The Muppet Show and Sesame Street like me, you probably remember Kermit the Frog lamenting in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRZ-IxZ46ng">his signature song</a> that being green meant he "blend[ed] in with so many other ordinary things." While green is indeed a normal color for frogs and leaves, in the world of model horses, green stands out as pretty weird, especially when it's unintentional! Such is the case with certain early Hartland models made in the 1950s and 1960s. <br /><br />Exactly why these models have turned green isn't entirely clear, especially since some, but not all, from a given run have shown a tendency to turn green. But the most likely explanation is that something in the paint was sensitive to UV radiation in sunlight. UV is well-known to have deleterious effects on paint and plastic, especially with prolonged exposure.<br /><br />The earliest green Hartland horses I know of are the aptly nicknamed "bile green" Victors made from roughly late 1948/early 1949 to 1950.<sup>1</sup> (The Victor is the model Mastercrafters Clock and Radio Company <a href="https://www.myhartlands.com/?page_id=276">commissioned for their clocks</a> that was subsequently copied by Breyer for the same purpose.) Breyer historian Nancy Young dubbed the color thusly, and it is quite apropos. Originally, the horses were a sort of shaded chestnut or sorrel color with grey, dark brown, or even black shading. Their saddles were painted to match. Nearly all examples, whether over a clock or freestanding, have turned a rather bilious shade of yellowy-green.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfSKl0S3KfgU6mOLoE58DoZ8WW6HrO9KToK8FWuXbkjO0KWMSHXataWnV97zJZLwvsovC55reKAA2Nys9D788H2burxCIpN1a7wpQS6-sav4sy8ZzQ32xETke3q4CbiAZj6ZcrseL0vPPO5rbgfURXAJpQN9eAQDquEdlybxEHQ296YNTV5Jr1TTb4RM/s866/hartland_victor_clock_green_small1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfSKl0S3KfgU6mOLoE58DoZ8WW6HrO9KToK8FWuXbkjO0KWMSHXataWnV97zJZLwvsovC55reKAA2Nys9D788H2burxCIpN1a7wpQS6-sav4sy8ZzQ32xETke3q4CbiAZj6ZcrseL0vPPO5rbgfURXAJpQN9eAQDquEdlybxEHQ296YNTV5Jr1TTb4RM/w370-h400/hartland_victor_clock_green_small1.jpg" width="370" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hartland Victor and Mastercrafters Clock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>My own Victor over the clock pictured above retains some traces of his original color under the saddle. This lends strength to the idea that a reaction to light is the culprit for the green color everywhere else. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-hgxsALCrD6NkjmvBuojKZI48e6bCc9N-hc_Zhyy_yw7mSHHC69y4Wp7RxMhlPLg1VAOP0rjamD5Z1LH5cenXVGqOFMJDJTWews9YdVi5oa8KX5IM2CDquxfKAP1gwCPMBqNPE3ZhXLIjfceFjfzE4wtWP7nsod8adwVxvVJfbHpHz7uXpuyH7hgsxw/s1500/20200129_210832.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1500" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-hgxsALCrD6NkjmvBuojKZI48e6bCc9N-hc_Zhyy_yw7mSHHC69y4Wp7RxMhlPLg1VAOP0rjamD5Z1LH5cenXVGqOFMJDJTWews9YdVi5oa8KX5IM2CDquxfKAP1gwCPMBqNPE3ZhXLIjfceFjfzE4wtWP7nsod8adwVxvVJfbHpHz7uXpuyH7hgsxw/w400-h324/20200129_210832.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Finding Hartland Victors that are still the original brown color is quite rare, but I was lucky enough to snag the freestanding model below on eBay a few years ago. He does have a faintly yellow cast to his plastic which is probably age-related, but the contrast against the now-green clock Victor behind him is pretty striking.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EyLPgWK6EtI-qVIA9cgX0DJ2p8t9W4zxieoUx4NspKNz8LCt2u-JVCTaXN4aYgu6pE3akBGaTLuWF4cOsnwoupaxTtWRG7u5v69RBk6FXEiQgeJ8W-Vjj4BKbmhPjxb9bttX6Lnis4GD2Uu7kkdHvRApkvf5LvaozG69cAR6uyOYGCvKIMWQXDAZR5Q/s1500/PXL_20211222_011035539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="1500" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EyLPgWK6EtI-qVIA9cgX0DJ2p8t9W4zxieoUx4NspKNz8LCt2u-JVCTaXN4aYgu6pE3akBGaTLuWF4cOsnwoupaxTtWRG7u5v69RBk6FXEiQgeJ8W-Vjj4BKbmhPjxb9bttX6Lnis4GD2Uu7kkdHvRApkvf5LvaozG69cAR6uyOYGCvKIMWQXDAZR5Q/w400-h363/PXL_20211222_011035539.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Interestingly, this odd color was dubbed "palomino" in this June 1950 spotlight in <i>Toys and Novelties</i>. I'm not sure if Hartland ever called the color that or if it was assumed by the non-horse savvy writers of the magazine.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionx2z3_Z5GsU2iMPLSZ1IY1DJ5Q_3tueNUiv0XXx9mDZDhaFTw8fujO7oU0HmJzwE2BGi0j7sXzN0lkYY8VmRAUjzgvXh4ZHRhDlyMCB_FTkcKa-RP1h4hmuy4-zUDb_lpfCm8gdaSVVii6Sz2nXfn5rU-a79Z2Wqw2WFvCTX9Yn-gJLakt1ot2_4Z5I/s2000/tn1950_06_hartland_victor1_cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1002" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionx2z3_Z5GsU2iMPLSZ1IY1DJ5Q_3tueNUiv0XXx9mDZDhaFTw8fujO7oU0HmJzwE2BGi0j7sXzN0lkYY8VmRAUjzgvXh4ZHRhDlyMCB_FTkcKa-RP1h4hmuy4-zUDb_lpfCm8gdaSVVii6Sz2nXfn5rU-a79Z2Wqw2WFvCTX9Yn-gJLakt1ot2_4Z5I/w200-h400/tn1950_06_hartland_victor1_cropped.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />In the early 1950s, Hartland replaced the Victor with the Large Champ mold. It was released in several colors including palomino, and the earliest palominos had an unfortunate tendency to turn green as well. Most are not quite so dramatically green as the Victors, but they still stand out when compared to their non-green brethren. The Champ on the left below is the earliest of the three, and both he and his saddle are faintly green. The chalky palomino in the middle shows no signs of paint discoloration, and neither does the second version palomino Champ on the right. I'm not sure if the saddle is original to that horse, but it has turned a greenish-grey color. These horses were all made sometime between about late 1953/early 1954 until about 1957.<sup>2</sup><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho3Y1uYzXANNr9q75bX3wdj3EfHblph4TgDiThvtXZ6n65tv0RP8pisICD2zfWTUk-LMgHAY5OfAdElfAsQq3iQ7163R9UpSSr9pzD2xcLxxXUrCL8wEhO2ISMfDyAg56GsLSjHb1Cba7LsIuo5olAs3laBfJdbGm6u8Tq1A-s8ZRn5XYZrDbzt89QCc/s1500/PXL_20211222_013539909.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1500" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho3Y1uYzXANNr9q75bX3wdj3EfHblph4TgDiThvtXZ6n65tv0RP8pisICD2zfWTUk-LMgHAY5OfAdElfAsQq3iQ7163R9UpSSr9pzD2xcLxxXUrCL8wEhO2ISMfDyAg56GsLSjHb1Cba7LsIuo5olAs3laBfJdbGm6u8Tq1A-s8ZRn5XYZrDbzt89QCc/w400-h233/PXL_20211222_013539909.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Other palomino models from the '50s and '60s have turned green as well, but unlike the Victors which have nearly all turned green, with these somewhat later models, green is the exception rather than the rule. The ones that have turned green are painted in a similar, thin yellowy palomino color, and even a few bays and chestnuts have been affected as well. The greenish ones tend to also look slightly faded in intensity compared to other examples of the same models that have not changed color. <br /><br />Here are some other fun examples of green ponies. This little horse on the base dates to around 1950, and very few painted examples of this mold are known.<sup>3</sup> His color is similar to that used on the sorrel-turned-green Victors.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4c8kGhOVP889wRKBHS7jPFS2JhLwLsJOEoytMu3dy-NMBhjkKFGwHHxX0h_6koMS5Vekj5Pto7piRm0Rizi5HoxiTPa24hNgMnJylQp0Zmxo_o7h-1ffzW61ecfE44K7Nk7YIpIsxEKgBf7S-o_ipdztswVoNB0SA_hF0hqa8MLo0xiPbwkLVsZ5LUk/s1200/standing_horse_on_base_sorrel1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1200" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4c8kGhOVP889wRKBHS7jPFS2JhLwLsJOEoytMu3dy-NMBhjkKFGwHHxX0h_6koMS5Vekj5Pto7piRm0Rizi5HoxiTPa24hNgMnJylQp0Zmxo_o7h-1ffzW61ecfE44K7Nk7YIpIsxEKgBf7S-o_ipdztswVoNB0SA_hF0hqa8MLo0xiPbwkLVsZ5LUk/w400-h390/standing_horse_on_base_sorrel1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Some of the palomino 800 series horses that were made as part of the horse and rider sets in the late 1950s and early 1960s have turned a semi-neon green color like this poor guy. The lighting is not great in these photos, but the horse is indisputably green. Note the thin, faded look of the paint. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88AAMNtEsBWQI3aqrrHegs2_5tzzi5r_gWetOsv86J5UPma1OOQnjtrAWCcLzygT4vWhgOXLLAcekboND9MwPefCivSWgvgFWqNu_xGkeGtf2OAbLtqLPwuM-asatzA6SSIiUpwPGyQgTz_9uODBJx49eZ3l1XZDblkqjyktAXrclOh5kFfDCbPgPsHU/s506/hartland_head_down1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="506" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88AAMNtEsBWQI3aqrrHegs2_5tzzi5r_gWetOsv86J5UPma1OOQnjtrAWCcLzygT4vWhgOXLLAcekboND9MwPefCivSWgvgFWqNu_xGkeGtf2OAbLtqLPwuM-asatzA6SSIiUpwPGyQgTz_9uODBJx49eZ3l1XZDblkqjyktAXrclOh5kFfDCbPgPsHU/w400-h278/hartland_head_down1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Etsy<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0ony7LBtzurB49fKi1i2IYgMAMlQZtVSdChFizbHAdDTmReLAWXDkxdO5Q5lVY8kKuYE5tat_fbhh1tN10togiNsK6l5rW__yExoxFO9Z7OqWiKdqJ8Jhgjf9dCa1U6q4cTs7NBiiXugvQ2e33Mz_jeH9tv9QreC_roSxhqd_JQbGIkgtYzZb1WwQFI/s383/hartland_head_down2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="380" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0ony7LBtzurB49fKi1i2IYgMAMlQZtVSdChFizbHAdDTmReLAWXDkxdO5Q5lVY8kKuYE5tat_fbhh1tN10togiNsK6l5rW__yExoxFO9Z7OqWiKdqJ8Jhgjf9dCa1U6q4cTs7NBiiXugvQ2e33Mz_jeH9tv9QreC_roSxhqd_JQbGIkgtYzZb1WwQFI/w396-h400/hartland_head_down2.jpg" width="396" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Etsy<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Horses from the later 1960s were affected as well. The 6" palomino weanlings shown below were made from 1964-1968, and while most have retained their proper palomino color, a few are definitely green.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgq8jdk12q2ZvSV7_Kw68Sshnb4nsiBAx2pE6cX3cJ0SLVC2KihVEJFJIYrybsg9bH2YsBQeNaw5AscW8AulA3x3uy_Y4yt6kSxGLJmwtF-pds4gndAfPR2waLt_KecJUZKWD8tJorjZFA0hC2afY1f8IQZmjcGrs36ak02qttUo_VhcpIBaSFfiDU2s/s922/foal_comp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="922" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgq8jdk12q2ZvSV7_Kw68Sshnb4nsiBAx2pE6cX3cJ0SLVC2KihVEJFJIYrybsg9bH2YsBQeNaw5AscW8AulA3x3uy_Y4yt6kSxGLJmwtF-pds4gndAfPR2waLt_KecJUZKWD8tJorjZFA0hC2afY1f8IQZmjcGrs36ak02qttUo_VhcpIBaSFfiDU2s/w400-h169/foal_comp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo on the left by Lois F; photo on the right from Etsy<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>As I mentioned above, a few non-palomino models have been known to turn
rather green as well. My 7" Tennessee Walking Horse family (made 1965-1967) which
includes a palomino stallion, a bay mare, and a flaxen chestnut foal, have
all turned green, but only on one side. Presumably, they all stood in a window for a time and changed color on the light exposed side.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj7D3Yfxr01lWUhuPcWO2TQ48UcHdFauFllu_voptQu131Fa8NdLehKEw4xC4-kTqgPGPVdsMu8-rqL_yrlrvWxz8bG7p7xHfMV5fai7_CHGCgEcGWVERQvTu1wkJh6mZD7unrpl7cBW4bsPd2GFxdIUJyWCZ0dO-cOaPHWarSV5FMbeQFRf2ew-UmR4/s1014/hartland_twh_mare_green1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1014" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj7D3Yfxr01lWUhuPcWO2TQ48UcHdFauFllu_voptQu131Fa8NdLehKEw4xC4-kTqgPGPVdsMu8-rqL_yrlrvWxz8bG7p7xHfMV5fai7_CHGCgEcGWVERQvTu1wkJh6mZD7unrpl7cBW4bsPd2GFxdIUJyWCZ0dO-cOaPHWarSV5FMbeQFRf2ew-UmR4/w400-h325/hartland_twh_mare_green1.JPG" width="400" /><br /><br /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHp8HYI4Zof9ktDvf30AvOh4y68bIUrVUSh3y-FfjDaKPisehHxYuI9Y6FHymLIFS-PX0xPz6XOMhS-xr8wtbUFsqGU5ecUoXzyGsc1CaPLEL3bI8AY30NH7fRsbKHEtgeszAKS5LTDW1REF-TGR7yY_XcJkkdusbtrqEO0c75PQBBhxsckPv6zbAS_w/s800/hartland_twh_mare_green2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="800" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHp8HYI4Zof9ktDvf30AvOh4y68bIUrVUSh3y-FfjDaKPisehHxYuI9Y6FHymLIFS-PX0xPz6XOMhS-xr8wtbUFsqGU5ecUoXzyGsc1CaPLEL3bI8AY30NH7fRsbKHEtgeszAKS5LTDW1REF-TGR7yY_XcJkkdusbtrqEO0c75PQBBhxsckPv6zbAS_w/w400-h335/hartland_twh_mare_green2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />I couldn't resist picking up an extra TWH foal at BreyerFest this year. He is exquisitely green all over. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitD3LpV4QP7WH2aUp5obXUwg2Ea_3fAbGau5rUIHRW3Lz6iD6ppfPXjhv3FcrkvE_f1izVhEXrn58eXWPFAprf0PGN0LAVZ_2pPcEgkDR_GiwyLGxVL32o4kmOgs6nyzwxf5uKdrJP9qSkKYYf2N-uLDze4PqTIRrDHXxprBd5ojflZkPDcB_CBtvqpfA/s2822/7inch_twh_foal_green1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2778" data-original-width="2822" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitD3LpV4QP7WH2aUp5obXUwg2Ea_3fAbGau5rUIHRW3Lz6iD6ppfPXjhv3FcrkvE_f1izVhEXrn58eXWPFAprf0PGN0LAVZ_2pPcEgkDR_GiwyLGxVL32o4kmOgs6nyzwxf5uKdrJP9qSkKYYf2N-uLDze4PqTIRrDHXxprBd5ojflZkPDcB_CBtvqpfA/s320/7inch_twh_foal_green1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /></div>Technically, the state of green-ness of these Hartlands is the result of damage, but I personally find them fascinating and quirky. My green Hartland Victor clock is one of my most favorite oddities in my collection. Even Kermit realized that being green is beautiful, and these neat old models are, too.<br /><br /><br /><br /><u>Sources:</u><br /><br />1) Mike Jackson's Hartland Site, Mastercrafters Clock history: https://www.myhartlands.com/?page_id=276<br /><br />2) Mike Jackson's Hartland Site, Champ History: https://www.myhartlands.com/?page_id=232<br /><br />3) Fitch, Gail. <i>Hartland Horses and Dogs</i>. (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Limited, 2001), 169.<br />Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-80072798886223469222023-07-01T12:46:00.002-07:002023-07-01T12:46:39.170-07:00Pottery + Model Horses = Nerdy Bliss<p>My friends, I have a confession to make. I am a pot head. Yes, you read that right. <br /><br />I. Love. Pottery. <br /><br />There, I've said it. Now you all know my terrible secret. Model horses are (obviously) my main collecting passion, but I must confess to having a pottery addiction as well. There are pots all over my apartment. I seek them out to admire in museums. I even want to make my own. The horror!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7j5HY-NwWpTL85kjWJ6VgzAkuct-MNRvdcF-b7jo9mn0l6Kvok9umbcmpX3DQ4vTPM2C8Ew5k1LaFQg4wn95N_HYyGVq_zYwmjjBmb30Me4ampUS96m4GkV8Jl8rgkxvJuCndDMBDOaJe_vBQT49lY544OGON0lLnKKGlXZSTcaZr2AIrD04npnS1Ic/s1500/PXL_20230630_003123759.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1500" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7j5HY-NwWpTL85kjWJ6VgzAkuct-MNRvdcF-b7jo9mn0l6Kvok9umbcmpX3DQ4vTPM2C8Ew5k1LaFQg4wn95N_HYyGVq_zYwmjjBmb30Me4ampUS96m4GkV8Jl8rgkxvJuCndDMBDOaJe_vBQT49lY544OGON0lLnKKGlXZSTcaZr2AIrD04npnS1Ic/w400-h243/PXL_20230630_003123759.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zuni, Hopi, and Acoma pots<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I'm not sure I can quantify what it is I love about glazed ceramics. I am drawn to soft, matte glazes...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5C2NUQ1fRPADL7S8AsYPW8IHkpwJ-gRlC1UY4HY21PMcvscb05w-adrUg9CPRwVlsHx0uCZ42-c8Nhgu5Gi0LgROVBSgLmf7IsaLSDgFSIZSnsKtyyhYZXbvbha1NPCDwFNjeOxcRDqdLBWXgbXeNswZtA6-kT2rTkrRVkesJNEslC9XB9BysNVTFWU/s2834/PXL_20230701_190838121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2502" data-original-width="2834" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5C2NUQ1fRPADL7S8AsYPW8IHkpwJ-gRlC1UY4HY21PMcvscb05w-adrUg9CPRwVlsHx0uCZ42-c8Nhgu5Gi0LgROVBSgLmf7IsaLSDgFSIZSnsKtyyhYZXbvbha1NPCDwFNjeOxcRDqdLBWXgbXeNswZtA6-kT2rTkrRVkesJNEslC9XB9BysNVTFWU/w400-h354/PXL_20230701_190838121.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>As well as brilliant glossy finishes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9kk9oFWDysuuAbr_5Ny8Pj_uordSg84mHPdKaEpGledSribZ5ywg_kdJUw3B0hO7EFpdMoe-sxCbCAxaSRAFLciFmkEwU6rDWyQXx1CsHeFaU0EbOQTNYhCGWyLPB2Cg2DO52wE9KJZ7pviF3rKNuPwWJbgSQpe8F2Lp-izpxDm6syjItur1ifmhoVc/s2771/PXL_20230630_235653673.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2771" data-original-width="2764" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9kk9oFWDysuuAbr_5Ny8Pj_uordSg84mHPdKaEpGledSribZ5ywg_kdJUw3B0hO7EFpdMoe-sxCbCAxaSRAFLciFmkEwU6rDWyQXx1CsHeFaU0EbOQTNYhCGWyLPB2Cg2DO52wE9KJZ7pviF3rKNuPwWJbgSQpe8F2Lp-izpxDm6syjItur1ifmhoVc/w399-h400/PXL_20230630_235653673.MP.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><p></p><p>I definitely have a thing for earth tones---shades of brown, grey, blue, and green.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez6X5mSmQtAL71yfDnBZyaWvM6EM_KhXHBOihdh4Xwki8MpoiKHPewljvBQPwMtyTnqxzN_ZIOAcxSCNrL7882bC3CUm4n5X3giy4ylmwjRbFARS2ZGCNcWef1BkyWBNMe9ilGQ_JC8aV6t_idY1oGzG-DYxcKnuRjl5YYZZUUiqAOJLmKvXUTSbfNbY/s3750/PXL_20230701_000205207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2245" data-original-width="3750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez6X5mSmQtAL71yfDnBZyaWvM6EM_KhXHBOihdh4Xwki8MpoiKHPewljvBQPwMtyTnqxzN_ZIOAcxSCNrL7882bC3CUm4n5X3giy4ylmwjRbFARS2ZGCNcWef1BkyWBNMe9ilGQ_JC8aV6t_idY1oGzG-DYxcKnuRjl5YYZZUUiqAOJLmKvXUTSbfNbY/w400-h240/PXL_20230701_000205207.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I have pottery that was made near my home town.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulET-f7z2FUb2InRnZWnZpiL83jaIvaRyR6HcWO9xH-H8x0rbDMOTInGNIvox5nyDnp3Eh7fn4X4LTyTFAM0zGVVcGpCYJp5VdNi8WJBumZdHWQ0QjULcH_zXOG34IUDPvDWNClyJMM1507ukplTnJmuIjwxNc8jeVvtvK2tKLTBEJ0L17EtOBQvoaUU/s3628/PXL_20230630_234628834.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2453" data-original-width="3628" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulET-f7z2FUb2InRnZWnZpiL83jaIvaRyR6HcWO9xH-H8x0rbDMOTInGNIvox5nyDnp3Eh7fn4X4LTyTFAM0zGVVcGpCYJp5VdNi8WJBumZdHWQ0QjULcH_zXOG34IUDPvDWNClyJMM1507ukplTnJmuIjwxNc8jeVvtvK2tKLTBEJ0L17EtOBQvoaUU/w400-h270/PXL_20230630_234628834.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Wing Pottery from Red Wing, MN</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I even have a pot that once belonged to a famous person who owned a famous horse.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBN35KlkDxiuRPQwp-nBuSOSc5EUcQ5oekXHQ9Xi-_nk18gcQ3pffb3VjZV1u3ZfJptzsQIfJedUw8GrwIx8CdgzMA-o2XQMvHgehTzuYxUPDPW0MSyp9NyKsq0kjVsf6dXnKFN_-r_GbdUFQY3BamEOGqAsnRZldXZp9R3fD3fQes7LUYoVhbzNZqD0/s3734/PXL_20230630_235345697.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2579" data-original-width="3734" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBN35KlkDxiuRPQwp-nBuSOSc5EUcQ5oekXHQ9Xi-_nk18gcQ3pffb3VjZV1u3ZfJptzsQIfJedUw8GrwIx8CdgzMA-o2XQMvHgehTzuYxUPDPW0MSyp9NyKsq0kjVsf6dXnKFN_-r_GbdUFQY3BamEOGqAsnRZldXZp9R3fD3fQes7LUYoVhbzNZqD0/w400-h276/PXL_20230630_235345697.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pot from the estate of Penny Chenery, owner of Secretariat</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But my particular pottery interest is Puebloan pottery made by the Native tribes of the American southwest. I grew up surrounded by Native American artefacts---Navajo rugs, Chippewa beadwork, Zuni jewelry, and Acoma pottery---and I can finally afford to indulge my interest in Native arts on a small scale. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiros2nc51Jl052tPfZpYW7z5fjx0bpydpKjojbxGN-VxorH4tBKuixIXu13lNg1ANcIlKSuLG2GuRzotnWWl0vJVLoHW-k-YwZbnqzrap8LaUtdF9yCxnspDQgE-cbHE7D4EevJkRVpXdKhfOqZ3bYgy6nNZHkO3xoPuK40A2pYcM5PrVNEabfytDLNk/s1996/50470048_10101704456736860_2252588885076869120_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="1996" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiros2nc51Jl052tPfZpYW7z5fjx0bpydpKjojbxGN-VxorH4tBKuixIXu13lNg1ANcIlKSuLG2GuRzotnWWl0vJVLoHW-k-YwZbnqzrap8LaUtdF9yCxnspDQgE-cbHE7D4EevJkRVpXdKhfOqZ3bYgy6nNZHkO3xoPuK40A2pYcM5PrVNEabfytDLNk/w400-h266/50470048_10101704456736860_2252588885076869120_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(The Black Bisque Quail is Hagen-Renaker;<br />the pots and black horse are Native made.)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Sometimes, my model horse and pottery addictions intertwine---I do collect a lot of ceramic horses and animals after all---and they display beautifully together on my shelves. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfsr4l5gRSJcpaYxSZYKdgyLxAHcCIqoxHgZaqEJ8h6KqSyXic_2Pt1DuxL9aMwMbbHDm40ZFmAnbn5t-xgEUIck92RyDZbtNosmd60z5stq-FkpTXy3YWskuBfz_q95rH6Nb_174_e02XnodGo8Mt4k-XIaYaxaSr83LNDaS8BjXcjgfIaE8xSorxnw/s3161/PXL_20230701_190649862.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2780" data-original-width="3161" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfsr4l5gRSJcpaYxSZYKdgyLxAHcCIqoxHgZaqEJ8h6KqSyXic_2Pt1DuxL9aMwMbbHDm40ZFmAnbn5t-xgEUIck92RyDZbtNosmd60z5stq-FkpTXy3YWskuBfz_q95rH6Nb_174_e02XnodGo8Mt4k-XIaYaxaSr83LNDaS8BjXcjgfIaE8xSorxnw/w400-h351/PXL_20230701_190649862.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br />One of my ceramic horses is actually a piece of Native pottery.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSK81hEqDMB_FXytpeLI8u3GJ9G7wsGyHbrMRpdJZiswckUNPCkvna2mQSwuK-iDXIBR3jIcJB50MumTUApIMHUeRqAmubBzyD2JIRnVJbUwy-B2HaXxSywHRHycmCV1OMiNpMCkdTkgl19H7glSh2zzfSi3JMpVGcAVuHxmzFFXSG0_PxMdoAMXKm3f0/s600/602061_987859908690_1307531166_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSK81hEqDMB_FXytpeLI8u3GJ9G7wsGyHbrMRpdJZiswckUNPCkvna2mQSwuK-iDXIBR3jIcJB50MumTUApIMHUeRqAmubBzyD2JIRnVJbUwy-B2HaXxSywHRHycmCV1OMiNpMCkdTkgl19H7glSh2zzfSi3JMpVGcAVuHxmzFFXSG0_PxMdoAMXKm3f0/w400-h388/602061_987859908690_1307531166_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Clara horse figurine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I also have a great deal of interest in ancient pottery, especially Ancestral Puebloan (aka Anasazi) pottery, in particular the beautiful and enigmatic figural <a href="https://www.eyesofthepot.com/history/mimbres.php">Mimbres</a> pieces. Such pots are far out of my price range, not to mention the due diligence needed to buy legally collected ancient pots, but happily I live near the Field Museum which has an incredible collection I enjoy visiting regularly.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbISB-uCpRCztItxMYSafn25sVjTH-qjo4LcSK178x2hobjcPiD_DHsjBsMKd_E68FhHw6Um0JI3_GjKz6x3q5QxetwpxBgsBvpcqiju-FYda9DZQttDApovy6KGg739-1GfsP1-LjP9lkIihYSq9d8ndlDESsQQpfWGZxrTwpzaODLxRvG7jZDr8F6U8/s640/field.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="630" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbISB-uCpRCztItxMYSafn25sVjTH-qjo4LcSK178x2hobjcPiD_DHsjBsMKd_E68FhHw6Um0JI3_GjKz6x3q5QxetwpxBgsBvpcqiju-FYda9DZQttDApovy6KGg739-1GfsP1-LjP9lkIihYSq9d8ndlDESsQQpfWGZxrTwpzaODLxRvG7jZDr8F6U8/w394-h400/field.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of many display cases full of amazing Ancestral <br />Puebloan pots at the Field Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have also had the pleasure of visiting the lovely <span style="text-align: center;">Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum</span> at Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez, Colorado.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFra4bz-947eRGLNH0iyMm1VBUKEf7Vju4-Mu9cPZXO5I2aOuw6KxhNBMj6uM5u6pKYIOhBP1jkufKyFqFLws8AH0umyGbpHNv9YmxVfMdka7AIAdWn0kRYufs8f21INlfseFUR1MZMuowehZzDLyyxG97UdHfheyZqERz1HZDbDYfYfzy934y802smZg/s1024/191142817_10102452761857400_8572727652960154514_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFra4bz-947eRGLNH0iyMm1VBUKEf7Vju4-Mu9cPZXO5I2aOuw6KxhNBMj6uM5u6pKYIOhBP1jkufKyFqFLws8AH0umyGbpHNv9YmxVfMdka7AIAdWn0kRYufs8f21INlfseFUR1MZMuowehZzDLyyxG97UdHfheyZqERz1HZDbDYfYfzy934y802smZg/w400-h300/191142817_10102452761857400_8572727652960154514_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me geeking out over pots<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>My second love when it comes to ancient pottery is what is generally lumped together as Greek. This includes the early Minoan, Mycenean, and Geometric styles as well as the later, better known black-figure and red-figure pottery of Classical Greece. As you can see from my Native pottery collection, in addition to earth tones, I am also drawn to patterns of black and white or black, white, and red. <br /></p><p>In terms of ancient Greek pottery, I love the simple geometric designs of the oldest Minoan and Mycenean pieces (circa 2600-800 BCE)---concentric bands of alternating color, patterns of circles and spirals, key patterns, and more. I am also hugely enamored of the many wonderful figural Minoan pots covered in googly-eyed octopi and other sea creatures.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_3cQ0n_9DatW7ULptvfx6S46qAkED8BAPWBJ2IvBDrB1l2IrCD9F1Z4Y6S2IFg2s7Wts7BLcSBL6v2afEFOTKRvjLFo9ALwPhzyUVvATgdhnfU6MbGl-c3SXpRGE1on7njRMzR8TpyERZvxFCb179VhwVJjv1JFJfFnEkYzooRMgroJJS7Boly28S6U/s1820/greekpottery1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="1820" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_3cQ0n_9DatW7ULptvfx6S46qAkED8BAPWBJ2IvBDrB1l2IrCD9F1Z4Y6S2IFg2s7Wts7BLcSBL6v2afEFOTKRvjLFo9ALwPhzyUVvATgdhnfU6MbGl-c3SXpRGE1on7njRMzR8TpyERZvxFCb179VhwVJjv1JFJfFnEkYzooRMgroJJS7Boly28S6U/w400-h130/greekpottery1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Photos by Wolfgang Sauber, Olaf Tausch, <br />and Marie-Lan Nguyen<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Styles in Greece transitioned from patterns of predominantly black designs on white backgrounds to the Classical form termed "black figure" in the 600s BCE. These were pieces featuring black designs painted on a reddish-orange background with fine details picked out in white. The decoration also morphed to feature the human figure predominantly, especially scenes from mythology or athletic competitions. The finest examples of Greek pottery were very often prizes awarded at various athletic games held every 2 or 4 years depending on the location. Some would have been large bowls intended as vessels for mixing wine while others were beautifully decorated containers for olive oil, a valuable commodity.</p><p>Needless to say, I was hugely excited when I saw Nemea, the BreyerFest 2023 special run inspired by this black-figure amphora depicting a chariot race in the British Museum. This pot was made in Athens circa 410-400 BCE and was found in Cyrenaica (modern Libya). It would likely have been a prize for an athletic competition, presumably a chariot race.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5KNOdT62psazZsnVAUexmJc9beWVteXy1wXNI0Fx1YRsxd5jUpHE65kAae5EHajscAAboveAqrlAc_tsZjVYXrvdcCMqxheohlHrOQLNNT-hKvCRpNy9JzZxU62JvJETSVtTElCg4-aZROBMVhBWrcA-4qT4JKS8fweK7w7JSETZSO6pSZ2lK_rf7Q0/s2048/cyrenaica.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1369" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5KNOdT62psazZsnVAUexmJc9beWVteXy1wXNI0Fx1YRsxd5jUpHE65kAae5EHajscAAboveAqrlAc_tsZjVYXrvdcCMqxheohlHrOQLNNT-hKvCRpNy9JzZxU62JvJETSVtTElCg4-aZROBMVhBWrcA-4qT4JKS8fweK7w7JSETZSO6pSZ2lK_rf7Q0/w268-h400/cyrenaica.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Carole Raddato from Frankfurt, Germany, CC <br />BY-SA 2.0, via <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0">Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Breyer artist (as well as fantastic artist in her own right) Heather Puleo did a magnificent job translating this work into a Breyer design.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmpogkytcXduVo5unK_wxRp2mZExSU8TU0I035VcqRfRkew0nczjo33TCnI-jMjJqQ0Tudau5lYJRnTCuPjrIRny7U3LLud-UglW6Sh9zHdv_k9k1nXj5GM7Ud5YuzjbbzpPF5xnf95_Xn6a5CyLtjORktfzyrBIrBWvup8AeTKr1UkvB1gYp85h5628/s1488/nemea.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="1488" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmpogkytcXduVo5unK_wxRp2mZExSU8TU0I035VcqRfRkew0nczjo33TCnI-jMjJqQ0Tudau5lYJRnTCuPjrIRny7U3LLud-UglW6Sh9zHdv_k9k1nXj5GM7Ud5YuzjbbzpPF5xnf95_Xn6a5CyLtjORktfzyrBIrBWvup8AeTKr1UkvB1gYp85h5628/w400-h265/nemea.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from breyerhorses.com</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Breyer clearly has my number when it comes to all of the recent
models inspired by historical figures or ancient art. I can't wait to add Nemea
to my shelf along with <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/05/breyerfest-boudicca-and-bizarre-uses-of.html">Boudicca</a> and <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2021/07/of-mycenaeans-and-men.html">Knossos</a>!</p></div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-25223117250553547752023-05-06T11:21:00.002-07:002023-06-02T13:13:12.014-07:00Secretariat, the Return of the Decorators, and a Missing Link Test Run?<p>This year marks the 50th anniversary---the golden anniversary no less---of Secretariat's Triple Crown victory in 1973. To celebrate, Breyer has produced a new gold charm Secretariat model on the <a href="https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/identify/images/1874_goldsecretariat.webp">Smarty Jones mold</a> reminiscent of the one they released almost 25 years ago on the original Secretariat mold. And they have also recently debuted a <a href="https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/identify/images/vc_secretariat.jpg">classic scale gold charm Secretariat</a> for the Vintage Club on the Man O' War mold. So it seems particularly fitting therefore that a gold charm test run model possibly related to that first gold charm Secretariat model came to light just a few months ago.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="884" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NXJbtP_1ek07exUbzaOPouJqIA2dBfQKkGSHEIurRUGS-C2sxSPD2-fLJiXzpohCN9cJZMElegl0OTVVLZrZzoxjQ1Uv-GjKqlcMl3UjbXMgXbkGKb-322BFpmlww0BNMeuQieAdLEbpzJvd0jghurel3xitkS_1-0D5DrL5WMEej_zIx523swjC/w400-h353/gold_black_stallion_test1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfinished test run gold charm Classic Black Stallion<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>But first, a little backstory. As everyone knows, Secretariat swept the Triple Crown in 1973 in dramatic fashion, winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in stakes record times before smashing the Belmont by 31 lengths in a new world record that still stands to this day.<br /><br />As I've mentioned here and on my studio blog, I have been a horse racing fan my whole life. I learned to read with C. W. Anderson's horse stories, and I was always enthralled by his memories of great horses like Native Dancer, Stymie, Exterminator, and especially Man O' War. Despite all the talented horses he saw in his lifetime, Anderson never wavered from his opinion that the original Big Red was the greatest of them all. He died in 1971 however, two years before the mighty Secretariat swept the Triple Crown, and I have always wondered what he would have written about the second Big Red. <br /><br />While I'm too young to have seen Secretariat, I do nonetheless have a very clear memory of the evening news reporting Secretariat's death on October 4, 1989. I was only eleven at the time, but I had seen his Triple Crown races on a VHS tape my parents had bought for me of the (then) eleven Triple Crown winners. I knew he'd been a phenomenal racehorse, and Lady's Secret and Risen Star had proved that he was a good sire as well only a few years earlier.</p><p>Breyer did not release a Secretariat model until 1987, almost 15 years after the great horse's Triple Crown triumph. Breyer historian Nancy Young wrote that Breyer had approached Penny Chenery, Secretariat's owner, shortly after his great victory to make a model, but Penny had declined, feeling that a toy was inappropriate. Peter Stone finally won her over years later with an appeal of "what about the children?" Secretariat debuted as part of the Artist Series, a line of small traditional scale models by well-known equine artists like Chris Hess, Rich Rudish, and Jeanne Mellin Herrick. It was the last model Hess sculpted for Breyer before he passed away.</p><p>I honestly don't recall a thing about buying my regular chestnut Secretariat model, but I do very well remember acquiring one of the next colors released on the mold, the gold charm.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycziMx8bLC8Dnc_nkKHyMkAJvLk3rbXEbwrE34PU_615VuAVDyPfMxWcKPDdMYQVHAY14mqvMaCv6j7Q83Rw9G3E6V75GOg2OS14yDAk-JzF7yOm6858CDUTwXklVgHqlvEXX3NtdBSXr4GLjeu2oFNjUdOp_12-ZN7ijIzdkE1KoP38Iezw6Q_j8/s944/sec1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="944" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycziMx8bLC8Dnc_nkKHyMkAJvLk3rbXEbwrE34PU_615VuAVDyPfMxWcKPDdMYQVHAY14mqvMaCv6j7Q83Rw9G3E6V75GOg2OS14yDAk-JzF7yOm6858CDUTwXklVgHqlvEXX3NtdBSXr4GLjeu2oFNjUdOp_12-ZN7ijIzdkE1KoP38Iezw6Q_j8/w400-h319/sec1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This model was in storage for 30 years, hence his bright,<br />untarnished gold color<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In the late 1980s, after Reeves International bought Breyer, Peter Stone continued to work for the company and travel the country promoting Breyer models. For several years, Breyer hosted a series of signing parties at various toy stores where Peter would visit for an afternoon and sign any models customers purchased or brought in from their own collections. In 1990, a special run gold charm Secretariat model was offered to signing party attendees. My dad very sweetly drove me and my little sister Sarah to a toy store in downtown Atlanta where we stood in line to buy a gold Secretariat and have it signed by Peter. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9MKAns_esgYVEJfbYqsUKUddbGPYxkEG9WxUYOT1OLERsLr2Wgc1ytet3mMXPku0VPbFKpyKz7AZFod7Rd2eBS9a_CBp4_v-k9JONXlq-bX1bn0SynITYfOSXLPKfyVfEtHo-BzX1dw89I7MxHnkZiLUVyXgJTFpoy9Iu7cbuWj2AUR1c0qEUfY2/s2390/signing_party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2390" data-original-width="2092" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9MKAns_esgYVEJfbYqsUKUddbGPYxkEG9WxUYOT1OLERsLr2Wgc1ytet3mMXPku0VPbFKpyKz7AZFod7Rd2eBS9a_CBp4_v-k9JONXlq-bX1bn0SynITYfOSXLPKfyVfEtHo-BzX1dw89I7MxHnkZiLUVyXgJTFpoy9Iu7cbuWj2AUR1c0qEUfY2/w350-h400/signing_party.jpg" width="350" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At that time, it had been more than 25 years since Breyer had produced
the original decorator models, and needless to say, the gold charm
Secretariat caused a bit of a stir. While we stood in line, my dad and I
chatted with other collectors about it, and part of the excitement was
the reintroduction of a decorator color after so long, and part of it
was due the fact that it was not quite a traditional gold charm model.
Instead of having a white mane and tail, bald face, and four white feet
like the '60s gold charm models, the new Secretariat was gold all over
with a blaze and 3 socks like those of the real horse. And as a run of
only 3500 pieces, he was considered somewhat limited in those
pre-internet days. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszyHs6yKcCOK8qLVcHVN1ZY4UMC-Km_JNmvoQ9Am7ss2DocsZKAWiZMJwqHYfmfYKYPoXS1I0xYpwdjIm3jrdZBLYL6Vw3p98ViZMNLD7_yoZxI4f5nuPwphtgAqKFcYNuhNmZQdX9vdWkg_5j6xlx6oZjUY8p1JbM5bP-aJTi3rQjzzQgO4GeQ-m/s1500/Gold%20Charm%20Mustang.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1457" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszyHs6yKcCOK8qLVcHVN1ZY4UMC-Km_JNmvoQ9Am7ss2DocsZKAWiZMJwqHYfmfYKYPoXS1I0xYpwdjIm3jrdZBLYL6Vw3p98ViZMNLD7_yoZxI4f5nuPwphtgAqKFcYNuhNmZQdX9vdWkg_5j6xlx6oZjUY8p1JbM5bP-aJTi3rQjzzQgO4GeQ-m/w389-h400/Gold%20Charm%20Mustang.jpg" width="389" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 1960s gold charm Mustang for comparison</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"></div><p></p><div>Later that summer in July 1990 at the inaugural BreyerFest, yet another new decorator was released, a florentine Misty raffle model limited to 21 pieces. The color and style of this model were a close match to the florentine models of the 1960s.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZve2ueYhpmzUBauJDMhJH6DCjKfhjoqDgkY0Ge5zr5xavk6BJHfFBlIVhr4PzLtz36Z7UCX0IIqJcHzao8aDqqSaGf6EoSgOxbzJYidm2vJuC50nGUOQH7s6Zx5zXgAqXbIm9pf2VeL110byabME_DwHGorQxIMYdhu6puCbXuMGYiytbpHFK3OMH/s1000/FlorentineMisty.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="1000" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZve2ueYhpmzUBauJDMhJH6DCjKfhjoqDgkY0Ge5zr5xavk6BJHfFBlIVhr4PzLtz36Z7UCX0IIqJcHzao8aDqqSaGf6EoSgOxbzJYidm2vJuC50nGUOQH7s6Zx5zXgAqXbIm9pf2VeL110byabME_DwHGorQxIMYdhu6puCbXuMGYiytbpHFK3OMH/w400-h303/FlorentineMisty.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1990 BreyerFest raffle model florentine Misty<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMI3aG4XZxxgDnWXvZ6oLJkTIhO6Xl2zQLVnhqN-4QV7Ao6qsVaez-hkMyUpqpVSLDAd0YapaIuCBfBTPPZzhEtfM_-3_rUFUrhqralfw5qDmlIvhDP3zWu9XhhFrtDe9sQUMs2H_u85Lb9b_AO-QHtP8driJnZ-k5NCktNt_KC7jXN8W-ztuDf-8c/s1000/Florentine%20Mustang.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1000" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMI3aG4XZxxgDnWXvZ6oLJkTIhO6Xl2zQLVnhqN-4QV7Ao6qsVaez-hkMyUpqpVSLDAd0YapaIuCBfBTPPZzhEtfM_-3_rUFUrhqralfw5qDmlIvhDP3zWu9XhhFrtDe9sQUMs2H_u85Lb9b_AO-QHtP8driJnZ-k5NCktNt_KC7jXN8W-ztuDf-8c/w400-h395/Florentine%20Mustang.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 1960s florentine Mustang for comparison <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The following year, Breyer held BreyerFest events at four locations---in Lexington at the Kentucky Horse Park as they done the year before, as well as in Redmond/Bend, OR; York, PA; and Pomona, CA. Each location had a different decorator raffle model, and unlike the florentine Misty from the previous year, none of the 1991 decorator raffle models were a match for their 1960s counterpoints.<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hV2CRE7ETCzAtpMD2vFXbfjXog7wWFrFgV-2AdMWKYPuMfhT3dH2eQB8mUgJrpcMcH5Nbz3cT_sqMaZIsiS2QUw6MBQZK2LFIG3a1iN6eKXMEOAHdJXPkWMqmcoCFyYCRykP9YOmfawD9DRh5Sv9hRHCzbcuZvDZNXCsvSmz2zaXY-OXVw6cNp79/s912/Decorator%20Group%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="912" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hV2CRE7ETCzAtpMD2vFXbfjXog7wWFrFgV-2AdMWKYPuMfhT3dH2eQB8mUgJrpcMcH5Nbz3cT_sqMaZIsiS2QUw6MBQZK2LFIG3a1iN6eKXMEOAHdJXPkWMqmcoCFyYCRykP9YOmfawD9DRh5Sv9hRHCzbcuZvDZNXCsvSmz2zaXY-OXVw6cNp79/w400-h220/Decorator%20Group%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 4 original 1960s decorator colors<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The florentine Legionario does not have a white mane and tail, has only two socks and no bald face, and has grey hooves instead of pink. The copenhagen San Domingo does not have a white mane, tail, socks, or bald face, and he also has grey hooves. The gold charm Man O' War is gold all over except for his star to match the real horse. And the wedgewood Sham has a white mane and tail and four socks but no bald face, and grey hooves instead of pink.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8opwR_eVQl09ASYE1gV2QIAAWLbnwPP1pp3AYt0QSrpku_SZ3q-qq0epIUzlu1NoJBWE5mzJt1jazTpF5FZyihxI53TKVfw0dJHY4z0XHGN0oeJUiexZRNPygOfkLcyFFCY7336HT1mGEpXQinr3PCYq1lqfikR9yKi0iPNHakRRI7O2-z_FgEA_/s999/1991collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="999" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8opwR_eVQl09ASYE1gV2QIAAWLbnwPP1pp3AYt0QSrpku_SZ3q-qq0epIUzlu1NoJBWE5mzJt1jazTpF5FZyihxI53TKVfw0dJHY4z0XHGN0oeJUiexZRNPygOfkLcyFFCY7336HT1mGEpXQinr3PCYq1lqfikR9yKi0iPNHakRRI7O2-z_FgEA_/w400-h331/1991collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1991 BreyerFest raffle decorators (Man O' War photo <br />from <a href="https://identifyyourbreyer.com/">Identify Your Breyer</a>, Sham photo by Mel Grant, <br />Legionario photo by Sarah Wellman, San Domingo photo<br />by Molly Bates)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Subsequent decorator models such as the 1996 BreyerFest raffle model Malibu, a wedgewood Hackney, returned to the style of the 1960s models with white manes, tails, bald faces, socks, and pink hooves. <br /><br />So when this gold charm Classic Black Stallion turned up in an online auction a few months ago, it immediately caught my attention because it reminded me strongly of the gold charm Secretariat and the 1991 raffle models. I was certain he was original finish because everything about the way he was painted, from the way the gold on his legs fades into white socks to the distinctive way the underside of his tail is not painted, suggested he was absolutely factory original. After 40 years of collecting, you just know that OF look.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixttH2CrIWUAj3z7sr8k5DH9xk1IN1lthDPqnHk1TinMFj79r3o_9ephI8UmXToCaAKVZ7JY1RccSWYHXVVayJW2yxV9USNNb-zaDzSEmUxKQarDjT_HnSXC4uSGkFUU4eeAOMddWgSWhpi4W8IFsIWttf7rTE8FB4QBL7qZiFLXQ-V6tDXFvQEkgM/s1076/gold_black_stallion_test2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1076" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixttH2CrIWUAj3z7sr8k5DH9xk1IN1lthDPqnHk1TinMFj79r3o_9ephI8UmXToCaAKVZ7JY1RccSWYHXVVayJW2yxV9USNNb-zaDzSEmUxKQarDjT_HnSXC4uSGkFUU4eeAOMddWgSWhpi4W8IFsIWttf7rTE8FB4QBL7qZiFLXQ-V6tDXFvQEkgM/w400-h319/gold_black_stallion_test2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Interestingly, he escaped the factory unfinished (his hooves and eyes are not painted). His gold paint has oxidized ever so slightly in the 30 or so years since I believe he was created. The Classic Black Stallion mold was introduced in 1983, and until about 2002, it had some rough pimply spots on the barrel. The mold was smoothed out in 2003. This gold charm model does have the pimpled barrel, so he had to have been made sometime between 1983-2002. But I think the window for his creation date can be narrowed down to just a few years, probably sometime between 1989-1991.</p><p>Because he was painted with a gold mane and tail and a solid gold face and because he is a small standing model, I can't help but wonder if he was painted when Breyer was testing options for the gold charm Secretariat release. The models are of a similar size in a similar pose, and the non-traditional gold charm paint job is very alike in terms of style. He also bears a strong resemblance style-wise to the unconventional 1991 raffle models.<br /><br />While I can't prove that this model is the missing link that brought decorator colors forward into modern production after a long hiatus, I think it's highly likely that he dates from the right time period. Furthermore, we do know of a few other oddball decorator colors on classic scale molds from this period, such as the wedgewood Classic Man O' War and the <a href="https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/BreyerFest/images/kelso.jpg">wedgewood Classic Kelso</a> that were sold at the 1997 and 1999 BreyerFest auctions respectively. At the time, the models sold in the BreyerFest auctions were true factory tests plucked from the archive shelves, not one of a kind models made deliberately for the auction as they are now. Both of those models were likely painted several years earlier around the same time as the 1991 raffle models. Could this gold charm Classic Black Stallion be a part of that series of test models, too? I'm not sure we'll ever know for certain. And that is part of the thrill of collecting and hunting for rare Breyers. You just never know what unexpected things will turn up! </p>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-47437810623204091682023-03-16T14:16:00.003-07:002023-04-12T14:09:18.482-07:00Souvenirs and Bygones: Engraved Model Horses and So Many Stickers!<p>As of April of this year, I will have been writing this blog for 12
years (which is kind of hard to believe)! I thoroughly enjoy writing
about the hobby and model horse manufacturer history, and I have
absolutely no intention of stopping. I am also planning to reboot my <a href="http://modelhorsehistory.com/">Model Horse History</a>
website and start adding more content this summer. Building websites and writing
posts for this blog however take a great deal of time, effort, and
research, and many of the historical archives and databases (not to
mention webhosting) I utilize are not free. With that in mind, I decided
to set-up a <a href="https://ko-fi.com/kirstenwellman">Kofi</a>
page. Both the MHH page and this blog will always be free to everyone
to read, but donations or monthly support are very welcome. Thank you!<br /></p><p>* * * * * <br /></p>Now, back to blogging!<p>Most travelers, myself included, enjoy bringing home souvenirs from trips, whether photos or tchotchkes or pretty rocks (<i>especially</i> pretty rocks). Souvenirs have been popular for centuries (millennia even), and they continue to remain popular today. Just about anything you can imagine is available as a souvenir---I personally like to buy fridge magnets depicting the new places I visit. </p><p>Travel today is relatively easy and convenient by air or by car (and to a lesser degree by train), but that hasn't always been the case. The vast interstate highway system that crisscrosses the United States really only began to take shape in the 1920s, and while car travel became more accessible, in the decades leading up to World War II, most vacationers tended to be well-to-do. <br /><br />The end of World War II triggered an era of growth and prosperity in the
United States, and further work on the interstate highway system in the 1950s encouraged more middle class families to get out and explore the country. Roadside attractions with their requisite souvenirs, especially near tourist destinations, were already well-established. Interestingly, some of the souvenirs on offer included model horses, everything from metal models to plastic to ceramic. Given the popularity of Westerns at the time, this was a smart choice by retailers. <br /><br />Most of the models horse souvenirs I'm aware of date to the 1950s or 1960s although some of the metal ones probably date to the late 1940s. Enterprising entrepreneurs personalized items to their locale by engraving them, adding stickers, and other means. These additions are all custom, aftermarket embellishments. They were not added by the manufacturers (i.e. Breyer, Hartland, etc) and are therefore not OF. But that said, these souvenir models are still fun to collect!<br /><br />A variety of Breyers and Hartlands have been found with engraved city names and dates on them. A few are even personalized with their owner's name. Most of the ones I've seen are marked New York or New York City, but I've also seen some marked New Orleans, Niagara Falls, Seattle, and San Francisco. The majority have dates from the 1950s, but a few have dates from the early 1960s. The models were engraved by retailers at the request of their customers. On light-colored models, the engraved area was rubbed with something dark (perhaps ink?) to make the lettering standout. On darker models, the engraving stood out against the existing paint and needed no further embellishments. Collectors who received engraved models as children related visiting certain stores in New York or the World's Fair in Seattle where their parents' purchased the models for them. What fun memories!<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZWWQ3g4zujwA-a62h5IsJw13tynVTSibulR617ZpbxYD2p8qGKRdT1m0uSFVNTK3F0t3-aoibiTPZAUBTcjIVFfL1SCCxNiZv8_mXtTcbac3XThlgD2oCsMLxVvmDltSfnB00QW8ItUm7R6vlg1KCUAIbz-coo2TRy_lCtylKlrliSvPGT3bN-3N/s300/sanfrancisco2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZWWQ3g4zujwA-a62h5IsJw13tynVTSibulR617ZpbxYD2p8qGKRdT1m0uSFVNTK3F0t3-aoibiTPZAUBTcjIVFfL1SCCxNiZv8_mXtTcbac3XThlgD2oCsMLxVvmDltSfnB00QW8ItUm7R6vlg1KCUAIbz-coo2TRy_lCtylKlrliSvPGT3bN-3N/w400-h300/sanfrancisco2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Hartland Victor engraved "San Francisco 1949" <i>(Photo by<br />Stormfront Stables/2004)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDYsfeQEdszSp2CP0lqZySgYVChYQ3yciduV_jE9AX5UBA3WHyUzZL0267XSLxrchRtJyNaX4IAnzonODWa1uagb3EzZd3LvT7_qK6bpuG0cMu7vfAqnV12uW2aty5ymNBO5iRyhTwzSu5gWCP3UOPW6rgakRQqyCnYsuOuuVdF2JUJ641Rc4jx3N/s1058/shetland_engraved_paul1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1058" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDYsfeQEdszSp2CP0lqZySgYVChYQ3yciduV_jE9AX5UBA3WHyUzZL0267XSLxrchRtJyNaX4IAnzonODWa1uagb3EzZd3LvT7_qK6bpuG0cMu7vfAqnV12uW2aty5ymNBO5iRyhTwzSu5gWCP3UOPW6rgakRQqyCnYsuOuuVdF2JUJ641Rc4jx3N/w400-h295/shetland_engraved_paul1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Shetland from the early 1960s <i>(Photo by Lois F)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CrInD6PIDqay3esjGwG4R8Wzfq-zeuGeLoR-gWMQf0VYeiih21h2S111Khe-U4wpnxrZIyNUDMG1dBMq57ohCuaignUBE8F0fS_wNVgvpdNCtcAmIAtXRKB-UXZwOhMxzm3okE5vFl4zgyYsWjGz0s8QcdGznwN6BF3V0UBDmGe-Yv87fRYC0IoD/s1000/boxer_engraved1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1000" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CrInD6PIDqay3esjGwG4R8Wzfq-zeuGeLoR-gWMQf0VYeiih21h2S111Khe-U4wpnxrZIyNUDMG1dBMq57ohCuaignUBE8F0fS_wNVgvpdNCtcAmIAtXRKB-UXZwOhMxzm3okE5vFl4zgyYsWjGz0s8QcdGznwN6BF3V0UBDmGe-Yv87fRYC0IoD/w400-h350/boxer_engraved1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not just horses were engraved! <i>(Photo by Lois F)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> Some horses made of materials that could not be etched were inscribed with ink instead.<br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GylfvJ1vA0J-iBvL8GzofRYZix9uMqs_g045sT-V9mng2m8xyikDngvG5cxW7K79x0clvumGdeOG2Qq7yO_Cj1TaIKCwRMo2tuuF7g7-BlgDyAb2zba-W9SWWC8qTF_WbDPiU7hoKzjH3uK19OnWEXO9Hu2swY0Q7Fx0IzyjEoEmVQZn31dxsNWs/s1000/ceramic_new_orleans_script1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1000" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GylfvJ1vA0J-iBvL8GzofRYZix9uMqs_g045sT-V9mng2m8xyikDngvG5cxW7K79x0clvumGdeOG2Qq7yO_Cj1TaIKCwRMo2tuuF7g7-BlgDyAb2zba-W9SWWC8qTF_WbDPiU7hoKzjH3uK19OnWEXO9Hu2swY0Q7Fx0IzyjEoEmVQZn31dxsNWs/w400-h341/ceramic_new_orleans_script1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ceramic souvenir horse from New Orleans <i>(Photo from eBay)<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44LyynqC0vzwqo6B7z9Q64AagxqXo6obacHlTRV6FCxVIQwu-q5Hva7fKHgFLIfTleQDWomIT1ZLCcvYIWgqszUhGtIDVGzhXm_ECLJ5_e21TprWIMdac636xvzEdx3oWv7nwBw5masFhoAZAgujqtjYKIGE6T5pHeVdYGw0qLECgWBH2Wnx4Ylpp/s1000/metal_writing1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1000" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44LyynqC0vzwqo6B7z9Q64AagxqXo6obacHlTRV6FCxVIQwu-q5Hva7fKHgFLIfTleQDWomIT1ZLCcvYIWgqszUhGtIDVGzhXm_ECLJ5_e21TprWIMdac636xvzEdx3oWv7nwBw5masFhoAZAgujqtjYKIGE6T5pHeVdYGw0qLECgWBH2Wnx4Ylpp/w400-h301/metal_writing1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A funny little metal horse from the Farmers' Market in<br />Hollywood, California <i>(Photo from eBay)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p>Many other souvenir models were decorated with stickers listing the location where they were purchased. The stickers varied in color and design, but the majority seem to be gold or yellow in the shape of a fluttering ribbon. As expected, many plastic horses---Breyers, Hartlands, and knock offs---bear these stickers.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EJQwl7G8HA4IcWRmKr-0Z7AqAGK3qV7BIuajHjChSktYxI6BE02FHdyrAVmCdAU0Vs5u8To_QByeGIvtQFB82J50tPTw5-QQqxMip6Ao8QqeZthBOqo9RLWvh8Oj7hkydukZr_j34eP74WYQM4ZiIXqNm9o9Qz2o9DFjfhnQxB00ChN5my1rd7jz/s1000/western_horse_gold_sticker2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1000" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EJQwl7G8HA4IcWRmKr-0Z7AqAGK3qV7BIuajHjChSktYxI6BE02FHdyrAVmCdAU0Vs5u8To_QByeGIvtQFB82J50tPTw5-QQqxMip6Ao8QqeZthBOqo9RLWvh8Oj7hkydukZr_j34eP74WYQM4ZiIXqNm9o9Qz2o9DFjfhnQxB00ChN5my1rd7jz/w400-h313/western_horse_gold_sticker2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early Western Horse (circa 1951-1952) with a <br />Cleveland, Ohio, souvenir sticker (Photo by Lois F)<br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jbkeoWnQ5Na4CwZrdEZ6Bft0Lu7vRgXOoA66Ipu4LKdDRZmY4wgoSnZBcs8bul4cGSNHDsAjeiEuoDFUeuAZi04UNGqOPz6-XBQ4Ql-7AdbRV4BIa6M5y4ozto7bFWzfZBE-GNUX9SEpsdeViV0nSrboNaYGCZ5hENVT08BjvQo0ugr6bB0BVCrp/s696/western_horse_gold_sticker1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="696" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jbkeoWnQ5Na4CwZrdEZ6Bft0Lu7vRgXOoA66Ipu4LKdDRZmY4wgoSnZBcs8bul4cGSNHDsAjeiEuoDFUeuAZi04UNGqOPz6-XBQ4Ql-7AdbRV4BIa6M5y4ozto7bFWzfZBE-GNUX9SEpsdeViV0nSrboNaYGCZ5hENVT08BjvQo0ugr6bB0BVCrp/w400-h336/western_horse_gold_sticker1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo by Lois F)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A yellow ribbon with red ends is the most commonly seen style. They reference the names of towns, tourist attractions, stores, and even national parks.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXa-Cou9jf6hSgNrd1sanLGQ7J8DGZzTpIoT6eQW7SCLyhlcl2oQbreGFdtKRpq-vmebjAFTKaA9kag_YOYqytoTL9gJV2WPDeW-XbzdeBXo1y7mPL57BBmuGGW8N1RrHKje-sp9WE7GzKFAvKaNeHpLoWv8F8PxbbXpWpJW5og8-P6eeZLB2V5qz/s880/hong_kong_sticker2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="880" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXa-Cou9jf6hSgNrd1sanLGQ7J8DGZzTpIoT6eQW7SCLyhlcl2oQbreGFdtKRpq-vmebjAFTKaA9kag_YOYqytoTL9gJV2WPDeW-XbzdeBXo1y7mPL57BBmuGGW8N1RrHKje-sp9WE7GzKFAvKaNeHpLoWv8F8PxbbXpWpJW5og8-P6eeZLB2V5qz/w400-h361/hong_kong_sticker2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Hong Kong copy of the Breyer Western Prancer with a <br />souvenir sticker for <a href="https://grantsfarm.com/">Grant's Farm</a> (Photo from eBay)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T_kyTsmdFfnzLRPn-LTx6fvTZwdQ3N-3v8PMtz-1F5IA66vioA3kuD4aJWCFAXhxLsVeHk7lVMXsXle1grRlGIlFjihp0wtZt0ji_rGYcPJT2baDzEgtxh005qRz2DAIeYDfcOnky7toAeuMtMKY3RlCqxUdueVfRNuhUDGEjGUdDG27Nega4bEe/s749/hong_kong_sticker3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="749" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T_kyTsmdFfnzLRPn-LTx6fvTZwdQ3N-3v8PMtz-1F5IA66vioA3kuD4aJWCFAXhxLsVeHk7lVMXsXle1grRlGIlFjihp0wtZt0ji_rGYcPJT2baDzEgtxh005qRz2DAIeYDfcOnky7toAeuMtMKY3RlCqxUdueVfRNuhUDGEjGUdDG27Nega4bEe/w400-h213/hong_kong_sticker3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo from eBay)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>These stickers show up on ceramic models as well, including Hagen-Renakers, both horses and animals. Here is my sister's Monrovia-era King Cortez with a souvenir sticker from the Libertyville Gifts and Lamps store in the Chicago suburbs. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDMlIB9uhNUSpzLOrB5QEXqlZ2ruyE7ut-FFYtmGkzw4ay19fYvCxIjsXb7GJvvzy86OpsDPqKpEYkVcyrs_rY54LDIrYj7AAnCe-2HanqOzXbIR_SvJ-ZeviGW-fSgNlzKvlq0DVtygYyYLf1vOX66LuUa57Tz7fktCgGNEOE2Zxil2eMGR7hQO6/s1167/kingcortez.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDMlIB9uhNUSpzLOrB5QEXqlZ2ruyE7ut-FFYtmGkzw4ay19fYvCxIjsXb7GJvvzy86OpsDPqKpEYkVcyrs_rY54LDIrYj7AAnCe-2HanqOzXbIR_SvJ-ZeviGW-fSgNlzKvlq0DVtygYyYLf1vOX66LuUa57Tz7fktCgGNEOE2Zxil2eMGR7hQO6/w343-h400/kingcortez.jpg" width="343" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo by Sarah Wellman)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoT6mEBdju7iQMoKuhYnpDeaiRFpUejnyhIx2wHc9T-GDSFic_l5YTsKIOA-KcsEvUi6nbH3LXqeUWYLQCyW-NGyXsb5qlfgWDjotFADOdLDKy_j30Usc53BLrIXl-GUkGl9SLHt3AYFiCYSi-7q0aLRCzwzSFa8o5k8iC2EbePG-anG7VPQqoPVD/s2292/PXL_20230315_002524916.MP_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2090" data-original-width="2292" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoT6mEBdju7iQMoKuhYnpDeaiRFpUejnyhIx2wHc9T-GDSFic_l5YTsKIOA-KcsEvUi6nbH3LXqeUWYLQCyW-NGyXsb5qlfgWDjotFADOdLDKy_j30Usc53BLrIXl-GUkGl9SLHt3AYFiCYSi-7q0aLRCzwzSFa8o5k8iC2EbePG-anG7VPQqoPVD/w400-h365/PXL_20230315_002524916.MP_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hagen-Renaker frog with HR sticker on his back...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyuA6EJSXwa2F0iKpLxmv_lOUFYc_dCl8vq2QGaCCZf2jlqygLtLFLBk8yFg26qJ02RgItSHQ_xKO0ZS6GtJKeTzGHupRLjML9cP-D0-bGrMQKVitgOttdsDg7FjS1soijD4pHUsFETDnDZQo4chxQc6wyyI1HL5DiaSm_GAaPAuPWbWx_IpHSbXk/s2666/PXL_20230315_002535737_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2666" data-original-width="2233" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyuA6EJSXwa2F0iKpLxmv_lOUFYc_dCl8vq2QGaCCZf2jlqygLtLFLBk8yFg26qJ02RgItSHQ_xKO0ZS6GtJKeTzGHupRLjML9cP-D0-bGrMQKVitgOttdsDg7FjS1soijD4pHUsFETDnDZQo4chxQc6wyyI1HL5DiaSm_GAaPAuPWbWx_IpHSbXk/w335-h400/PXL_20230315_002535737_2.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a souvenir sticker from Colorado<br />Springs, CO, on the bottom!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>And here's a bone china pair from Japan with a Detroit, Michigan, souvenir sticker.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN3dG4_RRjVnEP3gMJatfxoPMx8vBgXdq_ZGTvVehEA04WNbYpZF0QHbsitdmVDN-ggwo6GWbbGNv76HcvI3OG4BT2_wOGp0bR9Svv829yB8zuS6F64FLurIE7lVypoQtIO28FxJEf-xJLVt8pcmY-UvjGoPm2_z1lXguFUlK-JWtgXSX9uBkWnx4/s1000/ceramic_pair_stickers1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1000" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN3dG4_RRjVnEP3gMJatfxoPMx8vBgXdq_ZGTvVehEA04WNbYpZF0QHbsitdmVDN-ggwo6GWbbGNv76HcvI3OG4BT2_wOGp0bR9Svv829yB8zuS6F64FLurIE7lVypoQtIO28FxJEf-xJLVt8pcmY-UvjGoPm2_z1lXguFUlK-JWtgXSX9uBkWnx4/w400-h390/ceramic_pair_stickers1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo from eBay)<br /><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> Metal horses also had fun stickers...<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGlLV71wGn8g3BfJQIjX_RUKlXTCDN0EjyxNCbXh6m74ceBjstAI_9_VYLBswDpcQcw1AEsUYsLUH5twhsM9PyPYV6H3VqDKILg8lTVRYe-pzZReCUxqAYUrvJS4zf9Qybn91PVfp65klA4gy8AuCnSsGXOJcJO8MLWsZMgcgDSREk2KGAQhSWz6x/s1000/metal_delta_co1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1000" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGlLV71wGn8g3BfJQIjX_RUKlXTCDN0EjyxNCbXh6m74ceBjstAI_9_VYLBswDpcQcw1AEsUYsLUH5twhsM9PyPYV6H3VqDKILg8lTVRYe-pzZReCUxqAYUrvJS4zf9Qybn91PVfp65klA4gy8AuCnSsGXOJcJO8MLWsZMgcgDSREk2KGAQhSWz6x/w400-h294/metal_delta_co1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A souvenir of Delta, Colorado (Photo from eBay)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPw92Ax4vkM7Q8lq9NZxa9zPGx36sQ_27EORSvbRC32T0XigZfAg4eDuzGqox7PaEgg3MJtpEvN0C1XVJpSNE1TSfB7PShwZEQh7jYaAuIe3cdDWZzphyvIY6DdXmh-sjkRA7IHzi4BNVnCJ4nRS6ANl4twz6sPXOKE1scevrDm-qGNjEl_1gJTpy/s1600/metal_denver1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPw92Ax4vkM7Q8lq9NZxa9zPGx36sQ_27EORSvbRC32T0XigZfAg4eDuzGqox7PaEgg3MJtpEvN0C1XVJpSNE1TSfB7PShwZEQh7jYaAuIe3cdDWZzphyvIY6DdXmh-sjkRA7IHzi4BNVnCJ4nRS6ANl4twz6sPXOKE1scevrDm-qGNjEl_1gJTpy/w400-h400/metal_denver1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Colorado souvenir (Photo from eBay)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>Because the engraving and stickers on these models are after market and not OF, I personally don't tend to seek them out for my collection unless I want the base model regardless of the souvenir add-ons. For example, I most definitely wanted the HR frog pictured above, and the Colorado sticker was a fun bonus, especially since it was on the underside of the piece. (I am crazy about Colorado and love to visit whenever I can.)<br /><br />I did buy this Western Horse however, even though I already had several black pinto examples in my collection, because the souvenir sticker was for a tiny town just down the Mississippi River from where I spent most of my childhood. It's a reminder of home.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVgcv6qw3fSTtdHWqmNscx6mkYe-w1PuD6NCJt3IfmZmhvTlKvrh9r3h8pBGOhMJQAf1TrJWpCrp1RE6BFhUHjg9TmO-b0d3OnUiwS6y8FKFiFyU2idYZ4DVgJ6mfPXo3JowlE64ut2q3jmT6nrJwNkpdBXW0V8q6RmAjSGhHInUKLSeTcvOuK71G/s2434/PXL_20230315_002203117_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2434" data-original-width="2398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVgcv6qw3fSTtdHWqmNscx6mkYe-w1PuD6NCJt3IfmZmhvTlKvrh9r3h8pBGOhMJQAf1TrJWpCrp1RE6BFhUHjg9TmO-b0d3OnUiwS6y8FKFiFyU2idYZ4DVgJ6mfPXo3JowlE64ut2q3jmT6nrJwNkpdBXW0V8q6RmAjSGhHInUKLSeTcvOuK71G/s320/PXL_20230315_002203117_2.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Souvenir of Homer, Minnesota</td></tr></tbody></table><p>When it comes to showing, the engraved pieces would definitely be considered customized and could not be shown as OFs. The models with stickers, on the other hand, could be shown, in my opinion, provided both the entrant and judge understand that the sticker should be ignored when judging.<br /><br />While these pieces are no longer entirely OF, they are still very collectible and fun. More than a few collectors enjoy tracking them down as mementos of fondly remembered places they have visited or just for the sheer variety of locations represented. Do any of my readers collect souvenir models? Do you have a favorite piece? Please feel free to leave a comment or a story. And thanks as always for reading!</p>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-35435547192097817052023-02-02T12:58:00.000-08:002023-02-02T12:58:02.144-08:00Remembering Linda Walter<p>I did not expect to start off the new year blogging about another sad loss to the model horse hobby community, but alas, we have lost Linda Walter. I didn't know Linda well, but I had known <i>of</i> her almost as soon as I became aware of the hobby in the late 1980s. Linda was not only a founding member of the hobby---she was a talented artist, a dedicated publisher, an amazing font of knowledge, and a truly kind and good-humored person. I know she'd have had something funny and self-deprecating to say if she knew how many of us looked up to her as an icon of the hobby.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXx8ADbXHAga1aF5EVWGtCT_lkXqRVE4Q4AoSsnSayV4IrLLoU3dJxKHiIdagFMPKgdbky_8bHlsfpTSLz-bD-A-hqX44s0rYxAOooP85r8wdDSNmfw2RfKXwHjzEv52oezu4j1U6mWWuVpgl4ZjtwOARNby1oVS5vfeoazm0htp1-B-3IVQ4lFAH/s1500/linda.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1500" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXx8ADbXHAga1aF5EVWGtCT_lkXqRVE4Q4AoSsnSayV4IrLLoU3dJxKHiIdagFMPKgdbky_8bHlsfpTSLz-bD-A-hqX44s0rYxAOooP85r8wdDSNmfw2RfKXwHjzEv52oezu4j1U6mWWuVpgl4ZjtwOARNby1oVS5vfeoazm0htp1-B-3IVQ4lFAH/w400-h243/linda.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of Linda from an article in her local paper<br />(Photo by Robbyn Brooks)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Linda became active in the nascent model horse hobby in the mid 1960s, and along with Marney Walerius and others, is considered one of the hobby's founding members. Like most early hobbyists, Linda was an avid photoshower, and in 1969, she started her own newsletter, the <a href="http://modelhorsehistory.com/publications_mhsj.html">Model Horse Showers Journal</a>. It featured ads for photoshows, sales lists, stallion ads for pedigree assignment, hobby news, and so much more. Linda drew all of the illustrations and produced all of the copies herself, first using a type writer and carbon paper and later a mimeograph. (Photocopiers were not yet widely available.) The MHSJ is one of the most important and influential early hobby publications, and by
the time Linda stopped publishing it in 1980, she had a circulation of
more than 700 subscribers. <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhmL4iblrwe8v_jAQQRrqUOFtDOxbgGRLq3WTUrMgn6Q1vt5uX96nmqXx0Z8VQxqiE8prXnd93-o61tpzBJqz4C8_0uuqTG3Y2JWWy1rDJqg0CtI3qQx7D_7ibxiqcZ71eRaaKxPhhSPra4nmNqBuSq38ZzOutylpJpeXgLXK2GHxyA-v1EbYoUro/s3284/linda_cover2-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3284" data-original-width="2540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhmL4iblrwe8v_jAQQRrqUOFtDOxbgGRLq3WTUrMgn6Q1vt5uX96nmqXx0Z8VQxqiE8prXnd93-o61tpzBJqz4C8_0uuqTG3Y2JWWy1rDJqg0CtI3qQx7D_7ibxiqcZ71eRaaKxPhhSPra4nmNqBuSq38ZzOutylpJpeXgLXK2GHxyA-v1EbYoUro/w310-h400/linda_cover2-1.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Linda's hand-illustrated covers<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8koMH5skVgX3jdi1eKQNamdeNtOPIpezUQEcD6HR9723sWq-814B_FN7mPt2VKF0kgFsvhP-Sk7-ozxs_dkfRQtsauPR3UkdbWRjtLZgxj-_FnRnHAACl7FFGqLb7cGxoFrvlZJfUXGYegaHFilgDO5daM_4T3W-PxY5W31yuz4YFFzWLiS8dPwA5/s752/linda_mhsj.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="407" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8koMH5skVgX3jdi1eKQNamdeNtOPIpezUQEcD6HR9723sWq-814B_FN7mPt2VKF0kgFsvhP-Sk7-ozxs_dkfRQtsauPR3UkdbWRjtLZgxj-_FnRnHAACl7FFGqLb7cGxoFrvlZJfUXGYegaHFilgDO5daM_4T3W-PxY5W31yuz4YFFzWLiS8dPwA5/w216-h400/linda_mhsj.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda hard at work at her typewriter<br />(from the Spring 1978 issue of <i>Just<br />About Horses)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The first 3 decades of the hobby largely revolved around communication through the mail. Many hobbyists met via classifieds ads in real and model horse publications and became pen pals. Others got to know each other through newsletters and photoshows. For a time, Breyer directed many of the questions they received about the hobby to Linda. She was even featured in their own publication, <i>Just About Horses</i>, in Spring 1978.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRp65Yqz97Owh9x18zgdBtDFKOO4upafIuA5zsLLCPi2C_mdUbXF6KvXAgi2MlgFHctaKIHdkawY2stS9RO8iSR8qPOtEc_iUtO_XGHurlOaxnwNepoq0bm5vqAqebHaNmz9zJi3LPD2WLlCGMV8VeUSU6e0olzGyMV8ipjhP6D2IRjTPRDjicGiv/s1512/linda2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="643" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRp65Yqz97Owh9x18zgdBtDFKOO4upafIuA5zsLLCPi2C_mdUbXF6KvXAgi2MlgFHctaKIHdkawY2stS9RO8iSR8qPOtEc_iUtO_XGHurlOaxnwNepoq0bm5vqAqebHaNmz9zJi3LPD2WLlCGMV8VeUSU6e0olzGyMV8ipjhP6D2IRjTPRDjicGiv/w170-h400/linda2.jpg" width="170" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda on the cover of the <br />Spring 1978 issue of <i>Just<br />About Horses</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />So it's no surprise that when I had questions about Hagen-Renakers that my local hobby friends couldn't answer in the early 1990s, I was told to contact Linda. It was not unusual to cold-call other collectors then, and with some encouragement from my parents, I gave Linda a call. She very sweetly chatted with me and explained that even though my HR Morgans looked sort of pinkish-grey, the color really was called "brown" by collectors. I don't remember what all we talked about besides HRs, but she was kind and enthusiastic and put my nervous teenage self at ease. She followed up the call with a letter which my mom happily saved. I'm pretty sure it has some of Linda's equine doodles on it.<br /><p></p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VqFeqS21brH_B8pW8Fvz-VKH3e3r5S_J6yb2L8288rbPk70dtlwdUsNjCuDFYFGBoG4uebO6dKHP81EW58vQMLRwrfDO8o6Mm7Fxlx8nILmVZ7Q4dVGKwx7ChZfzr0USEeJklA9pu6wseMTIDTn6dEm08A1Ud45R-yjjqOiuX5UxZ-NNMuIn-iZD/s600/hr_heather_glossy_brown1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="600" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VqFeqS21brH_B8pW8Fvz-VKH3e3r5S_J6yb2L8288rbPk70dtlwdUsNjCuDFYFGBoG4uebO6dKHP81EW58vQMLRwrfDO8o6Mm7Fxlx8nILmVZ7Q4dVGKwx7ChZfzr0USEeJklA9pu6wseMTIDTn6dEm08A1Ud45R-yjjqOiuX5UxZ-NNMuIn-iZD/w400-h325/hr_heather_glossy_brown1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I finally met Linda in person some 20 years later at BreyerFest. She brought loads of clinky minis to sell from her room at the CHIN, and I'm so glad I had the chance to buy a few and chat with her. She also graciously gave me permission to scan old copies of the MHSJ and post them on my <a href="http://modelhorsehistory.com/">Model Horse History</a> website for the hobby at large to enjoy.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakRErXLXDNTUdVI2j6TVA3MwCEujh59oJRTxGuvJMqQciHXvFwtx-l5RnK5wY3lfQqyI1B8kyWxMzB2RYkHrU-bD_tmpVX2uaJpp-4zIhPk1x-ONw6KQo4ijbZHdRRplFq5DMbQrqkMvZ4dxsZ1Z7llHMtSkIWQoV5r4Dw2wR7hzWK36fF8ClHopo/s1500/linda3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="1500" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakRErXLXDNTUdVI2j6TVA3MwCEujh59oJRTxGuvJMqQciHXvFwtx-l5RnK5wY3lfQqyI1B8kyWxMzB2RYkHrU-bD_tmpVX2uaJpp-4zIhPk1x-ONw6KQo4ijbZHdRRplFq5DMbQrqkMvZ4dxsZ1Z7llHMtSkIWQoV5r4Dw2wR7hzWK36fF8ClHopo/w400-h370/linda3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda's famous Beswick Appaloosa, Alconbury Hill<br />(Photo by Robbyn Brooks)</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div>I am going to miss Linda's indomitable good cheer and clever puns at BreyerFest this July. It was always a treat to talk with her, and I wish I'd had more time to ask her about her involvement in the hobby in the early days. She was a treasure, and she will be much missed.</div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-41572504492576063402022-12-20T13:07:00.000-08:002022-12-20T13:07:03.283-08:00Bleach Damage in Breyers<p>In the last few years, I've been seeing more and more bleach-damaged models popping up on eBay and social media, and I thought it was a worthwhile subject to tackle here since many hobbyists are confused by their appearance. A few unscrupulous sellers have even tried to pass these models off as rare tests or woodgrains because of the striping pattern caused by the bleach damage as seen on the Running Mare below.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ctv9pmDlNxWxcLAmsIJoN0QSOTwRaV085QbmR2FzS07vhZ-BIKoNISXk1P5lSGDBVTAOrtohiEmIikW2DgGohzBv4iRMK4HdfjajeyU-ASMKY05B6SEihbrvtnDhgXM-DE9XUQFo55RbwpvZixIJuJRdtPitHwpyOPmNzzDX-jHfne8viYohp3fs/s1159/bleach_damage1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1159" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ctv9pmDlNxWxcLAmsIJoN0QSOTwRaV085QbmR2FzS07vhZ-BIKoNISXk1P5lSGDBVTAOrtohiEmIikW2DgGohzBv4iRMK4HdfjajeyU-ASMKY05B6SEihbrvtnDhgXM-DE9XUQFo55RbwpvZixIJuJRdtPitHwpyOPmNzzDX-jHfne8viYohp3fs/w400-h315/bleach_damage1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bleach damaged alabaster Running Mare (Photo from eBay)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>But why on earth would anyone use bleach on a Breyer? Most hobbyists these days know that putting a yellow model in a sunny window is the best and safest way to whiten it up. In the past however, particularly in the '80s and '90s, many hobbyists soaked their yellow models in a mixture of bleach and water or even bleach and vinegar to brighten them up. (Obligatory PSA: For the love of all that is holy and/or unholy, DO NOT do
this. Not only will it ruin your models, the latter mixture creates
potentially deadly chlorine gas.) While bleaching models was effective in the short term, many models that were whitened in this fashion began to show damage from the process years later.<br /><br />This delayed damage takes the form of brown discoloration and
long parallel cracks in the top layer of plastic. The cracks usually look like
fine, close-set striations, often with a bit of a raised texture.
Sometimes these cracks open and the plastic begins to peel back. Some
models are discolored and have striations all over from being
completely submerged, and some are only partially damaged,
indicating they were not bleached on both sides (or at least not for equal
amounts of time).<br /><br />Here is the other side of the Running Mare pictured above. While this side has developed some brown discoloration from bleach damage, it must not have been left floating in the bleach solution as long as the other side. <br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1314" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhX6cinWWY6Z_K7b4uvy0WKXSimUZxtWw3EYqxn_H0SR0J7RHFMLy21uNRsXTFKRkm4D7c7WwnwAMLJIhwMDEKJKTo40yPZtue9JVa-m6-xePwSMrOXlkXonjXAoZl2sV_vNPad2vIWpcW3Fs8UqEo380XQWj476Ld0H7NH6rdBDXy5CQGXlOdOny_/w400-h348/bleach_damage2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(Photo from eBay)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjmlOJqPEIo0B19EG_NQ7oeZrh2AoFDx97kqeXbnYoqFYIbMvdACse-b6A7wt4bPnWkB4vE6ltFHGqRLJvpi_F4Jj7K90LqvdURYITwTH_IGlOq6SQ_uf1vHM9prfQSqYfLEuhkvn4zW_cka-9zfiIs8DZ6KbXQk3Stu4GbgBhqNkYk-t7jtgCtzh/s1454/bleach_damage3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1454" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjmlOJqPEIo0B19EG_NQ7oeZrh2AoFDx97kqeXbnYoqFYIbMvdACse-b6A7wt4bPnWkB4vE6ltFHGqRLJvpi_F4Jj7K90LqvdURYITwTH_IGlOq6SQ_uf1vHM9prfQSqYfLEuhkvn4zW_cka-9zfiIs8DZ6KbXQk3Stu4GbgBhqNkYk-t7jtgCtzh/w400-h193/bleach_damage3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(Photo from eBay)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The mostly undamaged white stripe down the belly, back, and front of the neck shows the areas of the model that were exposed to the bleach the least while floating in the solution. The close up below gives a better view of the weird striations that are a tell-tale sign of bleach damage. They are absolutely not factory painted stripes. <br /><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrNV9x3cEYZypfEvyj3PZo1Dxu7Sc2idUxdMAQB5o4SFkAJjT43SVUy2LvP6_vmq7Cb7zF9l2CebCHJTv8aMJcPoxz3BMR3HntMdBhEZoI1pmni_5r2Z3i4D9U8cLLT3lSUrTjXv3bPSODCgeNP-gpMT-SwxqocSE8Mcl4lWVRfE18DEhezU8g_pl/w400-h300/bleach_damage4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(Photo from eBay)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bleaching models to whiten them was a delicate game of timing. Collectors who left their models in too long would find the paint stripped from them. In fact, customizers often used bleach baths to
deliberately strip OF paint off of models, especially for the creation of faux-OF
paint jobs. Unfortunately, washing the model after subjecting it to bleach was not enough to prevent long-term damage. It was already done even if it wasn't apparent right away.</div><br />Because the bleach solution also couldn't be effectively
rinsed and drained out of the inside of a model through the tiny
airholes in the nostril or corner of the mouth, most bleached models, no matter how long they were subjected to the treatment,
retained some amount of the damaging liquid inside. The model below was stripped to be repainted as a faux-woodgrain. The plastic is literally crumbling in strips. <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrNMq43NuWHX6zImcyTjTMnNJS6HO8yDB1jzOo8nDTG4Dro7c4j5ViiIVyfa_SIS8TFJTZ3zq6zbeZJSUbW4hfcMP6lbqoEmAUiynI1i4nxWkZxVfVYw_cmQz8hDKpw2E3IQx0AAPjbwNcpLGadYz12Ds3yJe9YraMm_1BYpkaVkmQF-C4oeSlakU/s976/bleach_faux_woodgrain_belgian1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="976" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrNMq43NuWHX6zImcyTjTMnNJS6HO8yDB1jzOo8nDTG4Dro7c4j5ViiIVyfa_SIS8TFJTZ3zq6zbeZJSUbW4hfcMP6lbqoEmAUiynI1i4nxWkZxVfVYw_cmQz8hDKpw2E3IQx0AAPjbwNcpLGadYz12Ds3yJe9YraMm_1BYpkaVkmQF-C4oeSlakU/w400-h259/bleach_faux_woodgrain_belgian1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Extensive bleach damage (Photo courtesy of Lucy Kusluch)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>In addition to this weird peeling, some bleached models develop small holes in places where the plastic is thin. These are sometimes present when no other damage is yet apparent. In some cases,
especially with models produced in the last 10-15 years which are usually made of
softer plastic, bleaching can cause the model to disintegrate into pieces. Bleached models may take years to show the damage, but eventually, they will start to discolor and split or worse. <br /><br />I hope this post has been helpful! <br /></p>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-27200638307059837032022-09-29T18:16:00.002-07:002022-10-06T13:50:50.242-07:00Hagen-Renaker Black Bisque Imposters<p>The history of model horse manufacturers is full of copies, most of them unauthorized. Many are obvious knock-offs made quickly and cheaply. Very often, they are easy to spot because of crude sculpting, cheap materials, or poor painting or glazing. But some fakes are surprisingly cunning, so much so that they have confused collectors and even fooled company employees. One group of clever look-alikes has intrigued me for years.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5yOPy3-rR8_ZH8Je_SVvGsJJ9wYmbFMUIhZO2XCiJVt8oGZGbuOE12_d_jumUsu9-SSZmghvKhJwNr422CUVRYKNQ-YylGnhBS-0RqJFPDfA3L2zZB7uQEDXYVgSivPxPln04AAxxE07DIxaB2SLE2FgaQB-NBLOt0Z6jLng-t7ouKTQ1-1Pazu-/s1500/group.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1500" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5yOPy3-rR8_ZH8Je_SVvGsJJ9wYmbFMUIhZO2XCiJVt8oGZGbuOE12_d_jumUsu9-SSZmghvKhJwNr422CUVRYKNQ-YylGnhBS-0RqJFPDfA3L2zZB7uQEDXYVgSivPxPln04AAxxE07DIxaB2SLE2FgaQB-NBLOt0Z6jLng-t7ouKTQ1-1Pazu-/w400-h264/group.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spot the imposters?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First, some backstory to set the scene. During World War II, material shortages and rationing meant that foreign imports---from dishes to toys to <span>tchotchke</span>s---fell to almost nothing in the United States, and many Americans sought to fill the void by opening their own cottage industries. In southern California, numerous small pottery companies sprang up during and right after the war. Hagen-Renaker was one of the most successful of these potteries, and they enjoyed booming sales of their animal figurines well into the 1950s. By the late 1950s, however, their sales were beginning to suffer because of a huge influx of cheap imitation imports from Japan.<br /><br />Hagen-Renaker did their best to stay afloat by offering innovative new wares that catered to the mid-century modern aesthetic of the time, including the Black Bisque line made in Spring 1959 only. The Black Bisque figurines were a strange mish-mash of sculptural styles---realistic, elegantly stylized, and even cartoony. As the name suggests, they were usually finished with a soft, matte black earthenware underglaze (over white slip) mimicking the look of bisque. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkHCk4POl-l6tj4BG88n-44mmxhBqf3gEgADmuFeTpEDHQa0T_QNx4Vxnu1JPAuFxVOSH2uGTOGTpVqn5da2LZojE2W4hKaaT-_3EpuTf6g7Cb1-j6E9n1_kpXwBjKFNbE_8LaBaqhRH0L9X2mxrDIaxKWQERrosXHJUbjdGkRke3_fA0a6MQ0Pf5/s3066/51810449_1521460977987018_8061151906577252352_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1974" data-original-width="3066" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkHCk4POl-l6tj4BG88n-44mmxhBqf3gEgADmuFeTpEDHQa0T_QNx4Vxnu1JPAuFxVOSH2uGTOGTpVqn5da2LZojE2W4hKaaT-_3EpuTf6g7Cb1-j6E9n1_kpXwBjKFNbE_8LaBaqhRH0L9X2mxrDIaxKWQERrosXHJUbjdGkRke3_fA0a6MQ0Pf5/w400-h258/51810449_1521460977987018_8061151906577252352_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of my sister Sarah's HR Black Bisque collection</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>The Hagen-Renaker <a href="https://ketain2.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/moldbook.pdf">mold book</a> (page 70 if you follow the link) lists 29 pieces for the line which features sculptures from almost all of HR's major artists---Maureen Love, Tom Masterson, Will Climes, Nell Bortells, and Helen Perin Farnlund. Several of the items listed never made it beyond the test molding phase however. <br /><br />While the vast majority of Black Bisque pieces are matte, a handful have a satin finish. <br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYO84agNjekT6TDXA2GwJEV298XJ2HpnECiwC50lduQO2wjYBpuFQWJsdbSKPjyRNl3rFsjCnn5rwmiC53W9cFSgbMOQpszZNo-YqTY1ZbTQ73u6i0D1kYTckBjswnsKzxi0UfwKoVEiMNf_0RLOlDUq6xWqj0owZd5uRbJB4xwUgssKQ3F267y5NL/w363-h400/matte_satin4.jpg" width="363" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matte (left) and satin (right) Pick Axe Birds<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of them were decorated with incised white details, or turquoise pebble glazing, or both.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6ATSNG7MJbWP1CF1dW20684Ic8FESRAxufuAJlO5mbWciN-GqRIkkbsjgCQuYVMzSPNFuYjmrmCmdY7YwKuBG7GbpXFqcKrQ1LhkM4I4C6rXr5NDqccovypDQAf3Ak-UF5iZQ6sL3vyFLDwqDPi3FnKUfX9cO-A2BD5T0dZhSEPAC1uPorKlmN8A/s962/black_bisque_quail_greybkdp2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6ATSNG7MJbWP1CF1dW20684Ic8FESRAxufuAJlO5mbWciN-GqRIkkbsjgCQuYVMzSPNFuYjmrmCmdY7YwKuBG7GbpXFqcKrQ1LhkM4I4C6rXr5NDqccovypDQAf3Ak-UF5iZQ6sL3vyFLDwqDPi3FnKUfX9cO-A2BD5T0dZhSEPAC1uPorKlmN8A/w333-h400/black_bisque_quail_greybkdp2.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incised white detail on the Black Bisque Quail</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVRsUtfV_VKdRRwFJmlgs4ZVcXHe_0cvHMueXJTKV5xRzx3ERCSPtfPX1wd5jj4nDPrLoAxhFGb4BqM4dwMx6iY-55uUumSIlqnIYnLnlyI5SXXDnxLQemJQ-0TJyG9zEU1IKoUUnnfn3XiHBFedz2WTEv2cWBfwDr-scusJqJxCejjtRYlUVDdNK/s1000/black_bisque_bull1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1000" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVRsUtfV_VKdRRwFJmlgs4ZVcXHe_0cvHMueXJTKV5xRzx3ERCSPtfPX1wd5jj4nDPrLoAxhFGb4BqM4dwMx6iY-55uUumSIlqnIYnLnlyI5SXXDnxLQemJQ-0TJyG9zEU1IKoUUnnfn3XiHBFedz2WTEv2cWBfwDr-scusJqJxCejjtRYlUVDdNK/w400-h303/black_bisque_bull1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only turquoise pebble glaze on the Bull</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4aFeBfU7scWwERnPw_omPyrrA-CQXTFWatyeuLehIWvyDs4rofaanJh-Xjx-gEx2HA28Bg6s1ZKGXxKFlYgIElKoMG67FjabhqNt0wNEBBT2B60Vu4QdimQmxpEwkWBIKGsFk8sOsxpJyYTCVbt6buhNAvbebyaG4D6fsv4tD9BduXoAjcedTCow/s1326/black_bisque_dodo2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4aFeBfU7scWwERnPw_omPyrrA-CQXTFWatyeuLehIWvyDs4rofaanJh-Xjx-gEx2HA28Bg6s1ZKGXxKFlYgIElKoMG67FjabhqNt0wNEBBT2B60Vu4QdimQmxpEwkWBIKGsFk8sOsxpJyYTCVbt6buhNAvbebyaG4D6fsv4tD9BduXoAjcedTCow/w363-h400/black_bisque_dodo2.jpg" width="363" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incised white lines and turquoise pebble glaze on the Dodo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The pebble glaze on most Black Bisque pieces is usually turquoise, but some are more green-toned. A few are so dark that they have been described as "pine" green.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1449" data-original-width="1500" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQ5RtFgl92-FpBn1cxhCDeHrl6ypamoMqiW7okKE6MloTFHMktIptQES2ymJ0tZm6fEDtNYl_IDt1CXJGcOokyuSkefdu2e0xq_YvFAr-BEY-Il6enpfQNT6wDe4X0-_F3SmN2Xtt7OtAyB-FHx0DIwnwKizYITr5fT9YvMCiGibNpCHfKDB-XU6R/s320/turquoise_vs_green1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examples of turquoise and medium green<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQ5RtFgl92-FpBn1cxhCDeHrl6ypamoMqiW7okKE6MloTFHMktIptQES2ymJ0tZm6fEDtNYl_IDt1CXJGcOokyuSkefdu2e0xq_YvFAr-BEY-Il6enpfQNT6wDe4X0-_F3SmN2Xtt7OtAyB-FHx0DIwnwKizYITr5fT9YvMCiGibNpCHfKDB-XU6R/s1500/turquoise_vs_green1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><br /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XtWb5NH1VE_1V9KW5PrmqMHPrzEom6-YMwXPfrzQm7ynWfSjI4iqlEI61FwoS_KcVUku5GpIZ2VhnSQgiflQVOXA6gNPY1UYRGWMuCPaehYrZREk_aq4DtgVheGfL66E5FzaYZDInBNfl5NS9cB6yRcCapbhJYaqa7NPlNhPt348j8NwPvrQfzMv/s1447/poodle_green2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1175" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XtWb5NH1VE_1V9KW5PrmqMHPrzEom6-YMwXPfrzQm7ynWfSjI4iqlEI61FwoS_KcVUku5GpIZ2VhnSQgiflQVOXA6gNPY1UYRGWMuCPaehYrZREk_aq4DtgVheGfL66E5FzaYZDInBNfl5NS9cB6yRcCapbhJYaqa7NPlNhPt348j8NwPvrQfzMv/w325-h400/poodle_green2.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pine green (it's actually even darker in person)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In addition to the pieces with turquoise (or green) pebble glaze, several Black Bisque pieces with white pebble glaze are known to collectors, too. A Snail and a few other verified Hagen-Renaker pieces came from the archives sale after John Renaker died. (Many thanks to Kristina Lucas Francis for this info!) But a handful of other white pebble glaze mystery pieces have been found as well. For a number of years, they have been acknowledged as Hagen-Renaker pieces based on the recollections of former Hagen-Renaker employees and their striking similarity to known HR pieces. Because of this, they have been included in several Hagen-Renaker reference guides.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFUNFCXnT6BwnmJxzVz2Gu6rtoF0i_mVSBjXNqolynZzsRSMhJ8PGVKkKfzRF8DrQPLIdymxKYljMErwh33QO4QxI_ECpbsJKz1GmwU6hy2javdrRVHFS2g8jecQ8ojBaSxfdTX2s7JUk86YpZMu4bsgnJTX7fyPHTuVdbCeYHQZI6_lYbkCdf3sz/s1500/knock_offs5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1500" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFUNFCXnT6BwnmJxzVz2Gu6rtoF0i_mVSBjXNqolynZzsRSMhJ8PGVKkKfzRF8DrQPLIdymxKYljMErwh33QO4QxI_ECpbsJKz1GmwU6hy2javdrRVHFS2g8jecQ8ojBaSxfdTX2s7JUk86YpZMu4bsgnJTX7fyPHTuVdbCeYHQZI6_lYbkCdf3sz/w400-h239/knock_offs5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>At first glance, these pieces appear to fit right in to the HR Black Bisque aesthetic, but they do differ in a few ways, chief among them being their size. As you can see from the picture below, they're quite a bit larger than most HR Black Bisque pieces. That said, while most Black Bisque pieces are around the same size, there are larger outliers like the nodder-headed Dachshund (about 9" long) and an unreleased <a href="http://hagenrenakerhorses.com/Webpagepixs/BBRooster.jpg">Rooster</a>.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUqLQqgSq6jsMe4ZH38tA8FFW1B7gtgpdOAiOLembkem_dzP9yGXBCYZfkg523dWqaN4GNfyuza6HUJO85K9vayH1IjR0g7d7e6-Kl2JNx1VrMhAyl6IeYFvQQqUHT3oeGpoldnGoezkZ5jt31PqjyrlcQH68gHgb54bZhUSTuimcLEOncuh3xh36/s1500/pelican_comparison3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1500" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUqLQqgSq6jsMe4ZH38tA8FFW1B7gtgpdOAiOLembkem_dzP9yGXBCYZfkg523dWqaN4GNfyuza6HUJO85K9vayH1IjR0g7d7e6-Kl2JNx1VrMhAyl6IeYFvQQqUHT3oeGpoldnGoezkZ5jt31PqjyrlcQH68gHgb54bZhUSTuimcLEOncuh3xh36/w400-h331/pelican_comparison3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Stylistically, the sculpting is pretty spot on. The squirrel, for example, looks markedly similar to the skunk sculpted by Maureen Love. They're both an intriguing blend of pointed feet and noses with rounded backs and plumy tails. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8-wHlJHILkjZ6g62MrA7CsWHoAfcc_6cIuFylSTPUUoB9lIacUGPV3BorWGIzQFB-G1WuUEXAsS7Hksw6GangBSo9Dbn4ZIaAWD_V3usnOGZXe6M9rXOvXzqNxwm2JXg_fYBSJqxBMV-uuNLdgbLqqpJ2SnHh7FveoNmNXaXn8LDFYgIx3_gtdIf/s1500/squirrel_skunk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1500" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8-wHlJHILkjZ6g62MrA7CsWHoAfcc_6cIuFylSTPUUoB9lIacUGPV3BorWGIzQFB-G1WuUEXAsS7Hksw6GangBSo9Dbn4ZIaAWD_V3usnOGZXe6M9rXOvXzqNxwm2JXg_fYBSJqxBMV-uuNLdgbLqqpJ2SnHh7FveoNmNXaXn8LDFYgIx3_gtdIf/w400-h256/squirrel_skunk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Even the cat fits right in between the medium and small flat-faced cats. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSElo7mmNnByBPxEy0irMgX_gfy8PCM8kJzlYIxhOpebbI5JVMwWP3dQdCyX2_ayMs2RciRkud3VZhazkbU-RGxP0R0kIkipze7vLuF_Tz6UbEyce-YA8mm-1jeY277lML07nH7fllwr0HjRabyQgPFtZddqldkeHHfpvVZYle7kpIzs_Ib01nX7v/s1500/cat_comparison1a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1500" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSElo7mmNnByBPxEy0irMgX_gfy8PCM8kJzlYIxhOpebbI5JVMwWP3dQdCyX2_ayMs2RciRkud3VZhazkbU-RGxP0R0kIkipze7vLuF_Tz6UbEyce-YA8mm-1jeY277lML07nH7fllwr0HjRabyQgPFtZddqldkeHHfpvVZYle7kpIzs_Ib01nX7v/w400-h383/cat_comparison1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The problem with the white pebble glaze pieces however is that they can't be accounted for in the mold book nor on the <a href="http://www.purplemountains.com/hrfm/hrfm25.htm">Spring 1959</a> order form. The mold book lists three flat-faced cats---small, medium, and large---but <i>four</i>
flat-faced cat molds are known to collectors. Three are typical
Hagen-Renaker pieces all posed the same way with turquoise pebble glaze and
similar white line patterns on their chests. They look very much alike
other than their staggered heights. The fourth is the whited pebble glaze cat
which not only faces in the opposite direction as the other cats but
also has a tail, something the other three lack. The large cat, despite being listed on the 1959 order
form apparently never went into regular production, and only two molded
examples are known (one in typical black bisque coloration and the other
a custom glazed ginger). (<i><a href="https://hagen-renakercollectorsclub.com/">Hagen-Renaker Collector's Club</a> members can see them both on the <a href="https://www.hagenrenakerfieldguide.com/other-lines/?subcategories=271">HRCC Field Guide</a> under the Black Bisque section</i>.)<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Similarly, only one pelican is listed in the mold book, but two molds are known. And there is no mention of the squirrel anywhere at all. <br /><br />In recent years, there has been growing doubt amongst Black Bisque fans, myself included, that the mystery mold white pebble glaze pieces were actually Hagen-Renakers. When I finally acquired the white pebble glaze cat, I was immediately suspicious that it was indeed an excellent copycat (pun intended) rather than an unlisted member of the Black Bisque line for several reasons. The pebble glaze itself is different in texture and style than what is usually seen on Hagen-Renakers---it is rounder and more raised, like little droplets. The underside of the piece however was the real giveaway. Note how the bottom of the Hagen-Renaker piece on the left is flat while the base of the white pebble glaze piece is recessed with a rim around the edge.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YTil4r4YWDqkz-PiJ-7ypXTQ3iFNfVnxDH1TAmc-uQlpTwUi8Uy2UzEPmhruavLBuBRf5MWuFEf6vJOYZS7ESSnkLmn_IOyBArZRfCPInuTLySCVVWbrHC3vdl6oxcBNW-KxEkuqxBS-08i-kQo9DeFxTshXY-efACBEJ5eE5y9iHemxCIC_paV0/s1500/cat_comparison3c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1500" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YTil4r4YWDqkz-PiJ-7ypXTQ3iFNfVnxDH1TAmc-uQlpTwUi8Uy2UzEPmhruavLBuBRf5MWuFEf6vJOYZS7ESSnkLmn_IOyBArZRfCPInuTLySCVVWbrHC3vdl6oxcBNW-KxEkuqxBS-08i-kQo9DeFxTshXY-efACBEJ5eE5y9iHemxCIC_paV0/w400-h210/cat_comparison3c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>All of my "sitting" HR Black Bisque pieces are consistent with flat bottoms while all three of the white pieces have recessed undersides. (Two of the white pieces are white on the bottom and one is black, but all three are glazed matte black over white slip, just like Hagen-Renakers.)<br /><br />Another clue that made me suspicious was the quality---or rather, slight lack there of---of the decorative line designs on the white pebble glaze pieces. On HR pieces, these designs are usually rendered cleanly, precisely, and elegantly.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T6rO2-kxoIIFWlHruPRW7r-XVw7-8OSgCdkQRjyYFcC-748aWYwhCtQ_LNzaZL6os3NW8QDkiPMBHW7TxlSEz2eYveB6LWewEmjWSAdfTLNGOQwHG99MCrhIz6ao9yifk7w3Tp7CDoSE9zL3Q_D6xMTU8_CIWWunqXxwZ5dZRIZt5w1Md1EaqGmT/s1500/chickens1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1500" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T6rO2-kxoIIFWlHruPRW7r-XVw7-8OSgCdkQRjyYFcC-748aWYwhCtQ_LNzaZL6os3NW8QDkiPMBHW7TxlSEz2eYveB6LWewEmjWSAdfTLNGOQwHG99MCrhIz6ao9yifk7w3Tp7CDoSE9zL3Q_D6xMTU8_CIWWunqXxwZ5dZRIZt5w1Md1EaqGmT/w400-h221/chickens1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>On the white pieces, the designs are a bit crudely rendered and the lines are a little wobbly.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaM_-253cLE8cdQbfOp4KxXbeZeAO-xsu0QpQ1tgX825bq0IY_HKdvgk42Xy1ufGuis1YGjKpqbHr2B-pQ85k7dKo-tlgmNMSOCN89lGAGQhJUJjIsnuNffuwVSTtCizF5ePRx0YMUyQqJnyRH90aV5DkCmteOTbAPjrRREmiO8QkebnBVyQLVyiqn/s1644/copy_black_bisque_pelican4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1644" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaM_-253cLE8cdQbfOp4KxXbeZeAO-xsu0QpQ1tgX825bq0IY_HKdvgk42Xy1ufGuis1YGjKpqbHr2B-pQ85k7dKo-tlgmNMSOCN89lGAGQhJUJjIsnuNffuwVSTtCizF5ePRx0YMUyQqJnyRH90aV5DkCmteOTbAPjrRREmiO8QkebnBVyQLVyiqn/w293-h400/copy_black_bisque_pelican4.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZQkz4C7p_K-qYrSEKLDJ5_A2MSF4_eLfFDNkjdceOcfFGHpBAexJZED6r5RDiwiX_w6oTOao8zT7ux5RGbeB4lGYyl-5EuSKDB-Bg4-LLHu-lEjA56lNMMvImDrJkV1w24Kjry2h-cSlxTeNvSO48oEjiYQspT4BuBEvDO6Cyn4_55JiYa2S-9I-/s1500/wavy_lines.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="834" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZQkz4C7p_K-qYrSEKLDJ5_A2MSF4_eLfFDNkjdceOcfFGHpBAexJZED6r5RDiwiX_w6oTOao8zT7ux5RGbeB4lGYyl-5EuSKDB-Bg4-LLHu-lEjA56lNMMvImDrJkV1w24Kjry2h-cSlxTeNvSO48oEjiYQspT4BuBEvDO6Cyn4_55JiYa2S-9I-/w223-h400/wavy_lines.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><p>The conclusive proof came earlier this year when a white pebble glaze cat turned up on eBay with an original sticker still on the bottom. Voila! Kelvin Exclusives (made in Japan) is the culprit behind these clever copies! The design of this sticker matches an edge fragment of a sticker on the bottom of my white pelican.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrKSWgNdJKm69FzxflPY9fUe3M6v-lHAF0ZaK20j8mjI2k9D7JqiGrfaX01QAvw5cVvIiybCkRkuX-FXOFpzTk962OEaXYinqhZqqTXnKFKxsxAJCrYrzMN-RarQfkzu8s-_23JiUTxdmcYgpwycm34esoGhyLSUNAnCd_7TWYm6NiIDJUi8Zjsab/s1255/cat_kelvin2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrKSWgNdJKm69FzxflPY9fUe3M6v-lHAF0ZaK20j8mjI2k9D7JqiGrfaX01QAvw5cVvIiybCkRkuX-FXOFpzTk962OEaXYinqhZqqTXnKFKxsxAJCrYrzMN-RarQfkzu8s-_23JiUTxdmcYgpwycm34esoGhyLSUNAnCd_7TWYm6NiIDJUi8Zjsab/w364-h400/cat_kelvin2.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><p><br />When I saw the sticker, I had a nagging feeling that the name was familiar for some reason. And then it dawned on me that I owned another Kelvin copy of a Hagen-Renaker piece, this cute squirrel clearly inspired by Robyn Sikking's <a href="http://hagenrenakerhorses.com/Webpagepixs/DWChatterSquirrels.jpg">squirrel family</a>. Even the name and sticker design are copied from Hagen-Renaker. This fellow is called "Lotta Chatter," riffing on the Hagen-Renaker family of Mr. and Mrs. Chatter. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oMiLykHVzST8dxo8k8pf4ojTRXs2wHO-dp2ueYUBwAk2QdRohwuFvF_LHZISB6qWioTmOHQptHXz30t18glXDbypW0Prgev0KaFgbEVjXNvv1HtEbGHLGKEFbqB1du--YLvz7FueBL_po73sCi0g8S6IuoARUAiDUaZSR7THQROiM5cwgVlzYRDz/s1082/PXL_20220526_204117148.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oMiLykHVzST8dxo8k8pf4ojTRXs2wHO-dp2ueYUBwAk2QdRohwuFvF_LHZISB6qWioTmOHQptHXz30t18glXDbypW0Prgev0KaFgbEVjXNvv1HtEbGHLGKEFbqB1du--YLvz7FueBL_po73sCi0g8S6IuoARUAiDUaZSR7THQROiM5cwgVlzYRDz/w370-h400/PXL_20220526_204117148.MP.jpg" width="370" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsIj3tkelaaHIQKOansFZGh4MbYCM8lduci43yONyLm5nXAgl31TQJoiPB03Vqiu4Dktls_bfbS45ogVqcpXFNhT4hNH_Nx4CSHAWajKFKNShc7MMh_66UviqXqFOWdlmycg2SlCC2HF-Pp9ePO1MwG5BfSs3jXypQ8hjilgllCarSemwumTxLqDn/s1000/PXL_20220526_204136195.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1000" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsIj3tkelaaHIQKOansFZGh4MbYCM8lduci43yONyLm5nXAgl31TQJoiPB03Vqiu4Dktls_bfbS45ogVqcpXFNhT4hNH_Nx4CSHAWajKFKNShc7MMh_66UviqXqFOWdlmycg2SlCC2HF-Pp9ePO1MwG5BfSs3jXypQ8hjilgllCarSemwumTxLqDn/w400-h336/PXL_20220526_204136195.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><p>Robyn Sikking was <a href="https://www.villagenews.com/story/2005/09/08/community/robyn-sikking/4360.html">said to have been one of the most copied artists in California</a>, so it's not surprising that knock offs of her popular figurines exist. It is however a little perplexing that a short-lived line like Hagen-Renaker's Black Bisque collection would have been available long enough to not only be noticed but also copied. I have seen a few other faux Black Bisque pieces over the years including a horse, a zebra, and a bull. Sadly, I don't have pictures I can share, but the pieces mimicked Maureen Love's minimalist style surprisingly well. All have white pebble glaze and are about the same size as the real HR examples. I haven't had a chance to investigate Kelvin Exclusives yet, but I would guess those other faux pieces are undoubtedly Kelvin items as well. They certainly appear to match the three pieces I have.<br /><br />So all that said, while we now know the white pebble glaze black bisque pieces are not Hagen-Renakers, they are still fairly popular with fans of the real Black Bisque pieces. They are charming and display nicely with their pottery cousins. Like many of their real counterparts, the white pebble glaze pieces seem to be somewhat hard to find. I have seen a few examples of each, probably a few more of the cats than the pelican or squirrel, and only one or two of the horse, zebra, and bull. Their seeming scarcity may be real---perhaps the copies sold poorly or they were only available for a short time? Or they may simply be flying under the radar unidentified, especially if their stickers have been removed. Whatever the case, I'm glad to have these interesting imposters in my collection, and I'm glad to finally know who made them.</p><p>_____________________________________________________<br /><br />Acknowledgements:<br /><br />Many, many thanks to author and collector Nancy Kelly for hosting a scan of the Hagen-Renaker mold book on her <a href="https://ketain.com/">website</a> and to <a href="http://purplemountains.com">purplemountains.com</a> for hosting scans of decades worth of Hagen-Renaker order forms. Both sites are a treasure trove of information! And many thanks also to Kristina Lucas Francis, a fellow Black Bisque fan, for her insight on the glazes used and amazing HR recall!<br /></p>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-19555153186023647292022-04-20T14:46:00.002-07:002022-04-20T14:46:40.100-07:00Turning back the clock on the Breyer Western Pony<p>One of the perks of working for my alma mater, the University of Chicago, is access to its extensive library collection of more than 12 million volumes. Through it, I also have access to a variety of affiliate libraries in the area with interesting holdings of their own. Last May, I was finally able to visit one of these libraries to look through their issues of <i>Toys and Novelties</i>, a Chicago-based toy industry publication. My primary interest was in volumes from the mid-1940s through the end of the 1950s, seeking new information on the early days of Hartland, Breyer, and some of the companies that copied them.<br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5mtpZ4oaz9Y/YXmzDz3Eu6I/AAAAAAAANIY/opQd0iWhv0cb3dymjpoXS9twiWwGGwHlgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/toys_and_novelties_volumes1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1200" height="391" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5mtpZ4oaz9Y/YXmzDz3Eu6I/AAAAAAAANIY/opQd0iWhv0cb3dymjpoXS9twiWwGGwHlgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h391/toys_and_novelties_volumes1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly 15 years of toy publications. I looked at <br />every single page.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Much of what I found has already been documented by earlier researchers, but I did turn up some fun new information that I don't think has been published yet. None of it is exactly earth-shattering, but it is the kind of minutiae that hobby history nerds like me live for. <br /><br />First, some background---the earliest years of Breyer's history as a model horse manufacturer at the beginning of the 1950s are fairly murky. Very little in the way of early documentation has come to light, so collectors have made educated guesses based on the ads, catalogs, and price lists that do exist. We know the broad strokes, that Breyer <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">started with the Western Horse in 1950</a> after taking over a contract with Mastercrafters Clock and Radio Company formerly held by Hartland. And we know that within a few years, they had added the Boxer, Western Pony, Fury Prancer, Lassie, Brahma Bull, and the Walking Hereford Bull to their line up along with a variety of riders. The earliest known catalog probably dates to 1954, but earlier company-issued catalogs, if they ever existed, have yet to come to light. We therefore have to rely on other sources of information such as toy trade publications like the aforementioned <i>Toys and Novelties </i>for glimpses into Breyer's beginnings.<br /><br />I started with 1948 and worked my forward page by page over the course of several 8 hour days. The number of Hartland ads in the 1950s in <i>Toys and Novelties</i> far outstripped those by Breyer, but what Breyer submitted was at least colorful and visually appealing. Most issues featured a "New Toys on Parade" section which generally promoted products that had been on the market for a few months and were selling well. The Hartland Victor (free-standing) was listed in the new toys column in 1950, and the Breyer Western Horse (also free-standing) was likewise endorsed in the same column in 1951. (We know both models were available a year earlier respectively, but that has already been covered in my <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/11/western-horse-shaped-objects-wrap-up.html">Western Horse Shaped Objects blog series</a>.) I found this nice Western Horse advertisement in a 1952 issue (this is not a new discovery for collectors; it's just pretty). The back of the page features an ad for Breyer's Money Manager bank.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ36suyNZhSGjWoC83Gl7lIsLpFcfaCAiveLDgxTsZ1jKR0twRo_42ktyc6YiBC5MrVkn-OgCrS6NBAb6bjDmkun745UkdkgTp_ss7bYS4ZGFpn7sOxhwOcFRboB7rXegZjOx4JcO1D4KkyL2Yhi52aHgMebCAt1SBGZyh8aslozMqImF704pZJ1S/s1000/tn1952_03_pg29_western_horses2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="664" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ36suyNZhSGjWoC83Gl7lIsLpFcfaCAiveLDgxTsZ1jKR0twRo_42ktyc6YiBC5MrVkn-OgCrS6NBAb6bjDmkun745UkdkgTp_ss7bYS4ZGFpn7sOxhwOcFRboB7rXegZjOx4JcO1D4KkyL2Yhi52aHgMebCAt1SBGZyh8aslozMqImF704pZJ1S/w265-h400/tn1952_03_pg29_western_horses2.jpg" width="265" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While it seems logical that Breyer's second model would be the Western
Pony, it may in fact have been the Boxer which was featured in
the "New Toys on Parade" column in February 1953. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghozOJuGIzPiYuUhP7TU2NIiHTiGM5q_8jyzsd3PD24JsLpxT0VjPzcb6ClQjN6mqQvDxCYC9QAHvPEcZGailpOgPQrsYLbsElMpx2zDIOwa1rEuIRmWfzhQUB4rb9M9H6YmLIsuvZ0nLYCtHKGbjiMxjl2OfFnYav6tEEqlwtFJ2jSmC8AJH6Hi2s/s1000/tn1953_02_pg274_boxer_newtoyparaade1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghozOJuGIzPiYuUhP7TU2NIiHTiGM5q_8jyzsd3PD24JsLpxT0VjPzcb6ClQjN6mqQvDxCYC9QAHvPEcZGailpOgPQrsYLbsElMpx2zDIOwa1rEuIRmWfzhQUB4rb9M9H6YmLIsuvZ0nLYCtHKGbjiMxjl2OfFnYav6tEEqlwtFJ2jSmC8AJH6Hi2s/w236-h400/tn1953_02_pg274_boxer_newtoyparaade1.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The March 1953 issue is where things begin to get interesting. We know from Breyer historian Nancy Young's research that the earliest ad for a Western Pony she was aware of dated from the September 1953 issue of <i>Western Horseman</i> magazine (as per her published books in the late 1990s). According to Hartland expert Mike Jackson who collaborated with Nancy in the early 2000s, she had by that point come to believe that the Breyer Western Pony pre-dated the Hartland Small Champ, and likely dated to early 1953 if not earlier. The article below puts paid to that theory. Or rather, the photo does!<br /><br />The article is about toy sales reps Walter and Arthur Krenzien, a father and son team who started their business in downtown Chicago in about 1930. They were one of the biggest promoters for Breyer in the early 1950s, and their ads featuring Breyer models can be found in a variety of 1950s <i>Toys and Novelties</i> issues. This particular issue from March 1953 mentions Breyers only in passing as one of many lines promoted by the Krenziens. It's the photo combined with the date of the magazine issue that knocked my socks off.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JRXOkV6iEGY/YYrh73olXaI/AAAAAAAANKg/Cb7FwG35Z1AnonX5YZyye009xEodEpbSwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1781/tn1953_03_pg83_krenzien_story1a_wm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1781" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JRXOkV6iEGY/YYrh73olXaI/AAAAAAAANKg/Cb7FwG35Z1AnonX5YZyye009xEodEpbSwCNcBGAsYHQ/w270-h400/tn1953_03_pg83_krenzien_story1a_wm.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the table on the left!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HpFHqRcWd6U/YYriMECsD1I/AAAAAAAANKo/RMEktSGa-RoHVpiyv7CRIpZIeGgpRG6GQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/tn1953_03_pg83_krenzien_story5a_wm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1500" height="193" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HpFHqRcWd6U/YYriMECsD1I/AAAAAAAANKo/RMEktSGa-RoHVpiyv7CRIpZIeGgpRG6GQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h193/tn1953_03_pg83_krenzien_story5a_wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up---left to right: Boxer, alabaster WH & WP, <br />black WH & WP, and palomino WH & WP</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br />To the best of my knowledge, this is the earliest proof we have of the existence of the Western Pony and the earliest date known for the black with gold trim colorway for the Western Horse and Pony. Because magazines are stocked and mailed in advance of their issue date, and because a certain amount of time is needed to write articles, lay out the articles, photos, and ads, and get the whole thing printed, the March 1953 issue of <i>Toys and Novelties</i> was very likely out by February of that year, presumably having gone to print at least the month before. Allowing time for writing and layout, it seems very likely that the actual photo used for the issue may have been taken some time in late 1952. Even if the Western Pony (and the black colorway for the Western Horse and Pony) were not yet available for sale in March 1953, we at least know the mold was functional and very likely in use by late 1952. It's entirely possible the Ponies (and the Boxer) were even sold for Christmas 1952. <br /></p><p></p><p>I did not find an official "News Toys on Parade" release for the Western Pony as I did for the Western Horse and and Boxer, but I did find later ads for the Western Pony with various riders. It's possible the Western Pony may predate the Boxer but simply wasn't advertised, or the two models may have been developed simultaneously. Given that Breyer was just getting started with model horses (and dogs), they may not have felt the need to promote every new release, or perhaps the Western Pony product announcement simply hasn't come to light yet. We may never know for sure, but it's fun to keep looking.<br /><br />By 1954, Hartland was advertising their Champ models with cowboys and cowgirls, and by 1955, both Hartland and Breyer were in full swing offering various horse and rider sets. Nancy Young suspected that the Breyer riders probably predated all of the Hartland ones, but Hartland certainly beat them to the punch acquiring licensing rights for popular cowboy characters. But that is the subject for another blog post. </p><p>Just for fun, here are some other early Breyer ads I found. The March 1955 issue of <i>Toys and Novelties</i> featured an ad from Breyer wishing a happy business anniversary to the Krenziens.<br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jbtGHdYsnlc/YYriXF8Le3I/AAAAAAAANKs/AFiDDHZsFvUWPxsF0f9Tf-nX9cVGL3fFACNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/tn1955_03_krenzien_congrats4a_wm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1200" height="306" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jbtGHdYsnlc/YYriXF8Le3I/AAAAAAAANKs/AFiDDHZsFvUWPxsF0f9Tf-nX9cVGL3fFACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h306/tn1955_03_krenzien_congrats4a_wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The May issue from the same year featured the Indian brave and a pair of Cowboys or Lucky Rangers.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0ZNIW-aZQY/YYridpgewGI/AAAAAAAANK0/10WNrGQMCVwvaqunW6_bFHRieQClPFGcgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1474/tn1955_05_pg146a1_wm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0ZNIW-aZQY/YYridpgewGI/AAAAAAAANK0/10WNrGQMCVwvaqunW6_bFHRieQClPFGcgCNcBGAsYHQ/w326-h400/tn1955_05_pg146a1_wm.jpg" width="326" /></a></div>
<br />I am still working my way through other toy publications, and if I find anything fun, I'll be sure to update this post. Thanks for reading!<br />Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-71086607633809737082022-01-20T19:42:00.000-08:002022-01-20T19:42:16.687-08:00Remembering Krista Wasco<p>Life is full of surprises, and you never know how the smallest action can lead to something so huge and impactful as a wonderful friendship.</p><p>In May 2001, I made a post on Haynet-Exchange, the old hobby Yahoo group for buying and selling model horses, asking to trade my customizing skills for a Peter Stone pony called Sassy. The model had been released a few weeks earlier at Stone's Mayfest event in Shipshewana, IN, and I thought it was a really lovely piece. I was in grad school in Chicago at the time, so I hadn't really been aware of the event until after it was over. Not long after posting, I got a reply from Krista Corry, a hobbyist I didn't know, and she offered me her extra pony. She said it had a small flaw in the paint, but I told her I didn't mind, and she was just as happy to trade for my beginner level painting.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6sUwZdbGfZetXqrbtuy7axRvbt-tqNr7HSPolmgWg7jk2edoQ2APedgQq-KpOetqpeqZ7939i0HVWIrjR85FRHkXbidq_4fb1O8XGmmA0bm3JwAVfOIjDSMosSJNUvLY04bOP5HmUixSK4ortAGENb5U9zsikXCwB8LFAgoJ0C_UOqQRV_tXr9UYO=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="600" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6sUwZdbGfZetXqrbtuy7axRvbt-tqNr7HSPolmgWg7jk2edoQ2APedgQq-KpOetqpeqZ7939i0HVWIrjR85FRHkXbidq_4fb1O8XGmmA0bm3JwAVfOIjDSMosSJNUvLY04bOP5HmUixSK4ortAGENb5U9zsikXCwB8LFAgoJ0C_UOqQRV_tXr9UYO=w400-h281" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The pony that started it all</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It turned out Krista was a fellow Minnesotan who was living just a few hours north of me in Fond Du Lac, WI, and her fiancé just happened to have family in Chicago where I was in school. The next time they were in town, they made a point to stop by to meet me. We had a wonderful time visiting, traded horses, and made a promise to meet up at BreyerFest later that summer. We continued to exchange emails and found we had similar tastes in movies and especially music (grunge, punk, and anything Chris Cornell did), as well as the same snarky sense of humor.<br /><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.17in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">That one silly pony kicked off a 20+ year-long friendship and perpetual pony swap. Krista was glad to send me various OFs and resins of which I would keep a few and paint the rest for her. She even once traded me a window air-conditioning unit for my sweltering apartment in exchange for custom paint jobs. It makes me laugh every time I think of it.</span></p>As time went on, we became fast friends and made a point to get together every chance we could. At the Great Lakes Congress in Chicago in 2004, we roomed together and had so much fun all weekend. Krista, who was a talented tack maker and performance shower, took me under her wing and helped me start showing performance. She was generous with her talent and time, and she was always happy to lend tack or advice to anyone who needed it. I learned so much from her.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0gDSWe-1OUuNJgJdTWoeInyZ2YISwwoqmIh0li3mediW1L-gBidlg8SYjMsBtgfSWMT-OjURlMTOYA176yv4xdgygjOrba5m5hgRdZgrXPyJJREsxp0bfw4sXhLL8NO75v5t-3kRDN3L9DIVjg5hQFQJPNHS_Qtkx7oTNdHpFrqP3sazR6A_1MreI=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0gDSWe-1OUuNJgJdTWoeInyZ2YISwwoqmIh0li3mediW1L-gBidlg8SYjMsBtgfSWMT-OjURlMTOYA176yv4xdgygjOrba5m5hgRdZgrXPyJJREsxp0bfw4sXhLL8NO75v5t-3kRDN3L9DIVjg5hQFQJPNHS_Qtkx7oTNdHpFrqP3sazR6A_1MreI=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Krista tacking up her favorite breed</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQl4KL_p6hwHMWSXwnm9HKzm_TDRofqoPBGupXKtMp-c3p6QOLvf3NKvZyX9l2TY14AqOTwn7OpOQf5gzwFeqT1-_j-M9ZApkmfPWDzKI6nTCvW7JDyL3Qgcy3NogX3Nx8AwL32dYN96UJXpXWI_3BydD1k6D0yB-qDnSqP4jSg5uGoyX9HzagD2Bh=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="600" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQl4KL_p6hwHMWSXwnm9HKzm_TDRofqoPBGupXKtMp-c3p6QOLvf3NKvZyX9l2TY14AqOTwn7OpOQf5gzwFeqT1-_j-M9ZApkmfPWDzKI6nTCvW7JDyL3Qgcy3NogX3Nx8AwL32dYN96UJXpXWI_3BydD1k6D0yB-qDnSqP4jSg5uGoyX9HzagD2Bh=w400-h341" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A beautiful Western saddle and bridle made by Krista</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk5tcRzp8nYnAHV-anj9pOjDJViV6079y5XgOr-XyiVZutm4QL_qqiHqo02M498JoYCALl69Pk2RB2aUpdficYukUsgDBdi1qsiqwA_ZDImg9YNQsOIWyea7SDuFNE9ncOYBgcGKfbSs51K4DLPOl7Cb6Nvv98yWXL5fhgflEwCwegFUUYaQ6NlNRj=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk5tcRzp8nYnAHV-anj9pOjDJViV6079y5XgOr-XyiVZutm4QL_qqiHqo02M498JoYCALl69Pk2RB2aUpdficYukUsgDBdi1qsiqwA_ZDImg9YNQsOIWyea7SDuFNE9ncOYBgcGKfbSs51K4DLPOl7Cb6Nvv98yWXL5fhgflEwCwegFUUYaQ6NlNRj=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My favorite picture of us at GLC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Krista grew up with real horses and earned an equine science degree in college. She was a serious competitor in Western speed events from a young age. As she was in all aspects of her life, Krista was bold and fearless on horseback.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRWDz7CcsTNA4lBPPst_IYu3Ae1GncNhXStrjV8S3jdxkKPNbof7CVmaLyKULiHi642bU1yIMfW4LVKSQaQ9eKMWWpeeRQugxyFiG6YJfRBip7c4uzpzSVFurHi1a_O9gmgC836LHRzKQ_zRHa6tLYt_XEKHxtgaEjvoUGEmjSL9m410ZfyKDHOmOv=s491" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="491" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRWDz7CcsTNA4lBPPst_IYu3Ae1GncNhXStrjV8S3jdxkKPNbof7CVmaLyKULiHi642bU1yIMfW4LVKSQaQ9eKMWWpeeRQugxyFiG6YJfRBip7c4uzpzSVFurHi1a_O9gmgC836LHRzKQ_zRHa6tLYt_XEKHxtgaEjvoUGEmjSL9m410ZfyKDHOmOv=w400-h301" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Krista barrel racing</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Her heart horse was a bay Quarter Horse gelding named Trouble. His registered name was Sea Deck Go, and he was a great-great-great-grandson of the famous racehorse Seabiscuit. Krista and Trouble kicked ass and took names wherever they went.<br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrHlJari_5U_5FhNc5Lh9PNqyb07j8jcJoURM5rG_w1-raTjvR2FPMKMxhnRqbAzVn_UitPTCLX3ShdrUNy_lkWX304zReOD0jWA24NvDbOSht0lcfUhPb00IWLcT2v8pe2qIHXDNLbWjGps9ivGR9tod-sh8QeCQuzaZXqccOHqO7IZI4EhGZSDku=s960" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="797" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrHlJari_5U_5FhNc5Lh9PNqyb07j8jcJoURM5rG_w1-raTjvR2FPMKMxhnRqbAzVn_UitPTCLX3ShdrUNy_lkWX304zReOD0jWA24NvDbOSht0lcfUhPb00IWLcT2v8pe2qIHXDNLbWjGps9ivGR9tod-sh8QeCQuzaZXqccOHqO7IZI4EhGZSDku=w333-h400" width="333" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Krista pole-bending with Trouble</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9xUxe4Tr7JJy5-hIzqHFHp_fUJGidBeBlnzT7ADQAC7v943rhM0Svd0I5c5ZaHVT6xWTK6-wmpsnI6bJYdPbXt5yVf1KpbcE7Cfg45LodWoYi2SNkBAkbBZ9uuWp3t9lYGCaOUev_l6VsSL5RuTY1u5NClykxW-nvkxnS0fyRt2bssFxfybAU8Zx1=s1172" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1172" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9xUxe4Tr7JJy5-hIzqHFHp_fUJGidBeBlnzT7ADQAC7v943rhM0Svd0I5c5ZaHVT6xWTK6-wmpsnI6bJYdPbXt5yVf1KpbcE7Cfg45LodWoYi2SNkBAkbBZ9uuWp3t9lYGCaOUev_l6VsSL5RuTY1u5NClykxW-nvkxnS0fyRt2bssFxfybAU8Zx1=w400-h321" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sea Deck Go aka Trouble</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Krista’s beloved Trouble made the leap into the model horse world when I painted a portrait of him for her on DeeAnn Kjelshus' "Let's Roll" resin. The creativity and versatility of her performance entries was always so impressive, and just like with his real life counterpart, Krista enjoyed great success with model Trouble in just about every performance discipline.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMoU0b6pKO21G6uf3PFYjpGL7WbGuZlIdA6pYLMUnbUHmr0jJCMOz-4lyUlwh8ov8L2xmX36Slyl4VCK5nRJ64hrHii1WHneIJThgJlAVc2netxTXFwfmNieaqiimJAueZWkXl6ao2KNcq5HDWbLQOY-fQzBStaubXTOxrzaYMf6w0SrIcmjg2KDjt=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="600" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMoU0b6pKO21G6uf3PFYjpGL7WbGuZlIdA6pYLMUnbUHmr0jJCMOz-4lyUlwh8ov8L2xmX36Slyl4VCK5nRJ64hrHii1WHneIJThgJlAVc2netxTXFwfmNieaqiimJAueZWkXl6ao2KNcq5HDWbLQOY-fQzBStaubXTOxrzaYMf6w0SrIcmjg2KDjt=w400-h361" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trouble spinning towards the last fence in a timed jump off</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtoX63BUNPy-yFkDxIwIYyBhrU3SSm3e6hfDRU1ngtaIgqbuacn4UV5-PmDrdNJ3HVJAf56PwFZYpV2YCGXUQC5OdP3Tuma4I28N0kgVHGvs_tf-nWpkBhhXv5yjW-se6Lp0QSAMrFMeYRai4SZDWw8gtl_7iq2EMfB0VdEPj3Ep0iZFY6bbo_HWOO=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="600" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtoX63BUNPy-yFkDxIwIYyBhrU3SSm3e6hfDRU1ngtaIgqbuacn4UV5-PmDrdNJ3HVJAf56PwFZYpV2YCGXUQC5OdP3Tuma4I28N0kgVHGvs_tf-nWpkBhhXv5yjW-se6Lp0QSAMrFMeYRai4SZDWw8gtl_7iq2EMfB0VdEPj3Ep0iZFY6bbo_HWOO=w400-h309" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trouble pole-bending in tack Krista made to match their real gear</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>A few months after attending GLC, we decided to hit the road together to travel to BreyerFest. To say we had a blast is an understatement. We laughed about loud ice machines, creepy hotel clerks, faulty fire alarms, and hilarious no-diving-or-your-head-will-break-off-and-lightning-will-shoot-out signs. (Trust me, it's really funny when you're punchy from lack of sleep because you showed at NAN until midnight for two days.)</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFzUHWQ6xTd4wyf9_WF9rzyveX-kMwCCVJ_HXPrfz19oYAvT9OR65MnEpRdSfv5wqhpve4wxU-PhGv5OGzE8aVcNb96Zhhr3vt3pLr6DRsCZBWBSgaVcRI6d42u7LSIvfk70ziutWqev1SLc_twJz26-ksrVp6DpiG_euE4Atd-gEOq79xy2fcS95l=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFzUHWQ6xTd4wyf9_WF9rzyveX-kMwCCVJ_HXPrfz19oYAvT9OR65MnEpRdSfv5wqhpve4wxU-PhGv5OGzE8aVcNb96Zhhr3vt3pLr6DRsCZBWBSgaVcRI6d42u7LSIvfk70ziutWqev1SLc_twJz26-ksrVp6DpiG_euE4Atd-gEOq79xy2fcS95l=w400-h258" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Hanging out with Krista at BreyerFest was always an adventure. We showed at NAN and the BreyerFest Open Show, spectated at the not-a-NAN event, wandered the halls of the HIN/CHIN until the wee hours, and visited a bunch of horse farms over the years. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDCaN7VxX9yFybdFASLvy7jE976qOwywTUZTM9QOabNwWOm-r9sXNMYLqNkYRpLIATaZ30gh7upwjRcjgiuzgyFWEvdKucxBtvpK7sMJDdUJj3qhnjZ5ee9G1U5yHhYx8UErCto9_lXV_izGlHWdjcZRQYGvTNtYohQ9e0HGKrQZOIhXtrDYjznQmh=s640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDCaN7VxX9yFybdFASLvy7jE976qOwywTUZTM9QOabNwWOm-r9sXNMYLqNkYRpLIATaZ30gh7upwjRcjgiuzgyFWEvdKucxBtvpK7sMJDdUJj3qhnjZ5ee9G1U5yHhYx8UErCto9_lXV_izGlHWdjcZRQYGvTNtYohQ9e0HGKrQZOIhXtrDYjznQmh=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Krista feeding a mint to Speightstown at Winstar</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTwBrMdNyzXvDhTidCge7lpFAGEXVISW9S0iY5EQBerco2W3ikn5DPLjGBO5_T-3l8Z1FUWDvjh2z5XTEoddoueCebBHqree7KZGs0h3GvVNG2WCzM97G2mRDu8sThtPHLhBI8FQZTBC_8LVyn4gWAXkhP506KEwh-x3ORC49v6HIi5wKd6rg66cA3=s538" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="538" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTwBrMdNyzXvDhTidCge7lpFAGEXVISW9S0iY5EQBerco2W3ikn5DPLjGBO5_T-3l8Z1FUWDvjh2z5XTEoddoueCebBHqree7KZGs0h3GvVNG2WCzM97G2mRDu8sThtPHLhBI8FQZTBC_8LVyn4gWAXkhP506KEwh-x3ORC49v6HIi5wKd6rg66cA3=w400-h285" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Krista and I with Tiznow</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>After she got married, Krista and her husband Mark moved to Sioux Falls, SD. One year after BreyerFest, I rode all the way back to Sioux Falls with her. We left Kentucky after the Sunday raffle (we didn't win, but not for lack of trying), drove through a crazy, intense thunderstorm, got asked for our numbers at a sandwich shop in Wisconsin, giggled like lunatics at Happy Bunny stickers at a gas station at two in the morning in the middle of nowhere, and finally rolled into Sioux Falls rocking out to Nine Inch Nails at 4am. I spent a couple of days with Krista noodling around Sioux Falls, and then we headed back to Minnesota to spend time with my family at my grandma's cottage. Grandma was also a horse person, and having lived through Seabiscuit's racing days, she was so impressed with and interested in Trouble and his famous ancestor. We had such a ridiculous amount of fun sharing stories during her stay with us.<br /><br /></div><div>Krista wanted very much to be a mom, and life with four kids kept her very busy. I didn't get to see her as much when they were young, but we definitely made the most of our time together when we could. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzq5Oruur86xw42VVesKPV1mopZScCN4KEUthFGPvpOdmrFSUUdimqvkP4DlHE9LsESGMBgCVdmkGu4SYwAceSF-pdgcKtRbk8vC9CFygtAW0edawow0WMHh9K2WZuROY71QU5TUAkhCqhx7e2oa92ty0JyPzkxgjNOSEXPueNZ04ixB8hS69DqU-u=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzq5Oruur86xw42VVesKPV1mopZScCN4KEUthFGPvpOdmrFSUUdimqvkP4DlHE9LsESGMBgCVdmkGu4SYwAceSF-pdgcKtRbk8vC9CFygtAW0edawow0WMHh9K2WZuROY71QU5TUAkhCqhx7e2oa92ty0JyPzkxgjNOSEXPueNZ04ixB8hS69DqU-u=w400-h384" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Krista and baby Jack at BreyerFest</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWVl3c8YghdnjJxLvbe_C5lzC73VgUFYdRt-BSrdGRmlBnS1coXDqlcE-0kTMuo--E8yUPqwxNezrge8d8HN2m8-ZdVHR9b3EBbfUCLRjggOXPz7Vpm6sgmnMNI5S565e8kdrUgV5OpAsv_dwcAC7ZpIQqsmVjYH_iTrkSBwP940c8BXd2ji--LZqB=s982" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="982" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWVl3c8YghdnjJxLvbe_C5lzC73VgUFYdRt-BSrdGRmlBnS1coXDqlcE-0kTMuo--E8yUPqwxNezrge8d8HN2m8-ZdVHR9b3EBbfUCLRjggOXPz7Vpm6sgmnMNI5S565e8kdrUgV5OpAsv_dwcAC7ZpIQqsmVjYH_iTrkSBwP940c8BXd2ji--LZqB=w400-h294" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>BF shenanigans with my sister, me, and Krista</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>At BreyerFest 2018, Krista was thrilled to meet one of her equestrian idols, champion barrel racer Charmayne James. She gushed about how amazing it was to get to talk to her at the Kentucky Horse Park, and I was so delighted for her when they ended up on the same flight out of Lexington and got to chat even more. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq31wIx_Og03CHdiqf0fvvyWnG3lWsnei73pdqrRkQzBd866Zm-Pl2DMp6jXZgD_Zj6Snomt8jVZqWDWCG45AL6hBAO3VdNR0Njy601C-SiUOZxYcRyJZeqTfjRgHvnPtZyIVos2oZaGRNK0to53oPKwWVo3Bb5Ofwi6pQhC0d_Fbu8geqlGAdDTk8=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2032" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq31wIx_Og03CHdiqf0fvvyWnG3lWsnei73pdqrRkQzBd866Zm-Pl2DMp6jXZgD_Zj6Snomt8jVZqWDWCG45AL6hBAO3VdNR0Njy601C-SiUOZxYcRyJZeqTfjRgHvnPtZyIVos2oZaGRNK0to53oPKwWVo3Bb5Ofwi6pQhC0d_Fbu8geqlGAdDTk8=w398-h400" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not even a twisted ankle could stop Krista at BF!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div> </div><div>Krista was also a huge animal lover, adopting strays and purebreds
alike. She loved all horses, too, but Quarter Horses, Saddlebreds, and
especially cremellos were her favorite. She was good at anything she set
her mind to, from making model horse tack to sewing clothes to learning
sign language. Krista was the very embodiment of kindness, generosity,
and compassion. <br /></div><div> </div><div>Life threw an unfair number of curve balls at Krista, but her kids were her world, and she was their fiercest advocate. She would have done literally anything for them. She was a champion for autism awareness, trans-rights, and the LGBTQ community. Her kids loved Star Wars, and she took Space Mom (General Leia/Carrie Fisher) as her patron saint. We all remember her as a fierce mama bear and a strong woman who spoke out for what was right, but I know Krista would tell us she was just doing what had to be done. <br /><br />It feels so unreal and wrong that we have lost such a vibrant, selfless, amazing force of nature like Krista. I'm devastated by the loss of my dear friend, and my heart is absolutely broken for her family, especially her kids. The outpouring of love from her friends has at least helped me bear my grief a little more easily. I hope Krista knew how many lives she touched and how many people loved her. She’ll always be remembered, and she’ll always be my best friend.<br /><br />In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/vnfwy-help-kristas-family?sharetype=teams&member=16750529&pc=fb_co_campmgmt_w&rcid=r01-164252842037-a6fd7d635b9e4655&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_lico%2Bshare-sheet&fbclid=IwAR1w1XAqJ8xqOBa3m8DkGkrXlqm4oO9xd_2xKuy05RfRtX9Qor2qOujw0II">Gofundme</a> set up for mark and the kids. <br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-19186565999224846282021-11-16T07:45:00.003-08:002021-11-17T08:39:30.809-08:00Hagen-Renaker: 1945-2021<p>At the end of this year, Hagen-Renaker will be closing its California factory for good after 76 years in business. It's the end of an era. While I am terribly sad about this news, it's not entirely unexpected. I've known for some time that there was no one else in the younger generations of the Renaker family interested in continuing the business when the present owners retire, and material and labor shortages during the pandemic have only hastened an inevitable end. (Before anyone panics too much, Hagen-Renaker Tennessee <b><i>will</i></b> continue to produce Hagen-Renakers under an official license from the family, a pretty amazing silver lining! More on that later in the post though.)</p><p>Hagen-Renaker has offered an amazing array of products over the course of their remarkably long history. In the model horse community, they are of course best known for the incredibly beautiful and lifelike horses sculpted by Maureen Love. Hagen-Renaker produced many other animals, both large and small, like the handsome Pedigree Dog line sculpted largely by Tom Masterson, as well as a variety of domestic and wild animals and even fantasy creatures. The comedic arts of Don Winton, Nell Bortells, Martha Armstrong Hand, and Helen Perrin Farnlund were put to excellent use with the Disney and Little Horribles figurines, and even Moss Renaker, mother of company founder John, designed pieces as well. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M15yJeHqFAs/YZMJLN6UjdI/AAAAAAAANLc/RRQlUhGsfeQqyyr8j8P0sLuoFvQlOa6dACNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/misc2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="1500" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M15yJeHqFAs/YZMJLN6UjdI/AAAAAAAANLc/RRQlUhGsfeQqyyr8j8P0sLuoFvQlOa6dACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h361/misc2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Hagen-Renaker began in 1945 in the garage of John and Maxine (<span>née</span> Hagen) Renaker in Culver City, CA. The company started by making simple dishware and shadow boxes, but they quickly found that the real bread and butter of the pottery business was small ceramic animals, both realistic and whimsical.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZOCMR0sZzM/YZAbfyDng0I/AAAAAAAANLE/BT5zXQ4bga8QpSxGXSuo05vfuX4-WWSswCNcBGAsYHQ/s1380/butterpat_cherries1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1380" height="364" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZOCMR0sZzM/YZAbfyDng0I/AAAAAAAANLE/BT5zXQ4bga8QpSxGXSuo05vfuX4-WWSswCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h364/butterpat_cherries1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>An early </i><i>Hagen-Renaker butter pat (photo by Sarah Wellman)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QmtGL14tnXs/YZAcoSK1vxI/AAAAAAAANLM/qK5Yc7sD5tQknIDOYC4b-P_pTIhEPuWpgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/hr_shadow_boxes_lady_gentleman1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1500" height="249" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QmtGL14tnXs/YZAcoSK1vxI/AAAAAAAANLM/qK5Yc7sD5tQknIDOYC4b-P_pTIhEPuWpgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h249/hr_shadow_boxes_lady_gentleman1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A handsome couple I like to think of as Elizabeth Bennett<br />and Mr. Darcy (early </i><i>Hagen-Renaker shadow boxes)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qY73jMQ8VhQ/YZBamFijIMI/AAAAAAAANLU/qOecAYmWL1QnnWT9nenstaUs7N9T0gIfQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1771/hr_miniature_early_lamb1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1771" data-original-width="1517" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qY73jMQ8VhQ/YZBamFijIMI/AAAAAAAANLU/qOecAYmWL1QnnWT9nenstaUs7N9T0gIfQCNcBGAsYHQ/w343-h400/hr_miniature_early_lamb1.jpg" width="343" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>An early Miniature lamb</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1E20v3Q2bO4/YZMJdhyVjYI/AAAAAAAANLk/YWgs_7K2RscAwOADUjTliqy4kg2vP2-pgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/chickens.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1200" height="269" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1E20v3Q2bO4/YZMJdhyVjYI/AAAAAAAANLk/YWgs_7K2RscAwOADUjTliqy4kg2vP2-pgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h269/chickens.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Early Miniature chickens</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In the boom years of the early 1950s, Hagen-Renaker moved their production to several buildings in Monrovia, CA. This added space allowed them to branch out and add the larger scale Designer's Workshop line to their production. It featured exquisite horses...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jVBdazzG4SM/YZMJy2sGE_I/AAAAAAAANLs/a7uppZCq9M82Jv3Wwxg-aySXIWsglqqGgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/horses2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1500" height="289" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jVBdazzG4SM/YZMJy2sGE_I/AAAAAAAANLs/a7uppZCq9M82Jv3Wwxg-aySXIWsglqqGgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h289/horses2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>many different dogs...<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3gK_8dGOdc/YZMJ9ozNXzI/AAAAAAAANLw/jct7JEeXlj8waHM3TywtA7A7DiqcOcQuQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2000/dogs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="2000" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3gK_8dGOdc/YZMJ9ozNXzI/AAAAAAAANLw/jct7JEeXlj8waHM3TywtA7A7DiqcOcQuQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h254/dogs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>clowders of cats... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67bLQCTIKKc/YZMKH3U-ejI/AAAAAAAANL4/ByBl5TT_YGgVxKHDzEx3bpgR6NC9Q2MgwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1246/catcollage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1246" height="129" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67bLQCTIKKc/YZMKH3U-ejI/AAAAAAAANL4/ByBl5TT_YGgVxKHDzEx3bpgR6NC9Q2MgwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h129/catcollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>a variety of domestic animals like chickens...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gYbOLCJaMko/YZMKQo-bQ5I/AAAAAAAANL8/7QrwFQmEdLA89-Y_GOvZwWz3AYU3VHjiwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/birds1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1200" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gYbOLCJaMko/YZMKQo-bQ5I/AAAAAAAANL8/7QrwFQmEdLA89-Y_GOvZwWz3AYU3VHjiwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h318/birds1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>and much, much more. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0U6mOhjXA0/YZMKZs4rj2I/AAAAAAAANME/AsabwZw3U0g2_ZtA6rcb0y8yhw0RX0JzwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1446/wildanimals.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1446" height="269" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0U6mOhjXA0/YZMKZs4rj2I/AAAAAAAANME/AsabwZw3U0g2_ZtA6rcb0y8yhw0RX0JzwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h269/wildanimals.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The 1950s also saw the introduction of the <a href="http://hagenrenakerhorses.com/WebPagePixsDisney.html">Disney line</a>, considered the finest 3D renderings of Disney characters by Walt Disney himself, as well as other imaginative designs like Black Bisque, faux-stone plaques, the Zany Zoo, and the <a href="http://hagenrenakerhorses.com/WebPageLittleHorribles.html">Little Horribles</a>.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BJZ53KtnQM/YZMLRWUHnaI/AAAAAAAANMQ/SlQDjPrkbnwk-K8XVt_by_vFQdReEOywACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/black_bisque_group.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BJZ53KtnQM/YZMLRWUHnaI/AAAAAAAANMQ/SlQDjPrkbnwk-K8XVt_by_vFQdReEOywACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/black_bisque_group.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A sampling of Black Bisque pieces </i><i>(photo by Sarah Wellman)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BpXFO9ilc20/YZMLtPJyT7I/AAAAAAAANMY/Ten1HgF9nLUZUzuJZYHyXzagqYyWb3AUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1000/hr_double_horse_plaque1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1000" height="269" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BpXFO9ilc20/YZMLtPJyT7I/AAAAAAAANMY/Ten1HgF9nLUZUzuJZYHyXzagqYyWb3AUwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h269/hr_double_horse_plaque1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Double horse plaque designed by Maureen Love</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4nSfA3mt-9w/YZML48H2bpI/AAAAAAAANMc/y70j91ITvYUIZ4b4p_KXShdzNTZltXZ0gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1836/Zany%2BZoo%2BLion%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="1518" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4nSfA3mt-9w/YZML48H2bpI/AAAAAAAANMc/y70j91ITvYUIZ4b4p_KXShdzNTZltXZ0gCNcBGAsYHQ/w331-h400/Zany%2BZoo%2BLion%2B1.jpg" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Zany Zoo lion</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>By 1960, however, competition in the form of cheap unauthorized copies from Japan nearly put Hagen-Renaker out of business. They were forced to lay off the majority of their artists, and the company limped along with a skeleton crew. In about 1966, sales and consequently production began to pick up again, and the company moved 15 miles east to San Dimas, CA, where they had more room to expand. Though both the Miniature and Designer's Workshop lines continued at San Dimas, the decoration style was simplified to be more cost efficient. Pieces in the DW line at this time tended to have short production runs, so San Dimas pieces are often more rare than their Monrovia counterparts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXnxs9x3jEs/YZMQj9MOICI/AAAAAAAANM0/JfZ9RdRMz6wGtbQ4AGYa3hZZ8U_h6iYngCNcBGAsYHQ/s743/daisy_buckskin1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="743" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXnxs9x3jEs/YZMQj9MOICI/AAAAAAAANM0/JfZ9RdRMz6wGtbQ4AGYa3hZZ8U_h6iYngCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h308/daisy_buckskin1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>San Dimas Daisy in rare buckskin color <br /></i><i>(photo by Sarah Wellman)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epA0HMc5iGs/YZMQjgWdSbI/AAAAAAAANMw/nGuYkPvm6V0dypB90u4ogYMCILPUFszlgCNcBGAsYHQ/s880/ferseyn_steel_grey1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="880" height="371" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epA0HMc5iGs/YZMQjgWdSbI/AAAAAAAANMw/nGuYkPvm6V0dypB90u4ogYMCILPUFszlgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h371/ferseyn_steel_grey1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>San Dimas Ferseyn in rare steel grey color <br /></i><i>(photo by Sarah Wellman)</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">In 1980, Hagen-Renaker purchased the Freeman-McFarlin factory almost 100 miles south of their San Dimas location. This new factory had the space and facilities to devote to the production of larger scale ware, and some of the biggest and most spectacular DW pieces were made at San Marcos. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cw-LDq_ksbo/YZMS3SnznLI/AAAAAAAANNA/ActnhMDzxIceXqMzSb-2fhZOTBCX9Nf9gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/sanmarcos2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1200" height="344" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cw-LDq_ksbo/YZMS3SnznLI/AAAAAAAANNA/ActnhMDzxIceXqMzSb-2fhZOTBCX9Nf9gCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h344/sanmarcos2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nataf, one of the largest DW horses at 12" tall</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sadly, the Designer's Workshop line was never as profitable as the Miniatures line which had remained in production at San Dimas. In 1986, the San Marcos factory was closed up and sold, and all production returned to San Dimas where it remained for more than 30 years. </p><p>In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hagen-Renaker added the Specialties line, featuring slightly larger and more detailed sculptures than the usual Miniature pieces. They even experimented with stoneware finishes for a short time.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPfykbagqFw/YZMXagx4NuI/AAAAAAAANNI/uFmXV3Zzp7MZOzVTtEdvzAVOtIqHgYz0QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/stoneware_birds.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="1500" height="155" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPfykbagqFw/YZMXagx4NuI/AAAAAAAANNI/uFmXV3Zzp7MZOzVTtEdvzAVOtIqHgYz0QCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h155/stoneware_birds.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stoneware birds</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In 1993, Hagen-Renaker began to make a new line of small DW scale horses, beginning with Jamboree based on a sculpture Maureen had issued independently under the name Maureen Love Originals. A new sculpture for the line followed almost every year, and in 2000, Hagen-Renaker announced the return of the old DW horse molds in a <a href="http://www.hagenrenakerhorses.com/WebPageHorsesNewerRetired.html">fun variety</a> <a href="http://www.hagenrenakerhorses.com/WebPageHorsesNewDW.html">of colors</a>.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OZFj1_2Uhgg/YZMzHDNNsoI/AAAAAAAANNg/8xahGNPWDtco_siWqlmwdqmMVu0iUw1zQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1271/jamboree_appaloosa1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OZFj1_2Uhgg/YZMzHDNNsoI/AAAAAAAANNg/8xahGNPWDtco_siWqlmwdqmMVu0iUw1zQCNcBGAsYHQ/w378-h400/jamboree_appaloosa1.jpg" width="378" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jamboree issued in 1993 (photo by Sarah Wellman)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wisL75FuyvY/YZMznhH4w7I/AAAAAAAANNs/qahXOhqTN6QpQxFK10DqVw-rx4dgrGUNQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/aw9_abusimbel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1200" height="328" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wisL75FuyvY/YZMznhH4w7I/AAAAAAAANNs/qahXOhqTN6QpQxFK10DqVw-rx4dgrGUNQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h328/aw9_abusimbel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Encore issued in 1994</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EinCL3BdzqI/YZMYUWnZ3tI/AAAAAAAANNQ/a16nSCt4DzUkiGJRpePUFQ-KlOLfiqEywCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/large_zara_black9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="1500" height="331" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EinCL3BdzqI/YZMYUWnZ3tI/AAAAAAAANNQ/a16nSCt4DzUkiGJRpePUFQ-KlOLfiqEywCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h331/large_zara_black9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Reissue Large Zara in black produced in 2018</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In Fall 2018, Kristina Lucas Francis opened Hagen-Renaker Tennessee, an officially licensed offshoot of the main company. Kristina learned the ceramics trade from HR-trained artists and their pupils, so I can't imagine a more perfect steward of the company's body of work. She has been producing small editions of DW and Mini pieces in exquisitely detailed colors for the last few years. As expected, the Hagen-Renaker Tennessee line has mostly consisted of horses so far, but Kristina has offered tantalizing sneak peeks of animal figurines coming in the future (and of course, the resurrection of the delightful Dead Bird as seen below).</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3tBRFUiT-HU/YZMaEHl6YII/AAAAAAAANNY/fj33AWcA7YQaBvbHNr9ifSKtqLr4f8_JwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/hrtn2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1500" height="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3tBRFUiT-HU/YZMaEHl6YII/AAAAAAAANNY/fj33AWcA7YQaBvbHNr9ifSKtqLr4f8_JwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h228/hrtn2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Models produced by Hagen-Renaker Tennessee</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Though Hagen-Renaker California will officially shut down in the next few weeks, Hagen-Renaker Tennessee will carry on. Kristina has already begun the process of moving a number of the molds to Tennessee, and she is offering exciting hints to members of the <a href="https://hagen-renakercollectorsclub.com/">Hagen-Renaker Collectors Club</a>, the best source for information on upcoming pieces. <br /><br />Some Hagen-Renaker Tennessee pieces are only available to HRCC members, and membership is only $29 a year. Not only does it allow purchase opportunities for exciting new runs, but members also get access to the Hagen-Renaker Field Guide, bi-monthly online newsletters, a printed annual at the end of the year, and fun Hagen-Renaker swag (mugs, T-shirts, etc). The HRCC is doing a <a href="https://hagen-renakercollectorsclub.com/membership/">membership drive</a> right now through December 15th, so if you have not already joined, I highly encourage you to do so. (And if you mention my name as the person who convinced you to sign up, I'd very much appreciate it!)Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-68679978254773576192021-10-26T11:12:00.001-07:002024-02-18T10:02:44.321-08:00What is a Breyer pearly?<p>Ever since I published my <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2015/02/what-is-chalky.html">Breyer chalky</a> post in 2015, I've been getting periodic requests to write about pearlies as well. Chalkies and pearlies share a similar history, so this is a logical follow up. Sorry it has taken me so long to get to it! <br /></p><p>So what is a Breyer pearly? Like most chalkies, pearly models date to the oil crisis years of the mid-1970s. They are models molded in opaque iridescent, pearlescent plastic rather than plain white plastic. They are therefore akin to chalky plastic models, not basecoat chalkies, because their unique nature is inherent to the plastic used, NOT the paint. (Breyer has used pearlized paint in many modern paint jobs, but those models are not considered pearlies by collectors because only the paint, not the plastic, is pearlescent.)<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OeviNQvUi18/YWcahHfEO7I/AAAAAAAANHY/25bFBagzzJgemdCRVXc-e-Kbdj4lWByHwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/Pearly%2BRearing%2BStallion.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1372" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OeviNQvUi18/YWcahHfEO7I/AAAAAAAANHY/25bFBagzzJgemdCRVXc-e-Kbdj4lWByHwCNcBGAsYHQ/w366-h400/Pearly%2BRearing%2BStallion.jpg" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Factory unpainted pearly Rearing Stallion<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Many pearlies have a faintly yellowish cast to the plastic. In my experience, the plastic also looks dense and opaque, not translucent. The regular
color for the model was painted directly over this plastic, hiding the plastic for the most part except where there are white markings or where the paint is thin. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PI_SVQeeJsc/YWcrlTP8RyI/AAAAAAAANHk/wfe_Vc7uFSsgd1Bitj9RwTBljyQ_5nrPACNcBGAsYHQ/s445/rearing_stallion_bay_pearly1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="367" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PI_SVQeeJsc/YWcrlTP8RyI/AAAAAAAANHk/wfe_Vc7uFSsgd1Bitj9RwTBljyQ_5nrPACNcBGAsYHQ/w330-h400/rearing_stallion_bay_pearly1.JPG" width="330" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pearly bay Rearing Stallion<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CV3b2ojx3EY/YWcrlXo2U4I/AAAAAAAANHg/XZoaefwykKwKpZfEFq4bENEbN2odQd-AgCNcBGAsYHQ/s448/rearing_stallion_bay_pearly2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="448" height="323" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CV3b2ojx3EY/YWcrlXo2U4I/AAAAAAAANHg/XZoaefwykKwKpZfEFq4bENEbN2odQd-AgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h323/rearing_stallion_bay_pearly2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up of the pearly plastic revealed by his white socks<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />While just about every model available in the mid-1970s can be found as a chalky, pearly models were confined to just a handful of molds, most of them small. I'm not sure if pearly plastic didn't lend itself well to being molded on a larger scale or if it was primarily used on smaller models because it was less obvious. Known pearlies include:<br /><p><br /><b><u>Confirmed Pearlies<br /></u></b><br />Classic Arabian Foal (chestnut and palomino)<br />Classic Rearing Stallion (bay and palomino)<br />Classic Quarter Horse Foal (black, chestnut, and palomino)<br /><br />Traditional Family Arabian Mare (bay)<br />Traditional Lying Down Foal (black appaloosa)<br />Traditional Quarter Horse Yearling (liver chestnut)<br />Traditional Scratching Foal (black appaloosa)<br />Traditional Thoroughbred (Nursing) Foal (chestnut)<br /><br /><br />The foals of both scales and the Rearing Stallions are the most common pearlies and can be found fairly easily. The Family Arabian Mare and Quarter Horse Yearling however are both exceedingly rare, and very few examples of either are known (only 1 or 2 as of this writing). <br /><br />Based on which models are known to be pearlies, the years they were
made, and given their relative scarcity, I suspect that the vast majority of
them date to late 1974 or 1975. I date this based on the fact that the black, chestnut, and palomino Classic Arabian and Quarter Horse Foals were not
issued until 1975, and they are reasonably common in terms of pearlies.
The bay Family Arabian Mare, probably the rarest pearly, was last issued
in 1974. Had pearly plastic been used earlier, you would think a few
more examples besides the one or two I'm aware of might be known.
It's also telling that, as far as I know, no models that were new in
1976 (or later) have turned up as pearlies.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-golRmLtG0l4/YXhAgRKEH-I/AAAAAAAANIM/qS3hlAkyqtk1eVk7qJDlc7Eq7PIVUyQFQCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/pearly%2Bqhy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="800" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-golRmLtG0l4/YXhAgRKEH-I/AAAAAAAANIM/qS3hlAkyqtk1eVk7qJDlc7Eq7PIVUyQFQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h308/pearly%2Bqhy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very rare pearly liver chestnut Quarter Horse Yearling<br />(owned and photographed by Sara Roche)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Several other pearlies that I have not personally observed are rumored to exist. They are as follows:<br /><br /><u><b>Unconfirmed Pearlies</b></u><br /><br />Classic Arabian Foal (black)<br /><br />Traditional Grazing Foal (bay)<br />Traditional Rough Coat Stock Horse Foal (black appaloosa)<br /><br /><br />The Classic Arabian Foal and the Grazing Foal are plausible given that they were available at the right time, and since the black Classic Quarter Horse Foal has been found in pearly, presumably the black Arabian foal is out there as well. I would love to see some pictures to confirm it though. I am skeptical of the Rough Coat Stock Horse Foal though as it was not made until 1978 which puts it several years beyond the likely pearly window. If anyone has photos of these models or knows of others not listed, I would love to see them! Feel free to email them to me at mumtazmahal (at) gmail (dot) com.<br /><br />Pearlies can definitely be tricky to identify in photos, but like chalkies, they're usually obvious in hand. That said, there are some models from the late '70s and early '80s made of very shiny plastic that have been know to fool collectors. It's always best to compare them to a known pearly to see the difference. Many traditional scale models made of this shiny plastic are confused as being pearlies, but they are not.<br /><br />I am also aware of a handful of fake pearlies that are not molded in pearly plastic but are instead either painted or sprayed with a clear pearlescent finish to mimic the look of pearly plastic. The ones I have observed are a bit too shimmery finish-wise when compared to a real pearly, and the biggest give away is the look of the painted areas of the models. The pearly finish is obviously on top of the paint. On a true pearly, because only the plastic is pearly, the paint almost entirely obscures the pearly nature of the plastic except in white areas. <br /><br />And as I mentioned above, in recent years, Breyer has utilized pearlescent and metallic paint in many of their paint jobs, but as far as I know, no models molded in pearly plastic have been made since the 1970s. Perhaps a true pearly will be part of the Vintage Club line up in the future? Wouldn't that be fun!<br /><br /><br /></p>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-37064036420274919032021-09-29T10:39:00.000-07:002021-09-29T10:39:19.550-07:00The White Horse of Uffington<p style="text-align: center;">"Beneath my hands the planes<br />Of his bleached shoulders move,<br />And the bow of his neck bends to the flint-shaped head.<br />I ride the chalk-white horse<br />That moves over bone-bare hills,<br />And from his streaming mane time falls away.<br /><br />Between the thighs of kings<br />Who are now chalk-bare bones<br />His ancestors, the stallion-herds once strode,<br />Who, bending their bird-beaked heads,<br />Are now a shrinking scar<br />Across the downs from which time ebbs away."<br />~ <i>Margaret Stanley-Wrench, 1958</i><br /></p><p><br />About 20 miles southwest of Oxford, England, on a line of rolling green hills, an ancient 360-foot long white horse strides across the landscape. For nearly 3,000 years, the highly stylized chalk-cut horse has guarded the Vale of the White Horse and the Iron Age hillfort just beyond it on the top of the hill. The White Horse of Uffington is one of many figures cut into the hillsides of England, but it is by far the oldest of them all.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y28DWywI53g/YSLkSCQDGtI/AAAAAAAANDw/B3C6QLKPmO4FLWkI14IPvTLhv8StJqD8wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1366/uffington_google_maps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1366" height="176" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y28DWywI53g/YSLkSCQDGtI/AAAAAAAANDw/B3C6QLKPmO4FLWkI14IPvTLhv8StJqD8wCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h176/uffington_google_maps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The White Horse of Uffington from the air via Google Maps</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />The White Horse of Uffington has long been a source of mystery and wonder for locals and travelers alike. Its origin and meaning have remained shrouded in mystery for centuries with various theories about its creation put forth by succeeding generations. The earliest know mention of it can be found in a medieval Welsh text which referenced only the fact of its existence, and that in passing. Seventeenth and eighteenth century gentlemen scholars speculated that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hengist_and_Horsa">Hengist and Horsa</a>, the brothers who led the invasion of England by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth century AD, had carved the horse to commemorate their victory.Others claimed that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_the_Great">King Alfred the Great</a> had dug out the horse four centuries later to celebrate his own victory over Viking invaders. A few later scholars, aware of similar equine designs found on Celtic coins, correctly surmised that the horse likely predated the presence of the Romans in England in the first century BC at the very least.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Modern archeological methods however have proven that the horse is far older than Alfred or Hengist and Horsa or even the Romans. Unlike other chalk figures in Britain which were created by just scraping off the turf and lining the soil with chalk, the White Horse of Uffington was deliberately dug about three feet deep, and the resulting trenches were filled with crushed chalk. Using optimal stimulated luminescence, a method of measuring when soil was last exposed to sunlight, archaeologists have thus dated the horse to the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age, somewhere between about 1300 and 600 BC. The hill figure is therefore usually attributed to the Celts, though interestingly, it is situated in a landscape littered with earlier Neolithic and Bronze Age sites. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffington_Castle">Uffington Castle</a>, a classic Iron Age bank and ditch hillfort, sits
just out of frame to the right in the photo above. Neolithic long barrows,
sarsen stones, and prehistoric trackways can be found scattered
throughout the area within a mile or two of the horse as well. It seems likely that the site may have been chosen because it already held great cultural significance to the people who lived there before the arrival of the Celts. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6AjSgZzn9jU/YUoaWMXkIeI/AAAAAAAANF4/MFqmUmk9V9soQxwYxo1HYpJNLzGPuefOgCNcBGAsYHQ/s600/henley%2Bhoard%2Bcoin1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="600" height="369" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6AjSgZzn9jU/YUoaWMXkIeI/AAAAAAAANF4/MFqmUmk9V9soQxwYxo1HYpJNLzGPuefOgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h369/henley%2Bhoard%2Bcoin1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celtic horse coin from the <a href="https://britisharchaeology.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/henley-hoard.html">Henley Hoard</a> in the collection of the <br />Ashmolean Museum <i>(photo by Ashmolean)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />The figure of the horse has been scoured by locals for almost thirty centuries to keep
it from becoming overgrown. Stratigraphy of the area immediately around the horse has shown that while its beak-like mouth has shifted in position a bit over the millennia, the general outline of the horse has remained true. It has always been a highly-stylized image of a horse rather than the remains of a more realistic figure. <br /><br />As I mentioned above, it is located a short
distance from Uffington Castle, and while hillforts absolutely served a
defensive, militaristic purpose, they were also active centers of farming, storage, and trade. Excavations of hillforts have revealed dwellings,
granaries, and animal pens within the ramparts. With that in mind, the
notion that the White Horse symbolized some great victory in battle in
the past may have some credence, but given the multi-purpose function of hillforts and the role of the horse in
Celtic life and mythology, it seems much more likely that there may have been a
religious or spiritual purpose behind the creation of the White Horse.<br /><br />The
Celts revered horses, considering them a symbol of high status and wealth. Horses were used as riding animals for hunting, as draft animals to pull carts, as war horses to pull chariots, and sometimes as sacrificial animals as well. The earliest princely Celtic cart burials date
to around the seventh century BC and chariot burials appear a few
centuries later. Classical writers like Caesar mentioned the great skill
with which the Celts drove their chariots and rode their horses in
cavalry charges. Images of horses abound in Celtic art adorning coins, sculpture,
jewelry, drinking vessels, sacred objects, and more. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HiPtsXGmAzQ/YVJfALj4rxI/AAAAAAAANGE/WSNPdHSFZhMOGe6hRJOtxkyr6rQ1Ro25ACNcBGAsYHQ/s700/aylesfordbucket.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HiPtsXGmAzQ/YVJfALj4rxI/AAAAAAAANGE/WSNPdHSFZhMOGe6hRJOtxkyr6rQ1Ro25ACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/aylesfordbucket.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A section of the <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1886-1112-5">Aylesford bucket</a> featuring stylized horses, <br />circa first century BC <i>© The Trustees of the British Museum</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Likewise, Celtic religion and mythology is full of horses, often white horses. Epona, the "Great Mare," whose very name is derived from the Celtic word for horse, was a goddess of horses and fertility and the cycle of life. She was usually depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a mare with a foal at their side, a symbol of fecundity. Worship of Epona sometimes included an aspect of death as well, portrayed in sculpture as the goddess leading a horse and departed souls into the afterlife. Epona was originally a deity of the Celts of Gaul, but so great was her popularity that her worship spread to various Celtic tribes along trade routes into Britain, Germany, and elsewhere. The Roman cavalry even claimed her as their patroness, and the cult of Epona was spread across the length and breadth of the empire. <br /><br />The Welsh goddess Rhiannon and the Irish goddess Macha bear strong similarities to Epona though their stories in the <i>Mabinogian</i> and the <i>Táin Bó Cuailnge </i>must be interpreted through a veneer of Christianity. (The Celts had no written language, so most of their stories were not put to the page until monks did so in the early medieval period.) Both however have strong associations with horses, fertility, and the cycle of birth and death. The Welsh and Irish myth cycles are rife with tales of horse races, magical horses, shape-shifters who become horses, and so on. Celtic life, both in reality and mythologically, revolved around horses to a great degree.<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">As I <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/05/breyerfest-boudicca-and-bizarre-uses-of.html">wrote</a> in anticipation of the Celtic-themed BreyerFest last year, I've been fascinated by Celtic mythology and culture since I was a kid. As a lifelong horse girl to boot, I long ago took the White Horse of Uffington as a kind of personal totem. It's the perfect representation of my main passions in life, hence my <a href="http://www.whitehorseproductions.com/">studio name and logo</a>. So you can imagine my intense nerdy delight when Breyer announced Uffington as a special run this year. He is a lovely shaded iridescent cremello on the new Altynai mold, and he is magnificent. His striking pearly finish perfectly captures the unique metallic sheen so often seen on Akhal-Tekes. </span></div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jOLBj6pYW4g/YVSCXfhco3I/AAAAAAAANGM/H2M_m1Ri1eYeNGNxHsBYoUqhqwTg2iEvwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/uffington_cremello1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1500" height="276" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jOLBj6pYW4g/YVSCXfhco3I/AAAAAAAANGM/H2M_m1Ri1eYeNGNxHsBYoUqhqwTg2iEvwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h276/uffington_cremello1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FAJb7XlPYAQ/YS_j0fEBv-I/AAAAAAAANE4/HKOcGjCX6ycvVpM0ASz2XPnYjyZWHglOACNcBGAsYHQ/s520/most-beautiful-horse.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="520" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FAJb7XlPYAQ/YS_j0fEBv-I/AAAAAAAANE4/HKOcGjCX6ycvVpM0ASz2XPnYjyZWHglOACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/most-beautiful-horse.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This handsome Teke has been making the internet rounds as<br />the world's "most beautiful horse." He absolutely glows!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I ordered two Uffingtons, planning to keep the better of the two and repaint the other. Breyer however had sneaky plans afoot, and the first Uffington I received was actually this incredible holographic pewtery-black model. All of the special runs this year had secret variations, this one being a run of 200 pieces made in addition to the 1800 cremello Uffingtons. He's the first rare variation BreyerFest special run I've ever pulled, and I am beyond thrilled with him. </div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VN-TCPj7ymw/YVSClrflV1I/AAAAAAAANGQ/ptZ7QC_0SJ8x6lDPCNsIIGD7KWmJsCl8ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/uffington_holo1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1500" height="269" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VN-TCPj7ymw/YVSClrflV1I/AAAAAAAANGQ/ptZ7QC_0SJ8x6lDPCNsIIGD7KWmJsCl8ACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h269/uffington_holo1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div>I can't get over how gorgeous these two are together. All of the surprise variations this year were stunning, but this one is definitely my favorite.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qzwM3WHt_FA/YVSRqFfIaRI/AAAAAAAANGc/QAA6HVGJJicAtam4cBSeQXvaR7fIGj3WQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/uffingtons1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1500" height="230" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qzwM3WHt_FA/YVSRqFfIaRI/AAAAAAAANGc/QAA6HVGJJicAtam4cBSeQXvaR7fIGj3WQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h230/uffingtons1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qvbODHFRtU/YVSRqNQXtsI/AAAAAAAANGg/pBi1-82GPlIbmsVu8pUHZkVInnL1h8yhgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/uffingtons2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1500" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qvbODHFRtU/YVSRqNQXtsI/AAAAAAAANGg/pBi1-82GPlIbmsVu8pUHZkVInnL1h8yhgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h254/uffingtons2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />Seeing this pair of Uffingtons galloping together puts me in mind of two of the most famous horses from Irish mythology, those that pulled the chariot of the great hero Cúchulainn. Legend says that he found the two horses in a mountain pool, a gift to him from the goddess Macha. Cúchulainn rode the horses around Ireland for a day until they were tame, and then they became his prized chariot horses who were loyal to him until the bitter end. The horses, Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend, were grey and black respectively in the tale, and they of course would have been much closer akin to ponies than Akhal-Tekes, but I'd like to think Breyer had those two in mind when they dreamt up these magnificent models.<p><br /></p><p><u><b>References:</b></u><br /><br />Green, Miranda. <i>Animals in Celtic Life and Myth</i>. London: Routledge, 1992.<br /><br />Green, Miranda. <i>Celtic Goddesses: Warriors, Virgins, and Mothers</i>. New York: George Braziller, Inc., 1995.<br /><br />Miles, David, and Palmer, Simon. "White Horse Hill." <i>Current Archaeology</i>, No. 142, XII (1995): 372-378.</p><p>Newman, Paul. <i>Lost Gods of Albion: The Chalk Hill-Figures of Britain</i>. Stroud, UK: The History Press, 1997.<br /><br />Rees-Jones, Julie, and M. S. Tite. "Optical Dating of the Uffington White Horse." <i>Archaeological Sciences: Proceedings of a Conference on the Application of Scientific Techniques to the Study of Archaeology </i>64 (1995), 159-162.</p></div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-85919967414401024102021-07-05T19:55:00.000-07:002021-07-05T19:55:22.755-07:00Of Mycenaeans and MenThis post will be more about the Minoans than the Mycenaeans, but I'm sure you'll agree the pun was utterly irresistible. I'm also thoroughly delighted that Breyer has given me <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/05/breyerfest-boudicca-and-bizarre-uses-of.html">another opportunity</a> to use my Classics-adjacent degrees to nerd out about historical subjects I never expected to discuss on a model horse blog. And yet here we are! <br /><br />BreyerFest is once again virtual because of the on-going coronavirus pandemic. Happily, things on that front have dramatically improved in the last few months with the release of several vaccines, and I'm hopeful that we'll be able to gather in person in Lexington next year. In the meantime, I have really been enjoying the Horse of a Different Color theme for BF this year. Along with unusual equine coat colors, the theme is heavily interwoven with art history, and the inspiration for the special runs in particular runs the gamut from man's earliest cave painting art to pointillism and abstract expressionism. I plan to blog about a couple of the models, but I thought it would be fun to start with Knossos, the fantastic brindle pinto bull. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9dvQqrt3UhE/YNzNjTvsPCI/AAAAAAAAM98/PeQAQIEKE_slu3LNyRw6MNj31HmXW747QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/knossos.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="1024" height="204" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9dvQqrt3UhE/YNzNjTvsPCI/AAAAAAAAM98/PeQAQIEKE_slu3LNyRw6MNj31HmXW747QCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h204/knossos.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo by <a href="https://www.breyerhorses.com/pages/exclusive-models-breyerfest-2021">Breyer</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Students of art history and fellow Classics nerds will recognize the source of this piece immediately, the stunning Bull-Leaping Fresco (or Taureador Fresco) from the palace of Knossos (pronounced <i>kuh-NOSS-us</i>) on the island of Crete. The fresco is one of what is believed to have been a series of bull-leaping panels in that area of the palace. It famously depicts two women and a man in the act of leaping over the bull by pushing off the horns and flipping backward over the animal. One woman has already landed behind the bull while the man is in mid-air and the other woman is preparing to make her leap. <br /><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4tl4SCtGmE/YN_MPXHKFsI/AAAAAAAAM-g/RfWbkKN1RwMsPbZyRWxXFkhXBHZDWn_MgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1280/bullleaping.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1280" height="210" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4tl4SCtGmE/YN_MPXHKFsI/AAAAAAAAM-g/RfWbkKN1RwMsPbZyRWxXFkhXBHZDWn_MgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h210/bullleaping.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Jebulon - Own work, CC0, <br />https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99294843</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>But I'm getting ahead of myself. Who were the Minoans? What is Knossos and why are those people engaged in such a bizarre and dangerous activity?<br /><br />The Minoans were a Bronze Age civilization centered on the island of Crete in the Aegean Sea off the southern coast of Greece. Minoan civilization is generally broken up to an early, middle, and late period spanning from around 3000-1100 BCE, well before the rise of the Greek city-states. The Minoans were the first major power in the Aegean and in the wider Mediterranean as well. Their trade network extended not only to mainland Greece and the nascent Mycenaean civilization there but also to the Levant and Egypt and possibly as far as the Iberian peninsula. <br /><br />Unfortunately, the earliest Minoan writing systems, Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A, have not yet been deciphered, and what we know about the earliest periods of Minoan civilization have been pieced together from the archaeological record, such as it is. Minoan life seems to have been centered around several large "palaces" on the island of Crete, and while they do appear to have been centers of political power, they also were cultural and religious centers as well as practical locations for storehouses. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ftA6Zm7aLLA/YOOzH4uVAtI/AAAAAAAAM-0/01WM07I5PdMSjxZ8P0bwxj-XyThfEG2UgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/knossosreconstruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1200" height="285" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ftA6Zm7aLLA/YOOzH4uVAtI/AAAAAAAAM-0/01WM07I5PdMSjxZ8P0bwxj-XyThfEG2UgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h285/knossosreconstruction.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A digital reconstruction of Knossos as it might have been in its heyday (Source: https://www.behance.net/gallery/62670487/Knossos-palace-1350-BC)</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div>By around 1700 BCE, power in Crete seems to have become centralized at the largest palace, Knossos. Fans of Greek mythology will recognize it as the supposed home of King Minos and his infamous labyrinth and Minotaur. The sprawling palace with its many rooms and corridors certainly could have inspired the legend of the terrifying maze, and bulls were unquestionably important in Minoan society. Archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, who is responsible for much of the excavation and restoration of Knossos, coined the name for the civilization because of this mythic association. </div><div><br /></div><div>Minoan art and material culture had a huge influence on Aegean civilization, especially the Mycenaeans, and Knossos was an important center for both art and religion. Evans believed that the Minoans were a matriarchal society that worshipped a mother goddess, and the archaeological record seems to support this to some degree. There is also evidence of a consort for the goddess, perhaps akin to Cybele and Attis, Ishtar and Tammuz, etc, as well as a larger pantheon of gods, goddesses, and genius loci. <br /> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HR8mfXUc0O4/YOOKRax0IvI/AAAAAAAAM-s/wrF_DHHzMhgd9RHy2_BNyzClM1g7u6AQACNcBGAsYHQ/s1086/minoansnakes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HR8mfXUc0O4/YOOKRax0IvI/AAAAAAAAM-s/wrF_DHHzMhgd9RHy2_BNyzClM1g7u6AQACNcBGAsYHQ/w295-h400/minoansnakes.JPG" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minoan goddess or priestess (Photo by C messier - <br />Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, <br />https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99541769)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Snakes are traditionally associated with the mother goddess and her priestesses, but bulls also seem to have played an important part in Minoan ritual. In addition to the bull-leaping frieze, the roof-line of Knossos was decorated with stylized bull horns, and depictions of bulls, bull horns, bull-leaping, and bull sacrifices are common decorative symbols found on pottery, sculptures, frescos, drinking vessels, jewelry, and more. Why Minoan youths leapt over bulls is anyone's guess. Some scholars argue that the famous fresco simply depicts a scene from Minoan mythology and never really happened, while others believe it may have been a sport, a religious ritual, or both. (It is however perfectly physically possible to leap over bulls in various fashions. Youtube it at your own risk.)<br /><br />Around 1450 BCE, the other Cretan palaces and some of the settlements surrounding them were destroyed by fire. Scholars speculate that earthquakes, an eruption of the volcano at Santorini (Thera), or invading Mycenaean Greeks from the mainland, if not a combination of all of these factors, had a hand in these events. Knossos seems to have thrived for about a hundred years longer, but the presence of Linear B tablets written in a proto-Greek script indicate that the Mycenaeans were indeed in control by that time. Minoan culture and power waned after this point, superseded by the Mycenaeans and eventually the mainland Greek city-states. </div><div><br /></div><div>Happily, though we don't know much more than the broad strokes of Minoan history and culture, much of their incredible art survives. It clearly has Egyptian influence, especially in the positioning of human figures and the way men and women are differentiated by color. But it also has a certain exuberance that breaks away from the rigid styles of Egypt in a way that is completely unique. I highly recommend looking through <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/planes-trains-and-all-in-between/with/22000672581/">this Flickr album</a> to see more examples of the friezes from Knossos (now in the museum at Heraklion) as well as a number of photos of the ruins of the palace as it stands (partially reconstructed) today.<br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r847b8OMPHQ/YOO84e8yoiI/AAAAAAAAM-8/2v_j0KpqE7IW43psA3VNvvvAqo9cAs9twCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/akrotiri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="800" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r847b8OMPHQ/YOO84e8yoiI/AAAAAAAAM-8/2v_j0KpqE7IW43psA3VNvvvAqo9cAs9twCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h295/akrotiri.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frescos at Akrotiri, a Minoan outpost destroyed by volcanic eruption<br />(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Paintings_of_Thera#/media/File:0020MAN-Akrotiri_frescoes.jpg">Photo by Ricardo André Frantz</a>) </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I am very much looking forward to adding Knossos to my collection, and combined with Boudicca from last year and Uffington from this year, I'll have quite a nice little archeologically themed herd. I just need to get my hands on a Lascaux now! </div><div> </div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-27821116945483424182021-04-01T13:49:00.000-07:002021-04-01T13:49:30.092-07:00The Five-Gaiter Sorrel PhenomenonQuestions about "five-gaiter sorrel" models arise often enough that I thought it would be an interesting subject to tackle for this blog. As the phrase suggests, the color is named for the first Breyer model to wear it, the #52 "Commander" Five-Gaiter.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7pwyjy9ZOTQ/XIlnIEzUhPI/AAAAAAAALTo/7G8KkpnfAYQN6QupjSvItpbnj9ft1iC5wCLcBGAs/s1600/5-gaiter_sorrel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="647" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7pwyjy9ZOTQ/XIlnIEzUhPI/AAAAAAAALTo/7G8KkpnfAYQN6QupjSvItpbnj9ft1iC5wCLcBGAs/s400/5-gaiter_sorrel.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The model pictured in the 1963 catalog is a typical<br />
shade of "five-gaiter sorrel." (Yes, it's reversed.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />Produced from 1963 to 1986, the sorrel Five-Gaiter comes in many variations. Most are a matte medium brown color with a darker brown or charcoal mane and tail with grey hooves. The body color however can range from a light cafe-au-lait shade to very dark chocolate and just about everything in between.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0zfj9zWH-0/X0GgQMW2CRI/AAAAAAAAMZI/8drv6yYCnHgXmYuwmW7el2yLVb0aV8D3gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/5g_variations.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="880" height="112" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0zfj9zWH-0/X0GgQMW2CRI/AAAAAAAAMZI/8drv6yYCnHgXmYuwmW7el2yLVb0aV8D3gCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/5g_variations.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light, medium, and dark sorrel Five-gaiters (Light and medium from ebay,<br />
dark courtesy of Carrie Brooks)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />Though the sorrel Five-Gaiter was only ever pictured in matte in the Breyer catalogs, a handful of glossy examples are known. The mold was still available in glossy alabaster and palomino when the matte sorrel was released in 1963, so it's possible that the earliest sorrels produced were also glossy. Or they may have been factory goofs. Whatever the case, they probably date from the beginning of the run in 1963. The earliest sorrel five-gaiters in both matte and glossy often have factory hand-painted eye whites. Semi-gloss examples are also known.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yY5Dr3I-rhc/XImxfHcmGPI/AAAAAAAALUM/7ONjqURrGYoKCSRCsttZEuDDqhdPZ-QHQCLcBGAs/s1600/5gaiter_glossy_sorrel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="600" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yY5Dr3I-rhc/XImxfHcmGPI/AAAAAAAALUM/7ONjqURrGYoKCSRCsttZEuDDqhdPZ-QHQCLcBGAs/s400/5gaiter_glossy_sorrel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glossy variation with eye whites</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><br />Only a few models were officially released in this color, and oddly enough, they each were assigned a different name for the color. The first was the #114 "Cheyenne" Western Prancing Horse which was also first produced in 1963. Though the color is basically identical to the sorrel Five-Gaiter color, it is listed as bay in the catalog. Aggravatingly, this "bay" colorway was never pictured in the Breyer catalogs, but we know from extant models that they are generally medium brown horses with darker brown or charcoal manes and tails and grey hooves. Some have reddish tones to their color. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yar-b4Lk_sA/X0GhqPrL-SI/AAAAAAAAMZU/Ls7NiArh6TAnIrW8C8kyYLlMsPZxlUudQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/wp1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="800" height="357" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yar-b4Lk_sA/X0GhqPrL-SI/AAAAAAAAMZU/Ls7NiArh6TAnIrW8C8kyYLlMsPZxlUudQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/wp1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/">Identify Your Breyer</a></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />The #96 Shire was introduced in essentially the same color in 1972 as "honey sorrel." They differ only in that their hooves are not painted because they are obscured by the leg feathering of the mold. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_AVSZulCRZA/X0GievtSqMI/AAAAAAAAMZc/SgooTjp6sHkBR2xkQ5u247fu0SCSgbnogCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/shire_1975.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="834" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_AVSZulCRZA/X0GievtSqMI/AAAAAAAAMZc/SgooTjp6sHkBR2xkQ5u247fu0SCSgbnogCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/shire_1975.jpg" width="377" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shire as pictured in the 1975 dealer catalog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />It should be noted that in the early years, Breyer did not understand the distinctions between chestnut, sorrel, and bay, and used them more or less interchangeably for models that were uniformly brown, models that were brown with darker brown manes and tails, and models that were brown with black manes and tails. For the purposes of this post, regardless of what Breyer called the color, sorrel is brown with a darker brown or charcoal mane and tail and grey hooves. Bay is brown with a black mane and tail and black hooves.</div>
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This confusion may be the source of the oddball "five-gaiter sorrel" models that have turned up in a couple of runs that were supposed to be bay. The rarest and most desirable of these is the five-gaiter sorrel Fighting Stallion. Very few are known to collectors, leading to speculation over the years that they may have been a very small special run. However, the 1968 collectors manual, though sepia-toned, distinctly shows a sorrel model with grey hooves, not black. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Re9IDXlQ-ns/XIlyQkyu5gI/AAAAAAAALT0/7vqcgpEO6MAaxcoZpDUZ2enOOX4eYwfWgCLcBGAs/s1600/sorrel_fs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="1055" height="130" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Re9IDXlQ-ns/XIlyQkyu5gI/AAAAAAAALT0/7vqcgpEO6MAaxcoZpDUZ2enOOX4eYwfWgCLcBGAs/s400/sorrel_fs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Breyer seemed to prefer the alabaster Fighting Stallion for their catalogs, and the bay colorway does not appear again until 1972. The model pictured then clearly has black hooves.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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In color photos, the difference is quite clear. The grey-hooved sorrel is a clear, lighter shade of brown while the <span style="text-align: center;">black-hooved, black mane-and-tailed bay is a richer, often redder shade of brown. Variations of both colors exist although neither seem to vary quite as dramatically as the sorrel Five-Gaiters pictured above.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HfgYXs43EMo/X0G0MY1iDrI/AAAAAAAAMZo/q4hCDy7RQRk682uuKrnJ6jmv2jZJicC7ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/fs_comp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HfgYXs43EMo/X0G0MY1iDrI/AAAAAAAAMZo/q4hCDy7RQRk682uuKrnJ6jmv2jZJicC7ACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/fs_comp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorrel on the left (courtesy of Steffanie Bodamer) and bay on the right (eBay)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><div>The fact that the five-gaiter sorrel Fighting Stallion was pictured in the catalog doesn't disprove that it was a small special run, but it adds credence to the idea that the color may have been a variation, accidental or otherwise. While it is possible the color was intentional, it's equally likely to have been a simple mistake. The bay Fighting Stallion had been available since 1961, and the bay Western Prancer since 1963. It's possible that someone who had been painting "bay" Western Prancers was asked to also paint some bay Fighting Stallions, not knowing that "bay" meant something different for each model. Perhaps Breyer simply decided to alter the color shortly after production began. We'll probably never know. But the catalog evidence does at least give us a rough idea of when these models were made.</div><div>
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The other five-gaiter sorrel models are the Family Arabian Mare, Stallion, and Foal, and while they are hard to find, they are more easily found than the Fighting Stallions. </div><div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jZ_axVKgs2g/YF7Id6dNKiI/AAAAAAAAMzk/ACh0R2GVD4ow3Ub9tVqQQMu-P5h0vzNfACNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/FAM%2BMatte%2BSorrel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1500" height="344" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jZ_axVKgs2g/YF7Id6dNKiI/AAAAAAAAMzk/ACh0R2GVD4ow3Ub9tVqQQMu-P5h0vzNfACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h344/FAM%2BMatte%2BSorrel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five-gaiter sorrel Family Arabian Mare</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
<br />Like the sorrel Five-gaiters, the Family Arabians vary in shade.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H2mjDtvlIdc/X0HpRSpxNBI/AAAAAAAAMZ0/IeW-WzBQyQYxdWAtpDsfZ9YoXQDkdrHvgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sorrel_fases_kindra_rader.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1440" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H2mjDtvlIdc/X0HpRSpxNBI/AAAAAAAAMZ0/IeW-WzBQyQYxdWAtpDsfZ9YoXQDkdrHvgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/sorrel_fases_kindra_rader.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorrel Family Arabian Stallion variations <br />(courtesy of Kindra Rader)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The five-gaiter sorrel Family Arabians can be distinguished from the bay Family Arabians not only by their grey hooves but also by their bald faces. The bays all have black hooves and stenciled face markings.<br />
<br />While the glossy bay Family Arabians are pictured in early 1960s Breyer catalogs, the matte versions were never shown. The change-over from glossy to matte varied depending on the model and color, but matte (palomino) Family Arabians first appear in Breyer catalogs in 1966. This likely gives us a rough idea of the production for the five-gaiter sorrel models---the mid-1960s. No examples that I'm aware of have been found with USA stamps, so they can't have been made any later than 1969. (The USA stamp was added in 1970.) And they may have been made as early as 1963 like the Fighting Stallion. <br /><br />As with the sorrel Fighting Stallions, no evidence about the origins of the sorrel Family Arabians has come to light, so we don't know for sure if they were accidental variations or a special run. I personally am inclined to think they were a deliberate run of some sort since a fair number have been found by collectors. But why the run was made and who it might have been for is a mystery.<br />
<br />
I also know of two extra special oddities from the five-gaiter sorrel Family Arabian run, a glossy version of the mare and foal. The foal is a test from the late Marney Walerius' collection. Marney was a hobbyist who did consulting work with Breyer beginning in about 1969. She was allowed to bring many test runs home from the factory, including this foal. The glossy mare was found by a collector in the Chicago-area many years ago, and it's a pretty close match to my foal. I can't help but wonder if there's a stallion out there somewhere, too!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--SJADhYkVDg/YF7IUPly0II/AAAAAAAAMzg/PkVgqf6Bav8vm8YmPAawF3yjSAwfxZhvACNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/Glossy%2BSorrel%2BFAF.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="1500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--SJADhYkVDg/YF7IUPly0II/AAAAAAAAMzg/PkVgqf6Bav8vm8YmPAawF3yjSAwfxZhvACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Glossy%2BSorrel%2BFAF.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-64882081503934393142020-12-24T14:08:00.001-08:002021-11-18T09:24:10.154-08:00Breyer Mysteries: Christmas decoratorsSince I have a bit of extra free time this week, I thought it would be fun to tackle another holiday related blog topic, the infamous Breyer "Christmas decorators" rumor. While Breyer has blessed us with a variety of modern holiday decorator offerings in the last few years, everything from dappled red and green horses to clearware to candy cane striped zebras, the subject of vintage Christmas decorators always sparks a debate. Do they exist or don't they? Has anyone really seen one? Can anyone prove it one way or another?<br /><br />Before we tackle that subject, it's useful to consider the history of the traditional Breyer decorators, the blue and gold beauties that collectors prize so much. In 1964, Breyer offered four decorator colors---gold charm, florentine, wedgewood, and copenhagen---on five molds, the Running Mare and Foal, the Five-Gaiter, the Mustang, and the Fighting Stallion. Very little documentation for them exists, but they were offered for sale in holiday catalogs like Aldens, in department stores like Montgomery Wards, and in five-and-dime stores like Ben Franklin. They did not sell well however, and were probably discontinued by 1965. Despite not having been made very long, the Breyer decorators do seem to have been issued in fairly large quantities. They remain rare to be sure, but a patient collector will find multiple decorators for sale every year on eBay or social media. <div><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-52Iu-wVYAJY/X-JsOqniqUI/AAAAAAAAMrs/8MFPMpq_qOssDU4k1R9sm4bdqX_60sEhACNcBGAsYHQ/s800/Decorator%2BGroup%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="800" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-52Iu-wVYAJY/X-JsOqniqUI/AAAAAAAAMrs/8MFPMpq_qOssDU4k1R9sm4bdqX_60sEhACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h233/Decorator%2BGroup%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gold charm Mustang, copenhagen Running Mare, <br />wedgewood Running Foal, and florentine Five-Gaiter</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Which brings us to the purported vintage Christmas decorators. By the late 1990s, a few collectors reported rumors of Christmas decorators possibly spotted when they or someone they knew were children in the 1960s. These models were either dappled red and green much like the florentine and copenhagen models, or they were solid red and green with white points like the gold charm and wedgewood decorators. Nancy Young mentions these observations in her <i>Breyer Molds and Models</i> books with some skepticism, and interestingly, there is no mention of them at all in Marney Walerius' book published several years earlier. Marney did not shy away from including information that trended more toward rumor than observed fact, and it's interesting to me that the Christmas decorator rumor was apparently not circulating at that time. I myself never heard it until I read about it in Nancy's book though I was familiar with other persistant hobby rumors at that time (more on those in a future post). </div><div> </div><div>As of this writing in December 2020, not one credible scrap of evidence of the existence of vintage Christmas decorators has yet come to light. No models have ever turned up, no photos have been discovered, and not a single ad, price list, or catalog entry has been found. There are of course gaps in the paper trail of Breyer history, especially in the early years of the company, so it is possible that any documentation has simply been lost to time. After all, only a few documents pertaining to the blue and gold decorators are known.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7B6m1X1DR_0/X-J2F4vKkfI/AAAAAAAAMr4/4_c4aRfjnoMlvNra7yzIuP8mmc6pHO8lQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1132/decorator_ad_1964.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1132" height="323" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7B6m1X1DR_0/X-J2F4vKkfI/AAAAAAAAMr4/4_c4aRfjnoMlvNra7yzIuP8mmc6pHO8lQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h323/decorator_ad_1964.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1964 decorator dealer sheet</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />But while the lack of documentation is not surprising, I do think it's odd that no models have turned up in the last 55+ years. Other small runs from the 1960s are known, even in multiples, like the wedgewood Fury Prancers, the wedgewood Longhorns, and the In Between Mares. Had red and green decorators really been available in stores as reported, you would think at least one or two would have survived and turned up in an estate sale or antique mall. Also, given that the traditional decorators were only available for about a year and given that they did not sell well, would Breyer really have added red and green horses to the unsuccessful blue and gold line up?<br /><br /><span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span><span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g"><span><span><span>It has been suggested by other collectors that the Christmas decorators may be the hobby's equivalent of the <a href="https://www.snopes.com/news/2016/07/24/the-mandela-effect/">Mandela effect</a>, and I suspect they're right. Human memory is of course fallible and definitely persuadable and changeable. The power of suggestion and confabulation of memories are common and well-known phenomena, and they are something pretty much all of us experience. I know I have absolutely misremembered things I thought I was certain of!<br /></span><br />So with all of this in mind, I remain skeptical of the existence of vintage Christmas decorators. We can't prove their existence any more than we can disprove it, but as more time passes without one coming to light, the less likely it seems that any ever will. I sure would love a dappled red or green Five-Gaiter like the modern test pair that exists in the Breyer sample room. Maybe Breyer will bless us with some some vintage molds for their Christmas morning special run one of these years. Maybe even tomorrow? A girl can dream!<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-92014370185565993542020-12-15T18:45:00.000-08:002020-12-15T18:45:21.556-08:00Breyer Music BoxesSince the holidays are just around the corner, this seems like a good time for a post about some of the earliest Christmas catalog special runs Breyer produced, the Fury Prancer music boxes. Issued for several years in the mid-1950s through the Sears holiday catalog, the music box Prancers came in three varieties---palomino with a Cowboy or Lucky Ranger, black and white pinto with an Indian Brave or Chief, and alabaster with an unknown rider.<br /><br />The music boxes are fairly simple in construction. The musical mechanism itself rests inside the horse's chest and is held in place either by its own size and weight, or in some cases, by a pair of screws in the left shoulder and behind the left elbow that help secure it. A hole cut in the shoulder allows the owner to use a small metal key to wind up the music box mechanism to play. The music boxes were added to the models when they were fresh out of the mold and still in two halves. Once installed, the halves were glued together, and the horses were painted up and accessorized just like their non-music box Prancer brethren. <br /><br />The models are very clearly factory originals but some lingering confusion about them still exists, so I'll do my best to clear that up. When collectors first became aware of the Prancer music boxes, there was some thought that they were after market, an idea put forth in Marney Walerius' <i>Breyer Models: Reference and Insurance Guide</i> published in 1991.* Marney wrote that an enterprising Breyer employee took the horse halves home and installed the music boxes before bringing the models back to the factory to be finished. He then supposedly paid Breyer for the models and either sold them or gave them away to family and friends.<sup>1</sup> At the time Marney wrote this, very few examples of music boxes were known, and no records about the pieces had surfaced, so she must be excused for what is likely an apocryphal account. <div><br />By the time Nancy Young published her <i>Breyer Molds and Models</i> book in the late 1990s however, important documentation had come to light that revealed the music boxes to have been a rather larger endeavor. To wit, the 1955, 1956, and 1957 Sears catalogs advertised the Breyer music boxes. The 1955 and 1956 editions offered both the palomino and pinto music box Prancers while the 1957 catalog listed only the palomino. In the intervening twenty years since then, a number of palomino and pinto Prancers have turned up, so they're not nearly as rare as they were once thought to be. This combined with the knowledge that the music boxes were official Sears special runs pretty conclusively demonstrates that one employee could never have filled orders to meet the demands of a national catalog (and it makes no sense whatsoever that Breyer would allow an employee to sell as a middle man to Sears either). <br /><br />More evidence that the music box idea very likely originated with Sears can be found in the original catalog pages. The palomino and pinto Prancer music boxes are pictured with a variety of other music boxes, everything from dolls and stuffed animals to decorative teapots and purses. The page describes all of them as having Swiss movements which suggests to me that Sears sought out the various manufacturers of these items and provided the music boxes to them to incorporate into items they already manufactured. The Breyer factory was only a short distance from Sears' main distribution hub and offices in Chicago, so it certainly would have been easy for Breyer and Sears to work together (which of course we know they did for decades).<br /> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S670lILrQg4/X9lTR7Ue0PI/AAAAAAAAMqE/QyQ-zfCXFxAyNM_HMZfbD1A5ux4LKUJUACNcBGAsYHQ/s766/1955%2BSears%2BChristmas%2BBook1a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="666" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S670lILrQg4/X9lTR7Ue0PI/AAAAAAAAMqE/QyQ-zfCXFxAyNM_HMZfbD1A5ux4LKUJUACNcBGAsYHQ/w348-h400/1955%2BSears%2BChristmas%2BBook1a.jpg" width="348" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1955 Sears catalog music box assortment</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6um-fyrUDOE/X9lT7KVY3jI/AAAAAAAAMqU/ifdwbB4ywTck96WQzfdCYgdhaNuY0JxFwCNcBGAsYHQ/s582/1956_Sears_Christmas_page64_a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="582" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6um-fyrUDOE/X9lT7KVY3jI/AAAAAAAAMqU/ifdwbB4ywTck96WQzfdCYgdhaNuY0JxFwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h220/1956_Sears_Christmas_page64_a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1956 Sears catalog snippet</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The 1956 and 1957 catalogs clearly show a Lucky Ranger rider on the palomino Prancer, but the 1955 catalog may show a Cowboy (he appears to have a dark inner shirt rather than a white one). Given the pretty similar color schemes on the Cowboys and Lucky Rangers, it's possible they shipped indiscriminately regardless of the year. The music box in the palomino Prancers plays "Home on the Range."</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvYV4mYGSnM/X9BDYXkmUoI/AAAAAAAAMpE/JJAI19E69fQ1yKKXkz744yi93YNvuC23gCNcBGAsYHQ/s458/music_box_lucky_ranger1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="375" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvYV4mYGSnM/X9BDYXkmUoI/AAAAAAAAMpE/JJAI19E69fQ1yKKXkz744yi93YNvuC23gCNcBGAsYHQ/w328-h400/music_box_lucky_ranger1.JPG" width="328" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lucky Ranger and palomino music box Prancer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The 1955 catalog shows the Breyer Indian Brave with brown pants and squiggly war paint on his arms while the 1956 catalog, which is sepia-toned, appears to show the Indian Chief with turquoise pants and no war paint on his arms. The 1955 description said the brave came with both a plastic feather and the hard-to-find paper headdress while the 1956 catalog listed the single feather and the plastic headdress that replaced the fragile paper version. It's possible both brown and turquoise pants examples were available both years. The music box in the pinto Prancers plays "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_Land_of_the_Sky-Blue_Water">From the Land of Sky-Blue Water</a>," the popular 1909 song by Charles Wakefield Cadman. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eWKyc6p2MZ0/X9BI_Kqd9EI/AAAAAAAAMpQ/gFTCBGUYzrASaciDht-yxoiCOFfGxVjugCNcBGAsYHQ/s589/music_box_indian1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="589" height="304" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eWKyc6p2MZ0/X9BI_Kqd9EI/AAAAAAAAMpQ/gFTCBGUYzrASaciDht-yxoiCOFfGxVjugCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h304/music_box_indian1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Chief on a black and white music box Prancer showing<br /> both styles of headdress and the original parts diagram</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><br />Both the palomino and pinto Prancers came in two variations---with or without support screws. The sets without the screws are probably earlier and seem to be slightly less common. The sets with the screws have two---one inserted at the top of the left shoulder and the other just behind the left elbow, presumably to keep the music box from shifting around inside the horse. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esCmqcokkRU/X9BS6F3QjCI/AAAAAAAAMpc/lgan1nqMb7oxNkThcaIgZP6yrRcmiKQOACNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/music_box_variations.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1500" height="191" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esCmqcokkRU/X9BS6F3QjCI/AAAAAAAAMpc/lgan1nqMb7oxNkThcaIgZP6yrRcmiKQOACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h191/music_box_variations.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With support screws (left) and without (right)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />The alabaster Prancer music boxes however remain a mystery. No reference materials related to them have been discovered, and they are so scarce that for a time, many collectors (including me) wondered if they even existed. One or two were spotted on sales sites in the mid-2000s, though I'm not aware of any hobbyist who actually owns one. The only example I have seen a picture of sports an English saddle (identical to the <a href="http://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/identify/Racehorse.htm">Race Horse</a>'s saddle) and the very hard to find red saddle blanket that is typically associated with the Canadian Mountie. The red saddle blanket is the same design more commonly seen in blue with the Mounties. The red saddle blankets and English saddles were also sold as alternatives to Western Saddles on at least one 1950s price list, but they are so rare that they can't have been available long.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dE9dDbqbME4/X9BcC6DqFdI/AAAAAAAAMpo/f4eIub6NfCUxA_-l3PgANnOcU3mlCTrTACNcBGAsYHQ/s457/music_box_white_fury_cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="457" height="358" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dE9dDbqbME4/X9BcC6DqFdI/AAAAAAAAMpo/f4eIub6NfCUxA_-l3PgANnOcU3mlCTrTACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h358/music_box_white_fury_cropped.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image courtesy of Robin R.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Could this model originally have come with a Canadian Mountie rider then? If so, this begs at least two questions. One, could it have been offered by Simpsons-Sears in Canada since it was not apparently offered by Sears in the US? Simpsons-Sears did offer at least one unique Breyer special run, a <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2019/11/breyer-grooming-kits.html">Fury Prancer grooming kit</a>, so it would not be surprising that they might have offered a music box, too. And two, what tune did the music box play? "Oh Canada" or perhaps a tune from the famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_Ride">Musical Ride</a>? Or just "Home on the Range?" The 1957 Simpsons-Sears catalog does not show a music box, and unfortunately, I have not yet been able to locate catalogs from 1955 or 1956, so I can't shed any more light on this theory yet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have heard of one other alabaster music box that had a Robin Hood rider, but it may actually have been the same model pictured above with some alterations to the accessories by the seller. (The history of the piece is a tad murky, and it was offered for sale several times.) Marney also mentioned such a set in her book and claimed the music box played the William Tell Overture. She named the rider as William Tell rather than Robin Hood which coincides with an old hobby rumor that the two known versions of the Robin Hood figure were actually meant to be Robin Hood (green hat and boots) and William Tell (red hat and boots). <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lX_M9_V89g4/X9lZnNrDJsI/AAAAAAAAMqg/XP51kQRf8UI-wEzoLErSPyaAnaZGvR5TACNcBGAsYHQ/s436/robins.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="436" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lX_M9_V89g4/X9lZnNrDJsI/AAAAAAAAMqg/XP51kQRf8UI-wEzoLErSPyaAnaZGvR5TACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h281/robins.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robin Hood variations</td></tr></tbody></table><br />No documentation has ever been found to support this however, so Marney's appellation may be wishful thinking. She did not say whether or not she had actually seen or heard the alabaster music box she references. Until one is found by a collector or until some documentation turns up, it will remain a mystery. If anyone reading this blog happens to have one, please let me know! And if anyone has a lead on the 1955 or 1956 Simpsons-Sears Christmas catalog, I would love to have a look.<br /><br />(And obviously, even knowing what a long shot it is, I'd love to buy one of these alabaster music boxes if anyone is selling!) <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div><br />* For those not familiar with the name, Marney Walerius was a well-known collector who lived in the Chicago suburbs. She began visiting the Breyer factory in the late 1960s and eventually did consulting work for the company until it moved to New Jersey in 1984. Marney helped design and paint test runs and had an extensive collection. She is considered one of the founders of the hobby in the United States. <br /><br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />1. Walerius, Marney J. <i>Breyer Models: Reference and Insurance Guide</i>. (Barrington, IL: Self published, 1991), pg. 20.</div></div><br />Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-62369849003107416962020-11-23T13:25:00.003-08:002021-11-17T08:49:02.255-08:00Western Horse Shaped Objects Wrap Up<p>Now that I've completed all of the Western Horse shaped objects posts, I thought it would be handy to post a link to them all here in one place. Enjoy!<br /><br />Part 1: <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">Mastercrafters Clocks</a>: A brief history of Mastercrafters horse clocks and their relationship with Hartland and Breyer. Also a discussion of the differences between the Hartland Victor, Breyer Western Horse, and Hartland Champ.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0bxOmQYs4nc/X7wmnqVxFyI/AAAAAAAAMm8/X5R8kaJGiHkZ2uHlEvsKty8OqcZltJ6pACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/whso1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="1600" height="131" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0bxOmQYs4nc/X7wmnqVxFyI/AAAAAAAAMm8/X5R8kaJGiHkZ2uHlEvsKty8OqcZltJ6pACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h131/whso1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /><br />Part 2: <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/03/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-2.html">Superior Plastics, Ohio Plastics, and the Wells Lamont Connection</a>: An in depth discussion of the Hartland Victor and the models copied from it by Superior Plastics and Ohio Plastics.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AwKpnLFdR_w/X7wnAe65HfI/AAAAAAAAMnE/SreHw9WqTN087-Cn57Q5ezFIrSBzz1AhwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1386/whso2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1386" height="115" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AwKpnLFdR_w/X7wnAe65HfI/AAAAAAAAMnE/SreHw9WqTN087-Cn57Q5ezFIrSBzz1AhwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h115/whso2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /><br />Part 3: <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/08/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-3.html">Breyer, Textured Tack, Kroll, Hong Kong, and more!</a> Breyer Western Horses and Ponies and their many, many, many copies. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2K4d_T5cbCY/X7wnNHgeGXI/AAAAAAAAMnI/xmnY_wwQyX4ALE5t4DBGebnuXU3KiklVQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1800/whso3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="1800" height="116" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2K4d_T5cbCY/X7wnNHgeGXI/AAAAAAAAMnI/xmnY_wwQyX4ALE5t4DBGebnuXU3KiklVQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h116/whso3a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Part 4: <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/09/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-4.html">Weird Clocks, Metal Clocks, and Gladys Brown Edwards</a>: Unusual Breyer clocks, Superior Plastics and textured tack clocks, metal horse clocks, and the Gladys Brown Edwards connection.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gvQhMDpZ-7k/X7wnx_wzqzI/AAAAAAAAMnU/TWPEJcOSQ5sDZ69I_yHjkdLfNFvKk4ATgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2052/whso4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="2052" height="103" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gvQhMDpZ-7k/X7wnx_wzqzI/AAAAAAAAMnU/TWPEJcOSQ5sDZ69I_yHjkdLfNFvKk4ATgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h103/whso4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-30597979489958154482020-10-26T11:07:00.004-07:002020-12-09T15:07:58.193-08:00Western Horse Shaped Objects: Part 4: Weird Clocks, Metal Clocks, and Gladys Brown Edwards<div class="separator"><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
<br /><br /><br /></div></div>(Part one can be found <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">here</a>; part two is <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/03/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-2.html">here</a>; and part three is <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/08/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-3.html">here</a>.)<br /><br />As promised in the <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">preceding</a> <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/03/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-2.html">installments</a> <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/08/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-3.html">of this series</a>, this last post about Western Horse shaped objects will cover the oddball clocks that have popped up over the years. (I may eventually rewrite this and weave them into the first three posts as warranted, but for now, enjoy the new weirdness here!)<br />
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<b>The Other Western Horse-Beside-the-Clock</b><br />
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Most Breyer collectors are familiar with the horse-beside-the-clock models made by Mastercrafters. They stand at an angle beside an enameled metal clock in a horseshoe-shaped housing on a brown marbled plastic base. Beneath the horseshoe is a bas-relief of a cowboy roping a steer. The clocks are electric and have been found with palomino or alabaster horses and date to about 1951-1953 right after the horse-over-the-clocks were made. The backs of these clocks feature the same six patent numbers (relating to the clock movements) that are found on the back of the horse-over-the-clock models.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up of the clock housing</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /> A couple of years ago, two examples of an unusual variation of the horse-beside-the-clock were posted on Facebook. Both were identical featuring grey-hooved palomino Western Horses with o-link reins and high-grommet saddles standing beside an unusual clock. The clock has an enameled housing (with no horseshoe) featuring a bas-relief of a cowboy on a horse, a cowboy hat, and a pistol and gun belt. Both of these clocks had "fancy face" Sessions faces and movements (which are found on other Mastercrafters clocks), and both were cordless, wind-up clocks..<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">(Owned and photographed by Jennifer Enslin)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">(Owned and photographed by Jennifer Enslin)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />Just a few weeks ago, I stumbled on a third example of these clocks, but mine seems to be a mix of both horse-beside-the-clock styles. Mine is electric (though the cord has been cut off), and it has a plain Sessions face and back identical to the horseshoe clocks while having the more unusual clock housing. It too features a grey-hooved palomino Western Horse with o-link reins and a high grommet saddle.<br />
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I'm not sure how these unusual clocks fit into the timeline. Mine is clearly a Mastercrafters clock, so I'm sure the other two must be as well. The grey hooves on all three examples would suggest that they are later than the black-hooved models typically seen on the horseshoe clocks. But the O-link reins date them no later than 1953 according to Nancy Young.<sup>1</sup><br />
<br />With that in mind and given the scarcity of these clocks, they likely were made near to the end of the Western Horse clock production. They may have been available concurrently with the last of the horseshoe clocks as another stylistic ordering option. Electric versus wind-up may also have been an ordering choice (although I don't know of any wind-up horseshoe clocks). Or perhaps they were made just after the horseshoe clocks, and mine seems to be a transitional piece between the two styles. No alabaster examples of these unusual clocks have been found as of this writing, but they may exist as well. If these unusual clocks post-dated the horseshoe clocks, given how few are known to collectors compared to the horseshoe clocks, they probably were not made very long. But if that is the case, why? <br /><br />A fourth version of this clock may hold the answer. I have seen a photo of one other clock with the same mounted cowboy, hat, and pistol clock housing. The housing is painted or enameled in gold however, and it is mounted on a reddish-orange marbled base to the <i>right</i> of the horse. The horse, which is a black Superior Plastics model rather than a Breyer, is mounted in line with the clock rather than at an angle. It appears to have the same Sessions face as my clock (and the usual horseshoe clocks), so it's probably a Mastercrafters product, too. (Nancy Young describes it as such in her unpublished book notes as well [cited with her gracious permission]). <div><br /></div><div>Perhaps having parted ways with Hartland and possibly then Breyer for whatever reasons, Mastercrafters turned to Superior, another Chicago plastic molding company for horse models for their clocks. It could be the reason that Superior Plastics copied the Hartland Victor horse in the first place and then went on to start selling free-standing horses, too, just like Hartland and Breyer did. We know the Superior Plastics horses were in production in 1955 (and very likely a year or two earlier), so this line of reasoning would fit neatly if the Breyer clocks were discontinued in about 1953. </div><div><br /><br /><b>Textured Tack Horse Clocks</b><br /><br />As I mentioned in the last installment, textured tack horses have been found mounted beside clocks, too. We don't know who made these clocks any more than we know who made the horses. The clock housing and base are made of matching pink marbled plastic. The clock housing has a scalloped edge and a bas-relief of a cactus, pistols, and cowboy boots. The base has a ruffled edge, and the horse stands in line with the clock rather than at an angle. I have only seen palomino and alabaster examples. The clock face is marked "Movement by Sessions, Made in the USA," but there are no other identifying marks on these clocks. Interestingly, the clock faces have Roman numerals rather than the usual Arabic numerals you see on Mastercrafters clocks.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PEmi3B1ZQKk/X1xUrxpznFI/AAAAAAAAMcg/9mdy24FxZxgK2kPUTxEyrOnWmE1LlL4dwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/palomino_clock_sessions_carriebrooks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="836" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PEmi3B1ZQKk/X1xUrxpznFI/AAAAAAAAMcg/9mdy24FxZxgK2kPUTxEyrOnWmE1LlL4dwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/palomino_clock_sessions_carriebrooks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">(Owned and photographed by Carrie Brooks)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Metal Horse Clocks</b><br /><br />So that brings us to the elephant in the room---what relation, if any, do the ubiquitous metal horse clocks have to their plastic brethren? No doubt most hobbyists have seen a clock like this while poking around in an antique shop or flea market. They're everywhere, made by the gazillions apparently, and in a variety of finishes on varying bases.<br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCLL0fJ_gt0/X3uFzpUIH2I/AAAAAAAAMeM/T5ww6bhKThkomBbaA6NHB-wVujCVJiyzwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/horseshoe_two_horses_metal_base_sessions5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1200" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCLL0fJ_gt0/X3uFzpUIH2I/AAAAAAAAMeM/T5ww6bhKThkomBbaA6NHB-wVujCVJiyzwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h308/horseshoe_two_horses_metal_base_sessions5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical "horseshoe" metal horse clock example<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Most of the horse clocks are pot metal with a gold, bronze, or copper colored finish, but a few have silver finishes, and a few appear to have been painted, too. They can be found on wood, metal, or plastic bases. The clock housing on the vast majority of them features either a horseshoe with a bas-relief of two horses below it or a ruffled frame with a bas-relief of cowboy boots, a hat, and pistols. <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3IoQtoW6Mw/X3uUs1-51rI/AAAAAAAAMeY/yhWnNHHCE3Ye5R7KkxvYv8VGuUqLPYyDwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/ruffled_top_boots_hat_plastic_base_united1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1200" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3IoQtoW6Mw/X3uUs1-51rI/AAAAAAAAMeY/yhWnNHHCE3Ye5R7KkxvYv8VGuUqLPYyDwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h278/ruffled_top_boots_hat_plastic_base_united1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical "ruffled" metal horse clock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Other styles do exist though----there are almost as many variations as there are clocks. Some are on stylized rocky terrain bases (circa 1955 based on newspaper ads).<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtsDUrdWqq0/X3uVpEKDusI/AAAAAAAAMeg/yh-YKznFBBAGQXkBjVaE10Uk9PQsRwHKwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/rock_clock_metal_gilbert1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1200" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtsDUrdWqq0/X3uVpEKDusI/AAAAAAAAMeg/yh-YKznFBBAGQXkBjVaE10Uk9PQsRwHKwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h270/rock_clock_metal_gilbert1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Some are paired with cowboys and/or cowgirls.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oRiVStIH57w/X3uXK9KGL3I/AAAAAAAAMfM/u6LDjQvF_jAIzrWQAxStids_YMPPsMWLwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/cowboy_horseshoe_plastic_base_united1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1200" height="260" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oRiVStIH57w/X3uXK9KGL3I/AAAAAAAAMfM/u6LDjQvF_jAIzrWQAxStids_YMPPsMWLwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h260/cowboy_horseshoe_plastic_base_united1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsUszpFLHSM/X3uXQbfN71I/AAAAAAAAMfQ/seFccPR5YUUdAwalmi24wyTWhTL5QpVwwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/cowboy_on_horse_horseshoe_mastercrafters1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1200" height="294" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsUszpFLHSM/X3uXQbfN71I/AAAAAAAAMfQ/seFccPR5YUUdAwalmi24wyTWhTL5QpVwwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h294/cowboy_on_horse_horseshoe_mastercrafters1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A metal Mastercrafters clock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OTAvAqi7yZA/X3uXeYDJ4MI/AAAAAAAAMfY/Xl9kjEli-fcoPoI6M_9LLOotWy8dtT5YgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/cowgirl_cowboy_clock_wood_base_unknown1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1200" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OTAvAqi7yZA/X3uXeYDJ4MI/AAAAAAAAMfY/Xl9kjEli-fcoPoI6M_9LLOotWy8dtT5YgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/cowgirl_cowboy_clock_wood_base_unknown1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circa 1950 based on newspaper ads<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thd0ETwGCkc/X3uXmFD-QHI/AAAAAAAAMfg/kgraGwpxxnIVw9iT4at713eMayDKKODMwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/cowboy_rancho_clock_wood_base_spartus1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1200" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thd0ETwGCkc/X3uXmFD-QHI/AAAAAAAAMfg/kgraGwpxxnIVw9iT4at713eMayDKKODMwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h264/cowboy_rancho_clock_wood_base_spartus1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A painted clock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Most metal horse clocks are arranged with the horse to the right of the clock facing it. A few are reversed. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHaA1x2U3ew/X3uYHH69g-I/AAAAAAAAMfs/Xpt1g9l9d3YNwl-cmM8aQqkw1G8dklztwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/ruffled_top_boots_hat_wood_base_reversed_sessions1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1200" height="289" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHaA1x2U3ew/X3uYHH69g-I/AAAAAAAAMfs/Xpt1g9l9d3YNwl-cmM8aQqkw1G8dklztwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h289/ruffled_top_boots_hat_wood_base_reversed_sessions1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another painted clock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4kqUaPl3l4/X3uYMpZW9BI/AAAAAAAAMfw/MAukiYEp0IgD1gFJiPow86zKXQpuUhY-gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/cowboy_on_horse_horseshoe_sessions1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1200" height="276" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4kqUaPl3l4/X3uYMpZW9BI/AAAAAAAAMfw/MAukiYEp0IgD1gFJiPow86zKXQpuUhY-gCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h276/cowboy_on_horse_horseshoe_sessions1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>A few are Mastercrafters products while others were made by United, Lanshire, Spartus, Carmody, Gilbert, and more. This particular example below is probably Mastercrafters---the horseshoe clock on this example is the version usually found with the Breyer Western Horses beside-the-clocks, but in gold rather than creamy white. (Most metal horse clocks with horseshoe frames have two horses under the shoe rather than the cowboy roping the steer.) The face and metal back of the clock are Sessions just like those seen on Breyer clocks, and the base itself is identical to Breyer clock bases. The question is did this piece come before or after the Breyer clocks?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5My2jfrSRyc/X3uY5hgCETI/AAAAAAAAMf8/HFHf8tigp-U03QpNMqir5wIlOrGH1ZmPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/horseshoe_like_breyer_plastic_base_sessions1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1200" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5My2jfrSRyc/X3uY5hgCETI/AAAAAAAAMf8/HFHf8tigp-U03QpNMqir5wIlOrGH1ZmPQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h283/horseshoe_like_breyer_plastic_base_sessions1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8POiSIJdheY/X3uZDjmO3XI/AAAAAAAAMgA/aNJtTnzReOck21Wx9BvvwDnTtMQ__-YogCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/horseshoe_like_breyer_plastic_base_sessions4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8POiSIJdheY/X3uZDjmO3XI/AAAAAAAAMgA/aNJtTnzReOck21Wx9BvvwDnTtMQ__-YogCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h168/horseshoe_like_breyer_plastic_base_sessions4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Before I started researching this series of posts, I assumed the metal horse clocks were copies of the Breyer horses beside the clocks. But I have since found newspaper ads featuring metal horses beside clocks from as early as March 1949, so they clearly pre-date Breyer horses full stop and possibly Hartland's horses and clocks, too.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6siJgxc8go/X3ugnBON76I/AAAAAAAAMgQ/x2i-f3z9xfsvgXEkJ_6TmFFVWMuMcW3gACNcBGAsYHQ/s1433/1949_03_03_plain_clock.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1433" data-original-width="775" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6siJgxc8go/X3ugnBON76I/AAAAAAAAMgQ/x2i-f3z9xfsvgXEkJ_6TmFFVWMuMcW3gACNcBGAsYHQ/w216-h400/1949_03_03_plain_clock.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ad from The Record (Hackensack, NJ), March 11, 1949</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The earliest ruffled top horse-beside-the-clock ad I can find is from October 1949. Mastercrafters fans will recognize that company's popular ship clock in the ad. Perhaps the metal horse clock is Mastercrafters, too? <br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uvVmz2pdlRw/X3unTLZ_F6I/AAAAAAAAMgc/o5avX9NBlMwu7KZrkB-2FQ0R_qkfAhf3wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1462/1949_10_14clockad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="1127" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uvVmz2pdlRw/X3unTLZ_F6I/AAAAAAAAMgc/o5avX9NBlMwu7KZrkB-2FQ0R_qkfAhf3wCNcBGAsYHQ/w309-h400/1949_10_14clockad.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ad from the Daily News (New York, NY), October 14, 1949</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And the first horseshoe clock ad I can find dates to December 1950. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Us3dr9s4Q4U/X3u29k-kC0I/AAAAAAAAMgo/c5yUpPBBg7gQ7ayiK0Acot105XW1NPrnQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1348/1950_12_22dec_clock_ad_paylessdrugstore.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="1194" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Us3dr9s4Q4U/X3u29k-kC0I/AAAAAAAAMgo/c5yUpPBBg7gQ7ayiK0Acot105XW1NPrnQCNcBGAsYHQ/w354-h400/1950_12_22dec_clock_ad_paylessdrugstore.jpg" width="354" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ad from the Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA, December 22, 1950</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The metal horse clock ads appear throughout the 1950s and peter out in the mid-1960s, but they were clearly wildly popular while they lasted. The clocks were most commonly sold in jewelry and furniture stores, and I found multiple news stories about burglarized jewelry stores that cited gold horse clocks among the stolen items. One thief even stated outright that a horse clock was his primary reason for breaking into and robbing a jewelry store.<sup>2</sup> </div><div><br /></div><div>As you'll have seen from the pictures above, the vast majority of metal horses on these clocks have their mane on the left side of the neck, their right hind foot placed ahead of the left hind foot, a flat-bottomed hollow tails, and elaborate parade-style Western tack. They are in fact all copies, though often crude, of a magnificent sculpture by renowned equine artist Gladys Brown Edwards referred to as the "Big Horse" by collectors. A photo published in <i>Here's Who in Horses of the Pacific Coast, Horsedom's Hall of Fame</i> in 1947 gives us a date for this piece, and many of the pieces are marked with that same date as well.<sup>3</sup></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J6VIkamD6E8/X3vAkst4OTI/AAAAAAAAMg0/bNOmV7BEIwwExgoMMDtmrN0lOa1j5ykIQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1200/1gbe_original_western_horse1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1200" height="341" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J6VIkamD6E8/X3vAkst4OTI/AAAAAAAAMg0/bNOmV7BEIwwExgoMMDtmrN0lOa1j5ykIQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h341/1gbe_original_western_horse1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Gladys is probably most famous for her expertise on and paintings of Arabian horses, but she was an immensely talented sculptor as well. She grew up in Los Angeles where she attended art school and eventually went to work for the famous Kellogg Arabian Ranch. She sculpted a variety of breeds besides Arabians including drafters, stock horses, Saddlebreds, and even cattle. A number of her pieces were issued by Dodge, Inc., a trophy company, as bookends, horse show trophies, and art pieces. Dodge began in Chicago, but expanded to Los Angeles and elsewhere in the 1930s. <br /><br />Which brings us back to the Big Horse. Collectors generally agree that he was probably inspired by a Morgan stallion (or stallions) that Gladys had sketched and painted in the 1940s. The fancy bridle and elaborate saddle depicted on Gladys' horse resemble those worn by parade horses in southern California at that time. Some have wondered if the Big Horse might be a Saddlebred, and while it's certainly plausible, especially if he was inspired by a parade horse, the sculpture more closely resembles Gladys' Morgan art. Whatever the case, the piece is of interest because it was issued by Dodge standing over a clock as seen below. Note the removable saddle. It most likely dates to 1947 or 1948. <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQW7JTgjZNM/X3vReWbh9PI/AAAAAAAAMhA/Qc0lM2p7sm08UcVsOLdl2ckEOEcX7VTjwCNcBGAsYHQ/s446/dodge_gbe_horse_clock1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="446" height="366" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQW7JTgjZNM/X3vReWbh9PI/AAAAAAAAMhA/Qc0lM2p7sm08UcVsOLdl2ckEOEcX7VTjwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h366/dodge_gbe_horse_clock1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Copies of the Gladys Brown Edwards piece standing over a clock were advertised by May 1949. (We can identify the copies by the loose, flat-bottomed tail. (Gladys' horses' tails were attached to the left hock as seen above.)</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3lzz1-BWIcE/X3vaUiEi1MI/AAAAAAAAMhM/3kXRsnab1PYip6dZ5JBjy_7zl4-4act1gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1688/1949_05_01_horsebehindclock_zales.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1688" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3lzz1-BWIcE/X3vaUiEi1MI/AAAAAAAAMhM/3kXRsnab1PYip6dZ5JBjy_7zl4-4act1gCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h233/1949_05_01_horsebehindclock_zales.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ad from the Pampa Daily News (Pampa, TX), May 1, 1949</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><div>Another horse standing over a clock pops up in June 1949, only this time in plastic. Does this guy look familiar? Though the ad states that the horse below is bronze on a mahogany base, it is unmistakably a plastic Hartland Victor on a plastic Mastercrafters clock base. (And in case there is any doubt, Hartland expert Mike Jackson found a <a href="https://myhartlands.com/?page_id=276">Mastercrafters ad</a> using the very same photo that describes the piece as plastic.)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTE-Rc_6F-o/X3vbLuQZ3II/AAAAAAAAMhU/zuDGtqz2KCQUvH-sMltnV4y4OzPloWJFgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1390/1949_06_20_hartland_hoc_ad2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="911" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTE-Rc_6F-o/X3vbLuQZ3II/AAAAAAAAMhU/zuDGtqz2KCQUvH-sMltnV4y4OzPloWJFgCNcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/1949_06_20_hartland_hoc_ad2.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Without a doubt, the miscellaneous metal horses on these clocks, whether standing over or beside the clocks, were copied from Gladys Brown Edward's sculpture produced by Dodge, Inc. The idea of the horse clocks themselves also seems to have been copied from Dodge. Interestingly, Mastercrafters was conveniently located only a few blocks south of the the Dodge factory in Chicago. Because Mastercrafters was apparently issuing metal horse copies beside clocks as early as October 1949, and given their close proximity to the Dodge factory, it stands to reason that their plastic horse clocks were inspired by Dodge's metal horse clocks as well.<br /><br />So while it is clear that the metal horse clock figurines are copies of Gladys' Big Horse, we move into the realm of speculation when it comes to what inspired the plastic Victor models made by Hartland for Mastercrafters. The Victor horse pictured in the Hartland ad above stands square as opposed to with one hind foot forward like the Gladys Brown Edwards horse and its multitude of copies, but his mane is on the left side of his neck, his head and tail set are similar, and his tack also appears to be fancy Western parade style. His saddle is even removable, too. The Victor's slightly different stance may be simply a matter of practicality to ensure his legs clear the clock on the narrow plastic base, or it may simply have been for ease in molding (or both). The round clocks used by Mastercrafters for their horse clocks, both over and beside, were a standard size they used regularly for other clocks, and both the Breyers and Hartlands that stand over the clocks had to have their bellies pushed inward a bit after molding to fit over the clock. (Why the base wasn't sculpted a little taller on either side of the clock to fix this issue is unknown.) This extra step (and presumably the regular occurrence of seam splits) may be why Mastercrafters made only a small number of horses over the clock before switching to horses beside the clocks.</div><div><br /></div><div>With this in mind, I think it's pretty likely that Hartland sculptor Roger Williams created the Victor not as a copy of the Gladys Brown Edwards' horse, but he certainly seems to have used it as a template of sorts. Mastercrafters presumably dictated what sort of horse figurine they wanted, and they may have offered up examples of their own metal horse clocks for him to study. Breyer's Western Horse of course was sculpted by Chris Hess as a nearly identical copy of Hartland's Victor. </div><div><br />To the best of my knowledge, Hartland never assigned a breed to the Victor nor to the subsequent Champs. Likewise, Breyer never mentioned a breed for the Western Horse until this year when it was described as Saddlebred-like in their 70th anniversary promotional materials. While the Victor and Western Horse are pretty generic sculptures, the idea of them being Saddlebred-like does make some sense if we accept that these models were all ultimately inspired by the parade horses of the 1940s. </div><div><br />There are a number of pieces to this puzzle, and some of them are lost, so I don't think we can ever say conclusively that the Hartland Victors and Breyer Western Horses were derived from the Gladys Brown Edwards Big Horse piece, but I think the evidence is pretty strong that it inspired a slew of metal copies and the plastic horse clocks were probably inspired by the metal copies if not directly by the original Big Horse. So in a somewhat roundabout fashion, there is a connection. <br /><br /><div>I hope you've all enjoyed reading this series of posts about Hartland Victors, Breyer Western Horses, and other similar models, both copies and predecessors, as much as I have enjoyed writing them. I'm not sure what I'll post about next---I've got about a dozen different ideas---but stay tuned for information on how to vote for what you'd like to see. Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /><br />---------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />1. Young, Nancy. <i>Breyer Molds and Models: Horses, Riders, and Animals</i>. (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 1999), pg. 345.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>2. "Police Arrest Man for Stealing From Local Jewelry Store." <i>The Freehold Transcript and The Monmouth Inquirer</i>, September 26, 1957.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Martin, Carolyn. <i>Gladys Brown Edwards' Equine Works in Metal</i>. (Galesburg, MI: Published by the author, 2008), pg. 22. </div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-23272506686090954212020-08-09T11:08:00.008-07:002023-06-30T15:01:34.886-07:00Western Horse Shaped Objects, Part 3: Breyer, Textured Tack, Kroll, Hong Kong, and more!(Part one of this series can be found <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">here</a>; part two is <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/03/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-2.html">here</a>.)<br /><br />As discussed in the previous two installments of this series, the Breyer Western Horse, while much copied, is in fact itself a copy of the <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">Hartland Victor model</a>. Now that we've covered the <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/03/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-2.html">Hartland Victor copies</a>, it's time to move on to the Breyer Western Horse and its many, many copies.<br />
<br />
Technically, the first copy of the Breyer Western Horse was the Breyer Western Pony. Other than a few small differences such as the number of studs on the browband and how the breast collar is overlaid by the mane, the Western Pony is nearly identical to the Western Horse, only smaller. We know the Western Horse debuted in 1950, and the scaled down Western Pony followed by late 1953.<sup>1</sup> A number of the manufacturers that copied the Western Horse also copied the Western Pony, so I'll include those in this post, too.<br />
<br />
To begin with, here are the Breyer Western Horse and Pony with snap saddles and slip on saddles as both versions have been copied. The snap saddles were made from 1950 until their last appearance in a Breyer catalog in 1966. There was no 1967 catalog, only a few insert pages introducing a handful of new models. The 1968 catalog shows the new slip on saddles, so the change-over happened sometime in 1967 or at the start of 1968, but we don't know exactly when.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzhD12MA4so/XymlcmhsckI/AAAAAAAAMRM/9LcVBp6SvQMqgRFqKt7XcxXdRPhIa-WJQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/wh_wp_comp_snap_saddles1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzhD12MA4so/XymlcmhsckI/AAAAAAAAMRM/9LcVBp6SvQMqgRFqKt7XcxXdRPhIa-WJQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/wh_wp_comp_snap_saddles1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Western Pony and Horse with snap saddles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1634" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twSFpZvv91Q/XymimIcNG6I/AAAAAAAAMRA/vmCzXpKL8D4UaxrShPy1Tc5PsXPE1hXegCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/wh_wp_comp_slip_saddles4a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Later Western Pony and Horse with slip on saddles</td></tr>
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<b>Textured Tack Horses and Ponies</b><br />
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The earliest Western Horse and Pony copies I know of were dubbed "textured tack" horses by Breyer historian Nancy Young. The "textured tack" moniker comes from the distinct pattern found on the bridles, breast collars, and saddles (to a lesser degree) on these models. Nancy likens it to a chicken wire pattern. The saddles are similar to Breyer's snap saddles but lack girths. The reins are ball chains. There are both textured tack horses and ponies.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1XqkVB0dwLQ/XytCiPnrXZI/AAAAAAAAMR4/a1QqkzW8ob8RcLV8b5vdtREJF3PNZI2oACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/textured_tack_horse_pony_comp1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1200" height="387" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1XqkVB0dwLQ/XytCiPnrXZI/AAAAAAAAMR4/a1QqkzW8ob8RcLV8b5vdtREJF3PNZI2oACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/textured_tack_horse_pony_comp1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Textured tack horse and pony in brown pinto (the horse is yellowed)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJfYcrRNbmw/XytC4OLsV4I/AAAAAAAAMSA/Dwdyw8g9aoALPvBKU21Ra8yDWcZB5HLewCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/textured_tack_close_up2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1200" height="366" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJfYcrRNbmw/XytC4OLsV4I/AAAAAAAAMSA/Dwdyw8g9aoALPvBKU21Ra8yDWcZB5HLewCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/textured_tack_close_up2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up of the textured breast collar</td></tr>
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Besides the textured tack, these models differ from the Breyers in several ways. Their legs are a bit thinner but their hooves are bigger and slightly oblong. The tails are also a bit different, but the pony's is more noticeably so, being thinner and pointier than the Breyer original. They do have a nice, very Breyer-like heft to them, and they seem to be well-made compared to some of the other copies out there.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0AUEAezPhxA/XytB9GoQqgI/AAAAAAAAMRs/93KTmhDQmvYvZsI6_e5y72mTJ1_9li1-ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/tt_vs_breyer_horse1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1600" height="185" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0AUEAezPhxA/XytB9GoQqgI/AAAAAAAAMRs/93KTmhDQmvYvZsI6_e5y72mTJ1_9li1-ACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/tt_vs_breyer_horse1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Textured tack horse (left) and Breyer Western Horse (right)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qKcYWum9ex8/XytB9ckwhWI/AAAAAAAAMRw/bv66uAneJWQV5uWgdBVcirqeLzQTUQfiwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/tt_vs_breyer_pony1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="1437" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qKcYWum9ex8/XytB9ckwhWI/AAAAAAAAMRw/bv66uAneJWQV5uWgdBVcirqeLzQTUQfiwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/tt_vs_breyer_pony1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Textured tack pony (left) and Breyer Western Pony (right)</span></td></tr>
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The textured tack horses and ponies have been found in several colors so far: brown and white pinto, black and white pinto, palomino, alabaster, and black. The pintos have an unusual sort of reverse splash white pattern like white paint was spilled along their topline. Some collectors refer to them as "snowcaps" because of this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5x4okpudikY/XytaPlm7kiI/AAAAAAAAMSM/p4uLMN81ceg3Yj8aOlQbLzzLVbq7XtuigCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/textured_tack_black_pinto_horse_sides.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="731" height="188" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5x4okpudikY/XytaPlm7kiI/AAAAAAAAMSM/p4uLMN81ceg3Yj8aOlQbLzzLVbq7XtuigCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/textured_tack_black_pinto_horse_sides.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A black and white "snowcap" example (photos from eBay)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3HmaYyv_Vc/Xytl09dHqVI/AAAAAAAAMSY/mZKoTqdtBKcbD4VzEXQhlu2gPWsnUA_kwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/textured_tack_horse_palomino_dp1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="651" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3HmaYyv_Vc/Xytl09dHqVI/AAAAAAAAMSY/mZKoTqdtBKcbD4VzEXQhlu2gPWsnUA_kwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/textured_tack_horse_palomino_dp1.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A palomino textured tack horse (photo courtesy of Deirdre Price)</td></tr>
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The white plastic on these models tends to fall into two types, a very opaque almost chalky looking plastic and a softer, more luminous, slightly translucent plastic. This difference is easy to spot in person, and I hope it can be seen in this photo despite the softer-toned plastic model being yellowed everywhere except where his saddle was. The model on the right is the chalky-plastic type model.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-msQkiQi6sGc/XytmaXd8X3I/AAAAAAAAMSg/pTyrerhYycg4LYWU-epo5deBT7wvsWJ9ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/textured_tack_luminous_chalky1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-msQkiQi6sGc/XytmaXd8X3I/AAAAAAAAMSg/pTyrerhYycg4LYWU-epo5deBT7wvsWJ9ACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/textured_tack_luminous_chalky1.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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Even though they have the same paint pattern, the paint is also softer and slightly muted looking on the non-chalky plastic model as seen on the model on the right below and the palomino pictured above.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aXY8CbFHGEE/XytnH1gT-vI/AAAAAAAAMSs/MbUIyJ5ylQMq2UzK9cenJPvgei-rh-p9QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/textured_tack_chalky_luminous2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1200" height="285" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aXY8CbFHGEE/XytnH1gT-vI/AAAAAAAAMSs/MbUIyJ5ylQMq2UzK9cenJPvgei-rh-p9QCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/textured_tack_chalky_luminous2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chalky plastic on the left, softer, more luminous plastic on the right</td></tr>
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Interestingly, even though these textured tack horses are copied from Breyers, they have been found with cowboys copied from Hartland's Large and Small Champ series. They are made in nicely weighted plastic just like the horses, and both have their guns molded into their holsters. The larger cowboy is copied from the early version of Hartland's cowboy that had a cigarette in his right hand. The examples I own and have seen are also made in the softer-looking plastic mentioned above and have a soft, diffused quality to the paint. I'm not sure if other colorways exist for these riders besides these shown below. They might have (I would guess probably did) come with hats.</div>
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I suspect these models date from the mid-1950s for two reasons. The first is that the maker seems to have copied the earliest colors used on the Breyer Western Horses and Ponies which were all available by 1954 or 1955. And secondly, the riders associated with these models were only made by Hartland from about 1954-1957. Given how hard they are to find, I would guess they were made for a relatively short time.<br />
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So all that said, while the textured tack models are easy enough to identify, the maker of these models is still a complete mystery. They were thought to be Lido products at one time, but no evidence has come to light to support that. Having owned several Lido horse and rider sets, I would be very surprised if Lido was the manufacturer based on the quality disparity between them. As I said above, the textured tack models seem to made of nicely weighted plastic and are nicely painted. Lido in comparison specialized in cheap "slum" toys---usually small items molded quickly, easily, and cheaply in one color of plastic. They primarily made small cowboy and Indian play sets, but they did make some larger horse and rider sets as well. Like their smaller counterparts, the larger pieces are molded simply in cheap, light-weight plastic, the reins and saddles are not separate pieces, and the paint jobs are uncomplicated and usually in bright, primary colors.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZL1HAnY_ko/XyttvPJ9vfI/AAAAAAAAMTU/W_dpXYT84_Mpo4KpA1ZWJ7LIP_1ged6agCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/lido_sidebyside.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1200" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZL1HAnY_ko/XyttvPJ9vfI/AAAAAAAAMTU/W_dpXYT84_Mpo4KpA1ZWJ7LIP_1ged6agCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/lido_sidebyside.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical Lido horse and rider set</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUVcRLIX5yA/Xytss9PWqvI/AAAAAAAAMTI/E4Mngc_PRjcGYwRPcFPChoRBkCciOpySgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/lido_small_cowboys1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="273" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUVcRLIX5yA/Xytss9PWqvI/AAAAAAAAMTI/E4Mngc_PRjcGYwRPcFPChoRBkCciOpySgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/lido_small_cowboys1.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stablemate scale Lido "slum" horses and cowboys</td></tr>
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So who made the textured tack models? Unfortunately, we don't know. The horses, ponies, and riders are all completely unmarked. The only hints I have found are the letter "T" on the underside of the textured tack horse saddle I have and the letter "A" on the underside of a pony saddle owned by another collector. (My own pony saddle is unmarked.) The marks appear to be deliberate, and if it were just a sprue or molding artifact, I would expect it to be round, like the mark above and to the left of the "T." It's a mystery for now.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"T" mark is just above my fingernail</td></tr>
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Palomino and alabaster examples of textured tack horses have been found mounted on pink marbled bases beside clocks in a style very similar to the Breyer Mastercrafters horses beside the clocks. The shape and design of the clock housing is a bit different from Breyer clocks, and the base has a distinctive ruffled edge. Also, the horses are mounted in line with the clocks rather than at an angle. The clock movement is by Sessions, but unfortunately, the clock housing is not marked. Both Mastercrafters and United sometimes used Sessions movements. (In fact, United eventually merged with Sessions.)<i> </i>I'll discuss the various knock off clocks in the fourth installment of this blog series.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5hOQGPeSuM/Xytyjmwyr8I/AAAAAAAAMUA/KWcrfPAlhTI9NCR7UoSXopBGwHctA4cwQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/palomino_clock_sessions_carriebrooks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="836" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5hOQGPeSuM/Xytyjmwyr8I/AAAAAAAAMUA/KWcrfPAlhTI9NCR7UoSXopBGwHctA4cwQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/palomino_clock_sessions_carriebrooks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palomino textured tack horse clock (photo courtesy of Carrie Brooks)</td></tr>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><b>Kroll Ponies</b></b></div>
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We do at least seem to have a company name for this next bunch of copies, but unfortunately, very little is known about it. These models are copies of the Breyer Western Pony only, and they are marked "KROLL" on the belly. While that seems like a great clue, I have had a frustrating time coming up with any information about the company. Two Kroll ponies have been found with what are believed to be original boxes. One is marked Kroll Trading Company of New York, NY, and the other may be marked Kroll Entrerprises, but I can't be sure because I don't have a clear photo of it. (You can see it <a href="http://www.modelhorse.gallery/U/Unknowns/MHCs_UNKstnd.html">here</a> on the Model Horse Gallery site about two-thirds of the way down the page.) The addresses on both boxes lack a zip-code, dating them to pre-1963.<br />
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As far as I can tell, the Kroll pony manufacturer does not appear to be related to the Chicago manufacturer of Kroll baby cribs, nor, frustratingly, to board game inventor Fred Kroll who worked for Pressman, Milton Bradley, and others, and most famously invented Hungry Hungry Hippos. Fred Kroll did work in the toy business in New York at the right time, and Pressman did loosely copy some Breyers in the 1960s, but Fred's obituary does not mention the company. His only venture in his own name was Fred Kroll Associates, a consulting firm, not a manufacturer.<br />
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Kroll models are not painted but rather are molded in colored plastic. I have seen brown, black, gold, white, and several varieties of swirled plastic. They are quite close copies of the Breyer Western Pony, but they have two key differences. Kroll ponies have their mane on <i>both</i> sides of the neck, and they are marked "KROLL" on the belly. Some have been found with slip on saddles and ball chain reins.</div>
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Interestingly, metal copies of the Kroll ponies have been found. They are unmarked, so who made them and when is a mystery. I suspect they're probably Chinese copies from the last decade or two. I would love to find one of these!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Deirdre Price</td></tr>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><b><br />Hong Kong Western Horses and Ponies</b></b><br />
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<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A variety of Breyer (and Hartland) models were copied in the 1970s by a Hong Kong manufacturer (or possibly several). Among them were the Western Horse and Pony. They are marked "Made in Hong Kong" and have a diamond shaped mold mark with the letter "P" inside. Some also have a three digit number. Some collectors refer to these models as "diamond P" horses, but we don't actually know if that mark has any bearing on the name of the manufacturer. Many early Hartlands, for instance, are similarly marked with the letter "I" inside a diamond, and it simply stands for Iolite, the trademarked name for the kind of plastic used by Hartland at the time.</span></b><br />
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These Hong Kong models are very close copies of the Breyer originals, but they are ever so slightly taller and wider. The ponies also tend to have slightly splayed legs. The Hong Kong models are molded in lighter plastic than Breyers.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxwjkM3x_bU/Xy3qlgl-qGI/AAAAAAAAMVo/0hpD0WR96nQXdUf1HvVcY1kCNijuHf5sQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/faces.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxwjkM3x_bU/Xy3qlgl-qGI/AAAAAAAAMVo/0hpD0WR96nQXdUf1HvVcY1kCNijuHf5sQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/faces.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breyer Horse on the left; Hong Kong on the right </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6H325zJCs7g/Xy32doDcHYI/AAAAAAAAMV0/aPo5xqvcYJUzs9nEY6DfKDht11GNGuxygCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/wp_hk2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1191" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6H325zJCs7g/Xy32doDcHYI/AAAAAAAAMV0/aPo5xqvcYJUzs9nEY6DfKDht11GNGuxygCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/wp_hk2.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Breyer Pony on the left; Hong Kong on the right </span></td></tr>
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Because they have slip on saddles (copied directly from Breyer), they can date no earlier than about 1969. I'm not sure how long they were made, but they can be found pretty easily, so they seem to have been produced in fairly large numbers in the 1970s and possibly into the 1980s. The horses however, in my experience, seem to be more common than the ponies. Most of the Hong Kong models appear to have a thin white chalky basecoat under their various paint jobs. I have seen black and white pintos, brown and white pintos, black leopard appaloosas, bays, smokes/charcoals, and more.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uw7S62fE5tc/Xy35Q40eI3I/AAAAAAAAMWA/L226M8BkXlgfdyVJL97VGfQ0LWTBMGzPgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hong_kong_wh_leopard_appy1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uw7S62fE5tc/Xy35Q40eI3I/AAAAAAAAMWA/L226M8BkXlgfdyVJL97VGfQ0LWTBMGzPgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/hong_kong_wh_leopard_appy1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from eBay </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V1eDwLXRy64/Xy35UBANgxI/AAAAAAAAMWE/EL0yjBhNXas-EEmViwzDMr2Q33QbCKBMgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hong_kong_wh_bay1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1175" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V1eDwLXRy64/Xy35UBANgxI/AAAAAAAAMWE/EL0yjBhNXas-EEmViwzDMr2Q33QbCKBMgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/hong_kong_wh_bay1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo from eBay</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5-U8Blbkdgo/Xy35itkYVsI/AAAAAAAAMWM/T11N8EUu8N86mzBe2FnHTwfPUjeZlDhiQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hong_kong_wh_smoke1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1132" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5-U8Blbkdgo/Xy35itkYVsI/AAAAAAAAMWM/T11N8EUu8N86mzBe2FnHTwfPUjeZlDhiQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/hong_kong_wh_smoke1.jpg" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo from eBay</span></td></tr>
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Interestingly, at least one copy of these copies exists, this strange Western Horse/Pony knock off with a molded on saddle. It is also marked Hong Kong, and it is in between Classic and Little Bit scale.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXJoMTI8BNU/Xy36zmAepPI/AAAAAAAAMWc/mWQ8Wa5tEjofjfR6Qkp1iyRuShxsJcoWwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hong_kong_wp_bay_molded_on_saddle1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1071" height="296" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXJoMTI8BNU/Xy36zmAepPI/AAAAAAAAMWc/mWQ8Wa5tEjofjfR6Qkp1iyRuShxsJcoWwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/hong_kong_wp_bay_molded_on_saddle1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from eBay</td></tr>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><b>Ringling Bros Circus and Disney On Ice Horses</b></b><br />
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Both the Ringling Brothers Circus and the Disney On Ice shows have sold Western Horse copies as souvenirs beginning in the early 2000s. Both shows are produced by Feld Entertainment, and the models were sold with hang tags bearing their name. The circus horse hang tag has a copyright date of 2001, and this coincides with when the pieces began to show up in hobby circles. (Furthermore, both hang tags say "made in China" rather than "made in Hong Kong," indicating they were made after 1997 when control of Hong Kong was returned to China from Britain.) The horses are the same mold, just painted differently. The mold itself is a slightly retooled and stream-lined version of the 1970s Hong Kong copies pictured above (which makes perfect sense given the physical location of the mold tooling). They have the same distinctive wide face as the Hong Kong horses, but some of the details like the hooves, forelock, and coronet bands have been refined slightly.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvMuOct00QZcb9uGlw9rxm7jd6ttAtOLXO72_tD4drTlaXt59QwHEFKALitO1TS4FjzrbshgJKOVfjz_YVx4rZZdf3zXd8PQaXOFuuCkGqTRuPF-hzKUh_zRWVbAKffHXSEMZlDp_Fl-fMroWZ4WpBEjzJKsYcs6tdu8F3dpxW2chlGttQhRnDYZzKh4/s1200/PXL_20211221_220139213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1200" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvMuOct00QZcb9uGlw9rxm7jd6ttAtOLXO72_tD4drTlaXt59QwHEFKALitO1TS4FjzrbshgJKOVfjz_YVx4rZZdf3zXd8PQaXOFuuCkGqTRuPF-hzKUh_zRWVbAKffHXSEMZlDp_Fl-fMroWZ4WpBEjzJKsYcs6tdu8F3dpxW2chlGttQhRnDYZzKh4/w400-h390/PXL_20211221_220139213.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circus horse left, Hong Kong horse right<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEWBNhRd_ohXC4MNA5b4bPAS1Yjq_oBHtOE7rdXFrb7VABx6kVmoO2XArMu2JmZ_3OMWi99gfQdQWz6kao6r4afKsVtFWJIVJG-7HFKs-dfphhGRgpiY2kWZvl6_cchGs3-orcFJ4uFl2xrGuneKzAlzE5uApJhNo8Bp1KrzEs2LXQcRCFrxbigHy_Qs/s1225/PXL_20211221_220350809.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEWBNhRd_ohXC4MNA5b4bPAS1Yjq_oBHtOE7rdXFrb7VABx6kVmoO2XArMu2JmZ_3OMWi99gfQdQWz6kao6r4afKsVtFWJIVJG-7HFKs-dfphhGRgpiY2kWZvl6_cchGs3-orcFJ4uFl2xrGuneKzAlzE5uApJhNo8Bp1KrzEs2LXQcRCFrxbigHy_Qs/w391-h400/PXL_20211221_220350809.MP.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><br />The circus models are opalescent white with a little shading to outline the hair detail in the mane and tail. They have bright gold bridles and breast colors and metallic purply-green color shifting saddles. They also feature stretchy rubber pink or purple leg wraps and a fluffy pink feather for the crown of the bridle. (My own new-in-package model came with two feathers.) The saddles are based on the Hong Kong saddles, but they have been retooled with different decoration and to have a flatter profile for the tapaderos. They are molded separately and glued in place. A matte buckskin version with a star and three socks was also made, but it seems to be much less common. The white horses were probably better sellers. <br /><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUMFTpuBNQdNumqcok4GCyWcaq5QYe5P_hBXqlJLiaAkavzu6TDfVfc0wP0fqh2HupVABaT4hlBgQ_gqvC04HvcPhAlMKq-fvCkga3OyzA9XnSf9_V53tWfoby3b-qaWmMIgdkeiAz9KXgvs5i9MiH0hc8lah40ZKPag8WnyTyb4VSn1cRoXzdAOrdh8/s1558/circus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1558" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUMFTpuBNQdNumqcok4GCyWcaq5QYe5P_hBXqlJLiaAkavzu6TDfVfc0wP0fqh2HupVABaT4hlBgQ_gqvC04HvcPhAlMKq-fvCkga3OyzA9XnSf9_V53tWfoby3b-qaWmMIgdkeiAz9KXgvs5i9MiH0hc8lah40ZKPag8WnyTyb4VSn1cRoXzdAOrdh8/w385-h400/circus1.jpg" width="385" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My complete circus horse was purchased new in package<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_1ep5WDJ44/Xy37OYMZiOI/AAAAAAAAMWk/2pxVMDlbQWwYRI3vHM1Tn39RRI08nvbPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/circus_wh_copy1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="400" height="332" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_1ep5WDJ44/Xy37OYMZiOI/AAAAAAAAMWk/2pxVMDlbQWwYRI3vHM1Tn39RRI08nvbPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/circus_wh_copy1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A version with purple wraps; photo from eBay (missing feather)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H7-QFnM9zzA/Xy376t1ZxsI/AAAAAAAAMWs/A39gYtS5ibMm9_r-cF15evPOgfYjj-GZQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/circus_wh_copy5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H7-QFnM9zzA/Xy376t1ZxsI/AAAAAAAAMWs/A39gYtS5ibMm9_r-cF15evPOgfYjj-GZQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/circus_wh_copy5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from eBay</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf2eR75omsZkAKAclmcQeibrVjbeLHB1CmZ1rkt9Ke8Bpp8qogcSpt2DB1rcyhxuHwm8ULKv43wKHn_jNPhzIIcOEC2zOTDWOlnfS-ePeKAs5t3pyEW8EPTlSlkZFvakVPEixv4gdj3fDHb9ASUoOPevDqOtRujLaTcDSnc2gxLmkLK5GZ6i7hDskOnw/s1500/PXL_20230630_133528594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1500" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf2eR75omsZkAKAclmcQeibrVjbeLHB1CmZ1rkt9Ke8Bpp8qogcSpt2DB1rcyhxuHwm8ULKv43wKHn_jNPhzIIcOEC2zOTDWOlnfS-ePeKAs5t3pyEW8EPTlSlkZFvakVPEixv4gdj3fDHb9ASUoOPevDqOtRujLaTcDSnc2gxLmkLK5GZ6i7hDskOnw/w400-h353/PXL_20230630_133528594.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The buckskin circus horse (missing feather and tag)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB68LUNNCPkTTl77zCLgBQopt6cvZu1ivtWlnM29Zx9NybkvGywTHuPVf2OZGbr4uHSDDnFaifm6asPlysW1ZdaHpKeWkUCQ_g4s4kRVNslYQodBePTcUG2h3uTRtGP0Mzi1ioD9SyJGluOXLK0mNioY3sjlSvtJu_fBjjpniyBIHNKdUt24LyZEQtYHI/s1000/circus2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1000" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB68LUNNCPkTTl77zCLgBQopt6cvZu1ivtWlnM29Zx9NybkvGywTHuPVf2OZGbr4uHSDDnFaifm6asPlysW1ZdaHpKeWkUCQ_g4s4kRVNslYQodBePTcUG2h3uTRtGP0Mzi1ioD9SyJGluOXLK0mNioY3sjlSvtJu_fBjjpniyBIHNKdUt24LyZEQtYHI/w400-h390/circus2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79awkqOpnuWosTVW5Z671QpLfNRJFNQV16BnH95e5BVKUL4WhngGfk4bXvv3HM9FeC7dMpF2QplqcDA96oMCWnfcX6EKTvcxwTgxumj845E5CsdNoFlJTWESujk-jPu4hroWEtTc2bOworz3YPjbBd8UcAG6NwuJp0z2RP73ZQSp4m4Mrhwkzas_h0Gs/s1000/circus3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="1000" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79awkqOpnuWosTVW5Z671QpLfNRJFNQV16BnH95e5BVKUL4WhngGfk4bXvv3HM9FeC7dMpF2QplqcDA96oMCWnfcX6EKTvcxwTgxumj845E5CsdNoFlJTWESujk-jPu4hroWEtTc2bOworz3YPjbBd8UcAG6NwuJp0z2RP73ZQSp4m4Mrhwkzas_h0Gs/w400-h376/circus3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The Disney models are also opalescent white, but they have iridescent purple manes and tails. They also have gold bridles, and the saddles are pink with purple accents. They have a two sided folding hang tag that reads "Disney on Ice" on one side and "Disney Princess Classics" on the other. The saddles say "Disney on Ice" on the seat and are glued on just as with the circus horses. They lack a hole in the head for a feather.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzuYTy4NL0nbbFHEHEX7AaUHMeWb6a6GdD7hY3y0idF7mMqBhbDBXxs-Xir0rWLcmW9K4zoHw6DUnLc5jnPovoQ-9XBmM7txWPM0r2p9XcpJKJV8bBN9q6NBg7vFsF_SoBnsc4o1xVLviV4pU8RyBnaaA0QyRSUiJ3lYknXRR-cqfY543lxQhdGkS-mM/s1500/PXL_20211212_033832217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1500" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzuYTy4NL0nbbFHEHEX7AaUHMeWb6a6GdD7hY3y0idF7mMqBhbDBXxs-Xir0rWLcmW9K4zoHw6DUnLc5jnPovoQ-9XBmM7txWPM0r2p9XcpJKJV8bBN9q6NBg7vFsF_SoBnsc4o1xVLviV4pU8RyBnaaA0QyRSUiJ3lYknXRR-cqfY543lxQhdGkS-mM/w400-h341/PXL_20211212_033832217.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbJbDD_0-_8/Xy3_02oW7JI/AAAAAAAAMW8/l5kHBdLn3i8axvynC_nuTPq4RIFJ15OKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/disney_on_ice_wh_copy8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbJbDD_0-_8/Xy3_02oW7JI/AAAAAAAAMW8/l5kHBdLn3i8axvynC_nuTPq4RIFJ15OKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/disney_on_ice_wh_copy8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo from eBay</span></td></tr>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1rLwWvvjfDIpptkCkkVqYJEce0nk_fwaRkrsmuYETWDaq1p_k4GVN_2JLf9Aed-K-bc3UMea1dIib9VgsUrHgk8VdhMWQ0oocN7gbEb7-Ptc8RyUirBgtfwbkrUv5wg2vieU85Uom8SjKDXbmmlY8pYQ6Gr0X2BIOgDFnbDX-F3RiNhhw6KUvzWjFZA/s1200/PXL_20211221_215509120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1200" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1rLwWvvjfDIpptkCkkVqYJEce0nk_fwaRkrsmuYETWDaq1p_k4GVN_2JLf9Aed-K-bc3UMea1dIib9VgsUrHgk8VdhMWQ0oocN7gbEb7-Ptc8RyUirBgtfwbkrUv5wg2vieU85Uom8SjKDXbmmlY8pYQ6Gr0X2BIOgDFnbDX-F3RiNhhw6KUvzWjFZA/w400-h294/PXL_20211221_215509120.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></b></div><b style="text-align: left;"><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOaVD7nEBCu4xSkD4HZdqqZfHrXqG4wG22Nm9-NLC8_wX37JUoR4NjUlwtW0gxjgTKjWQ2OWUpkdP8-OGgjrqM7oJZjsUfHxV3RksQArzkrAY22ZjpyApOLUY57g6mA8q7AyvN77OPE276DJWIia8Y8NZ8jqVwT6UD9kS9AIJvanUSQWMv8NJLytRRIo/s1323/PXL_20211221_215421358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1323" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOaVD7nEBCu4xSkD4HZdqqZfHrXqG4wG22Nm9-NLC8_wX37JUoR4NjUlwtW0gxjgTKjWQ2OWUpkdP8-OGgjrqM7oJZjsUfHxV3RksQArzkrAY22ZjpyApOLUY57g6mA8q7AyvN77OPE276DJWIia8Y8NZ8jqVwT6UD9kS9AIJvanUSQWMv8NJLytRRIo/w363-h400/PXL_20211221_215421358.jpg" width="363" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54uJUZLwNfWolQ5Vjt72LALHn_OacDCo09AAI1QX99puj3rDxsfapn5J0PT2yAO0ushX_jA-cRhISPJRah0_dHoG8WJt9XTvR9BaHRi06eBrg1y41p1mCGLCcYQW2kAhCfx4BU4d_4UJkXQaPfJYeiO1vSgZu9BnT2t79xPhzWF82EbnnjTP8-hlKsAk/s1200/PXL_20211221_215409847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1200" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54uJUZLwNfWolQ5Vjt72LALHn_OacDCo09AAI1QX99puj3rDxsfapn5J0PT2yAO0ushX_jA-cRhISPJRah0_dHoG8WJt9XTvR9BaHRi06eBrg1y41p1mCGLCcYQW2kAhCfx4BU4d_4UJkXQaPfJYeiO1vSgZu9BnT2t79xPhzWF82EbnnjTP8-hlKsAk/w400-h265/PXL_20211221_215409847.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></b></b><p></p><p><b style="text-align: left;"><b>Made in China Minis</b></b><span style="text-align: left;"></span><br />
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Stablemate scale copies of the Western Horse also exist. Some of these these pieces are marked "Made in Hong Kong" while others are marked "Made in China." The former match the larger 1970s horses in terms of common colors and likely were made around the same time. The made in China horses are later, made after 1997 as mentioned above. They have chain reins and cute slip on saddles. They also have molded on plastic rings on the their chests as if they were designed to be chained together like you see on <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.kr/pin/451626668878178511/">some '50s and '60s ceramic and plastic toys</a>. I have seen other colors like pinto and appalosa besides those in this set of black, grey, and bay. The painting is a bit sloppy, but these are very cute copies all the same.<br />
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<b style="text-align: left;"><b>Breyer Ornament</b></b></div>
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In 2006, Breyer released their own mini Western Horse as a holiday ornament. Sadly, it is a less skillful reproduction of the Western Horse than the made-in-China minis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-72dHqEWQfB4/Xy4D0Qcf-SI/AAAAAAAAMXo/PKIKg_qNVrInY8r6yoJhR7aLfpIsS9YSgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ornament_2006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-72dHqEWQfB4/Xy4D0Qcf-SI/AAAAAAAAMXo/PKIKg_qNVrInY8r6yoJhR7aLfpIsS9YSgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/ornament_2006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from eBay</td></tr>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><b>Tiny HO Scale Western Horse</b></b></div>
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Jordan Highway Miniatures copied the Western Horse in HO scale (approximately an inch tall) for a tiny popcorn wagon in recent years. Interestingly, the company also copied the Breyer Old Timer, the Clydesdale Mare, and a couple of Hartland models for other HO vehicles. The owner of the company, Jordan Jackson, passed away in 2015, so his kits are no longer being made, but the family apparently still owns the molds.<br />
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<b style="text-align: left;"><b><br />Miscellaneous</b></b></div>
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The Western Horse seems to have been wildly popular with copy cat companies, and not only are there plastic copies, but there are also ceramic, metal, and even wall art copies. I'm sure there are more, but here are some fun examples I've seen or bought over the years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuiUbx0qeP0/Xy4Fo7ydpfI/AAAAAAAAMX4/VbiGoShBWnEXw_501xeTVHYSmWCdmnRmQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/caremic_japan_wh_copy_large1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="829" height="386" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuiUbx0qeP0/Xy4Fo7ydpfI/AAAAAAAAMX4/VbiGoShBWnEXw_501xeTVHYSmWCdmnRmQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/caremic_japan_wh_copy_large1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Japanese ceramic Western Horse. These come in varying sizes.<br />
Photo from eBay.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_VtK5jk2_Kk/Xy4F7mmkDLI/AAAAAAAAMYE/lq9IJLIarng2aRDhpd-V8rdxgbAHm2MZgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/metal_wp_copy_rachel_loons1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="798" height="367" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_VtK5jk2_Kk/Xy4F7mmkDLI/AAAAAAAAMYE/lq9IJLIarng2aRDhpd-V8rdxgbAHm2MZgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/metal_wp_copy_rachel_loons1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A metal Western Pony copy (mane only on one side with this pony)<br />
Photo courtesy of Rachel L.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pDw3UsqfabE/Xy4GVftSL1I/AAAAAAAAMYM/LsZBpYFUZ8syRJM_nNlaxckrN762baNlQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/western_horse_wall_art1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pDw3UsqfabE/Xy4GVftSL1I/AAAAAAAAMYM/LsZBpYFUZ8syRJM_nNlaxckrN762baNlQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/western_horse_wall_art1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Embossed Western Horse art, a fun antique store find of mine</td></tr>
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In the next and final installment of the Western Horse Shaped objects series, I'll discuss the miscellaneous plastic and metal horse clock knock offs that are out there.<br />
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Also, if anyone has any textured tack horses, ponies, or clocks, or Kroll ponies for sale, especially a gold one, please email me at mumtazmahal (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks for reading!<br /><br />Part four of this series is <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/09/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-4.html">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>Sources:</u></b><br />
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1. Young, Nancy. <i>Breyer Molds and Models: Horses, Riders, and Animals</i>. (Schiffer Publishing Ltd: Atglen, PA), pg. 265.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"></span><br />Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-15470274802476123722020-05-08T13:54:00.001-07:002020-05-08T13:56:23.995-07:00BreyerFest, Boudicca, and Bizarre Uses of My EducationMy sister and I recently had the pleasure of being guests on Heather Malone and Jackie Arns-Rossi's <a href="https://www.maresinblack.com/listen">Mares in Black podcast</a> (episode #37). One of the things we talked about was what led us to becoming collectibility nerds, and for me, it was an inevitable progression of my love of history combined with my passion for model horses. What could be more natural?<br />
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I have been a history nerd as long as I can remember---I'm interested in everything from the Ancestral Puebloans of the American southwest to the history of the Thoroughbred breed to pre-historic Britain to the earliest people painting cave walls in France and Spain and so much more. (And let's not even get started on paleontology!) But my chief love is and always has been the Celts. What most people associate with the Celts or Celtic culture---all things Irish, men in kilts, and Celtic knotwork---is really more Celtic pop-culture, a narrow distillation of thousands of years of Celtic history and culture. And while the ideas of Celtic pop-culture are not wrong, they're only a tiny part of a broader and vastly richer picture.<br />
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What is considered Celtic culture by scholars and historians encompasses the related languages, material culture, art traditions, social structure, and religion of a tribal people who originated in the Halstatt region of Austria around 1200 BC. To make a long story extremely short, these tribes eventually spread across most of western Europe and into western Asia over the course of hundreds of years. The Gaels of Ireland, the Celtiberians of Spain, the Gauls of France, and the Galatians of Turkey were all part of the Celtic diaspora. They sacked Rome and Delphi, they drank their wine unwatered, they spiked their hair with lime, and they fought naked except for the torcs around their necks. They frightened their Greek and Roman contemporaries so badly that the Celts were regular "boogeymen" for many Classical writers.<br />
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My obsession with Celtic history and archaeology led me to a couple of (currently unused) degrees in the subject, and so the Celtic Fling theme for BreyerFest this year had me pretty excited. It's not often that my chosen field crosses paths with my hobby---I had such plans! Alas, as everyone knows by now, BreyerFest has been canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. I was pretty sure that would be the case even before it was announced, and Breyer absolutely made the right decision, but it's still sad. The event will at least continue in a virtual form, and I've been loving the <a href="https://www.breyerhorses.com/pages/exclusive-models-breyerfest-2020">special run models they've announced (and especially their names</a>). Epona is of course named for the Celts' patron goddess of horses; Lugh of the Long Arm was an Irish warrior-god of the Tuatha Dé Danann who was said to have invented horseracing; Brighid and Beltane refer to the most important of the Irish goddesses and the May 1st festival celebrating the beginning of summer and fertility for fields and livestock; and oak, ash, and thorn are some of the plants most sacred to the Celtic tribes and the druids.<br />
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But my favorite is Boudicca, named for the Celtic warrior-queen who led a rebellion against the Romans in Britain in the first century AD, nearly expelling them from the country for good. Boudicca's story factored heavily in my master's thesis, and so I felt compelled to write a post about her and this wonderful swirly blue horse that I must have.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VSJNXWEDV2M/Xqyg57U8VpI/AAAAAAAAMKU/0ri-bsAVD04dhTNkJHsS5RCiWZH4PVkqQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/breyer_boudica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="1200" height="158" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VSJNXWEDV2M/Xqyg57U8VpI/AAAAAAAAMKU/0ri-bsAVD04dhTNkJHsS5RCiWZH4PVkqQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/breyer_boudica.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To understand Boudicca, we first need a quick recap of the position of women in Celtic society and the basic history of Celtic and Roman Britain. The Celts did not have a written language, so we must rely on contemporary Classical sources for this information. Regarding the first subject, Celtic society was surprisingly and unusually egalitarian, especially when compared with the roles of women in Greek and Roman societies whose lives were largely dictated by their male guardians. Celtic women had far more freedom---they could own property, run businesses, be priestesses, judges, ambassadors, bards, healers, rulers, and warriors. This both horrified and fascinated the Greeks and Romans.<br />
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As for the second subject, by the time Julius Caesar and his troops first landed in Britain in 55 BC, the Celts had been established there for more than five centuries. That first Roman incursion was little more than a reconnaissance mission, and a real conquest of Britain was not made until almost a century later in 43 AD. The Celtic tribes, even though they shared a linguistic and cultural bond, were independent of one another, and their alliances changed periodically. Because of their general lack of unity, the Roman army was able to sweep across the island, establishing forts and formally subjugating many of the independent tribal leaders as client-kings under Roman rule. <br />
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Client-kings were loyal to Rome (primarily out of a sense of self-preservation), but the position did allow them to maintain some level of autonomy. That said, noted Celtic historian Miranda Aldhouse-Green wrote that client-kings became a means of easing conquered peoples into Roman dominion, though they "were [likely] treated with a fair degree of opprobrium by freedom-loving groups at home and with condescension by the Roman government."<sup>1</sup> The status of client-king was generally not hereditary, and upon the death of these rulers, the territory they held was often "absorbed into the [Roman] empire proper."<sup>2</sup> One of these client-kings was Prasutagus, husband to Boudicca and king or chieftain of the Iceni tribe who inhabited what is now Norfolk and parts of Suffolk on the eastern coast of England.<br />
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Boudicca in many ways has become a larger than life figure, but interestingly, most of what is known of her story can be attributed to just one source. The Roman historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a small child when the most important events of Boudicca's life played out, but he married the daughter of Gnaeus Julius Agricola, a Roman commander in Britain at the time of the rebellion, so it seems probable that his accounts were based on his father-in-law’s recollections. Tacitus described Prasutagus as "celebrated for his long prosperity,"<sup>3</sup> and coin hordes discovered in that region dating to the time of the Boudiccan rebellion suggest that the Iceni were indeed a wealthy tribe.<sup>4</sup> This affluence undoubtedly was at least partly to blame for the cascade of events that led to the rebellion.<br />
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According to Tacitus, Prasutagus, knowing the transitory nature of client-kingship, "had named the emperor [Nero] as his heir, together with his two daughters; an act of deference which he thought would place his kingdom and household beyond the risk of injury."<sup>5</sup> Boudicca assumed leadership of the tribe upon her husband's death because, according to Tacitus, the British Celts "[admitted] no distinction of sex in their royal successions."<sup>6</sup> The events that immediately followed Prasutagus' death are not entirely clear. Tacitus implied that Boudicca's assumptive claim of Iceni leadership was an affront to Nero. Dio Cassius, a Roman author who lived a century after the events and who perhaps had access to other sources now lost, added that Roman financiers, chiefly the philosopher and advisor to the emperor, Seneca, called in their loans at that time, which Boudicca presumably refused to pay.<sup>7</sup> Regardless of the accuracy of one or both accounts, the Romans' subsequent actions touched off a firestorm that they would long remember and fear to repeat.<br />
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Roman soldiers descended on the Iceni territory and pillaged it, treating the people as though they were enemies of Rome rather than still-loyal subjects. They removed tribal elders from their lands and enslaved them, and worst of all, they flogged Boudicca and raped her daughters. These acts of public humiliation and crimes against innocents served to send a message of Roman contempt for the Iceni and also for the impending absolute subjugation of their tribe and its territory.<br />
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Incandescent with rage, Boudicca and the Iceni rose up in rebellion and were quickly joined by their neighboring tribe, the Trinovantes, among others. The Trinovantes were restless and unhappy under Roman rule at that time, in large part because of the building of a Roman colonia (a garrison of Roman citizens) at Camulodunum (site of the modern city of Colchester), a settlement that had been the capital of the tribe. According to Dio Cassius, the deliberate selection of that site was in part a punishment for an earlier rebellion.<sup>8</sup> Tacitus wrote that the Roman veterans who forcibly settled there "[acted] as though they had received a free gift of the entire country, driving the natives from their homes, ejecting them from their lands, [and styling] them 'captives' and 'slaves.'"<sup>9</sup> Of further offense to the Trinovantes at Camulodunum were a temple built to the conquering emperor Claudius and a statue of Victory, symbols whose implications were undoubtedly not lost on the subjugated population. <br />
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As if the treatment of Boudicca's family and tribe was not enough to merit the backlash against Rome, the timing of these events coincided with the convenient absence of the Roman governor of Britain, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, who, thinking the southeast of Britain sufficiently cowed, had marched his troops to the island of Mona (now called Anglesey) in northwestern Wales to subdue the druids whom he considered the greatest threat to peace in Britain. Camulodunum, which had no fortifications, was left essentially undefended, and Boudicca's army swept over it, destroying it as well as the hated temple to Claudius in two days time. The statue of Victory reportedly fell of its own accord in the days before Boudicca's attack, a terrible portent of things to come.<sup>10</sup> Her army then met the Ninth Legion Hispania, sent too late to aid Camulodunum, and routed it. Destroying a Roman legion, especially one as experienced as the Ninth which had campaigned in Spain and pacified the Balkans, was a feat of exceptional military strategy and cunning. Tacitus wrote that Boudicca’s army slaughtered the 6,000 strong infantry to a man and that only some of the cavalry managed to escape.<sup>11</sup><br />
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Upon hearing of the rebellion, Suetonius began a forced march southeast, arriving in Londinium with his light troops ahead of the warring Britons led by Boudicca. Londinium at that time was a commercial settlement less than 20 years old (in terms of Roman occupation), and like Camulodunum, it had no fortifications. Suetonius, who was still waiting for the bulk of the legions at his command to arrive, chose "to save the country as a whole at the cost of one town."<sup>12</sup> He retreated to await his troops, and Boudicca’s army poured into Londinium, slaughtering and burning as they went.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vzzGZhn6yBY/XrTkK63X34I/AAAAAAAAMLs/QcuYzwGaDLUCwnfpGpatq2PVgjXwZaTdgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/boudica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vzzGZhn6yBY/XrTkK63X34I/AAAAAAAAMLs/QcuYzwGaDLUCwnfpGpatq2PVgjXwZaTdgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/boudica.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo from Wikipedia)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Turning north and following Suetonius' retreat, her army sacked the colonia of Verulamium (now St. Albans) as well. Somewhere in the Midlands, probably near Mancetter, Boudicca's army engaged that of Suetonius and was ultimately destroyed. Dio Cassius wrote that the battle lasted most of a day, and that late in the day, the Britons broke and ran.<sup>13</sup> Tacitus, who mentioned that a great number of women fought along side the men, wrote that as the Britons retreated, no quarter was given, even to the women.<sup>14</sup> He also stated that "Boudicca ended her days by poison,"<sup>15</sup> whereas Dio Cassius wrote that she fell ill and died after the battle.<sup>16</sup> Whatever the case, both writers agree that without Boudicca's leadership, the cohesion of the British rebellion was lost, and the tribes splintered.<br />
<br />
Neither Tacitus nor Dio Cassius gave a clear physical description of Boudicca, and of course, neither of them ever saw her. Nonetheless, she is frequently envisioned by modern writers and artists as a tall, pale woman with flaming red hair. (This very likely has something to do with the rediscovery of Tacitus' works during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.) So Breyer's color choice on this model, a mulberry grey, is quite apt. I gather there was some angst from collectors that the blue woad patterns on the model are not Celtic knotwork, but that too was an appropriate choice. Knotwork did not become prevalent until several centuries after Boudicca's rebellion, so Breyer's nod to the curvilinear Celtic Hallstatt and La Tène art styles is more accurate.<br />
<br />
Boudicca's rebellion shook Rome badly, and she remained a reviled character in Roman histories for centuries. But she is now of course considered one of the great early heroes of Britain. Her famous rebellion of AD 60-61 is still so well remembered that numerous books and film productions, both fiction and non-fiction, tell her story, and a large statue of Boudicca and her daughters in their war chariot prominently decorates the bank of the Thames in London near the Houses of Parliament. Aldhouse-Green perhaps sums it up best by stating that "by any standards, Boudicca was a woman 'writ large.'"<sup>18</sup><br />
<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Works Cited:<br />
<br />
1. Aldhouse-Green, Miranda. <i>Boudica: Britannia Rebel, War-Leader, and Queen</i>. (Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Limited, 2006), 68.<br />
2. Aldhouse-Green, 26.<br />
3. Tacitus. <i>The Annals</i>. (Trans. John Jackson. Vol. 3. London: William Heinemann Limited,<br />
1943) 14.21.<br />
4. Aldhouse-Green, 26.<br />
5. Tacitus, <i>The Annals</i>, 14.31.<br />
6. Tacitus. <i>Agricola, Germania, Dialogus</i>. (Trans. William Peterson. London: William<br />
Heinemann Limited, 1943), 197.<br />
7. Dio Cassius. <i>Historia Romana</i>. (Trans. Herbert Baldwin Foster. New York: Pafraets Book<br />
Company, 1906), 62.2.<br />
8. Ibid.<br />
9. Tacitus, <i>The Annals</i>, 14.21.<br />
10. Ibid, 14.32.<br />
11. Ibid.<br />
12. Ibid, 14.33.<br />
13. Dio Cassius, 62.12.<br />
14. Tacitus, <i>The Annals</i>, 14.37.<br />
15. Ibid.<br />
16. Dio Cassius, 62.12.<br />
17. Aldhouse-Green, 93.<br />
18. Aldhouse-Green, 93.<br />
<br />Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8958359231122596622.post-28476427183343411472020-03-26T09:19:00.003-07:002021-03-28T15:23:23.456-07:00Western Horse Shaped Objects, Part 2: Superior Plastics, Ohio Plastics, and the Wells Lamont Connection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>(Part one of this series can be found <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">here</a>.)<br /><br /> Because the <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/02/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-1.html">Hartland Victor model came first</a> in terms of Western Horse shaped models, I thought it would make the most sense to tackle the subject of Victor copies first, too. And while there aren't nearly as many of them as there are copies of the Breyer Western Horse, they do present a rather interesting story. To wit, I'm pretty sure I have uncovered a previously unknown manufacturer of model horses!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CDowkCB2HtM/XnfmUYUjnxI/AAAAAAAAMFc/kYJfAb2HSGsHDsLHLJGz_EEKj5OMb8nIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hartland_copies1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1386" height="115" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CDowkCB2HtM/XnfmUYUjnxI/AAAAAAAAMFc/kYJfAb2HSGsHDsLHLJGz_EEKj5OMb8nIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/hartland_copies1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hartland Victor on the left <i>(courtesy of Barrie Getz)</i>; <br />
copies in the center and on the right</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />I confess I never paid a great deal of attention to Hartland or Breyer copies until I started thinking seriously about this series of posts. I saw copies regularly in flea-markets and antique malls over the years, so I learned to recognize a lot of them on sight, but I never bothered to buy any or look particularly closely at them. If it wasn't a Breyer, I dismissed it. How I wish I had a time machine to go back and pick up some of these copies now! I couldn't have predicted how interesting I'd find them 25 years on. Since I was long overdue for more posts relating to the <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2015/08/judging-breyer-collectibility-basic.html">collectibility judging test</a> I put together a couple of years ago, I recently resolved to acquire a few of the most common Western Horse copies to compare, photograph, and discuss.<br />
<br />
The first one I came across was not exactly what I expected, and it proved to be quite an intriguing mystery. While driving up to the Hagen-Renaker Fellowship event before BreyerFest last summer, my sister and I stopped to do some antiquing along the way, and just after I mentioned to her that I was looking for Western Horse copies, we turned a corner and found one waiting for us in the next booth. The horse was a dark brown shade with bronze-gold highlights, and it had a nice Breyer-like heft to it. It was clearly a well-made piece even if it wasn't a Breyer. Later that evening when I examined the model more closely, I realized that it had pointed conchos on the bridle and was therefore a copy of the Hartland Victor rather than the Breyer Western Horse. I knew it wasn't a Hartland either though because it lacked facial veins, the forelock and tail shape and contours were a bit different, and the ears and coronet band were less carefully sculpted. The horse was completely unmarked though, so I had no way to know who might have made it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r9fUbA1f8m4/XnETOBx0r-I/AAAAAAAAMAs/sa_PwHHwENsexNYZmgWoWE6fbm4ej7qTQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_plastics_horse_brown_first1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1500" height="355" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r9fUbA1f8m4/XnETOBx0r-I/AAAAAAAAMAs/sa_PwHHwENsexNYZmgWoWE6fbm4ej7qTQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_plastics_horse_brown_first1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark brown mystery horse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Shortly thereafter, my parents picked up another Hartland Victor copy for me at an antique mall. This model was black with gold hooves and was made of cheap-feeling, light-weight plastic. The bridle, breast collar, and saddle on the model featured raised, embossed stars, something I knew that was indicative of a piece made by the Ohio Plastic Company.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcSWAiOCeXg/XmlVHYMrwTI/AAAAAAAAL-w/dG9xA7DQk0k7-lyTJA82-43ZHqo-b3LIgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ohio_plastics_black1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="1500" height="375" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcSWAiOCeXg/XmlVHYMrwTI/AAAAAAAAL-w/dG9xA7DQk0k7-lyTJA82-43ZHqo-b3LIgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/ohio_plastics_black1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
When I compared both horses in hand, I realized that while they are generally lumped together by collectors as Ohio Plastic creations, they had some interesting differences that made me skeptical of that assumption. Just as with the Hartland Victor and Breyer Western Horse, the differences are subtle, but they were enough to convince me that not only were the horses produced from two different molds, but that the black horse appeared to be a copy of the brown horse, making it a second generation copy of the original Hartland Victor. (The brown horse is on the left in all pictures below and the black horse is on the right.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9l4jf0gSLw/Xmp8uM2GrvI/AAAAAAAAL_M/HKMmjmP0G8k40Mz85ECVgk1-Kq46ELAxACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_chests1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9l4jf0gSLw/Xmp8uM2GrvI/AAAAAAAAL_M/HKMmjmP0G8k40Mz85ECVgk1-Kq46ELAxACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_chests1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brown horse has a distinctly sculpted breast collar. The black horse's <br />
breast collar is barely there and also has the characteristic embossed stars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T22oodFwZJM/Xmp8uPF9KjI/AAAAAAAAL_I/bVQjNw7oIvMbxf3rLpRko4FyNaEXuZMRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_ears1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T22oodFwZJM/Xmp8uPF9KjI/AAAAAAAAL_I/bVQjNw7oIvMbxf3rLpRko4FyNaEXuZMRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_ears1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strange pyramid shaped lump behind the ears on the black horse. The ears on<br />
the brown horse are also more finely sculpted.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZSX9a3R8Ew/Xmp8uHeMt3I/AAAAAAAAL_E/P1489VMEL-csUXoUhd_iWzf5DPsRZKczACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_feet1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="1600" height="118" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZSX9a3R8Ew/Xmp8uHeMt3I/AAAAAAAAL_E/P1489VMEL-csUXoUhd_iWzf5DPsRZKczACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_feet1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brown horse has nice round hooves and stands square while the black <br />
horse has misshapen hooves and stands with his legs akimbo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e6q87DlHDpA/Xmp824aKJtI/AAAAAAAAL_Q/fex5PEFGCFo0CepCIZ_R3Ibmx_nfqx0cACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_heads1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1600" height="190" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e6q87DlHDpA/Xmp824aKJtI/AAAAAAAAL_Q/fex5PEFGCFo0CepCIZ_R3Ibmx_nfqx0cACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_heads1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the crisper detail on the brown horse and the stars on the bridle of<br />
the black horse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dhfz07MhVyg/Xmp82-zCaKI/AAAAAAAAL_Y/wfpYESBks3AgXSe3f6XoicBoB0IzoIRRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_legs1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1328" height="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dhfz07MhVyg/Xmp82-zCaKI/AAAAAAAAL_Y/wfpYESBks3AgXSe3f6XoicBoB0IzoIRRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_legs1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brown horse has a tendon groove on his legs and a hint of the<br />
coronet band while the black horse has neither.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />In hopes of learning more, I turned to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Breyer-Molds-Models-Animals-1950-1997/dp/0764306596/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/145-6619920-1799029?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0764306596&pd_rd_r=97478dad-d863-4625-9e9b-c84f69b41dcf&pd_rd_w=hwHzz&pd_rd_wg=TyIW7&pf_rd_p=7cd8f929-4345-4bf2-a554-7d7588b3dd5f&pf_rd_r=7TFCXW39G3W1X9HNHKT8&psc=1&refRID=7TFCXW39G3W1X9HNHKT8">Nancy Young's 5th edition of <i>Breyer Molds and Models</i></a> to see if she could shed a little light on the subject. At the time her book was published in 1999, collectors still believed that the diamond concho horses were Breyers. Sure enough, Nancy did discuss the copies of the diamond concho horses, dubbing them "scooper-eared" models. Like me, she had concluded that the two knock-off versions were different, and that the light-weight horse was a direct copy of the nicer, heavier brown horse. Furthermore, she noted that she had observed brown and black examples of the nicer horse, including some beside Mastercrafters clocks. She did not however know the maker. Nancy also mentioned that the cheaper starred horses were probably made by Ohio Plastics, and as a number of these models have since been found in original Ohio Plastics packaging, their origin is confirmed.<sup>1</sup><br />
<br />
But this still left me with a mystery as to the origin of the brown horse. I embarked on a serious crawl of Google, eBay, and
other sites in hopes of finding out more about it. In September 2019, I caught a break when I came across an example of the brown horse on eBay mounted
on a brown base. I took a chance on it, hoping that there might be some
sort of identification marks on the horse or the base. When it arrived,
I immediately turned it over, assuming that any maker's mark or copyright information would be on the underside of the base. No such luck. Disappointed, I flipped
the piece back upright and I realized there was a great big block of text
on the top of the base right under the horse's tail. Eureka!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-It5VMskTOyI/XnbXzdzuP1I/AAAAAAAAMEc/b1nv3DLHsC8b0G4rBPtOQS0aE7Ld6enlwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_base_partial1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="1500" height="372" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-It5VMskTOyI/XnbXzdzuP1I/AAAAAAAAMEc/b1nv3DLHsC8b0G4rBPtOQS0aE7Ld6enlwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_base_partial1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base is somewhat warped</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j1O4xJsfa2s/XnbX8aMAlHI/AAAAAAAAMEg/GHcWNr5hVZoSJu4VqvqflO_Jg9eWj46LQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_base_superlon_text1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j1O4xJsfa2s/XnbX8aMAlHI/AAAAAAAAMEg/GHcWNr5hVZoSJu4VqvqflO_Jg9eWj46LQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_base_superlon_text1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Superlon Product CHGO."</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />Given the Chicago-based history of Mastercrafters and Breyer, I was fascinated to see that this, too, was a Chicago-made product. I immediately began researching Superlon and quickly found out that it was not a company name but rather the trademarked name of a kind of plastic, much like Tenite and Bakelite are. Furthermore, Superlon appeared to have been the proprietary product of a Chicago plastic injection molding company called Superior Plastics.<br />
<br />
Further searching turned up a variety of Superlon items made by Superior Plastics. In the 1950s, their product line seemed to consist of primarily kitchen and home goods such as lazy susans, kitschy salt and pepper shakers, dishes, utensils, coat hangers, and bathroom items.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mASMNVMY2XI/XnEY0XXSACI/AAAAAAAAMA4/HDCu1UmenhM8OOhrg-dzOwgTtFXIohXHACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics_red2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1200" height="363" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mASMNVMY2XI/XnEY0XXSACI/AAAAAAAAMA4/HDCu1UmenhM8OOhrg-dzOwgTtFXIohXHACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics_red2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Superior Plastics salt and pepper shakers <i>(photo from eBay)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-94fE6r-cgyI/XnEZSrEbmQI/AAAAAAAAMBA/pTxaCMiO3qocZMq8dWdGSc9S69n3qK5wACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics_red1a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="684" height="245" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-94fE6r-cgyI/XnEZSrEbmQI/AAAAAAAAMBA/pTxaCMiO3qocZMq8dWdGSc9S69n3qK5wACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics_red1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manufacturer info on the bottom of the above salt and pepper set <br />
<i>(photo from eBay)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gbO7F38VhGU/XnEZmtv5yKI/AAAAAAAAMBI/e1DA1193n_cCIQ4ep9rlUKL6X7YPFP04QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superlon_lazy_susan1947.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="980" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gbO7F38VhGU/XnEZmtv5yKI/AAAAAAAAMBI/e1DA1193n_cCIQ4ep9rlUKL6X7YPFP04QCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superlon_lazy_susan1947.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 1951 advertisement for a lazy susan made of<br />
"shatterproof Superon" <i>(from the Montgomery Sun<br />courtesy of newspapers.com)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mM7riykZ4w0/XnEbd3f0x1I/AAAAAAAAMBY/oz_IOZ4juiM4HUTsQleNto0PmpsSAutbwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics1a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1167" height="336" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mM7riykZ4w0/XnEbd3f0x1I/AAAAAAAAMBY/oz_IOZ4juiM4HUTsQleNto0PmpsSAutbwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Another cute S&P set with the original box </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photos from eBay)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDelSW3i2fo/XnEbd0TStYI/AAAAAAAAMBU/Anwf0NPnd1kd0aBx1lcJsFsEiljg-qWXwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics2.jpg"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="1200" height="157" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDelSW3i2fo/XnEbd0TStYI/AAAAAAAAMBU/Anwf0NPnd1kd0aBx1lcJsFsEiljg-qWXwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superlon_sandp_superior_plastics2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
By the 1960s, Superior Plastics had moved on to making educational models like a small articulated skeleton, a human skull, a lobster, a build-your-own Lincoln Memorial, and more.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-khxiXFETBp4/XnEegJQINKI/AAAAAAAAMBo/3uE6_gs91kYp1kqauRdwHnDraEOmWx46QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/skeleton_kit1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-khxiXFETBp4/XnEegJQINKI/AAAAAAAAMBo/3uE6_gs91kYp1kqauRdwHnDraEOmWx46QCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/skeleton_kit1.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(photo from eBay)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xI5GhUfpzJU/XnEeiA6tzPI/AAAAAAAAMBs/yIGzGdizxT4pWndTjTLIhhI49_Tiw7m4ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_lincoln_memorial1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1200" height="342" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xI5GhUfpzJU/XnEeiA6tzPI/AAAAAAAAMBs/yIGzGdizxT4pWndTjTLIhhI49_Tiw7m4ACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_lincoln_memorial1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(photo from eBay)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I also found a pink glove box on eBay, the bottom part of which was marked identically to the base on my new brown horse. And in fact, the horse's base turned out to be completely identical to the bottom half of the glove box---sans lid and flipped upside down. On a whim, I decided to look through old holiday catalogs and found examples of the same glove box offered in several colors from about 1947 to 1952.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2nq6nJbn2Js/XnbawZg8v6I/AAAAAAAAME0/QFk8rP_k6u8MCFbvzlMOGsQJFDgVHcUugCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_glove_box_pink1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="1200" height="156" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2nq6nJbn2Js/XnbawZg8v6I/AAAAAAAAME0/QFk8rP_k6u8MCFbvzlMOGsQJFDgVHcUugCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_glove_box_pink1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t6xASQ1FrCE/XnbawJtHCqI/AAAAAAAAMEw/hj6ykjLIw60E-E768JfIdQjCLvONNXZqwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_glove_box_pink2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="1200" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t6xASQ1FrCE/XnbawJtHCqI/AAAAAAAAMEw/hj6ykjLIw60E-E768JfIdQjCLvONNXZqwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_glove_box_pink2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ejgd7aGpSsQ/Xnbawf54_qI/AAAAAAAAME4/AjeFJN1viOUSBgSYdUNgnTp03GmDIaROgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_glove_box_pink3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="1184" height="167" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ejgd7aGpSsQ/Xnbawf54_qI/AAAAAAAAME4/AjeFJN1viOUSBgSYdUNgnTp03GmDIaROgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_glove_box_pink3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8WtGqUS0qI/Xnbb1G6LTuI/AAAAAAAAMFM/VSQEv2N6pp4GWyG8L5byFdieE0OxTu0jwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superlon_sears_ad1c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="410" height="342" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8WtGqUS0qI/Xnbb1G6LTuI/AAAAAAAAMFM/VSQEv2N6pp4GWyG8L5byFdieE0OxTu0jwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superlon_sears_ad1c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1947 Sears holiday catalog listing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div><br />I have since acquired
two more examples of the brown horse, one free-standing and another on a
base. Interestingly, the second horse on the base is mounted on a brown version of the glove box, too, but this one includes the lid of the box. And the horse is actually attached to the lid rather than the underside of the base.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ0DlYdoCuk/XnEhx4K4s0I/AAAAAAAAMCU/RLK96Qlph5UjbvA4N_FONUMNaseGR-kUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/new.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="960" height="390" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ0DlYdoCuk/XnEhx4K4s0I/AAAAAAAAMCU/RLK96Qlph5UjbvA4N_FONUMNaseGR-kUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/new.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Happily, both of these horses also came with their original slip-on saddles and one of them also had what are presumably the original reins. The reins are a thin, flat cord of stiff plastic. One saddle is brown while the other is black with gold trim.<br />
<br />
Having two saddles and a set of reins in hand allowed me to compare them to the Ohio Plastics versions, and there were again some notable differences between them. The reins on the brown horse are made of a thin, flat strip of plastic that has become brittle-feeling over the years. The Ohio Plastics horses have a wide, flat strip of flexible plastic for reins. The Ohio Plastics saddles have shorter seats and skirts than those on the brown horses, and they have different molding artifacts (from sprues) on the undersides as well. Most importantly, the saddles that came with the brown horses are marked "SP" on the undersides. Other collectors who have owned these models with the original saddles have reported the SP makings as well. Presumably, it's short for either Superlon Product or Superior Plastics.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-43EUkadzdnM/XnEiv4XeD1I/AAAAAAAAMCg/Q8ubY9SPw3IoiJIAIuP5bpTyvw8WqTGewCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_full1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="1600" height="177" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-43EUkadzdnM/XnEiv4XeD1I/AAAAAAAAMCg/Q8ubY9SPw3IoiJIAIuP5bpTyvw8WqTGewCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_full1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the differences in stance and general quality</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9spVGnRJg2g/XnEiyYg9A_I/AAAAAAAAMCk/TWg_rb7_pToh8ptuEbfh_ny4KqMwuRpjACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_saddles1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="1500" height="146" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9spVGnRJg2g/XnEiyYg9A_I/AAAAAAAAMCk/TWg_rb7_pToh8ptuEbfh_ny4KqMwuRpjACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_saddles1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Differences in shape, seat and skirt length, and sculpting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--aAFBESAE1o/XnEiyjwnuSI/AAAAAAAAMCo/NSRqL_36w2wNsnUv8HS3iv2v0A5-L16twCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/comparison_saddles2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1390" height="287" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--aAFBESAE1o/XnEiyjwnuSI/AAAAAAAAMCo/NSRqL_36w2wNsnUv8HS3iv2v0A5-L16twCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/comparison_saddles2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different placement of molding artifacts (from sprues)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wHTg7Jf6mb4/XnEjOurMGzI/AAAAAAAAMC4/fJM-mqZ2T8IFNaNYjKvk7XS5zATyh9ZwwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_saddle2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wHTg7Jf6mb4/XnEjOurMGzI/AAAAAAAAMC4/fJM-mqZ2T8IFNaNYjKvk7XS5zATyh9ZwwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_saddle2.jpg" width="381" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tiny circled "SP" is hard to photograph, but it's there. Also note the <br />
way the stirrup is attached versus on the Ohio Plastics saddle on the right<br />
in the above photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />With all of this in mind, I have concluded that Superior Plastics is probably the manufacturer of these brown horses. I can't prove it conclusively, but it certainly would be odd in my opinion that Superior made the bases and saddles but not the horses. Furthermore, both Nancy Young and I concluded independently that the Ohio Plastics horses were derivative copies of the Superior Plastics horses. Copying was of course rampant at this time, and Ohio Plastics did in fact copy another Hartland horse as well as a Marx horse. But more on that in the section about Wells Lamont below.<br /><br /><b>Exciting Addendum! </b>Four months after I posted this blog, another collector shared a snippet about Western Horse copies from Nancy Young's unpublished sixth edition of her book <i>Breyer Molds and Models</i>. I reached out to Nancy, and she graciously allowed me to reference her findings here. She too had observed a brown horse on a base like mine, and her research also led her to Superior Plastics. It's gratifying to know we both came to the same conclusion independently.<div><br />
<h2>
<b>Superior Plastic Horses </b></h2>
Now that I've made what I think is a pretty compelling case for Superior Plastics, let's talk about the company itself. Superior Plastics was located just a few blocks southwest of Breyer on the industrial west side of Chicago. The company was founded in 1943, and it survived as a family owned business until about 2015. It produced a variety of items as described above at its downtown Chicago location into the early 1970s before moving out into the suburbs by the end of that decade. Like so many plastic molding companies, Superior survived by adapting to the market. They switched from toys and household goods to siding for houses, tiles, and eventually floormats.<br />
<br />I believe these horses date to the early to mid-1950s based on several pieces of evidence. Because they are copied from the Hartland Victor horse, we know they can't be any earlier than 1949, and given the approximate dates of the glove box bases as predicated by their entry in the holiday catalogs, the horses were likely available by 1952 or 1953. A second piece of evidence dating the models to no later than about 1955 is discussed in the Wells Lamont section below.<br />
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To the best of my knowledge, they were issued in two colors, a dark brown shade with bronze-gold highlights and black with gold hooves, bridle, and breast collar. I have four examples of the former and three of the latter. Both of my free-standing brown horses are molded in a swirly dark blue-grey plastic. The horse mounted on the partial base (bottom of the glove box) is molded from red plastic, and the horse mounted on the full base (top and bottom of the glove box) is molded in the identical medium brown plastic as the base, further evidence in my mind that Superior Plastics made the horses. My three black horses are molded in pink, swirly reddish-brown, and black plastic.<br />
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The odd thing about these models is that they don't appear to have been painted dark brown or black; rather, they appear to be coated in a very thin veneer of dark brown or black plastic. They can get rubs through this finish, but at least one of my horses has a spot on the leg where the dark brown surface is curling back. Perhaps it's some kind of plasticized paint that bonds with the models? I'm not sure. The bronze-gold highlights are airbrushed on however, and the gold detailing on the tack was airbrushed utilizing a mask just like Hartland and Breyer painted their models.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chzYBprXw6w/XnEmTpwpnYI/AAAAAAAAMDE/GUMmEUOHGFMJroJVq6S_T5wOrAdyat3HQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_ears_red_plastic1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chzYBprXw6w/XnEmTpwpnYI/AAAAAAAAMDE/GUMmEUOHGFMJroJVq6S_T5wOrAdyat3HQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_ears_red_plastic1.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red plastic showing through ear rub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Three of my four brown horses are consistently shaded with bronze-gold paint, but this one has much more exuberant highlights.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjYHPYy3vV8/XnEmeCj28nI/AAAAAAAAMDI/d4Ac5puMDwQKfftjQN-oVdgZDYxSiwdqQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/superior_high_gold1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1500" height="348" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjYHPYy3vV8/XnEmeCj28nI/AAAAAAAAMDI/d4Ac5puMDwQKfftjQN-oVdgZDYxSiwdqQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/superior_high_gold1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Here's an example of the black Superior Plastics horse. Nancy Young mentioned owning two in her book, one molded in green plastic and the other apparently molded in black plastic.<sup>2</sup> They have gold hooves and tack detailing. Another longtime collector shared a photo with me of one of these black horses beside a clock that has also been found with Breyer Western Horses on it. The clocks are cordless and are marked "Chicago" and "USA." They appear to be Mastercrafters products, but I'll cover those in the fourth installment of this blog series.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yz_NYCSwGe4/YF61F9UmGwI/AAAAAAAAMzI/esNE5GMZRpICCepeqdyXjyT33nfU_941QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/superior_plastics_black1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="1500" height="345" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yz_NYCSwGe4/YF61F9UmGwI/AAAAAAAAMzI/esNE5GMZRpICCepeqdyXjyT33nfU_941QCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h345/superior_plastics_black1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Nancy Young also described two copies of the black horse bearing a sticker that read "Red Ryder Gloves, Wells Lamont Corp, Chicago." I'll address this fascinating tidbit in the Wells Lamont section below as well.<br /><br /><b>Addendum #2:</b> In October 2020, a collector sent me pictures of a white Superior Plastics horse, the only example in this color I know of. It's molded in white plastic and painted white like a chalky with a little grey shading around the eyes and nostrils. The bridle and breast collar are both painted gold, and the hooves are painted bluish-grey (I'm not sure the hoof paint is OF). The horse no longer has its original reins or saddle. I would guess the saddle was brown as the Hartland model from which it was copied had a brown saddle. <br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Ohio Plastics Horses</b></h2>
To reiterate, the horses made by the Ohio Plastic Company appear to be copies of the Superior Plastics horses, so they are second generation copies of the original Hartland Victor model. All of the examples I've seen are on the crude side and are made of cheap, light-weight plastic. They are not marked, but they can be easily recognized by the stars embossed on the bridle, breast collar, and saddle.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i30L-mQ2vNo/XnEqvTo04FI/AAAAAAAAMDY/3f79VEGFxXoZN8WrZfpwfaLI_agiq13oQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ohio_plastics_black_head1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1200" height="331" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i30L-mQ2vNo/XnEqvTo04FI/AAAAAAAAMDY/3f79VEGFxXoZN8WrZfpwfaLI_agiq13oQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/ohio_plastics_black_head1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The company was located in Frazeysburg, OH, and began business in July 1938 although actual production seems to have begun the following year.<sup>3</sup> Like most other early plastic manufacturing companies, Ohio Plastics began with industrial items, especially things needed for the war effort in the 1940s. By 1946, they had reportedly branched out to "plumbing fixtures, sporting goods, office supplies, and toys."<sup>4</sup> A 1962 news item about the company indicates that plastic horses were one of their primary products at that time.<sup>5</sup><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k7cV_Ru7Ybo/XnEsyfKfhhI/AAAAAAAAMDk/YPwG5XgKU40PV2gTIgVbEZ431_Q0Z3YnACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1962_article_snippet1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="927" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k7cV_Ru7Ybo/XnEsyfKfhhI/AAAAAAAAMDk/YPwG5XgKU40PV2gTIgVbEZ431_Q0Z3YnACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/1962_article_snippet1.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from 1962 Times Recorder article<br />
(<i>downloaded via newspaper.com</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some Ohio Plastic horses were molded in black plastic like mine and have simple painted on details. I believe these may be the earliest version of the "Western Horse" models Ohio Plastics made. Other models, which I believe are a bit later, are molded in various colors and were airbrushed with a white basecoat before being painted in a couple of semi-realistic colors like alabaster, palomino, and sorrel. The finish on these models is very fragile.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Zs9LZWayJE/XnE1V0y2ocI/AAAAAAAAMDw/Rhxc6dzhXM0_Zi3bDl3c6NPbCPpuFiJbwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/palomino_weird_box1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="828" height="327" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Zs9LZWayJE/XnE1V0y2ocI/AAAAAAAAMDw/Rhxc6dzhXM0_Zi3bDl3c6NPbCPpuFiJbwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/palomino_weird_box1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ball chain reins on this model may not be original</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uZ7zrk7Yws/XnE14CsqbDI/AAAAAAAAMD4/Z2w5MVjyGqwTuNRm7RIiHK1jto5rtRpTQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/palomino_weird_box3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="868" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uZ7zrk7Yws/XnE14CsqbDI/AAAAAAAAMD4/Z2w5MVjyGqwTuNRm7RIiHK1jto5rtRpTQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/palomino_weird_box3.jpg" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the uniquely shaped box some of these horses came in</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some Ohio Plastic models were shipped in cardboard mailers as seen above while later models were shrink-wrapped.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dzhe9YLxo8g/Xnps7Jv4GYI/AAAAAAAAMGM/UwULgvBmuzkDNDovEbbk8I2nGQMY6NmgACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ohio_plastic_chestnut_kristin_chernoff1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="750" height="373" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dzhe9YLxo8g/Xnps7Jv4GYI/AAAAAAAAMGM/UwULgvBmuzkDNDovEbbk8I2nGQMY6NmgACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/ohio_plastic_chestnut_kristin_chernoff1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrink-wrapped Ohio Plastic model owned and photographed by Kristin Chernoff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VyhJCN4sqPg/Xnps_e0FG_I/AAAAAAAAMGQ/zbh5Km8PrPEtzgSCojG2dXM1huSBrrETQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ohio_plastic_white_kristin_chernoff2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="750" height="370" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VyhJCN4sqPg/Xnps_e0FG_I/AAAAAAAAMGQ/zbh5Km8PrPEtzgSCojG2dXM1huSBrrETQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/ohio_plastic_white_kristin_chernoff2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Shrink-wrapped Ohio Plastic model owned and photographed by Kristin Chernoff</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-56cwWxzevzg/XnptBbeNnQI/AAAAAAAAMGU/q6DEPutDI8E4yKd_OGJN6j98DOS7WzTtACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ohio_plastic_box_kristin_chernoff1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-56cwWxzevzg/XnptBbeNnQI/AAAAAAAAMGU/q6DEPutDI8E4yKd_OGJN6j98DOS7WzTtACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/ohio_plastic_box_kristin_chernoff1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Original shipping box owned and photographed by Kristin Chernoff</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Based on advertisements found by various hobbyists and the newspaper image above, we know that Ohio Plastic horses were in production by the early 1960s, and they may have been made as early as the mid-to-late 1950s and as late as the 1970s. In terms of how they look and feel though, I would guess most of them were primarily 1960s products.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<h2>
<b>Wells Lamont and Red Ryder</b></h2>
I've known about a cheap knock off of the Hartland Chubby model for some time that is marked "Red Ryder" on the saddle blanket and "Wells Lamont" on the inside of one hind leg. It was sold with a copy of the Hartland Chief Thunderbird molded in light-weight plastic. Not being a collector of Hartland horse and rider sets, I assumed the models were made by Wells Lamont and never gave much thought to them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(Photo from eBay)</i></td></tr>
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But when I became aware of the black Superior Plastics horse with a Wells Lamont/Red Ryder sticker in the course of research for this blog, I began to look into Wells Lamont more closely. The Superior Plastics models are a much nicer quality than the ones marked Wells Lamont, and I couldn't believe they had been made by the same company.<br />
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A brief bit of Googling and a few emails later, I had the answer. Wells Lamont is a Chicago-based glove making company that began in 1907. They have never been in the plastic injection molding business, and they never made model horses. They did however create some promotional gloves in the 1950s as a merchandising tie-in with the popular comic-strip-cowboy-turned-movie-hero Red Ryder.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Ryder promotional gloves made by Wells Lamont <i>(photo from eBay)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />The Red Ryder comic strip began in 1938 and was one of the longest running Western-themed comics. The titular character was a cowboy living in southwestern Colorado in the 1890s, and he of course had a faithful equine companion, a big black stallion named Thunder. The strip also featured Red Ryder's stereotypical Native American sidekick Little Beaver who rode a pinto pony named Papoose. The comic spawned a number of radio plays and movies and all sorts of merchandising, most famously the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun immortalized in the movie <i>A Christmas Story</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allan Lane as Red Ryder</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />I sent an email to Wells Lamont knowing it was a long shot that they'd have any records from the 1950s that might shed some light on the models bearing their name. They responded promptly, and while they did not have records stretching back that far, they could confirm that they had never done any plastic molding. Furthermore, a longtime employee did remember the glove and toy horse promotion, and he said that the company bid out the job of creating the toy horses. Given that Superior Plastics was also a local Chicago business, it makes sense that the company would have won the contract and produced the black horses. Presumably, they were meant to represent Thunder.</div>
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And sure enough, eBay came through for me with the confirmation I needed. I recently acquired this set of Red Ryder gloves made by Wells Lamont, one still sealed in the original packaging with the most fascinating promotional offer card tucked inside.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">I suppose it might be sacrilege, but I opened the gloves carefully to extract the little card. The packaging is in pretty rough shape, but I was interested to note that this particular design was copyrighted 1953. And the card itself not only confirmed that the horse was made by Superior Plastics as can be seen from the photo (positioning of the legs, presence of a forelock bump, etc), but also that the horse was indeed a model of Thunder, and that offers were only good through May 1, 1955, meaning production probably ceased not long after that date.</span></div>
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<br /><b>Addendum #3:</b> In March 2021, almost exactly a year after I first published this blog, I was the lucky winning bidder for this fantastic black Superior Plastics horse with the original Red Ryder sticker. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4byp1mTWpOg/YF64AHrEJCI/AAAAAAAAMzQ/DIfBgjEkc_cEzqwQc0OiSTgNUmH2jZ_8QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1500/DSC_0134.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1500" height="253" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4byp1mTWpOg/YF64AHrEJCI/AAAAAAAAMzQ/DIfBgjEkc_cEzqwQc0OiSTgNUmH2jZ_8QCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h253/DSC_0134.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eqgdhQK4ej4/YF64CsgyCkI/AAAAAAAAMzU/-mHGSb-mWTYgoBys-r83nXtvHYYySWnpwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1000/DSC_0156.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1000" height="390" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eqgdhQK4ej4/YF64CsgyCkI/AAAAAAAAMzU/-mHGSb-mWTYgoBys-r83nXtvHYYySWnpwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h390/DSC_0156.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
This information begs several questions. We know the Ohio Plastics horses were copied from Superior Plastics horses. Did Ohio Plastics simply copy the black and gold paint scheme, too, or did they perhaps make horses for the Wells Lamont promotion, too? Several collectors with black Ohio Plastics horses have related stories to me about relatives having collected coupons or tokens of some variety until they had enough to send in for Red Ryder's horse. It seems likely to me that both companies worked with Wells Lamont on a Red Ryder promotion, Superior Plastics first and then Ohio Plastic. Perhaps Wells Lamont and Superior Plastics parted ways just like Mastercrafters and Hartland did, and Ohio Plastics stepped into the void? And where do the black and gold <a href="http://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/00058.jpg">Breyer Western Horse</a> and <a href="http://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/Images3/40b.jpg">Pony</a> fit into this timeline? Did they copy the paint scheme, too, or was it just coincidence? <br /><br />Regarding the first question, at least two palomino Ohio Plastics horses are known that were shipped in cardboard mailers with a Wells Lamont return label, so there was some connection between the companies even after the Red Ryder promotions. When it began and how long it lasted is anyone's guess until more information comes to light. As for the dating, we know the black Superior Plastics horses date to about 1954-1955. The promotion may have run for more than a year, so they may have been made as early as 1952 or 1953, too. The Ohio Plastics horses therefore probably only date from late 1955 at the very earliest. This intriguing September 22, 1955, ad from the Conneautville Courier (Conneautville, PA), mentions a coupon that could be sent in for "a plastic Red Ryder and horse." To the best of my knowledge, no riders have been found in association with Superior Plastics horses, but some generic cowboys have been found with various Ohio Plastics horses. I wonder which horse would have been shipped?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LuTLdGWMofE/XrSUfqGHKMI/AAAAAAAAMLU/pgU7WNW-YU0A6_mLYpOSeyz2E1AMSJjbQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/red_ryder_and_horse_ad1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="911" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LuTLdGWMofE/XrSUfqGHKMI/AAAAAAAAMLU/pgU7WNW-YU0A6_mLYpOSeyz2E1AMSJjbQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/red_ryder_and_horse_ad1.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>9/22/55 Conneautville Courier ad</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />Because Breyer catalogs and price list from the 1950s are incomplete and because Breyer used the "Black Beauty" name interchangeably for both the black and gold paint job as well as the <a href="http://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/00040a.jpg">black with white socks and bald/star face paint job</a>, we don't know for certain when they issued their black and gold models. Nancy Young suggested dates of circa 1954 to before-1958 for the Western Horse and 1953 to 1955/1957 for the Pony. (A Western Horseman ad from September 1953 does exist picturing the black and gold Western Pony.) So it would seem that the Superior Plastics Thunders and Breyer's models in the same paint scheme were contemporaneous. We may never know if one came before the other or if it was just a matter of convergent evolution.<br /><br />Which brings us back to the pinto Hartland Chubby copies. Based on the way they're painted, and particularly based on the distinctive way said paint tends to wear and rub, I suspect these models were made by Ohio Plastics. The company did make a copy of the Hartland Chubby with the characteristic stars on the tack, and the pinto model is quite similar. It has a cocked front leg, a roached mane, and no bridle or breast collar, but everything else about it suggests Ohio Plastics to me. Once again, I can't conclusively prove it, but it seems like a reasonable hypothesis. After all, Ohio Plastics had no qualms about copying other companies, and given the quality of their models, they probably could produce their models for less. They may have underbid Superior Plastics at some point or simply lucked into the contract when Superior Plastics moved on to non-horse production.<br /><br />Interestingly, I did find this October 11, 1955, ad from the Haleyville, AL, paper The Advertiser that mentions the pinto horse and Indian rider. They represent Chief Flying Cloud and his horse from the Red Ryder comic strip or movies (or both).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>10/11/55 The Advertiser ad</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ohio Plastics copy of a Hartland Chubby<i> (photo from eBay)</i></td></tr>
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I hope you've all enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed tracking down the clues to piece this story together. If you happen to have more information about Superior Plastics or Ohio Plastics that you'd like to share, please feel free to email me at mumtazmahal (at) gmail (dot) com. I am also most interested in acquiring a black copy of the Superior Plastics horse. I would also love to see any other variations people might own---on a clock, with a sticker, anything! Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div>Part three about Breyer Western Horse copies can be found <a href="http://modelhorsecollectibility.blogspot.com/2020/08/western-horse-shaped-objects-part-3.html">here</a>.<br />
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1. Young, Nancy. <i>Breyer Molds and Models: Horses, Riders, and Animals.</i> (Schiffer Publishing Ltd: Atglen, PA), pg. 263.<br />
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2. ibid.<br />
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3. “Plastic Company at Frazeysburg Begins Huge Expansion Program Designed to Double Manufacturing Capacity.” <i>The Zanesville Signal</i>. (Zanesville, OH), January 13, 1946.<br />
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4. ibid.<br />
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5. “Ohio Plastics is Town's Top Industry.” <i>The Times Recorder</i>. (Zanesville, OH), August 26, 1962.</div>Kirsten Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462657134897620800noreply@blogger.com3