Breyer Race Horse and Boxer Lamps: More From Marks Manufacturing?

Back in 2013, I wrote a post about the earliest lamps featuring Breyer horses, the "scroll base" lamps of the early 1950s. At the time, my mom, sister, and I had acquired an example that still had the manufacturer's name on the underside of the base. They were made by the Marks Manufacturing Company, another local Chicago business that ordered models from Breyer beginning in the 1950s, not unlike Mastercrafters Clock and Radio Company (clocks) and Sears (music boxes, grooming kits, etc).

Over the years, we've accidentally acquired almost a dozen copies of this lamp with all three base colors: 5 on green bases, at least 3 on brown bases, and 2 more on black bases. (Yes, we need to cull a few, haha.) I noticed that some of the horses had holes in the side of their barrels on the back side with evidence of wear around them, as if something had been affixed to the horse. Eventually, we acquired the very hard to find Western Pony version of this lamp, and I finally understood the hole and wear.

As you can see, there is a little metal band screwed into the pony that holds it to the lamp pole, presumably to keep it from wobbling on the base (or to further secure it to the base). We have since acquired several of the Western Horse lamps that also have the little band as well.

Recently, as my sister and I were getting ready for the BreyerFest open show, I was reminded of an unusual feature on another pair of lamps we own. Both of our hard to find Race Horse lamps sport a little band holding them to the lamp post that is identical to the one on our Western Pony lamp.

 

 

And there is yet another lamp to consider in this little mystery series. For quite some time, I had the Boxer lamp pictured below on my eBay watch list. He was pricey and in need of a lot of TLC, but happily, the seller accepted an offer I made, and I was able to add him to my collection. 

As you can see, he is mounted on a base just like the one on the Race Horse lamp, but it's mauve instead of gold. The Boxer is mounted diagonally across the base since he's a bit bigger than the Race Horse, and that's the only way he fits (and barely at that). I was intrigued to see the hole and wear on the backside of the dog just like on the models on the scroll base lamps. He must have had a metal band holding him to the lamp pole once as well. (You have no idea the restraint I'm using not to make jokes about metal bands right now.) 

 

Until now, I'd been clueless about who made the Race Horse lamps, and I could only guess that they dated to the 1950s. Having gathered all of these clues together however, I'm certain that the Race Horse and Boxer lamps were made by the same manufacturer, and while I can't prove it for sure without more evidence, I strongly suspect they were also made by Marks Manufacturing. The little metal bands holding the models to the lamp poles are the primary clue, and while that may not seem like much, I've never seen anything like it on Breyer lamps made by other manufacturers. Also of note is that the rounded embellishments at the base of the lamp poles is consistent on the scroll base, Race Horse, and Boxer lamps which suggests to me that they all came from the same maker. Both our Race Horse lamps and the Boxer lamp have felt covering the bottom of the bases (which are hollow), so if there is something there to identify the manufacturer, it is unfortunately covered. 

Another interesting aspect to consider is that the Boxer and Race Horse models are both very early Breyer releases just like the Western Horse and Western Pony. The former was available in 1950 and the latter probably by the end of 1952. The scroll base lamps were likely made sometime between 1950/1951 and, given the scarcity of the Western Pony lamps, probably not later than 1953. Like the Western Pony, the Boxer was also likely available by late 1952, so it fits the early 1950s time frame. The Race Horse, Breyer's fourth mold, was available by 1954 for sure, but I do wonder if it might have been ready earlier in 1953, perhaps for Christmas orders. 

Whatever the case, the Race Horse and Boxer lamps are both quite scarce. I've seen one or two more Race Horse lamps besides the pair my sister and I own, but I haven't seen another Boxer lamp. I have to assume this means that neither were in production long, and if they are in fact Marks products, my best guess is that they both date to sometime around 1953-1955. I can't prove that Marks made the Race Horse or Boxer lamps nor exactly when they were made, but I feel like I have laid out a reasonable hypothesis.

If you have a Race Horse or Boxer lamp or something else entirely on a metal base with one of those funny little bands attaching the model to the lamp pole, I'd love to know about it!

Viking BreyerFest, Denouement: Signs and Loot but no Glossy Flinka

On Saturday after the raffle, Sarah and I finally made it back to the CHIN to do some more shopping and to hopefully find friends we had not yet managed to track down. As usual, the room sales signs were abundant and excellent.

Check and check

We didn't get through the whole hotel again this year nor did we find everyone, but one of these years we'll manage it. We really need to add a couple of days to our trip to cram in everything we want to do---maybe Breyer can organize a strictly social day where all we do is meet in a big room with food, drinks, and maybe Stablemate painting or coloring, and we just jabber and do art all day long. That would be fun!

On Sunday morning, we rolled out of Lexington and had an uneventful drive back home. I stayed over an extra day on Monday just to relax with my family, take loot pix, and box up my new ponies to send home to myself in Chicago. Other than the BF special runs I bought, most everything else was inexpensive. 

I am slowly filling in some gaps in my collection of nostalgic 1980s special runs I missed out on (because I was a kid not yet tuned in to the hobby). So I was especially pleased to find the 1984 JC Penneys special run grey Appaloosa Performance Horse for only $30 on Saturday evening. It's a model I've wanted for years, but the right one just never came along at the right price and time. I was really delighted with this bargain. 

Sorry, not unwrapping the antlers

All in all, it was an excellent BreyerFest although it flew by in a blur as it always seems to. I wish I had more time to hang out with my sister and family and the friends we only see once a year. (Can we all go back right now and do it again?)

As I mentioned in my last post, the only thing I really hoped to get at BF this year was a glossy Flinka. Alas, my diorama contest entry was not a winning one. I think it was perhaps too serious with its historical bent and needed more whimsy. But nerds gonna nerd, what can you do. 

My entry was called "Just Fjord Your Information" and it represented young Auslaug and her pony Tuppa giving a presentation about Scandinavian horse and pony breeds at the Hjemkommst Festival in Moorhead, MN, my home state. There really is a seaworthy replica of a Viking longboat in the museum where the festival is held. Auslaug was named for one of my great-grandmothers, and Tuppa was the Norwegian nickname my grandfather called my mom as a little girl.

I customized and painted the pony, made the doll dress and pony bridle based on historical Viking-era artefacts, and I painted the Viking ship my SO sweetly 3D printed for me. I did at least end up with a cute custom Fjord model for myself even if I didn't get a glossy Flinka, and I learned the valuable lesson that making doll clothes and tack is largely outside of my skill set. I marvel at the people who have the patience and nimble fingers to do these things well!

I really, really wanted a glossy Flinka because I conga the Astrid mold and have all of them outside of auction models so far (matte Flinka pictured above)...

All 4 Astrids are different: 2 glossy, 2 matte, rosy toned, 
cool toned, and one is chalky

...so I'm going to have to start saving up to buy a glossy Flinka to make my ancestors proud and keep my little herd complete. If you happen to be selling one and are interested in steady monthly income over the course of most of a year, please hit me up! 

Viking BreyerFest, Part 3: The Park, Ponies, and Pretty Things

On Saturday, we slept in a bit before getting properly caffeinated for the day. We then made a quick run to the park to buy raffle tickets and pick up our celebration models and special runs. 

We usually go in the back way behind the covered arena so we don't have to look for a parking place in the lot and then traipse all the way through the park over to the covered arena. 

While waiting in line to buy tickets, we admired the silent auction items on display.

Glossy versions of the Scandi Surprise horses

Cassowary test for the Birds of a Feather series

Lovely customs by Karen Gerhardt

A factory custom test Foalzilla with a flippy tail

Glossy Flinka diorama contest prize model, the only model I 
really wanted at BF this year

Saturday raffle model

 

Sunday raffle model

While making a quick sweep through the arena vendors, we spotted Öjvind performing with other Gotland ponies. He's so tiny! Breyer featured him on the new Highland Pony mold this year which was a must buy for me.

We headed back to our hotel at that point to grab a quick lunch and leave our models in our nice cool room. We had hoped to spend part of the afternoon at the CHIN before taking a shuttle back out to the park for the raffle. However, none of the shuttles operated until about 5pm, so we opted to just kill a few hours at the park instead. It was a hot, humid day (although honestly not as bad as many years have been), so we thought doing some things in the air conditioning like checking out the gift shop and museum would be a good idea.

In through the front gates this time

After you pass through the gates, you cross over a pretty stone bridge which usually spans a mostly dry creek. This year with all of the heavy rain, the creek was burbling and full. 

Before we made our way to the visitors' center and gift shop, we took a detour to stroll down the shady avenue to pay our respects to Man O' War.

The most hallowed patch of ground in Kentucky

Then, after mostly behaving ourselves in the gift shop...

We didn't do this, but we definitely laughed

 ...we were pleased to see the auction models still on display. Not that we had the means to do anything more than ogle them, but they were fun to see up close all the same. 

My favorite piece

Wouldn't kick this one out of bed for eating crackers either

Not my favorite mold, but the pattern is stupendous

As we left the visitors' center, we passed by this giant photo frame with blue Lexington... 

...which, having given my sister the book Horse by Geraldine Brooks, reminded me of something I wanted to show her in the museum. Criminally, she has not yet read the book, so seeing the real Lexington in person probably fell a bit flat, but I nerded out enough for the both of us. The museum has been rearranged a bit since last we visited, but it's always a treat to see this hoary old legend of the turf. (The book is a fictionalized account of Lexington's life, but it's a terrific read. Kleenex required.)

When we entered the museum, a group had been out front demonstrating how horse hair pottery is made, and as we left the museum, the celebration horse, Flinka the Fjord, was there donating some hair to the project. We were delighted to have the opportunity to photograph and pet her. She was so flipping cute!

The sky was getting overcast by this point, and it was time to make our way back over to the covered arena for the raffle anyway. We followed some of the park's mounted police and detoured through their barn en route.

Oliver, a past BF celebration horse

Obligatory barn kitty

A very cute, on theme jump we passed near the covered arena.

We bought our usual $20 worth of raffle tickets (which used to get you 22 tickets but now only gets you 16), and to the surprise of absolutely no one, we did not win. (Although someone else who bought only $20 worth of tickets did get drawn, so it's not completely hopeless.) But I really never expect to be drawn. When you're only 1 for 37, it's more about masochistic tradition (and donating to a good cause) than anything else. 

The raffle crowd

This post ended up being longer than I planned, so I'll leave things here for now, and I'll share the wrap up and loot pix in a day or two!