A New Freeman Leidy Circus Horse!

 I don't check eBay much, but I do check for circus horses and ponies once a week or so. Lucky for me, I just happened to stumble across a new listing for a Freeman Leidy Circus Pony! It arrived yesterday.

Freeman Leidy Head Up Circus Pony in Pink and blue, $300, Boots Swam, Washington.

Out of all the circus horses and ponies that I have, the Freeman Leidys are my absolute favorites.

They're chunky, glammed up (those eyelashes!) and absolutely charming.

The new one (on the left) is an upgrade to my very first Freeman Leidy (on the right.)

My original has two breaks in her blue ribbons. I've shown her before but I don't think judges have noticed - there is just too much frou-frou going on with these pieces!

There are differences between the individual pieces, too. My new one is taller and her plume is higher on her head.

From what I can tell, the Freeman Leidy Circus Horses came paired (head up, head down) but then were color paired, too. 

The one on the far left has a green mane, tail, spots, and socks and is accented by purple ribbons. The one of the right is the flip - it has a purple mane, tail, spots, and socks and then green ribbons.

A view of the Head Up purple with green version Circus Horse. (Those eyelashes!!)

Its counterpart, the Head Down purple with green ribbons version.

This is the only green with purple version that I have ever seen in person or online. And when I found him and discovered that it was the reverse of my other pair, I realized that it was likely there were reverse versions of each pair.

The Head Up mold seems to have been used more than the Head Down, with the purple/green version turning up most often. (There is also a wagon for them. I have that in the purple/green version.)

I have found online photos of the Head Down Circus Horse that goes with my new pink/blue version as well as its matching circus wagon. (They're actually planters.) Some day I hope to add the Head Down pink/blue to my collection. I'm still searching to see if there is a reverse pair. 

I've also seen a pair in blue/yellow online and I wonder if that means there is a yellow/blue pair, too. And, never have I seen any photos of the green/purple pair aside from the Head Up one I have, and I'm positive that there must be a Head Down version to go with it. As for wagons for each pairing, I haven't a clue.

Researching and hunting for pieces is one of the best parts of collecting. And truth be told, even though this new one is an upgrade, the other one is staying with me, too. I just can't bear to part with a Freeman Leidy!