New to Windsong: War Admiral

  It's no secret that I love Breyer's old molds. While so many of Breyer's new molds are lovely (Dundee! Giselle! Valegro!), they don't hark back to my childhood like the old molds do.

So, when I come across an old mold model unexpectedly, I always, always give it a second look.

Like this War Admiral from 2003 - 2004 that was still in his box nearly twenty years after being produced.

His shading is gorgeous!

And I inspected him as best I could without damaging either him or the box. (I am always intrigued when the bottom of the hooves on a model are unpainted and are not stark white plastic.)

A 2003 Breyer collectors catalog was still inside the box, but interestingly enough, War Admiral is not listed in it.

Another interesting thing to note is that the 2003 catalog was a change from past ones - it was longer and not the smaller, book-type that past catalogs had been. Breyer produced this style through 2006 and then in 2007 switched back to the earlier format.

I popped the catalog back into War Admiral's box and decided to leave the model in its box, at least for a while. Not for value purposes (original boxes are not as valued in the model horse hobby as they are in other hobbies) but because the box itself is really interesting.

There was another old mold model that was with him and she came home with me, too. She's in her original box and I will talk about her next. Any guesses as to who it is?

Stay 'tooned!

New to Windsong: Blackhome Grandeur Lyn

 Once in a while I check Facebook Marketplace - I'm a little leery of meeting a stranger and exchanging money for a model, so it's not a way I like to buy. But when this big boy popped up in my feed, I made an exception.

#1206, 2003 - 2004, $40, Facebook Marketplace, from a graduating Purdue senior.

Blackhome Grandeur Lyn (I want to add another "n" to that name!) was made 2003 - 2004 on the vintage Belgian mold and the seller was right here in West Lafayette.

We talked a bit about the models she had for sale which gave me time to check her profile out on Facebook. She wasn't on any hobby sites, but she was on a lot of horse sites and seemed legitimate. I made an offer and arranged to meet her in a busy public park just a few miles from my home.

We made the exchange and home with me he came. 

He's been standing on my "where am I going to put these?" shelf ever since. As soon as I get started cleaning and rearranging the drafters in my collection, he will be displayed with the rest of my Belgians.

Just for fun, I did a little research on the real Blackhome Grandeur Lyn(n). With a name like that, I knew it had to be a portrait model, even though I do not remember hearing much about him at the time.

Here he is in the Breyer 2003 catalog.

I did find a pedigree chart on allbreedpedigree.com, but that was it - the rest of the links were the Breyer models of the horse.

I'm making progress on cleaning and reorganizing the collection, but I don't think I will get to the drafters today. My first goal is to get all the longer models (Huckleberry Bey, Dundee, American Saddlebred, etc.) into the library  my sewing room  the second model horse room and settled safely on the shelves in there.

It is a very long process, but it's coming along and I am already pleased with the results.

Chief of Fourmile

 Since last fall, Marilou Mol and Linda Shawhan have been rehoming models and art from the late Linda Myron's collection. There were some lovely pieces, but I didn't bid on any models until this boy popped up the very last weekend of the dispersal.

Chief of Fourmile, a 1999 Commemorative Edition. Isn't he pretty?

Marilou and Linda both show chinas, and they packed him as though he were a china, too. (Thanks, ladies!)

He came with his original hang tag with information about him. (I hadn't realized that late in life he fell into bad hands and was rescued when he was emaciated and starving. Poor boy!)

Already I am fond of the little heart shaped spot on his off backside.

And his color is intriguing. I love the shoulder shading and the black spots underneath it.

His paint job is a little odd in another way.

The bottom of the hooves are black - did Breyer use black plastic or were the undersides of the hooves painted? 

There is some detritus sticking to them, too. I did the flashlight test to check the plastic and the light shone right through, so the plastic is white and that is black paint. (In other words, it's not a chalky or partial chalky or chalky plastic.)

Attached to his leg is a tag that I presume was made by Linda to keep track of the models in her collection.

I'll check with Marilou and Linda but will probably keep the tag on him regardless of who wrote it - it's part of his provenance.

Such a pretty color on an underused vintage mold. I am thrilled to be able to add him to my collection.

New to Windsong

 Years ago I had a beautiful glossy alabaster Fighting Stallion. And foolishly, I sold him.

Look what just arrived! Isn't he beautiful!

His shading is gorgeous and he even has felt pad remnants on his hind hooves and tail. I am so happy to add this boy to my collection! (From Robin Kent)

His Stablemate-sized counterpart also arrived. 

This is the piece that those who joined the Deluxe Collectors Club received. (We are still waiting for the 2020 Stablemate as well as to hear what pieces are going to be offered to Vintage Club members.)

I have noticed that with the vintage molds that are shrunk down to Stablemate scale, their hooves are in better proportion to their bodies than many of the new mold Stablemates. I like that - one of the reason I don't collect Stablemates (Truly! I don't!) is the clunky hooves many of them sport.

That doesn't stop me from buying some of them. I just received the two Holiday Filigrees that I did not get when they were offered. Now I have the complete set! (From Liz Cory)

The HO scale horses have also arrived. No photos yet, but I'll get some taken and post them here when I do. Stay 'tooned!

HO 1/87 Scale Mini Horses

 I got these HO 1/87 scale horses from eBay. I plan to use them as props and model horses for Little Lynn and Circus Girl.

Photo from eBay auction. I paid $10 for them.

2020 Christmas Surprise Horse - Jol

 I was able to get a Jol Christmas morning and I got the clear version. 

Jol, #712448, 2020 Christmas Surprise Horse, 500 her color made, $135, Breyer.