Racehorse

I have wanted one of these oldies for a long time, so when I saw one posted on MH$P at $25 ppd, I jumped at the chance. That is SUCH a good deal! (And I knew the seller, so I knew it was a safe purchase.)

 Breyer #36 Race Horse, 1956-1967, $25, Andrea Gurdon, Romeo, MI, 12/2014.

 He's an early version with black hooves and he has the charcoal forelock, a variation of the piece.

He's also glossy. Call me a happy collector!!

More on Chalkies

Click here for a great article on chalkies and identifying them. From Heather Forrests's blog Many Mini-Hooves about Stablemates.

Sonny, Vintage Club Stablemate

Every year, Breyer includes a "free" (so to speak) stablemate as an extra for joining the club. This year it is the old Hagen Renaker Drafter mare, and people are going wild over it - one sold for $109 on eBay!!

 Sonny, #712106, 2014 Vintage Club Stablemate, free as part of membership, 11/2014.

I love the florentine color and the mini blue ribbon sticker!

Muscled/Less Muscled QH Gelding

Model Horse Blab is an excellent place to get information, and often what I read sends me speeding upstairs to check my models for a particular variation or previously unnoticed variation. The thread about variations was no diferent. Andrea Gurdon, a knowledgeable collector, (but no Sande Schneider) weighed in on a question about Breyer's Quarter Horse Gelding.

Here's what she said:


The "Supermuscled" Quarter Horse was really early - my Buckskin with eyewhites is one. This is the best photo I came come up with in a pinch:

The barrel is where the bulk of the changes can be most clearly seen. Here's the SR Matte Bay:

Aside from the muscles being toned down, almost all the muscle definition on his barrel is removed and he got a tummy tuck! The muscle striations on the opposite side of his neck are also buffed away.

There is a third variation of this mold that's in between the two. I don't have all three in front of me right now to point them out, point by point though.


I have examined my five QH geldings, and I am pretty certain that my early bay one is a "supermuscled" piece.

Dan Patch

I went back to Raven's Roost Antiques today specifically to get this Pacer. He was with the TWH I got Saturday, and I suspected this piece might also be a good find, too. I was right.

 #819, Dan Patch, 1990 only, $11, Raven's Roost Antiques, Lafayette, Indiana, 10/2014.

His hooves are a lot lighter than my other Dan Patch, but there is no doubt, this one is the Breyer Dan Patch that was only made for one year. It was on sale for 20% off!

His outstretched foreleg is warped, but I can fix that with a hair dryer.

I wonder who the collector is that is selling such nice models at Raven's Roost? Or did someone buy a collector's collection and is now putting it out piecemeal?

Five Gaiter - Commander

I looked at this piece twice at Sell It Here in Lafayette before picking him up. Just love the mold, and he is in such nice condition!

 Commander, #52, 1961 - 1986, $14, Sell It Here, Lafayette, IN, 10/2014

The flange is nipped (indicating a newer model as does the USA stamp by the Breyer stamp) but it is painted - unlike my other nipped tassle 5 Gaiters.

He is remarkable shape - someone must have had him in a collection and valued him. Now, he's been "rescued" and is in mine!

Sande Schneider - Uber Collector

Sande Schneider is the world's leading authority on Breyer horses. Her collection numbers almost 4,000 pieces! She's also a friend of mine who I met through the hobby. I know a pretty fair amount about Breyer collecting, but if there's a puzzle about a piece, it's Sande who I (and everyone else) turn to! Even Breyer - they have contacted her several times asking to use pieces from her archives.

Sande recently helped me identify the Boxer clock I found last week at Sell It Here.

 My clock.

 Jo Kulwicki's clock - picture from Sande's files.

I did my own research online when trying to figure out of my clock were real or not (I think it is.)

 An image I pulled from the internet as I tried to document my clock, the Davy Crockett Prancer clock, turned out to be Sande's!

 A Western Horse clock - unknown whose it is.

 A Boxer night light - image from internet/unknown.

Sande sent me some pictures of her own files:

 She has eight file cabinets chock full of documentation!

And binders galore.

Yes, she's the real Breyer guru and an uber collector!