Clinky Mayhem - Models from Karen Grimm's Collection

Clinky Mayhem, an event used to sell Karen Grimm's vast collection of china horses, was held the same weekend I was in Shipshewana. Since it was in California and during the school year, there was no way I would be able to be in attendance.

Teresa Rogers was, and she agreed to be my proxy buyer.

They were listed as circus ponies, and that is what initially caught my eye.

I was expecting this piece (which is highly sought after) when they were first listed as "Metlox Circus Ponies." But pictures added later to the sales pages showed that they were something different. (That piece is so rare that even Karen Grimm, who had 10,000 plus pieces in her collection, did not have one.)

I have seen this piece in pictures before, and that is definitely a circus rider on the Metlox drafter, so perhaps they truly are circus horses.

 My first new piece has a repaired broken leg, but I still wanted him.

 The grey is in mint condition and cost more than twice what the two palominos did. (It was $75; they were supposed to be $35 but Teresa was charged $45 and did not catch it.)

The hooves are oddly painted on all three pieces - it's like they are unfinished at the ends of the hooves.

 The other palomino is also mint and has a silver Metlox sticker under its belly.

The total cost, including shipping, proxy, and packaging materials for all three pieces was $239.88.

I am so excited about my newest purchases - thank you, Teresa!

Cheval Gypsy Horse in Skewbald

This is my favorite of the new Chevals that arrived this week.

 Cheval Gypsy Horse in Skewbald, R390 ($33), 286/1000, 5/2018, Cheval/Johnny DeBeer, 15 Warwickshire Crescent, Botha's Hill, South Africa.

 I think this piece is beautifully done.

 And, that it one of the two that were made to order for me (check out the date.)

Cheval Friesian

This is my second Cheval Friesian. I sold my first to Jamie Rott a year or so ago. I had no plans to buy another, but when the opportunity arose...

Cheval Friesian, R390 ($33), 286/1000, 5/2018, Cheval/Johnny DeBeer, 15 Warwickshire Crescent, Botha's Hill, South Africa.

 While lighter than my last Friesian, he is darker than he appears in these photographs.

Johnny told me that they had to make two of my pieces, and since this one id dated 2018, I am guessing this piece is one of them.

Cheval Quarter Horse in Appaloosa

This piece is actually a mistake - I had ordered the Smaller Warmblood Mare in Appaloosa. I received the Quarter Horse in Appaloosa.

 Cheval Quarter Horse in Appaloosa, R360 ($30), 307/1000, 2011, Cheval/Johnny DeBeer, 15 Warwickshire Crescent, Botha's Hill, South Africa.

 I am going to keep it - the prices were the same and it's pretty, plus I do not want to mail it back!

 I think the company may be changing their name to Nguni Ceramics.

New Chevals

Cheval is a small company owned by Johnny and Diana DeBeer in Botha's Hill, South Africa. In the mid 1990s they had US distributors, but those were discontinued a long time ago. Chevals were still being produced, but you could not order them if you did not live in South Africa. Or so a Facebook post said on a site devoted to collecting Chevals.

After Christmas, I decided to go to the company's site and see what they were making now. After all, they are not seen often at shows or online and I had no idea what they were producing. Was I in for a treat - the horses were gorgeous! And, there was an order form, a shopping cart, and a way to pay. I decided to take a chance and place an order, just in case the information posted on the Cheval collectors' page was incorrect.

It was.

I got an email from owner and sculptor Johnny DeBeer in response, cautioning me that the postage to the US would be prohibitive and saying that it might be a while before I got my order as they would have to make two of the pieces. But he did not refuse my order, so I told him to go ahead with the deal.

This box arrived Wednesday.

 It seemed a little small, so I was a bit worried about how the horses might have been packed. But inside was lots and lots of shredded paper, and the models were in bubble wrap inside individual boxes.

 One box had somehow taken some damage - again, I felt worried as to what I would find inside.

 But the Gypsy Horse in Skewbald was in perfect shape, and oh so beautiful!

The Friesian appears lighter in the photograph than he really is. This is my second Friesian; I sold my first to a hobby friend who really wanted him. (That one was named Darth Vader. This one is now named Vader Too.) I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to get him again!

Lastly, the Quarter Horse done in a pretty Appaloosa.

After these arrived, I went back to the Cheval site (go here) to perhaps order some more. Sadly, the smaller versions are all sold out, and they only have the larger pieces for sale. While those are pretty, I have not yet seen anything that I really wanted to add to my collection.

Of course, that can always change...

HR Sky Chief

I went to the Stone spring horse show and bought myself a retirement gift.

Sky Chief, B-682, 11958-1959, 1968, Hagen Renaker, $225, Alicia Strayer-Mangan, Stone horse show, 5/2018

 He is my retirement gift to myself - I had budgeted $300 and thought I would buy a Stone Andalusian, but they were sold out.

My class motto (coined by the kids themselves) is "Flying high with Mrs. I." Well, he is SKY chief! And so he came home with me!

HR Miss Pepper

I went to the Stone Country Fair and Liz Isham Cry had this Miss Pepper for sale.

 Miss Pepper, B-701, 1959-1971, Hagen Renaker, $60, Liz Isham Cory at Stone Show in Shipshewana, Indiana, 5/2018.