These are the two Melba Ware drafters that I found on Friday after my dentist appointment. There was a third one in another part of the shop, but his harness was very beat up, and since I already had these two (who were being sold as a pair), I figured I would leave him for someone else to enjoy.
According to a collector on Facebook, the harnesses are paper and will fall apart if they get wet. To me, they feel like very thin, cheap leather. But I do think that they are pretty fragile.
I have asked for help on identifying just which ones I have on several collectors' groups on Facebook. I also looked in The Model Horse Gallery, but two people there had listed conflicting dates as to when the company was in business so I don't feel I can totally trust what is written there about the company. Googling "Melba Ware horse" only brought up eBay and other auction house listings.
I am finding myself becoming fond of their clunkiness - it's pretty charming!
And I love the harness brasses they both display.
There are no maker's marks that I can find, although someone wrote that she found a label when she took the harness off of her horse. I am reluctant to do that, especially since I am positive that they are Melba Ware and have no need to look for labels or stickers.
I plan to put them in the antique hutch upstairs where the Freeman Leidys, Chevals, Metloxes, and other large chinas are displayed. I have at least one other small Melba Ware drafter, and I will add him to the display, too.
Currently I am calling them Melba Ware #1 and Melba Ware #2. That won't do at all! But, there are two Clydesdales that The Farm at Prophetstown uses to pull a wagon in the Christmas parade. I am going to ask my sister what their names are and then name these two after them.
No comments:
Post a Comment