Playing Glass Horses Again

Leslie and I began collecting back in the 1960s. We started with what we called "glass horses," which were actually Japan chinas. They were far more affordable than Breyers, but the down side, of course, was that they broke easily. 

Our dad would pull out the shop glue and repair the broken "glass horse" and we'd go back to playing. (And breaking.)

Cheaper Breyer-sized plastic horses were added after the breakage became too much and then I "graduated" to Breyers when I was 10 and to Hagen Renakers at 15.

After high school, Leslie gave me her collection and I have most of it tucked away in boxes. Those carpet herd pieces are special, beat up and glued through they may be.

Several pieces remain out on display: a glossy palomino Breyer 5 Gaiter, a Hartland ebony woodcut Thoroughbred Mare & Foal set, and Old Maude, a Japan china  named after the Percheron mare that our mother's Aunt Clara used to work the fields on her farm.

I show the Hartland set in Collectibility classes where it does well - it is a hard to find set, and it is in excellent shape. (Felt pads are still on the hooves!) 

I entered the set in the Hartland Collectibility class at Clover Classic

and invited Leslie to put the two out on the show table for me.

She was so happy to see the pair after over 50 years. "Some of my favorites!" she cried when I took them out of their haversacks and handed them to her. I was hoping that, out of the three of her carpet herd pieces I'd brought, one of them would win a ribbon.

2nd and 3rd and a NAN card! (I had to explain that the card meant that one of her old pieces was now eligible for the National Show, another exciting aspect of the day for her.)

And then I pulled out Old Maude who was entered in the Other China class in China Collectibility.

I didn't think she'd place, but you never know, and as Leslie said when she saw her, "She is my all time favorite glass horse." Les was pretty sentimental at that point and I thought she might cry. (I know the feeling; I've been known to give a quick kiss on the nose to an old favorite.)

Leslie put Old Maude out on the show table and we stepped back to wait for the results.

As I'd expected, she didn't win a ribbon but that didn't matter. Clearly Leslie was over the moon to see Old Maude again and I was thrilled to be "playing glass horses" with my sister once more.

I gave Leslie the ribbons her carpet herd had won and offered to give her back her horses, but she wanted them to stay with me. She'd had so much fun, Leslie even posted about it on her Facebook page.

On  the way home, Leslie asked when the next show was and if she could come with me again. 

You sure can, Sis! And maybe we can play Circus Girls sometime soon, too!