Drainboarders!

Breyer's old drainboard pattern that can be found leaving its mark on vintage Breyers fascinates me. It's a tangible slice of Breyer history right in front of our eyes. Looking at a model in an antique shop that I think I'll leave behind? If I flip it over and find drainboarding, that can change my decision.

Deciding where to begin checking models' hooves was more than a little daunting. I narrowed it down to the oldest models in my collection although I knew that there are models from the 1970s that have the pattern on their hooves, too. I decided that that was a task for the next time I dusted - I'd flip each model over while it was in hand and check.

The other issue I needed to address was me. This gal who has been 5' 7" almost all her adult life was just measured at 5' 5" at a recent check up. (Causing that loss are the two spinal fusions, a hip replacement, two knee replacements, and three ankle surgeries I've had in recent years.) I can barely reach the top shelves now, and if I bobble a model trying to get it off the shelf, I risk knocking others over and even OFF that shelf. (It also hurts my back to stretch that high. A lot.)

So, I only checked three models from the top shelf. I am sure that I would discover that more than three are drainboarders but getting the three I did check was difficult and I soon called it quits on top shelf models. (Craig would help me, but he gets nervous about causing rubs so I did not ask him.)

My innocuous little donkey was the first drainboarder that I found.

 

Right front hoof (the pattern looks so big on a smaller model!)

 Both hind hooves. (I love that the right hoof has the pattern centered on the hoof.)

This beautiful semi gloss bay Running Mare with the extensive bald face was another.

Her hooves were painted black and part of that paint covered the drainboard pattern but you can still see it.

A similar situation with my bay Running Mare with eyewhites.

Front hoof.

Hind hoof.

  

I moved on to the Grazing Mares. This is Sheena, a carpet herd piece and one of my most cherished models. See her near front hoof has some material sticking out at the front?

There is a lot of stuff from the drainboard stuck to that hoof! (Sorry for the poor quality pic.)

That same hoof on Leslie's carpet herd bay Grazing Mare has nothing on it.

 

But the opposite front hoof

and a hind hoof have the pattern.

Sheena isn't the only one with detritus peeking out. 

Take a look at the off front hoof on this Old Timer.

It looks to me like the gloss puddled as it dried.

Its hind hoof had pulled off wood from the drainboard when it was removed. (I always love finding the actual bits of wood under hooves.)

I almost did not check this Proud Arabian Stallion. He is a B stamp model which dates him to 1978 - 1981, late for the drainboard period.

That's the most wood I've found on any of my models! Almost the entire hoof!

I planned only a cursory check on the Rearing Stallions - since they are small, the contact with the drainboard would be minimal and I did not think I'd find much. (See its tag? This piece belonged to Music City Cole and that's his old show tag still on that leg. I just can't bring myself to take it off. Yes, I am teary now.)

Drainboard spots on both hooves, and wood remnants on one hoof and the tail. Glad I flipped him over!

Chalky era models were another group that I did not plan to check, but since I'd found drainboard evidence on the 1970s/B stamp model, I looked at the hooves of my chalky Appaloosa Performance Horse.

The front hooves have a lot of wood on them.

As do the hind hooves. Another "glad I checked" piece, but one that also intrigues me and makes me want to do more research.

A more recent piece that was added to my collection, I fell in love with this Western Prancer despite the lack of reins and a saddle. His color is lovely. (And doesn't show up in this photo.)

Sorry for the poor photo but you can still see wood bits stuck to his hooves. (He also has the early "double dots on the daddy bits," too.)

This smoke Western Prancing Horse from Leslie's carpet herd has a much clearer drainboard pattern.

This looks like gloss but the piece is not glossy. Perhaps there was wet gloss left on the drainboard from a precious piece?

Another smaller piece that shows how large the drainboard pattern can appear.

I saved this glossy dapple grey Clydesdale for last. The pattern on the underside of his hooves is phenomenal.

Two really nice patterns and one hoof with detritus pulled up from the drainboard. Next to my third elephant, he is the best example I have of the drainboard pattern on a vintage model.

Wondering if I forgot about checking the woodgrains? I didn't, but what I found is a whole 'nother blog post! It will be a day or two, so stay 'tooned!