Another Cory Connection - Isham!

Yesterday I wrote about Liz Cory's mom, Caroline Isham, and Caroline's Summer Surprise, a model that the Stone company did to honor her for her service to the model horse hobby.

Did you know that Liz's family has another model horse connection? It's Buffalo Bill's Isham who was commemorated in plastic by Breyer.  Here's the story originally posted to Horsiemama in May, 2020.

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I am especially excited about a model I recently bought online - Buffalo Bill's Isham!  (Pronounced EYE-shum.) It's a lovely vintage mold, mint in box, and has beautiful shading. Those are nice things, but not the real reasons I hunted down an Isham. 

The truth is, it's because of who this model is named for. One of my dearest hobby friends is Liz Isham Cory. Her relative was a friend of Buffalo Bill Cody and Buffalo Bill named his favorite horse after him. 

Liz was the first collector editor of Breyer's Just About Horses (it had been edited by an advertising agency with some help from Anne Bentley first). She has been in the hobby since the very early 1970s, and was studying journalism at the University of Iowa. 

Peter Stone, who knew Liz from model horse shows, asked her to put together a publication that could be sent to the many hobbyists who were bombarding Breyer for information on collecting and showing. (Guilty!!) Just About Horses was written in her dorm room on campus.

Liz and me at a recent Great Lakes Congress show.

Buffalo Bill on his horse Isham at his Wyoming TE Ranch, ca. 1914. Source unknown. Google Images.

Since Liz is a dear friend, I just had to acquire an Isham for my collection. And she is going to sign the box the next time we get together.

After writing the blog post about Isham, Buffalo Bill Cody's favorite horse who was named after a relative of Liz (Isham) Cory and later became a Breyer model, I was asked to tell more about the story.  People particularly wanted to know whether or not Breyer knew of the connection between Liz and Isham when they made the model or if it was just a coincidence.

I messaged Liz and asked, and this was her response.

It was a coincidence. I met the Breyer employee who designed the graphics for the run boxes at BreyerFest. When she heard my name, she was surprised, because she was currently working on that project. She asked me for background information which I provided.

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Isham was a 2003 special run for Tractor Supply and 3,500 were made. I had to look a bit to find mine, but they're out there. I would not be surprised if there will be sellers at BreyerFest who have him for sale so keep your eyes open.

And if you do find an Isham there, keep an eye out for Liz, as well. Maybe she will sign your box, too!

I'll spin for the winner of the June Give Away and post the results tomorrow. Stay 'tooned!