Collections Within My Collection: Beswicks/Royal Doultons

The Beswick Appaloosa was a grail for me from the first time I saw it in Horse & Rider Magazine in October, 1970.

I was already a collector, and that article showed me that there were other collectors out there like me. I'd had no idea! I joined Ellen Hitchins' and Simone Smiljanic's IMPHSA immediately and never looked back. (International Model Photo Horse Showers Association)

It took me fifty years to get a Beswick Appaloosa, and when I did, it  was from "hobby founding mother" Simone Smiljanic.  

Over all those years she had become a friend, and I was delighted to have one of her most cherished pieces. Her health was in decline at the time, and she passed away in October, 2021.

In the 1990s I had found the Royal Doulton version of the Appaloosa and bought it.

When it arrived, I was disappointed in the paint job - the Beswick version was so much cleaner and prettier. So, I continued looking.

I am not sorry to have both versions, though.

And both are on my "never sell" list. (Maybe I should hope that Mila wants them, right?)

The Beswick stamp and the Royal Doulton stamp on their bellies.

China collector Lois Bennington sold me another of my Beswicks. It's a Thelwell, too.

Kick Start! 

Sorry for the poor photo quality of its underside but you can clearly see "John Beswick England" on it.

There is a series of these Beswick Thelwell pieces, but this is the only one I have.

I've had these next two Beswick foals for a very long time.

The bay is named Desperaux and has been in my collection for several decades. I got him before there was an internet and we had to buy models from each other via snail mail. 

Because you could not just go to eBay and look for a certain piece, Beswicks and other models were harder to add to your collection than they are today. I still remember the thrill I felt at finally owning a Beswick.

Nauvoo is a 1961 version of Beswick's Large Stretched Foal. I found him in an antique shop in Nauvoo, Illinois and named him after the town. 

I don't know any more about either foal's Beswick histories, and my Beswick book is in a place that is difficult for me to access right now.  Maybe later I will get it out and do some research.

I thought I had a few more Beswicks, but after a peek in the china cabinets, I don't see any more. So, one of my smaller collections within my collection, but also one containing one of my most sought after and loved pieces.

Comparing Two Versions of the Appaloosa

The Beswick Appaloosa has been on my model dream list since I first saw a photo of it in 1970. Years later, I was lucky enough to purchase the Royal Doulton version, but I still wanted the Beswick. Lucky me, now I have both. The Royal Doulton is named Pavarotti and the Beswick is Worth the Wait. Here's how they look next to each other.

The Beswick is on the left and the Royal Doulton on the right. The paint and detailing is much nicer on the Beswick and looks more realistic.

I love those beautiful layers of coloring on the Beswick's head and neck. Take away those brush strokes on the Royal Doulton and you would have a nicer piece.

Eye detail is better on the Beswick and its spots and color really vary. 

It's a little hard to see, but the white of their coats are different. The Royal Doulton is more stark while the Beswick's is creamier. (Sort of looks like the opposite in this picture, doesn't it?)

The Beswick backstamp.

The Royal Doulton backstamp.

They definitely have their differences, but I am delighted to have both of them in my collection. 

Worth the Fifty Year Wait

Fifty years ago, Horse and Rider magazine published an article on model horses, the article that introduced collectors scattered around the country to the early beginnings of the model horse hobby. I was one of the readers of that article, and I fell in love with the Beswick Appaloosa that won Best Pleasure Model of 1970.

Appaloosas are my favorite breed, and the Beswick Appaloosa is absolutely lovely. I was on the lookout for one of my own from that moment on. 

Sadly, the piece proved to be very elusive.  It wasn't until twenty-five years later when the advent of the internet began opening up possibilities that I found what I thought was the Beswick Appaloosa. I discovered a Royal Doulton shop that was selling Beswicks online, so I placed an order and waited excitedly for my dream piece to arrive.

Only it wasn't the Beswick Appaloosa - it was the Royal Doulton version and not nearly as nice. I was so disappointed. But despite that disappointment, I kept it and even showed it a couple of times. And in the meantime, I kept my eyes open for the Beswick version.

I found a few more of the Royal Doulton version, but only once or twice did the Beswick come up for sale. And when it did, it was usually snapped up quickly - it remains a very sought after piece among collectors.

A month ago or so, another one popped up on an online model horse sales site. The ad had been posted for several days when I discovered it, so I assumed the piece had been sold. But I contacted the seller, just in case. I was stunned to find out that the sale had not yet closed - there was a person ahead of me who had contacted the owner about it, but that they had not yet committed to buy it. The seller contacted them and let them know that she had another person who was also interested and asked for them to make their decision. They backed out of the sale, and the piece was mine.

 It arrived today on my doorstep.

 Pepper was very interested in it; but not nearly as much as I was!

The seller had carefully packed the model with layers of foam. When I lifted off that last layer, I felt such a rush of happiness.

At last! After FIFTY YEARS of waiting and looking, I am now the proud owner of a stunning Beswick Appaloosa. Usually I am pretty good with words, but I simply cannot articulate how happy I am to have this piece.

Coming soon: a comparison of the Beswick Appaloosa with the Royal Doulton one.