The Clinky Mayhem Purchase Reveal

Did you guess right? They're Metlox Drafters!

They were listed as circus ponies, and that is what initially caught my eye.

I was expecting this piece (which is highly sought after) when they were first listed as "Metlox Circus Ponies." But pictures added later to the sales pages showed that they were something different. (That piece is so rare that even Karen Grimm, who had 10,000 plus pieces in her collection, did not have one.)

I have seen this piece in pictures before, and that is definitely a circus rider on the Metlox drafter, so perhaps they truly are circus horses.

 My first new piece has a repaired broken leg, but I still wanted him.

 The grey is in mint condition and cost more than twice what the two palominos did.

The hooves are oddly painted on all three pieces - it's like they are unfinished at the ends of the hooves.

 The other palomino is also mint and has a silver Metlox sticker under its belly.

I am so excited about my newest purchases - thank you, Teresa!

My Clinky Mayhem Box!

Clinky Mayhem was held the first weekend in May and its main function was to sell off the chinas (i.e. "clinkies") from Karen Grimm's vast collection. I couldn't go, but my friend, Teresa Rogers who was going, agreed to be my proxy buyer.

I was in no hurry to get my pieces and Teresa was heavily involved with her duties for Clinky Mayhem, so, after checking with me to be sure I really was okay with a delay, Teresa took a week or so to catch her breath after the sale before packing up my horses and sending them to me.

The big box arrived over a week ago, but I was busy with end of school duties coupled with retirement activities so I had no time to open it. Then, my entire family (all six kids, their spouses, and our thirteen grandchildren, eight of whom are four and under) arrived for Memorial Day weekend for a family retirement party - there was no way I wanted to open that box with all those little ones around!

Besides, when I did, I really wanted to take my time and enjoy the process of unwrapping my new horses. So, the box has been sitting on the floor of my bedroom for about ten days, awaiting my attention.

I could not have had a better proxy buyer than Teresa. She was so careful in her handling and packing of my new pieces. Inside the big box were individual boxes, each of which was marked with how the model was oriented within (head, tail, hooves, and a big arrow indicating the top.)

 The pieces themselves were mummified in toilet paper and then encased in foam and bubble wrap.

It took me a while to unwrap each beauty, and each one arrived in pristine condition as a result of Teresa's careful packing.

Any idea what my new pieces are? Hint - they're not Hagen Renakers. I'll unveil their identities in my next post.

Now There are Two

It took a while, but now there are two curios full of horses in my home!

These are the pieces that I decided would be moved to the upstairs curio. I was looking for bigger, space-grabbing models. (Although the cats ended up remaining downstairs as did the WEG Esprit and WEG Big Ben.)

 There's now some empty space on the bottom of the first curio.

Craig got the new one anchored to the wall and I began carrying clinkies upstairs and putting them into their new residence.

I have three pieces on the way from Clinky Mayhem that will reside in here as well. I can't wait to add them!

Clinky Mayhem

Clinky Mayhem is happening this weekend out in California. Heather Wells has been working for years to rehome the late Karen Grimm's 12,000+ piece collection. She has taken models to BreyerFest for several years, and is hosting Clinky Mayhem in California with help from Janie Berkwitz and Kristina Lucas Francis to sell the myriad chinas that were in Karen's collection.

It seems like the whole hobby is watching Clinky Mayhem unfold - there are about ninety people there while the rest of us (including me) watch from afar.

Teresa Rogers has organized one of the most interesting activities at Clinky Mayem - the opportunity to visit the W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library.

(Photo from Google Images.)

There is a special exhibit on Hagen Renaker to see, and I believe they may also have access to the barns and will be able to see some beautiful Arabian horses.

I am among those watching the event online, but I am also heading to Shipshewana for the Stone Country Fair show on Saturday so it will definitely be a big hobby weekend for me, too!

I have a proxy buyer lined up at Clinky Mayhem thanks to another friend and together they are trying to buy a piece I have long wanted and is available from Karen's collection. (I will write more on their efforts in my behalf in another post.)

I have a feeling that this is going to be a really exciting weekend!