Two More 1960s Grey Appaloosa Oldies

Breyer used the glossy grey Appaloosa color on several other molds back in the 1960s.

The Fighting Stallion looks lovely in this color - I think I like it better on this mold than I do glossy charcoal, my favorite color of all. It was produced 1961 - 1966.

The mane and tail on this piece are not black like they are with the Family Arabians. Instead, the Fighting Stallion pieces came with a grey (like mine) or light grey mane and tail.

The face is bald and a very few have pinking on the inside corner of the eye. Mine has three spots on its face.

There is a white belly band and the splash spots vary from very few and limited to the rump to all over the body. Mine has spots on the off side up to behind its ears.

Mine is old enough to have remnants of the old foam hoof and tail pads. (That white circle on the tip of the tail is drainboard patterning.) He's a beautiful piece.

Breyer also produced the Semi-Rearing Mustang in a glossy grey Appaloosa 1961/63 - 1966.

The mane and tail are white instead of black or even grey. (My piece's are a creamy color due to age.)

The color produced on this mold ranged from a light powder grey to a medium dark grey.

The socks are white rather than black or charcoal, and the hooves are pink.

The Appaloosa spots on mine are more extensive than they appear in photographs - his go up to his shoulders with a few high up on the neck and behind his ears.

Breyer continued to produce the grey Appaloosa color (and variations of it) up to very recently. Next we'll have a look at more modern examples of the color.

Variations: Alabaster Semi-Rearing Mustangs

My favorite Breyer mold of all is the Semi-Rearing Mustang.I remember saving my babysitting money for a glossy charcoal one I'd seen in the local pet shop (you never know where you will find a Breyer!) and that particular model from my carpet herd is still my favorite out of my entire collection of 1,000+ pieces.

The Semi-Rearing Mustang was produced in alabaster 1961 - 1966. It came with red or black eyes, much like the alabaster 5-Gaiter did.

My red-eyed version.

He has lovely shading and lustrous, thick gloss.

There are odd hoof bottom markings which I think are partial drain board patterns. He also has pink and grey shaded "underparts," something that Breyer doesn't do much any more on any of its stallion models.

A lovely pink nose goes right along with those red eyes (which are very hard to catch on my phone camera)

and he has a hint of grey shading on his back. (That is not a seam split; the grey paint just settled oddly onto the seam like that. You can see the same thing on his tail, too.)

Most people assume that the red-eye version is the rarer of the two, but that is not true when it comes to the Semi-Rearing Mustang. (It is true with the alabaster 5 Gaiter.)

Actually, the black-eye version is rarest. Here's my black-eyed version.

He, too, has the same lovely shading and gloss

as well as the pink and grey "underparts. But notice the bottoms of his hooves - they are smooth and have no patterning.

The grey paint settled onto the tail seam but not on the back (aside from just a bit at the base of the tail.)

Side by side, you can see that their shading is pretty similar from this side

and better on this side of the red-eyed model.

When I show these two in collectibility classes, the red-eyed piece wins over the black-eyed time after time. I even have it on the documentation that the black-eyed version is rarer but that has not changed their placings. It may be that the judges think the black-eyed version is nicer overall than the red-eyed, and as you have seen, they are both really nice pieces. (Plus the red-eyed has that nice pink nose.)

Regardless of their show placings, I like them both and consider them some of the nicest vintage pieces in my collection.

Buckskin Semi-Rearing Mustang Variations

I compared my two buckskin Semi-Rearing Stallions this morning, and their differences, while more subtle than those of the Five Gaiters, are there and intriguing.

 At first glance, you don't see too much that varies.

 It's only when you take a closer look that you begin to see them.

 Buckskin #1 is my original  piece in this color.

He is semi-glossy and has some teeny tiny speckling throughout his paint job that can sometimes be an indication of a chalky (he is not) but I still wonder why it is there. I have other models, all non chalkies, who have it, too. Just what are they?

There is no dorsal stripe (that's a shadow in the seam) and his left hip has "dipped" lower than other examples of this mold that I own.

 Under the belly he is a beautiful dark color and he has a USA stamp.

 Pinking on the nose and white shading, especially on the off shoulder, make him a nice piece.

My second piece has only been with my since 2014. I bought him off eBay and he came in his original cardboard box.

 Like the other, his near hind leg has a partial sock and he is semi-glossy.

 His color is a bit darker and has no speckling.

 No dorsal stripe (again, that's a shadow.)

There is also a bit of pinking on his nose. He does not have the shoulder shading that the other one does.

 And he LEANS! Does he ever! (The Coke can is there to show just how much he leans.) I have wondered if this might be because he was stored in his box and on his side for years.

 His belly color is flat and not as rich when compared to his counterpart. He, too, has the USA stamp.

 When put together, you can see the extent of that lean (#1 on the right; #2 on the left.)

And look at the height difference in this photo. Both models are balancing on their tails with their front hooves off the ground (or desk, in this case. Hah!) The second model's front hoof is barely off the ground. My guess is that that is a result of his leaning.

Tomorrow I will have another variations to show. I'm not sure which I will pull off the shelves, yet, but I will do another comparison and post it in the morning.

Found!! My Most Wanted Model!

I don't check out eBay as frequently as some collectors do, but every now and then I do searches for models that I would like to have. Last weekend I found my most wanted Breyer of all - the Semi-Rearing Mustang in woodgrain.

Recently he has been going for much more money than I can justify. But this one was at $230 with 22 bids and was still within the limits of what I was willing to pay. So, I put in a bid, not really expecting to win since this is a highly sought after model and already had many people bidding to buy it. To my surprise and delight, though, I won the auction! (Photos from eBay listing.)

 Diablo, Woodgrain Semi-Rearing Mustang, #985, 1963-1966.

He has some tiny rubs, but is in wonderful condition. I am thrilled as I fully expected to be outbid at the last moment.

Breyer's vintage molds such as this mold, the 5 Gaiter, and the Indian Pony are my favorites, but I also like other vintage molds including the Grazing Mare, Grazing Foal, Running Mare, Running Foal, Western Prancer, and the Stretch Morgan.  Now that I've found that "one" model I have wanted for years, I am not sure what is next on my list to look for. Hmmm... maybe the Stretch Morgan in woodgrain? Or a 5 Gaiter in a decorator color?

I'll think some more about it, but in the meantime, I am going to enjoy having found my most wanted model.