Allison Pareis, a fellow Hoosier horse collector, posted a few months ago on Facebook that she was going to hold a get together in Muncie for collectors. It was a meetup for selling, trading, and chatting, plus she was going to have someone talk about model horse repair and someone else speak on conformation.
We were getting together at the Muncie Pizza King and eating pizza and noodling about our collections.
I packed my items from "Lynn's Rescue" (as Craig calls the things I find at antique shops and buy in order to get them into the hands of collectors. I don't personally want them for my collection, but I know others who do, and so, if the price is good, I'll buy them. I sell them almost at cost as I am not interested in making a profit.)
The banquet room of the Pizza King was very large, and easily held the collectors from Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio who were gathered together. (Maureen Reynolds in the blue on the left.)
All sorts of things were for sale, from vintage Breyers and Hagen Renakers, to current models, tack, props, and other things. It was so fun to walk around and take a gander at the goodies!
But it wasn't just the swap meet items that were fun and exciting. Running into dear friends was, too!
Michelle Evans and I have been friends for years. She's been collecting since the mid 1970s and has a wonderful sense of humor. (She is also an excellent writer.) I always love running into her at collectors' events. I was so happy that she took my HR Butch home for her collection!
Lunch was served right where we were, and Michelle and Pat Reed came and ate with me. That's Robin Mangus from Indianapolis in the background.
Mary H.... I cannot remember her last name, but she came with Pat and Michelle....
... and Pat's sister, whose name also escapes me at the moment!
Anna Tackett and her son came up from Kentucky. He collects, too, and was very sweet to talk to.
Jenn Read (in yellow) gave a talk on simple touch ups on your model.
Ronda Mosley, Kaye Callahan, Anna Tackett, hostess Allison Pareis, Jenn Read, her friend, and her husband.
Allison's husband, Stan Sollars, a professor at Ball State University in Muncie, came along. He and I had a nice chat - he's started his own collection!
I didn't get to talk to everyone there, but I did do a tally when we went around and introduced ourselves. There were thirteen folks from Indiana, two from Kentucky, and six from Ohio. I was interested in that because I have long wanted to put together a fun show for vintage models and I was looking to see if there would be enough people in the area to support it. Judging from this turnout, I think there definitely is.
My HR Butch, HR Specialty Sentinel, HR Specialty Wrangler, and my Stone Critter Zebra all went to new homes. I bought a Cherry Creek Fonzie Merit for $20 and got a Breyer Shetland Pony "Pine" in trade for the Zebra.
It was a fun and relaxing day. Allison says she will do it again, and Pat and Michelle are talking about having a meet up in Indianapolis some time in September.
Hope I can be there!
