Breyer Breeds: QH Gelding & Thoroughbred

Breyer surprised collectors two weeks ago when, without any announcement, "Breyer Breeds," six new vintage molds done in lovely colors, were posted on the Breyer web site. 

I'm a vintage girl and so I ordered the Quarter Horse Gelding and the Thoroughbred the day they popped up.

I got a beautiful QH Gelding. It's never been a popular mold and doesn't get used very often, but the response from collectors has been very positive.

I can see why - he looks beautiful in this color with nice, thick gloss on top.

I happily set him on the shelf next to my other QH Geldings.

I also received the Man O'War in black - my favorite horse color of all. (Sorry, Abby!)

He's not glossed but he's still pretty.

And I really like the pinking on his nose - it's subtle and very realistic.

Unfortunately, he has two problems. Look at his near hind leg.

There is a bit of flashing standing up on his  pastern and it had dirt and fuzz stuck on it. I was able to pick off most of that, but some simply will not come off.

He also has a warped front leg that turns in. I know how to fix that with hot water, but I am always afraid I am going to snap the leg off. So, the leg will probably remain warped.

I may go back and order the Trakehner, and I'm a little on the fence about the Sport Horse. (I have no interest in the Warmblood or the Percheron.)

Here's hoping that this is the beginning of a series using vintage molds for the breeds.

Fingers crossed!

Shrunken Down & Sold Out

 Wow! The Breyer Christmas Clydesdales sold out in under ten minutes!

And as you might imagine, there are some unhappy collectors. Unsold pieces were to be offered to all, not just Collectors Club members, this afternoon at 2:00 EST, so those folks, plus the Collectors Club members who didn't get one before they sold out, are feeling frustrated.

Some have expressed surprise that a "shrunken down vintage mold" proved to be so popular. I can't speak for everyone, but for me, when I see my old favorites, favorites who have been with me since childhood, in a tinier version, I fall in love and head to PayPal.

That love of the mini vintage models was enough to make me spring for a case of blind bag Stablemates last year. Along with a woodgrain Clydesdale,

there was a glossy charcoal Fighting Stallion being offered,

and the Indian Pony in vintage pinto. 

But there was one more piece I wanted. I bought that entire case of 24 hoping to get the decorator Indian Pony. The odds weren't in my favor - there was 1 Indian Pony in every 12 cases. (Or, 1 in every 288 blind bags.) 

To my surprise, the first package I opened contained her. (I could not believe my luck!)

There is a HUGE market for Stablemates that are the tiny version of vintage molds. So when Breyer offered a limited amount of vintage mold Stablemate models, models that are in decorator colors, it is no wonder they sold out almost immediately.

I think we will see more mini versions of vintage molds going forward. And I can't wait.