Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Nokota Horse and Multiple Posability

All this fuss over a model nobody wanted in the first place. I would have loved one, since he's a favorite mold of mine, but I was apparently on the wrong side of the table in the tent this year.

I am referring to the “B” word. Burbank. The subject of a thread threatening to eat Blab.

Frankly, I'm a little surprised at the sheer amount of outrage: I thought it was common knowledge that it is not wise to depend on Reeves for the most reliable information. This kind of conflicting language and information has been a problem with Reeves for years. It has always been wiser to rely on their actions, not their words. And their actions have always defaulted to selling leftovers, not regrinding them. Always.

I'm not going to get into the controversy over it here. You probably can guess what my opinion is: I just haven't bothered to post it on Blab yet because I'm still finding myself a little asocial. And I doubt it would sway hobbyists one way or another, anyway.

Let's talk about one of the Nokota Horse's more interesting features instead, one he shares with only a handful of other Breyer molds: multiple posability!

“Multiple Posability?” Huh? Just a fancy term I coined for unjointed, unarticulated models that can be posed in more than one position (usually just two.) The Nokota Horse can either rest on three feet, or his hind legs and tail, for that extra added oomph. The other models that share this trait include:
  • Robin Hood Rider
  • Traditional Rearing Mustang
  • Bucking Bronco
Many nonhobbyist eBay sellers seem to think that the Fighting Stallion and Rearing Stallion have multiple posability: one wonders what they think the footpads and flat-bottomed tails were for. I sometimes try to rationalize - optimistically, I know - that maybe it's just easier for them to photograph it that way.

Here's a pic of the Robin Hood Rider from a mid-1950s sales flier:


I've always thought it took some clever and creative thinking to design a rider figurine that also works as a standing figurine, without the benefits of joints.

A few years later, in the ca. 1961 insert sheets, we had Breyer touting the Mustang's posing options:


Note the fact that his front hoof is intact. In spite of their apparent awareness of his multiple options, they seem to have abandoned the notion of multiple posability with the Mustang early on: the front hoof of most early Mustangs still had their hooves trimmed, including my beautiful and extremely early Buckskin Mustang with eyewhites.


(The quilt frame is taking up the spot where I normally take photos, so a dinky, unused avatar will have to suffice here. And yes, this guy so totally needs a post dedicated to him someday.)

The third older mold that received this multiple posability option was the Bucking Bronco. In the earliest Dealer's Catalogs in which he is featured, it is noted in his description that he “(Stands in two positions)” (parentheses theirs, not mine.) I'd include a pic of my copy, but my copy is less than ideal.

Neat, eh? It's a feature I hope they can manage to incorporate this kind of posability into more molds in the future. Because those articulated, bionic Pony Gals things give me nightmares.

7 comments:

Sarah said...

Ok, call me slow, but how does the Bucking Bronco stand in more than one position? I have two and display both of them in the only position that I know of - on their heads, back feet in the air, just like every picture I've ever seen of them. *confused*

Anonymous said...

The Rain Model is a two way model, as well.
I have my Lady Liberty displayed resting on her tail and back legs and she looks quite nice this way.

Anonymous said...

Hey! I like Nokota! Whichever way he's posed!

Anonymous said...

Just a FWIW...not every hobbyist is subbed to Blab. I don't have a paid sub, nor have I visited the site in a year (and I don't care to) What is the deal with Burbank?

Anonymous said...

http://modelhorseblab.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91805

You should be able to read the thread without a subscription.

Basically, it's 30+ pages of people that are SHOCKED that Breyer would resell the extra Velvet Rope Event SRs in a different venue. The usual threats of boycotts, letter writing, and lawsuits follow.

Anonymous said...

Oh lordie. Thanks for the synopsis. I really think that threatening to leave the hobby is a sub hobby of model horse folks.

-Anon Aug 27 2:17pm

Anonymous said...

So it wasn't me being a goofy child with my bucking bronco Tornado! Sarah he can be stood on his front hooves and rear near hoof. It is rather goofy looking but I always imagined that he was 'crow hopping' in that pose.
-Ali