Saturday, August 14, 2010

The POA Pippin

I’m feeling completely antisocial today - a week’s worth of unpleasant news, allergies and insomnia will do that to you. So you’re getting another spotlight on another Fest purchase. This one is the 2009 UK Special Pippin:


I found him in the Pit, in a box with a "Racing Legends" backer and absent the "UK Special" sticker. He was correctly labeled on the front and back of the box, so I’m just going to assume that it was either a mistake that was set aside, or something cobbled together from spare box parts lying around.

It could have been a box sample of some sort, too. I’ve seen a few of those in the Pit before, and I’ve even bought a couple for my own collection. Unlike the Pippin, the boxes were rather obviously something out of the ordinary, and the models contained within were not exceptional in and of themselves.

This Pippin though - man, he’s beautiful. Immaculate too, except for a slightly bent front leg, which probably occurred during his brief stay in the truck while waited for my line ticket time. It’s an easy fix, whenever I get around to it. I’m still not crazy about that tail, but the rest of him? He just about demanded to be taken out of the box!

I have no idea if he’s representative of the entire run, since he was the only example of his kind I found in the Pit, and I never bothered to look at others at the Park or the hotel. I suppose I’ll have to look into the possibility of him being a sample or test or something, eventually.

I have set the box aside, with all its various ties and trimmings, just in case there might be more to the story. It’s not something I’d normally do: I’m about as anti-MIB as they come. I try to keep a representative sample of every kind of box and packaging, but unless there’s something rare or significant there, most of the modern boxes get trashed. They’re not very sturdy, and they’re just about useless for storage. I cut off all the relevant pieces, peel off the stickers, and then we have a parting of the ways.

I haven’t taken my All Glories out of their boxes yet, either. It has nothing to do with any added value the box might bring to the model. I just really, really like the look of the box - the color scheme, the graphics, the whole "package." Kudo to the designer or designers responsible for it.

5 comments:

Carrie said...

I also was struck by how handsome All Glory's box is - isn't this the first time the Celebration Model's been packaged in an irregular box?

Admittedly, I'm a sucker for dark roans, but I can SEE how smooth & nummy your Pippin's finish is. It's giving me a serious case of tactile jonesing!

Stockstill Stables said...

Oh hes lovely. May have to find one myself some day.

Anonymous said...

Wow. I've seen Pippin a few times before, but he never really struck me til now. His coloring is really gorgeous. Is he a new sculpture or just the old POA mold with the new Lady Phase-like mane and tail?

Sara said...

I do love the All Glory box too. I have an Ideal in a Racing Legends box. I thought it was funny so I've kept him in there. Running horse = racing legend? That's obviously not the case with Pippen, though! He was a grab bag model. I always wondered if he was a "reject" because of the wrong box backer and that's why he ended up in a grab bag.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2538455440064234516sucoah

LeeAnn Bachman said...

Hi there,

It was brought to my attention that a website was using my photos without my permission. I see they are also using your photo of Pippen. Here is the link:http://www.horsefair.dk/?product=pony-pippin

I assume you did not give permission either, I sent them an email but I don't know that they will be able to read English....