The extra special secret ingredient to the Father’s Day Web Special Clydesdale, Magnus? He’s Chalky. Didn’t see that one coming.
Darn you Reeves, darn you all to heck.
(Actually, the first word out of my mouth when I read the e-mail actually rhymed with "custards". As this is an all-ages blog, feel free to fill in the blanks with your cuss word of choice.)
He’s glossy too, which certainly doesn’t hurt. There aren’t a whole lot of vintage Glossy Chalkies of any stripe floating around: the Gloss Finish was mostly discontinued by the heyday of the Chalky Era of the 1970s. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are the Brahma Bull and that small batch (five pieces) of Dapple Gray Shires.
There are some earlier Gloss Chalkies - the Walking Horned Hereford and the Bay Old Mold Mares and Foals being the most "common" of these, relatively speaking. Common the same way the "Full Rough" Walking Polled Hereford is compared to the "Poodle Cut" version, I mean.
The reaction among the chattering classes seems to be fairly muted, which probably means my odds of winning one aren't great. I don’t know if I’m some sort of statistical anomaly or in the possession of a really lame superpower, but the better the odds, the less likely I am to win something. (You know those really awkward drawings where there are more winners than losers - you know, 75 prizes and 100 entrants? Always one of the losers. Always.)
I already "won" something else a few days ago that I think will make up for next week’s potential disappointment. I won’t know for sure until it arrives later in the week.
They also released the remainder of last year’s Store Special "Dusty" as a Collector’s Club Special Offer. He didn’t light the model horse world on fire last year, and he’s not doing it this year on the Internet - so much so that Reeves took the "pieces remaining" ticker off his listing, ‘cause the lackadaisical pace of sales was kinda sad.
As I’ve said before, I don’t think the same thing’s going to happen with this year’s Store Special Taskin: a Draft Horse, on a more popular mold, in a more interesting (and better executed?) color. I didn’t bother with Dusty last year, but I am seriously considering Taskin, depending on what he looks like in person. (He wasn’t among the pieces on display at Equine Affaire, if I recall correctly. Odd.)
I have to do some actual, real-world housekeeping today, so that’s all for today, folks.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
A Little Housekeeping
Got a bit too much caffeine in the system, so I’m just going to tie up a few loose ends today. Plus, I’ve been putting in a lot of time and effort into my BreyerFest paperwork - especially the Sampler - and that’s put me out of sorts, too. Some of the material I’m writing for it touches on some very sensitive subjects to me, and I am absolutely drained, emotionally.
(It’s not depressing, just complicated.)
The flea market was a little on the quiet side this week, partly because of the flaky weather; all I picked up were some cooking magazines, a beautiful old Victorian quilt top, and a small group of cute (and cheap!) Japanese biscuit tins. This suited me just fine, since I’m still trying to recover from last week’s haul.
Other than an odd body lot or two that I might throw on eBay, if I can find the time, any models I’ll be picking up this season will be getting packed and put away with my BreyerFest sales stash. It’s nothing personal, it really is just a time management issue.
It seems really weird to me to be so disconnected to the Desatado discussion; aside from not being in the club in the first place, my brain immediately went into LA LA LA CAN’T HEAR YOU mode once the griping about dappling began.
I am a bit surprised that the actual piece count on the Premier Club is somewhere around 740: I honestly didn’t think it was going to be that high.
A model’s value isn’t entirely dependent on the piece count - especially if the quality is there - but I am wondering how many people "bought in" to the concept on the assumption that the piece count would be lower than the Vintage Club’s 500-piece limit?
As far as the quality of the body, I can’t - and won’t - judge until I see one in person, which I am assuming will happen (again) at BreyerFest. And if I like it, no worries, since none of the molds in the program are going to get Alborozo-ized.
I’m seriously considering not putting in for the Father’s Day Web Special. Not because I’ve made a preemptive decision to not like it, but because it’s beginning to look like I’m going to need to do some serious herd thinning in the very near future. (Which I doubt will be before the end of July, so don’t get your hopes up.)
Besides, I want to save up this luck I’ve been experiencing for bigger and better things later in the season, if you know what I mean.
And in case you were wondering, yes, I did see that job posting on the Breyer web site. That’s all I’ll say about the matter in public.
(It’s not depressing, just complicated.)
The flea market was a little on the quiet side this week, partly because of the flaky weather; all I picked up were some cooking magazines, a beautiful old Victorian quilt top, and a small group of cute (and cheap!) Japanese biscuit tins. This suited me just fine, since I’m still trying to recover from last week’s haul.
Other than an odd body lot or two that I might throw on eBay, if I can find the time, any models I’ll be picking up this season will be getting packed and put away with my BreyerFest sales stash. It’s nothing personal, it really is just a time management issue.
It seems really weird to me to be so disconnected to the Desatado discussion; aside from not being in the club in the first place, my brain immediately went into LA LA LA CAN’T HEAR YOU mode once the griping about dappling began.
I am a bit surprised that the actual piece count on the Premier Club is somewhere around 740: I honestly didn’t think it was going to be that high.
A model’s value isn’t entirely dependent on the piece count - especially if the quality is there - but I am wondering how many people "bought in" to the concept on the assumption that the piece count would be lower than the Vintage Club’s 500-piece limit?
As far as the quality of the body, I can’t - and won’t - judge until I see one in person, which I am assuming will happen (again) at BreyerFest. And if I like it, no worries, since none of the molds in the program are going to get Alborozo-ized.
I’m seriously considering not putting in for the Father’s Day Web Special. Not because I’ve made a preemptive decision to not like it, but because it’s beginning to look like I’m going to need to do some serious herd thinning in the very near future. (Which I doubt will be before the end of July, so don’t get your hopes up.)
Besides, I want to save up this luck I’ve been experiencing for bigger and better things later in the season, if you know what I mean.
And in case you were wondering, yes, I did see that job posting on the Breyer web site. That’s all I’ll say about the matter in public.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Another Dapple Gray Clyde?
Lots of news happening in the past couple of days, so Andrea’s Awesome Adventure in Almost-Canada will have to wait until next time.
First up is a Father’s Day Web Special that’s going live for entries starting on May 29th; from the cropped photo, it appears to be a Gloss Dapple Gray Clydesdale Stallion. Not an odd choice for a Father’s Day model, except for the fact that the Clydesdale has already had about a half dozen Regular Run and Special Run Dapple Gray releases already. One of my favorites in that category would be the 1999 Toys R Us Special Run "Shire", one of the last entries in their exclusive "Medallion" Series:
The best part about him? He’s also a variation - for some crazy reason, his gold bobs are only painted on his right side! He was part of a small batch of these Shires that showed up at a local Toys R Us with a reputation for getting oddballs.
The only significant difference between the Web Special and all of the other Dapple Gray Clydesdales that came before it is the airbrushed dappling, something that several hobbyists are already griping and sniping about in a manner they seem to think is clever or funny. (What would actually be clever: someone inventing a browser filter that automatically replaces the terms "chicken wire" or "fish scale" with other randomly chosen culinary or farming terminology, like "lima bean" or "manure spreader.")
All I hope for is that he gets dressed up with some fancifying extras, like multicolored ribbons, tricked out hooves (striping! growth rings!) sabino spotting or dark points.
That we’re getting another limited edition on the Clydesdale so soon after the Vintage Club Dandy raises an interesting question: will we be seeing a Web Special Fighting Stallion soon, too? It makes sense, economically: it wouldn’t cost all that much extra to make up a few hundred extra of a mold that’s already been prepped and dropped into the molding machine.
(If so, the Appaloosa Performance Horse Fighter we were all fantasizing about a few months ago, Reeves? Make it so!)
Some photos of the 2012 Mid-Years are floating around, though they are not technically supposed to be released for another week or two. I haven’t bothered to get the download, simply because I’m having a hard enough time dealing with all I’ve had to deal with this week, and we’ll all be seeing them - legally - soon enough.
The Mid-Years include another release on the Hackney mold (that may rule out any Fest Hackney SRs), and a leopard Appaloosa on the Zippo Pine Bar mold that apparently annoys a lot of people. Because (a) it may displease the people fortunate to own the Volunteer Special "Zeppelin", and (b) "popular wisdom" has determined the Zippo mold to be unacceptable to show in polite company anyway.
As I am not a Zeppelin owner, nor am I normally considered "polite company", I am perfectly okay with it, depending on what he looks like in person, and all that.
And finally, according to the "official" BreyerFest Blog, the Gloss Mariah’s Boon models will be given out as a prize for the Poppycock Parade, not the Fascinator Contest. I am also okay with this "upping" of the piece count, since the quality and quantity of Costume Contest entries we’ve been seeing rival anything I’ve seen at various Comicons and other conventions of that nature.
(Which makes sense, since there’s so much overlap of the respective fan bases. We’re all slan, yo.)
Frankly, anyone willing to humiliate themselves in public - outside, in scorching heat and insanely high humidity - deserves a little something for their efforts.
First up is a Father’s Day Web Special that’s going live for entries starting on May 29th; from the cropped photo, it appears to be a Gloss Dapple Gray Clydesdale Stallion. Not an odd choice for a Father’s Day model, except for the fact that the Clydesdale has already had about a half dozen Regular Run and Special Run Dapple Gray releases already. One of my favorites in that category would be the 1999 Toys R Us Special Run "Shire", one of the last entries in their exclusive "Medallion" Series:
The best part about him? He’s also a variation - for some crazy reason, his gold bobs are only painted on his right side! He was part of a small batch of these Shires that showed up at a local Toys R Us with a reputation for getting oddballs.
The only significant difference between the Web Special and all of the other Dapple Gray Clydesdales that came before it is the airbrushed dappling, something that several hobbyists are already griping and sniping about in a manner they seem to think is clever or funny. (What would actually be clever: someone inventing a browser filter that automatically replaces the terms "chicken wire" or "fish scale" with other randomly chosen culinary or farming terminology, like "lima bean" or "manure spreader.")
All I hope for is that he gets dressed up with some fancifying extras, like multicolored ribbons, tricked out hooves (striping! growth rings!) sabino spotting or dark points.
That we’re getting another limited edition on the Clydesdale so soon after the Vintage Club Dandy raises an interesting question: will we be seeing a Web Special Fighting Stallion soon, too? It makes sense, economically: it wouldn’t cost all that much extra to make up a few hundred extra of a mold that’s already been prepped and dropped into the molding machine.
(If so, the Appaloosa Performance Horse Fighter we were all fantasizing about a few months ago, Reeves? Make it so!)
Some photos of the 2012 Mid-Years are floating around, though they are not technically supposed to be released for another week or two. I haven’t bothered to get the download, simply because I’m having a hard enough time dealing with all I’ve had to deal with this week, and we’ll all be seeing them - legally - soon enough.
The Mid-Years include another release on the Hackney mold (that may rule out any Fest Hackney SRs), and a leopard Appaloosa on the Zippo Pine Bar mold that apparently annoys a lot of people. Because (a) it may displease the people fortunate to own the Volunteer Special "Zeppelin", and (b) "popular wisdom" has determined the Zippo mold to be unacceptable to show in polite company anyway.
As I am not a Zeppelin owner, nor am I normally considered "polite company", I am perfectly okay with it, depending on what he looks like in person, and all that.
And finally, according to the "official" BreyerFest Blog, the Gloss Mariah’s Boon models will be given out as a prize for the Poppycock Parade, not the Fascinator Contest. I am also okay with this "upping" of the piece count, since the quality and quantity of Costume Contest entries we’ve been seeing rival anything I’ve seen at various Comicons and other conventions of that nature.
(Which makes sense, since there’s so much overlap of the respective fan bases. We’re all slan, yo.)
Frankly, anyone willing to humiliate themselves in public - outside, in scorching heat and insanely high humidity - deserves a little something for their efforts.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Empty Wallet
It was, to put it politely, a very productive flea market. (Productive = empty wallet.)
The best stuff wasn’t even the horses, but a box of nine vintage aquarium decorations (aka "aquarium furniture"), including a gorgeous bisque mermaid that was easily worth five times what I paid for the entire box:
It had been nearly two years since I had found a single (affordable) piece, and I was thinking the local supply had been exhausted. If that had been my only find of the day, I would have been completely content, but no…
Well, we’ll cover the actual horses today. They were so plentiful on Sunday I could have easily had a very fine day with the stuff I left behind. This handsome boy was not among the unchosen:
Yep, a fancy old #87 Buckskin Mustang with a partial dorsal, gray points, nubbed hoof and unbelievably, eye pinking. I’ve seen pink shading around the eyes of some Fighting Stallions, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in person on a Traditional Mustang. (It’s there, trust me.) He has a few minor condition flaws, but honestly, he’s one of the nicest Buckskin Mustangs I’ve seen in a long while, and I’d keep him if I didn’t have horses coming out of my ears right now.
His friend will be sticking around, though:
The Charcoal variation of the Western Prancing Horse! Also in beautiful condition, with just a few minor issues. It’s hard to believe, I know, but up until now I had never really had one of these variations in my collection.
It’s not a particularly hard one to find; the majority of older Smoke Western Prancing Horses are actually Charcoals, as is the one pictured in the 1963 Dealer’s Catalog. I just never found one that was the right combination of price and condition.
And he’s such an early guy, too - I don’t doubt he’s from the first year or two of production, especially since his Mustang buddy is of the same vintage (but not among the earliest of his kind, though - remember, the earliest Buckskin Mustangs would have painted eyewhites. But he also came out a year or so before the Western Prancing Horse, so the chronology’s still good.)
I also noticed - comparing him to my many other Prancing Horses - that his saddle is exceptionally dark, compared to later WPH saddles; I have a Black Pinto one whose saddle is of a similar shade. Those of you trying to find saddles for your saddle-free Prancing Horses might want to take note of that, on the extremely remote chance I may judge collectibility someday. (This saddle is not a vintage replacement! No NAN card for you!)
More on the rest of the stuff I found later this week. And about how I had one of my weirdest days ever today. (It's not horse-related, but you'll want to hear about it. Trust me.)
The best stuff wasn’t even the horses, but a box of nine vintage aquarium decorations (aka "aquarium furniture"), including a gorgeous bisque mermaid that was easily worth five times what I paid for the entire box:
It had been nearly two years since I had found a single (affordable) piece, and I was thinking the local supply had been exhausted. If that had been my only find of the day, I would have been completely content, but no…
Well, we’ll cover the actual horses today. They were so plentiful on Sunday I could have easily had a very fine day with the stuff I left behind. This handsome boy was not among the unchosen:
Yep, a fancy old #87 Buckskin Mustang with a partial dorsal, gray points, nubbed hoof and unbelievably, eye pinking. I’ve seen pink shading around the eyes of some Fighting Stallions, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in person on a Traditional Mustang. (It’s there, trust me.) He has a few minor condition flaws, but honestly, he’s one of the nicest Buckskin Mustangs I’ve seen in a long while, and I’d keep him if I didn’t have horses coming out of my ears right now.
His friend will be sticking around, though:
The Charcoal variation of the Western Prancing Horse! Also in beautiful condition, with just a few minor issues. It’s hard to believe, I know, but up until now I had never really had one of these variations in my collection.
It’s not a particularly hard one to find; the majority of older Smoke Western Prancing Horses are actually Charcoals, as is the one pictured in the 1963 Dealer’s Catalog. I just never found one that was the right combination of price and condition.
And he’s such an early guy, too - I don’t doubt he’s from the first year or two of production, especially since his Mustang buddy is of the same vintage (but not among the earliest of his kind, though - remember, the earliest Buckskin Mustangs would have painted eyewhites. But he also came out a year or so before the Western Prancing Horse, so the chronology’s still good.)
I also noticed - comparing him to my many other Prancing Horses - that his saddle is exceptionally dark, compared to later WPH saddles; I have a Black Pinto one whose saddle is of a similar shade. Those of you trying to find saddles for your saddle-free Prancing Horses might want to take note of that, on the extremely remote chance I may judge collectibility someday. (This saddle is not a vintage replacement! No NAN card for you!)
More on the rest of the stuff I found later this week. And about how I had one of my weirdest days ever today. (It's not horse-related, but you'll want to hear about it. Trust me.)
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Clicking Through
Gotta keep it simple today - in addition to trying to work on my
BreyerFest paperwork (about half done - yay!) I’ve had to deal with a
lot of untidy personal stuff, too. (Identity theft, again. Why do so
many people find it awesome to be me? Trust me, it ain’t. Well, most of
the time.)
I seem to have forgotten to talk about the survey that was offered to Vintage Club members to help choose, presumably, one of the 2013 Club offerings. For those of you who aren’t in the Vintage Club, or missed the news entirely, the choices were:
Based on the online commentary I’ve seen, though, I’m guessing the Running Stallion has the best shot of winning that poll. The Five-Gaiter has a Matte Finish, which rules him out, and both the Man o’ War and the QH Gelding have molded-on halters, which is also big no-no for some people. Among a lot of collectors, too, there’s this desire towards "complete" families, so a Dark Dapple Gray Running Stallion to match the Mare and Foal would seem like the most logical choice.
I would be okay with him, too, though I’d hope then that the others might be offered in some way, too - either as Made-to-Orders or Buried Treasures. (Actually, what I REALLY wanted is the Stretched Morgan in the Appaloosa Performance Horse colorway in the group shot accompanying the newsletter. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him, though.)
Speaking of, apparently Reeves received enough questions about the Buried Treasures - and the "Second Chance" models - to address the issues on its Frequently-Asked-Questions page:
Note some of the (other) interesting wording here:
I seem to have forgotten to talk about the survey that was offered to Vintage Club members to help choose, presumably, one of the 2013 Club offerings. For those of you who aren’t in the Vintage Club, or missed the news entirely, the choices were:
- Gloss Alabaster Quarter Horse Gelding
- Matte Smoke Five-Gaiter
- Gloss "Dark Dapple Gray" Running Stallion
- Gloss Wild Dapple Gray Man o’ War
Based on the online commentary I’ve seen, though, I’m guessing the Running Stallion has the best shot of winning that poll. The Five-Gaiter has a Matte Finish, which rules him out, and both the Man o’ War and the QH Gelding have molded-on halters, which is also big no-no for some people. Among a lot of collectors, too, there’s this desire towards "complete" families, so a Dark Dapple Gray Running Stallion to match the Mare and Foal would seem like the most logical choice.
I would be okay with him, too, though I’d hope then that the others might be offered in some way, too - either as Made-to-Orders or Buried Treasures. (Actually, what I REALLY wanted is the Stretched Morgan in the Appaloosa Performance Horse colorway in the group shot accompanying the newsletter. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him, though.)
Speaking of, apparently Reeves received enough questions about the Buried Treasures - and the "Second Chance" models - to address the issues on its Frequently-Asked-Questions page:
Q24: I heard about some web specials being offered again to members of the Collector Club. What is a "Second Chance" offer?I like how they tacitly admit at the end of the explanation that more Buried Treasures and other special offers are in the offing. Way to cultivate them page clicks!
Recently, we offered our Collector Club members a second chance at purchasing select web special models. We’ve noticed a few questions come up regarding this, and would like to take the opportunity to clear a few things up
Breyer only makes the stated number of special run models. In the event that an individual drawn to purchase a special run isn’t able to purchase, we then select someone from the wait list. However, we do not keep our wait lists indefinitely, and in some cases the individuals chosen do not complete their order. This leaves us with extra web special models (which are not rejects or damaged returns), which we may choose to offer to our Collector Club members; giving them a "second chance" at getting their hands on these great models!
Our recent "second chance" offers (offered at the end of April 2012) were announced on our Facebook and Twitter pages, and were also listed in the Member’s Only section of the website, which can be viewed once you’re logged in as a Collector Club member on BreyerHorses.com. "Second chance" models were offered exclusively to Collector Club members, and limited to one "second chance" model per purchase, while supplies lasted.
So keep your eye on the Member’s Only section of the website and Breyer’s Twitter and Facebook pages, as we may periodically offer specials and surprises like these offers to our members!
Please note – offers and promotions may or may not be advertised in advance.
Note some of the (other) interesting wording here:
Breyer only makes the stated number of special run models.I take this statement with a grain of salt. I think they strive to distribute the "stated number" of pieces, but that doesn’t account for returns/replacements for damages. For the record, I believe the shortage/overage on most special runs is very small - a handful of pieces, at most. I’d hesitate to call them statistically insignificant, because it certainly doesn’t feel insignificant if you’re one of the lucky ones who manages to catch one of these stragglers - or just misses out on getting one.
[E]xtra web special models (which are not rejects or damaged returns)I know it’s considered an "accepted fact" that Reeves redistributes damaged returns, but that’s simply not the case, and it’s a little depressing that they have to point this out on the web site. However, this also does not rule out models that were return out of simple dissatisfaction - aka "buyer’s remorse" - which does happen from time to time.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
So Far
Dang it, did it to me again: they dropped photos of the Sunday Raffle pieces on the web site yesterday! It’s the Susecion and Le Fire set in Glossy Chestnut Rabicano, as "Crabbet Mare and Foal - Queen Mum and the Prince".
Honestly, I really wasn’t greasing the skids or anything like that. I haven’t gotten any comps from Reeves in forever. (If I did, you think I’d be applying to volunteer every year? Or getting up at some ungodly hour to stand in line for the NPOD?)
Some people think that this means that the Huckleberry Bey mold will therefore be the Saturday Raffle, but I’m still holding out for a pony of some sort.
For those of you keeping track at home, here’s what’s known - and unknown - about this year’s BreyerFest lineup. (The questionable/unknowns are highlighted in red):
711140 Mariah’s Boon: Celebration Horse
711141 Mariah’s Boon - Gloss (presumed contest prize - Fascinator?)
711141 What’s On Tap (the four One-Day Stablemates)
711142 Prince of Chintz: Ticket Special
711143 Bowland: Ticket Special
711144 Killarney: Porcelain/Store Special
711145 Stoneleigh Surprise (four models, probably the same mold)
711146 Cheerio: Ticket Special
711147 Aintree: Ticket Special
711148 Sixes and Sevens: Ticket Special
711149 Bee’s Knees: Ticket Special
711150 Taskin: Store Special
711151 Tunbridge Wells: Ticket Special
711152 Black Beauty: British Souvenir (Resin)
711153 Union Jack: British Souvenir (Translucent)
711214 Bennington: Early Bird Prize
711411 Saturday Raffle Model
711421 Crabbet Mare & Foal - Queen Mum and the Prince: Sunday Raffle Models
711431 Volunteer Model
711441 Sterling: Best of British Contest Prize
711451 Westminster Abbey: Open Show Grand Prize
711461 Penny Lane: Open Show Reserve Grand Prize
???? Y/C Grand Prize
???? Y/C Reserve Grand Prize
???? Y/C Sectional Prize
???? Y/C Reserve Sectional Prize
???? Open Show Sectional Prize
???? Open Show Reserve Sectional Prize
???? Costume Contest Prize
There’s been no clarification about the prizes for either of the costuming contests (could it be the same prize, even?), and I have a feeling that there will be one or more specials to come - either Store Specials, or as more British "Souvenirs".
There’s been some intimation that there may be a change of policy in the live show prizes (more "appropriate" prizes for the Y/C show, in particular), so there could be some subtractions there, too.
So we have (roughly) 35 different Special Runs to look forward to this year. That, and two more months of people bragging about how much money they’ll save not buying any of them.
(And for those of you who say "That wasn’t the case last year!" Girlfriends, please: do your research.)
Honestly, I really wasn’t greasing the skids or anything like that. I haven’t gotten any comps from Reeves in forever. (If I did, you think I’d be applying to volunteer every year? Or getting up at some ungodly hour to stand in line for the NPOD?)
Some people think that this means that the Huckleberry Bey mold will therefore be the Saturday Raffle, but I’m still holding out for a pony of some sort.
For those of you keeping track at home, here’s what’s known - and unknown - about this year’s BreyerFest lineup. (The questionable/unknowns are highlighted in red):
711140 Mariah’s Boon: Celebration Horse
711141 Mariah’s Boon - Gloss (presumed contest prize - Fascinator?)
711141 What’s On Tap (the four One-Day Stablemates)
711142 Prince of Chintz: Ticket Special
711143 Bowland: Ticket Special
711144 Killarney: Porcelain/Store Special
711145 Stoneleigh Surprise (four models, probably the same mold)
711146 Cheerio: Ticket Special
711147 Aintree: Ticket Special
711148 Sixes and Sevens: Ticket Special
711149 Bee’s Knees: Ticket Special
711150 Taskin: Store Special
711151 Tunbridge Wells: Ticket Special
711152 Black Beauty: British Souvenir (Resin)
711153 Union Jack: British Souvenir (Translucent)
711214 Bennington: Early Bird Prize
711411 Saturday Raffle Model
711421 Crabbet Mare & Foal - Queen Mum and the Prince: Sunday Raffle Models
711431 Volunteer Model
711441 Sterling: Best of British Contest Prize
711451 Westminster Abbey: Open Show Grand Prize
711461 Penny Lane: Open Show Reserve Grand Prize
???? Y/C Grand Prize
???? Y/C Reserve Grand Prize
???? Y/C Sectional Prize
???? Y/C Reserve Sectional Prize
???? Open Show Sectional Prize
???? Open Show Reserve Sectional Prize
???? Costume Contest Prize
There’s been no clarification about the prizes for either of the costuming contests (could it be the same prize, even?), and I have a feeling that there will be one or more specials to come - either Store Specials, or as more British "Souvenirs".
There’s been some intimation that there may be a change of policy in the live show prizes (more "appropriate" prizes for the Y/C show, in particular), so there could be some subtractions there, too.
So we have (roughly) 35 different Special Runs to look forward to this year. That, and two more months of people bragging about how much money they’ll save not buying any of them.
(And for those of you who say "That wasn’t the case last year!" Girlfriends, please: do your research.)
Sunday, May 13, 2012
The Not a Surprise
It was raining this morning, so no flea market. I picked up a bunch of odds and ends (no Breyers, no horse-shaped objects) at the Salvation Army on Friday, so the weekend wasn’t a total loss.
They finally announced the Gambler’s Choice/Surprise Special for BreyerFest on Friday, too (announced as in "quietly added the information to the web site.")
For some reason, both the Flash and the Gem Twist molds spring to mind. Newsworthy and Bouncer are still contenders, and there’s the possibility of a new mold in the mix somewhere.
That a new mold is coming is almost a certainty at this point: the mystery here is in what capacity. Sure, it could be the Surprise - wouldn’t that be a kicker! - but we still haven’t heard word one about the Raffle models yet, either. Don’t we usually know about them by now?
Going with what we’ve seen before, the Surprise will be one mold, in three colors and/or patterns, and one "rare" color/pattern/finish. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the three colors might be suggestive of the Olympics: a Chestnut for a "Gold", a Grey for a "Silver", and a Bay/Buckskin/Dun for a "Bronze". (The obvious flaw in this concept: I don’t know what that would mean for a fourth color.)
I am surprised that hobbyists are surprised that there is a surprise (take THAT, English Grammar!) but I guess I shouldn’t be. In spite of their proclamations to the contrary, what most hobbyists possess are not facts or knowledge, but opinions, which are not quite the same things.
(Note: I am not a whole lot different, but I like to think my opinions are at least better informed.)
The sense of entitlement to information has been another factor dissuading me from participating in forums of late. I try my best to provide what information I can, but I get the feeling that a significant portion of people - not just hobbyists, but "normal" people, too - expect everything they need to know delivered to them personally.
That’s not how the world works. I know not everyone loves - or is even moderately good at - doing research, but if you really want to compete or participate at a certain level at anything, you really just gotta buckle down and do it. You can’t leave that kind of work to someone else.
They finally announced the Gambler’s Choice/Surprise Special for BreyerFest on Friday, too (announced as in "quietly added the information to the web site.")
No. 711145 - Stoneleigh Surprise!Could be anything, though I’d probably rule out most of the draft molds. (Yes, I know some people ride Drafters. Still doesn’t make it likely.) Also, in spite of the hostile commentary, I’d rule out most of the distinctly American-style molds too, because contrary to what they’ve been writing, most of the mold and color selections fit within the "British" theme just fine. (Not all, true, but most do.)
Four horses are ready to go out for a ride!
Which one will you get for your trip through the British countryside!?
For some reason, both the Flash and the Gem Twist molds spring to mind. Newsworthy and Bouncer are still contenders, and there’s the possibility of a new mold in the mix somewhere.
That a new mold is coming is almost a certainty at this point: the mystery here is in what capacity. Sure, it could be the Surprise - wouldn’t that be a kicker! - but we still haven’t heard word one about the Raffle models yet, either. Don’t we usually know about them by now?
Going with what we’ve seen before, the Surprise will be one mold, in three colors and/or patterns, and one "rare" color/pattern/finish. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the three colors might be suggestive of the Olympics: a Chestnut for a "Gold", a Grey for a "Silver", and a Bay/Buckskin/Dun for a "Bronze". (The obvious flaw in this concept: I don’t know what that would mean for a fourth color.)
I am surprised that hobbyists are surprised that there is a surprise (take THAT, English Grammar!) but I guess I shouldn’t be. In spite of their proclamations to the contrary, what most hobbyists possess are not facts or knowledge, but opinions, which are not quite the same things.
(Note: I am not a whole lot different, but I like to think my opinions are at least better informed.)
The sense of entitlement to information has been another factor dissuading me from participating in forums of late. I try my best to provide what information I can, but I get the feeling that a significant portion of people - not just hobbyists, but "normal" people, too - expect everything they need to know delivered to them personally.
That’s not how the world works. I know not everyone loves - or is even moderately good at - doing research, but if you really want to compete or participate at a certain level at anything, you really just gotta buckle down and do it. You can’t leave that kind of work to someone else.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Gus
The reason why I haven’t been all that gung-ho about finding horses at the flea market for the past few weeks: I just finished up sorting, tagging and bagging all of my current sales items. More stock I don’t really need, unless it’s something spectacular. I’m a little short on spectacular.
Got lots of cheap, though! Some of it so cheap I’m considering dumping it in our upcoming garage sale. (Nothing worth making a trip for, unless you’re into bodies. Or you just want to shoot the breeze.)
I almost completely forgot about the Vintage Club Special Offer "Gus", who’s a Gloss Medicine Hat Pinto Old Timer. Like the Pamplemousse, he’s being "made to order", so his piece run will be somewhat less than 500 pieces (the limit of Vintage Club memberships).
There are a few reasons why I think they offered him as a "Made to Order" Special, rather than as a "Subscription" Special.
First, he’s a little "outside" of the official Vintage Club parameters: I’m getting the vibe that official releases will be (for the time being) Vintage colors on Vintage molds. Although the color Gus comes in was originally released on the San Domingo back in 1978, it never came in a Gloss Finish.
Second, there’s a strong aversion among a certain subset of hobbyists - some of them Vintage enthusiasts, even - against molded-on tack in general. Those that don’t like it wouldn’t even remotely entertain purchasing such a model.
(That’s why I found it a little surprising that two of the selections they gave Vintage Club members to vote on for a future club release, two of them came with molded on halters: the Quarter Horse Gelding, and the Man o’ War. I love the Man o’ War mold, and his fortunes have been on the upswing lately, but I’d be shocked if he ends up on top of that poll, in spite of his not-boring Gloss Wild Dapple Gray paintjob. Because, you know, there’s a halter.)
Third, because of the labor costs inherent in a piece as complicated as Old Timer, there’s not much money to be made in producing him. There’s a hat, and a harness, and blinkers that have to be glued in and then decorated, and all those itty-bitty gold details that have to be handpainted…way more work than almost any given production model. He gets produced from time to time because the general buying public loves that mold, but it’s almost done as more of a goodwill gesture than for profit.
So it makes sense that they’re offering it this way: they’ll only have to make a certain number of pieces that are already presold, at a more profitable/higher-than-Regular-Run price point. The handful of pieces that don’t get "redeemed" in December will then go up for sale to other Vintage Club members, and then Collector’s Club members.
Sounds like a win-win, all around.
Got lots of cheap, though! Some of it so cheap I’m considering dumping it in our upcoming garage sale. (Nothing worth making a trip for, unless you’re into bodies. Or you just want to shoot the breeze.)
I almost completely forgot about the Vintage Club Special Offer "Gus", who’s a Gloss Medicine Hat Pinto Old Timer. Like the Pamplemousse, he’s being "made to order", so his piece run will be somewhat less than 500 pieces (the limit of Vintage Club memberships).
There are a few reasons why I think they offered him as a "Made to Order" Special, rather than as a "Subscription" Special.
First, he’s a little "outside" of the official Vintage Club parameters: I’m getting the vibe that official releases will be (for the time being) Vintage colors on Vintage molds. Although the color Gus comes in was originally released on the San Domingo back in 1978, it never came in a Gloss Finish.
Second, there’s a strong aversion among a certain subset of hobbyists - some of them Vintage enthusiasts, even - against molded-on tack in general. Those that don’t like it wouldn’t even remotely entertain purchasing such a model.
(That’s why I found it a little surprising that two of the selections they gave Vintage Club members to vote on for a future club release, two of them came with molded on halters: the Quarter Horse Gelding, and the Man o’ War. I love the Man o’ War mold, and his fortunes have been on the upswing lately, but I’d be shocked if he ends up on top of that poll, in spite of his not-boring Gloss Wild Dapple Gray paintjob. Because, you know, there’s a halter.)
Third, because of the labor costs inherent in a piece as complicated as Old Timer, there’s not much money to be made in producing him. There’s a hat, and a harness, and blinkers that have to be glued in and then decorated, and all those itty-bitty gold details that have to be handpainted…way more work than almost any given production model. He gets produced from time to time because the general buying public loves that mold, but it’s almost done as more of a goodwill gesture than for profit.
So it makes sense that they’re offering it this way: they’ll only have to make a certain number of pieces that are already presold, at a more profitable/higher-than-Regular-Run price point. The handful of pieces that don’t get "redeemed" in December will then go up for sale to other Vintage Club members, and then Collector’s Club members.
Sounds like a win-win, all around.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
My Birthday Buckskin
I was a little annoyed at first when I saw this week’s schedule: What do you mean, no overtime? I was just getting used to the not-sleeping thing!
Then I realize, duh, I could actually do things like answer e-mails and open packages, which made it not so bad.
So I finally did open my Buried Treasure: oh, is he purty. Really one of the nicest buckskin paint jobs I’ve seen in a long time, which my photograph (and Reeves’, on the web site) in no way can convey:
Warm, shaded, shimmery - now that’s buckskin, baby!
He has a slight eartip rub from the funky packaging - bagged, bubblewrapped, loosely tossed in a box - but other than that, I have no complaints. Actually, I can’t stop staring at him, he’s just that nice. I want to see this color on everything, right now. Even on the Creepy Kitten, if it’s possible.
There’s no VIN number, no belly stamps, and no certificates, so with the addition of the cobbled together packaging, that pretty much tells us that they were painted in New Jersey.
As I was updating my research files, I noticed an interesting "something" about the issue numbers: the Glossy Joeys were issue number 712073; the Buried Treasure - Lusitano is issue number 712074.
Hmm, okay. I guess that means that they were something a little more recent after all - since the planning stages of the Glossy Joey giveaway, at least.
They must have had a substantial number of Foundation Stallion bodies left over after they ran the 2010 Mid-States Special Run Thunderbolts. Aside from being the most recent production piece on the Foundation Stallion mold, it also had an odd piece run - 2900 pieces, instead of a more standard 2500 or 3000.
I had figured that the Joeys had come out of bodies leftover from the Thunderbolt run; the Buried Treasures must have come out of the leftovers of the leftovers.
This raises an interesting possibility: will future Buried Treasures come out of Reeves’ leftover body bins? They had enough of some unpainted older bodies - like the Stock Horse Stallion, the Belgian, the Clydesdale Mare, and Gem Twist - to sell them in box lots of "whiteware" at BreyerFest a couple years ago.
Interest in them was tepid, at best.
Now that they’ve seen success in putting a simple, yet well executed paint job on an older mold - and marketing it as an extremely limited surprise special run - I can’t imagine them not trying it again.
Then I realize, duh, I could actually do things like answer e-mails and open packages, which made it not so bad.
So I finally did open my Buried Treasure: oh, is he purty. Really one of the nicest buckskin paint jobs I’ve seen in a long time, which my photograph (and Reeves’, on the web site) in no way can convey:
Warm, shaded, shimmery - now that’s buckskin, baby!
He has a slight eartip rub from the funky packaging - bagged, bubblewrapped, loosely tossed in a box - but other than that, I have no complaints. Actually, I can’t stop staring at him, he’s just that nice. I want to see this color on everything, right now. Even on the Creepy Kitten, if it’s possible.
There’s no VIN number, no belly stamps, and no certificates, so with the addition of the cobbled together packaging, that pretty much tells us that they were painted in New Jersey.
As I was updating my research files, I noticed an interesting "something" about the issue numbers: the Glossy Joeys were issue number 712073; the Buried Treasure - Lusitano is issue number 712074.
Hmm, okay. I guess that means that they were something a little more recent after all - since the planning stages of the Glossy Joey giveaway, at least.
They must have had a substantial number of Foundation Stallion bodies left over after they ran the 2010 Mid-States Special Run Thunderbolts. Aside from being the most recent production piece on the Foundation Stallion mold, it also had an odd piece run - 2900 pieces, instead of a more standard 2500 or 3000.
I had figured that the Joeys had come out of bodies leftover from the Thunderbolt run; the Buried Treasures must have come out of the leftovers of the leftovers.
This raises an interesting possibility: will future Buried Treasures come out of Reeves’ leftover body bins? They had enough of some unpainted older bodies - like the Stock Horse Stallion, the Belgian, the Clydesdale Mare, and Gem Twist - to sell them in box lots of "whiteware" at BreyerFest a couple years ago.
Interest in them was tepid, at best.
Now that they’ve seen success in putting a simple, yet well executed paint job on an older mold - and marketing it as an extremely limited surprise special run - I can’t imagine them not trying it again.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Kids Only
I’ve been in a really weird mood all weekend. I still haven’t gotten around to opening my packages yet, for instance. I only got about three hours sleep last night, but I feel absolutely fine. And today I bought all sorts of crazy stuff at the flea market, including a vintage umbrella:
There were a few horses, but for some reason I had to come home with a crazy plaid umbrella with the swirly green bakelite handle, that I’ll probably never use, not even in a costume-y kind of way.
I also bought a trenchcoat, for pretty much the same reason. Plus, the old lady who was selling it told me I looked good in it, and who was I to argue with her?
I did managed to pass up the Napoleonic hat with the giant ostrich plumes, though. Not because it wouldn't have gone with the umbrella and trenchcoat, but because I was almost out of money.
(I’ll blame it all on the supermoon.)
I haven’t talked much about the Kids Only Event, because there wasn’t much about it to talk about. Reeves designed a very age-appropriate event, with age-appropriate "freebies" - a Welcome to the World of Breyer Kit, a signed Brookside Pink Magnum, and a current NIP Stablemate.
To the disappointment of some of the adult attendees, I’m sure. But I’ll get back to that in a minute.
The only "news" that broke from the event was the BreyerFest SR Prince of Chintz, who was posted on the Breyer web site a few days later. Barely news at all, then. Most of the actual kids, when talking about the event, seem to have been more excited about meeting Magnum in person rather than of any news of future releases.
Which is as it should be. Although I had a fairly intense interest in Breyer History at an early age, meeting someone who was made into a Breyer model would have been just as exciting, if not more. Touring the Sample Room would have been great, too, but I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish the Rare from the Common, the Test Colors from the Regular Runs. I would have just gravitated towards my favorite molds and colors.
And then spun around in circles repeatedly just to drink in the aroma, and then passed out.
(Which is sort of what I did the one time I did get to see the Sample Room - as an adult. No actual passing out occurred, that I can recall.)
Actually, I’m sort of relieved that we haven’t heard much about the potential/future Special Runs that were on display, such as the Volunteer model (especially since I’m not volunteering). It’s not that I’m jealous of people knowing things I don’t know - which happens way more than you think, though I’m pretty good at camouflaging it - but that information like that tends to warp expectations.
Sometimes it’s better to not know what could have been. Whenever there’s a proposed SR that either doesn’t get made - or undergoes some modification prior to release - there’s always lots of whining and moping about it.
The only other news I was able to glean from coverage of the event is that a depressingly high percentage of the "adult" accompaniment was not of a parental nature. In other words, kids were "borrowed" to attend.
This does not surprise me. While I’m sure some of them - like me - would have just liked the opportunity to "tour the facility", I’m also sure that some of them were hoping there would be a little something "extra" in it for them.
Nope, blessedly, the Event was pretty much as advertised.
There were a few horses, but for some reason I had to come home with a crazy plaid umbrella with the swirly green bakelite handle, that I’ll probably never use, not even in a costume-y kind of way.
I also bought a trenchcoat, for pretty much the same reason. Plus, the old lady who was selling it told me I looked good in it, and who was I to argue with her?
I did managed to pass up the Napoleonic hat with the giant ostrich plumes, though. Not because it wouldn't have gone with the umbrella and trenchcoat, but because I was almost out of money.
(I’ll blame it all on the supermoon.)
I haven’t talked much about the Kids Only Event, because there wasn’t much about it to talk about. Reeves designed a very age-appropriate event, with age-appropriate "freebies" - a Welcome to the World of Breyer Kit, a signed Brookside Pink Magnum, and a current NIP Stablemate.
To the disappointment of some of the adult attendees, I’m sure. But I’ll get back to that in a minute.
The only "news" that broke from the event was the BreyerFest SR Prince of Chintz, who was posted on the Breyer web site a few days later. Barely news at all, then. Most of the actual kids, when talking about the event, seem to have been more excited about meeting Magnum in person rather than of any news of future releases.
Which is as it should be. Although I had a fairly intense interest in Breyer History at an early age, meeting someone who was made into a Breyer model would have been just as exciting, if not more. Touring the Sample Room would have been great, too, but I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish the Rare from the Common, the Test Colors from the Regular Runs. I would have just gravitated towards my favorite molds and colors.
And then spun around in circles repeatedly just to drink in the aroma, and then passed out.
(Which is sort of what I did the one time I did get to see the Sample Room - as an adult. No actual passing out occurred, that I can recall.)
Actually, I’m sort of relieved that we haven’t heard much about the potential/future Special Runs that were on display, such as the Volunteer model (especially since I’m not volunteering). It’s not that I’m jealous of people knowing things I don’t know - which happens way more than you think, though I’m pretty good at camouflaging it - but that information like that tends to warp expectations.
Sometimes it’s better to not know what could have been. Whenever there’s a proposed SR that either doesn’t get made - or undergoes some modification prior to release - there’s always lots of whining and moping about it.
The only other news I was able to glean from coverage of the event is that a depressingly high percentage of the "adult" accompaniment was not of a parental nature. In other words, kids were "borrowed" to attend.
This does not surprise me. While I’m sure some of them - like me - would have just liked the opportunity to "tour the facility", I’m also sure that some of them were hoping there would be a little something "extra" in it for them.
Nope, blessedly, the Event was pretty much as advertised.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
More Flower!
See, what did I tell you? No Web Specials for me this time around. S’okay, though, since my two newest additions (I’m Yours, and Buried Treasure) have arrived and are currently sitting in the foyer, waiting to be opened. Sleep’s been in short supply this week, so I won’t actually be seeing them in the flesh for another day or two.
Being dead tired from couple of days of long-overdue yard and garden work doesn’t help, either. (Low maintenance doesn’t mean No maintenance.)
Speaking of gardening, the next BreyerFest SR that’s been announced is called the "Prince of Chintz": he’s a Glossy Baby Blue Esprit covered in flowers - like the fabric (and pottery) of the same name.
My first reaction was "What the?" followed by "dang, that’s kinda clever" and finally "a lot of hobbyists aren’t going to ‘get’ it."
The English love of tea, a horse that sort of looks a little like a teapot, with a finish that replicates the chintz pottery finish…that’s seriously high concept for a BreyerFest Special Run.
(Sort of like most of my BreyerFest contest entries.)
(Scratches another idea off list of potential "Best of British" contest entries.)
My only complaints are (a) it could use more and/or bigger flowers, and (b) I wish they had used some other base color instead of blue, because I’m already tired of the whining about "Why couldn’t he just be a Glossy Wedgewood Blue instead?"
Because Wedgewood Blue doesn't come in glossy, that’s why. That’s just how it is.
Yes, Wedgwood is a British institution, and a Wedgewood Blue Special Run would not have been inappropriate item to make for this BreyerFest. But Reeves decided to go one step further and give us something kind of "out there." Gotta give ‘em some props for trying new and different things.
And if he really isn’t your cup of tea, here’s a thought worth considering: they might still have some Wedgewood Blue SR in the mix that we don’t know about yet.
Being dead tired from couple of days of long-overdue yard and garden work doesn’t help, either. (Low maintenance doesn’t mean No maintenance.)
Speaking of gardening, the next BreyerFest SR that’s been announced is called the "Prince of Chintz": he’s a Glossy Baby Blue Esprit covered in flowers - like the fabric (and pottery) of the same name.
My first reaction was "What the?" followed by "dang, that’s kinda clever" and finally "a lot of hobbyists aren’t going to ‘get’ it."
The English love of tea, a horse that sort of looks a little like a teapot, with a finish that replicates the chintz pottery finish…that’s seriously high concept for a BreyerFest Special Run.
(Sort of like most of my BreyerFest contest entries.)
(Scratches another idea off list of potential "Best of British" contest entries.)
My only complaints are (a) it could use more and/or bigger flowers, and (b) I wish they had used some other base color instead of blue, because I’m already tired of the whining about "Why couldn’t he just be a Glossy Wedgewood Blue instead?"
Because Wedgewood Blue doesn't come in glossy, that’s why. That’s just how it is.
Yes, Wedgwood is a British institution, and a Wedgewood Blue Special Run would not have been inappropriate item to make for this BreyerFest. But Reeves decided to go one step further and give us something kind of "out there." Gotta give ‘em some props for trying new and different things.
And if he really isn’t your cup of tea, here’s a thought worth considering: they might still have some Wedgewood Blue SR in the mix that we don’t know about yet.
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