Friday, August 26, 2016

The Necessity of Cliff Diving

More bodies from the local Salvation Army –


The Traditional Black Beauty was a nice one, by late 1970s/early 1980s standards: the cleanly masked star, good seams, not tippy at all, and has that attractive “dry matte” finish you don’t run across very often. And he’s the four-stocking version, earliest of the multiple variations of the long-running (1979-1988) #89 release.

But not rarest. The rarest would be the left foresock version, seen almost exclusively on his box:


This was not the first version of the box: the first version had the four stocking variation. It was one of the rare instances where Breyer actually updated the artwork on the box to more accurately reflect the horse inside. Somewhat, of course: while all subsequent Black Beauties did have a single sock, the placement varied. And very rarely appeared on the left fore. (How rare? I cannot remember the last time I saw one for sale.)

Alas, the previous owner took it upon her- or himself and “neatened” up the stockings with some nail polish remover – aka slightly watered down Acetone, which is the stuff they use to fuse freshly-molded pieces together to make fully functional Breyers. And so he goes, along with his dinged-up jumping friend, into the body box.

As much as the mold aggravates me – mostly because he’s such a shelf hog – he’s another one of those underappreciated Hess molds with a lot of customizing potential.

But not for me. The irony of my again-plentiful body box is that most of my creative efforts for the time being are of the sewing and quilting variety. Some clean and empty floor space made itself available in the house, and I want to take advantage of it while I can to finish a few of the bigger projects.  

The other project I have to focus on: making this Chasing the Chesapeake thing happen.

Yep, silly me bought a dang ticket.

My other rationalization for doing this – aside from all of the others I articulated earlier – was that I think I need to do this to get myself out of the personal funk I’ve found myself in this year.

My other Breyer-related travel has become almost routine. I’ve been to Kentucky enough that it almost feels like my second residence, and last year’s Event was my fifth trip to the Chicago area. But I’ve been to the East Coast exactly once – back in 1992, again for a Breyer-thing – and all the travel arrangements were made for me then.

Other than it being also a Breyer-thing, this is going to be an entirely new experience for me, almost from the ground up. Drive or Fly? Roommates? Travel companions? None of this is set in stone. I’m not quite sure where to even begin.

It’s both thrilling and terrifying, like diving off a cliff.

(IOW yes, I’m looking for roommates and travel companions. Blab me, e-mail me, comment below if you have any help to offer in these areas.)

8 comments:

Truson said...

Glad to hear you are going! Carpe diem! :) I am as well, this will hopefully be my first of many.

Truson said...

PS...have you seen the new Fall Releases? Great stuff!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...folks will probably be needing a lot of company. The hotel looks to be in a bad part of the city.

Anonymous said...

Considering there is a rehab next to the hotel, and they allow homeless to sleep inside the lobby-yes I would be concerned!

Anonymous said...

I need a roommate please email me! EllenMColeman@aol.com

ANDREA said...

Not to discount your concerns any, but Flint is to the north of me, Detroit is to the south of me, and I travel frequently in and around both for work. I went to college in Detroit and actually lived on campus for three years, too.

So I'm familiar with navigating the hazards of urban environments.

The flea market, out in the middle of country and parked between a cemetery and a cornfield, that's what been giving me the heebie-jeebies lately. Some of the regulars aren't so regular, if you know what I mean.

(But, the horses! So many horses....)

Anonymous said...

Yes, many of us are well aware of urban environments, thanks. Having homeless people camping out by a hotel, accosting people in broad daylight for their suitcases and having to use a keycard to go through everywhere in the hotel is a pretty big stretch for a brand that is touted to be a first-class hotel and for a type of collector event that is said to be "legendary". Poor planning is poor planning. People were told to plan on lots of walking, NOT running and street fighting. Look at the reviews. Not the things a first-class establishment should have.

BuckR. said...

Anonymous, I agree with you 100%. Having been raised in an urban area myself, and traveled all over the US, I can tell you that this place sounds worse than any I've been to. Just because I know what my place I call home is like doesn't mean I have the right to say that Wilmington DE is nothing worse than my piece of earth. It sounds much worse, and a healthy dose of fear creates watchfulness which keeps me safe.
Andrea, driving and walking through Detroit and Flint sounds somewhat sketchy, but it's going to be different at night up in city parking garage stair wells as a SINGLE WOMAN. Especially in a city like Wilmington. Saying that I've been in worse places, and this is a walk in the park is asking for trouble! I'll still go if I can, but I'm going to be safe, which is how I survive, and that's the word we need to be getting out to ALL collectors attending.
To be honest, I don't see how stabbings in front of the hotel, murders nearby including the body of a woman being found in a dumpster a few blocks away, crack dealing in the halls of the hotel, loitering in the lobby, not to mention cars in the hotel's garage being keyed and damages is less worse than a flea market in the country that between a cemetery and a cornfield. Hey, I myself LIVE between a cemetery and a cornfield, so I can say that my next door neighbors are the quietest I've ever seen!
And Andrea, no, I do not understand what you mean by the regulars being not so regular. Are they coming from the cemetery? Because that would definitely creep me out too!