Homely

The past few days were rough - both scheduling and personal issues came up. On the scheduling issue, apparently nobody noticed in the office that I was the only person not scheduled last weekend - nor did they bother to call me when everybody was begging for extra help because of call-offs. Because everyone assumed I was already working - just not with them.

(They’re blaming it on a software glitch. Sigh. I’ll deal with it after BreyerFest.)

One good thing happened this week - my Vintage Club Extra Lucy arrived:

Very pretty! (My desk not so much, I know.) As I’ve brought up before, I wouldn’t technically call that a "Vintage" paint job, other than the fact that it replicates the pattern on the Mule that appeared on the first color cover of JAH, back in 1980. Still, no complaints, especially quality-wise. Nice job, Reeves!

This year’s crop of Auction Items is especially nice, too. I think my favorite so far is almost everyone else’s: that stunner of an Appaloosa Performance Horse, in the most amazing sabino paint job I’ve ever seen. (Via the BreyerFest App, and up on the Facebook page.)

Not so crazy about the swish tail - on the issue of the Performance Horse, I am an originalist - but dang, if it wasn’t for the fact that I suspect a lot of other people will also be gunning for him, I’d actually consider bidding.

I make no apologies for have a near-complete collection of the Appaloosa Performance Horse. (It also helps that most of his releases are pretty easy on the wallet, too.) Here’s one of my favorites, the 1984 Christmas SR in Gray Appaloosa:

We didn’t need no stinking mapping, eyewhites or roaning on our Special Runs back then! Though I was a bit bummed they didn’t at least stripe his hooves.

I can’t recall seeing a lot of test colors on this mold before, either, past or recent present. The only one I can think of is the Black Appaloosa one they used as a stand-in for Stud Spider in the 1977 JC Penney's Christmas Catalog. Other than in his original fabulous colorway, he was never a hugely popular model, so the likelihood of spare Performance Horse bodies lying around was slim.

But I always thought he had potential. Just last week I was seriously mulling over a body lot on eBay with a Performance Horse body in it; I was intrigued by the idea of taking one and tweaking/improving it, in the hopes of getting other hobbyists to see what I see.

Then Reeves went ahead and did the job for me! I can only hope that means we’ll be seeing more of him soon, either as a Vintage Club release, or as a Buried Treasure/Vault/Surprise type model. He hasn’t seen a release, in any shape or color, since the #1140 Foundation Appaloosa was discontinued in 2002.

I am also intrigued by the Gloss Palomino Clydesdale Mare. She seems a little - just so slightly - less fancy a paint job than we usually see on Auction pieces, and first made me wonder if Reeves is being sneaky again and showing us the Volunteer Special and just not telling us so.

More likely, though, she’s an actual test for another Vintage Club release; I seem to recall a Gloss Palomino Mustang in that particular photo from way back…