Sunday, August 4, 2013

The Revenge of Lisa Frank

Just took a look at my work schedule this coming week: yikes! If you think I’m hard to get a hold of now…

By request, I’ll hold off on the Mystery Regular Run Reissues and focus on that beautiful boy from the group shot:


Like a good portion of those goodies, he’s a Sample: there is no VIN number that I can see. As I haven’t seen enough of the Gypsy Vanners live and in person, I cannot tell if he is in any other way different from the standard ones you’ll find on the shelf, other than his slightly better than average painting and masking.

When I found him in the sample boxes, I figured he was a fairly safe bet: even if I didn’t like him, he’d be an easy sell, judging from the reaction I’ve been seeing to him online. Like selling an Othello or Silver easy.

If you know me, I’m not particularly girly. I drive a station wagon, own a Wire Fox Terrier, and have feet the size of small oven roasters. I do have a decent sized shoe closet and can clean up admirably when the need arises, but most of the time I’m a jeans + comic-book-themed t-shirt kind of girl.

But this Vanner. Jeez.

This has to be the most gosh-darned-girly-in-a-Lisa-Frank-kind-of-way model horse ever. He needs to have a base made out of clouds, rainbows and glitter, and be ridden by a shirtless Legolas holding a bucket of pastel-colored puppies and kittens. And silhouetted against a diecut, holographic sky full of rhinestones-encrusted butterflies.

I am smitten.

His doppelganger, the BreyerFest Laredo, did not inspire the same reaction when I finally saw him in the round. His color was beautiful, and I liked his braided/plaited/beribboned mane, but I had a hard time getting past his strange legs. His proportions reminded me of those oversized toy horses sold as accessories to Barbie and all her frenemies.

Maybe he’ll grown on me a little more as time goes by. I’ll have that time: there were some leftovers on Sunday at BreyerFest. Not as many as you might think - although he did sell fairly well, it was difficult to judge just how well, because they made way more of him than any other BreyerFest SR other than the CC Shuffles: 1500 pieces. By comparison, the Sucesion & Le Fire set Naomi and Wynonna had a 1200 piece run.

They could have sold as many or more of Laredo as the Naomi and Wynonna set, and still have a couple hundred pieces left over. (NOTE: For speculation purposes only. I have no idea exactly how many Laredos did sell.)

Just like the Black Appaloosa Hackney Special a few years back, that was adjudged a failure. The story’s a little more complicated than that.

Oh great, now I’m imagining the Vanner in a Silver Dapple Pintaloosa paintjob. Glossy, of course. Or maybe a Glow-in-the-Dark Overo with masking in the shape of fairies, flowers and hummingbirds.

Gag. I think I need to go watch some movies with car crashes, explosions and killer robots now. 

6 comments:

RowanMorgaine said...

I have a Vanner sitting on my shelf next to my 3 Othello's. They all seem to be startled at his exuberance. I picture him as a slightly over-caffeinated teenager, trying to get the boring old adults to play with him. :)

Katie said...

Oh, I want him SO badly! He's the next horse on my "hit list". I just have to save up the money. I do think the pose and attitude seem to be a little mystical. He just doesn't seem to feel completely like a Vanner to me. He's not a unicorn or Pegasus. It's like he's trying to fly. :) Very cute though, that's why I want him!

dizzijoi said...

Pass the giant brain eraser, LOL. Your description has turned my brain to rainbow glitter mush (oooo, pretty...). Hilarious!

I have yet to see this fellow in the plastic and will decide yay or nay for me once I do. All that flying feathers are bugging me but I need to see in hand before I come to my conclusion.

RowanMorgaine said...

I didn't like him when I first saw his pictures, but he really grow on me. Although I think I should call mine Cheerleader, since he seems to have pom poms on all four feet. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who took issue with Laredo's legs...

Lindsay said...

He definitely needs to be frolicking in a green field awash with flowers while a rainbow shines overhead. He looks so spunky!