As I discussed earlier this month, sometimes when a detailed or realistic paint job is put on a less-than-realistic mold, the effect can be disconcerting. But here, I like how Reeves overcomes that by using a pinto pattern that walks the line between being realistic and fantastic.
A similar effect was achieved on earlier examples of the #766 Arabian Stallion on the Khemosabi mold, that have the high contrast crazy splatter/resist dappling. They toned it down on pieces later in the run, presumably to please the folks who prefer the more realistic, regardless.
I also like the little Vintage nod on the saddle, with the gold dotted trim mimicking the trim seen on some (but not all) of the earlier snap saddles.
As I mentioned before also - and what Reeves gets wrong - is that this is NOT the first BreyerFest Special Run of the Western Horse. The first was the Solid Metallic Gold given out as prizes back in 2003 for the T-Shirt/Costume Contest. I can understand how it might have slipped down the memory hole; it was part of an early contest with lower-than-average participation, they didn’t make a whole lot of them, and they rarely come up for sale.
(‘Twas years before I decided to start participating in that sort of thing.)
I am going to presume that the piece run is going to be significantly larger in this case, though I wouldn’t doubt it’ll be on the lower end of what we’ve been seeing. Models with molded on tack - newer molds or old - don’t sell as well as tack-free ones, no matter how pretty the paint job.
Will he sell? I think so. He seems to be polling well among his target audience: hobbyists like me, i.e. history buffs and nostalgic olds.
Hobbyists tend to think of the Palomino Family Arabian Stallion as the one true "Icon" of the Model Horse World, but for the rest of the world, it’s the Palomino Western Horse. It’s true that the more common releases of the Western Horses (and Ponies) can be difficult to market in more standard model horse venues, but that’s definitely not the case everywhere else. I’ve never had an issue, for instance, selling Palomino or Black Pinto Western Horses on eBay.
Among a younger audience and/or those less interested in the history, the reaction was decidedly less warm. There’s a lot of the usual "Why couldn’t that color be on [my favorite new mold from the last five years]?"
Which I find annoying, but then again, I made the mistake of wandering onto the NAMHSA-Discussion Group earlier this week. Even the happy little spring birds chirping outside my bedroom window seem annoying after reading that. (They were arguing over the definition of a word? Exit, Stage Left…)
1 comment:
I haven't been in the hobby that long and do tend to like a lot of the newer molds, but this one is just gorgeous. I'm very tempted to try to find one on the market after BreyerFest. But (and this is probably considered blasphemy) I do wish he had a new, improved tail.
Ducks, and waits for people to start throwing things at me. :)
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