The B Word

The last official "flea market find" last year was an H-R Donkey Harry; this year’s first official find?

A #376 Brighty - 1991! He’s not a rare animal - they made him up through 2005 in this particular version of brownish-gray - but he is a reliable seller in the aftermarket, as most Marguerite Henry-inspired molds are.

Other than one ear rub and a few bits of house paint splatter, he seems to be in excellent condition. That’s a bit unusual, considering I found him at the local Salvation Army Store, sitting next to the extremely scary dollar-store clown figurine that’s been terrorizing that store for about a month now. (Brighty was holding his own, but I’m sure the save was appreciated!)

What’s nice about the Brighty mold is that he doesn’t have any significant mold marks, so casual shoppers and other non-Breyer-obsessed people will tend to pass over him. Not without a quizzical look or two, though, including the cashier who rang him up for me yesterday:

"Is he…plastic?"

"Yes, he is."

Hey, she never brought up the "B" word, so I didn’t offer. It doesn’t seem to matter too much in my part of the country anyway, but I know I am extremely lucky to be in that situation. (More than once at my local dirt malls have I heard the cry "Hey, Horse Lady, I got something for ya!" And miraculously, they often do.)

There were some other equine-themed things in the store, but nothing else worth bringing home, other than some crafting supplies.

Alas, this little Brighty probably won’t be staying; I promised myself to keep my model purchases to a minimum for the front half of the year, at least. If he had been the 2007 model and book set rerelease (#1295) with that happy, self-satisfied little smile painted on his face, it’d be another story. That one has become my favorite of all the Brighty releases, outside of the original Chalky Gift Set ones.

Since I’m possibly going on overnights (and overtime) for the next month or so, it’ll be a while before I get him or anything else listed.

Though if anyone has a body-quality Traditional Kitten (or two) they’d be willing to trade for him, I’d be willing to make the time. I am so enamored of my Chartreux idea that want to make my own, regardless of Reeves’s plans. Maybe a Silver Filigree one, too.