Tuesday, March 23, 2021

The Bluest Boy

So it looks like I didn’t get the Goldfinch, and I am perfectly fine with that. 

The prices for them on eBay right now are absolutely ridiculous, but unfortunately the prices about Special Run Silvers is ridiculous, which is another reason why I try not to get too emotionally involved with that mold.

Anyway, here’s a picture of a model I bought last year that I never got around to talking about, because, you know, my life is crazy:

It’s a more blue-ish version of the #863 Rana, on the Sham mold, released from 1992 through 1993. They all have at least a slight blue cast to them, but some are more blue than others, and I wanted to find the bluest one possible.

I think I can do better, both color- and condition-wise, but this example is probably the best I am going to get until the next in-person BreyerFest. (Well, I hadn’t had any luck finding one at BreyerFest either, but the odds seem better there, somehow.)

I’m not even sure what actual horse color this is suppose to represent – Breyer called it “Blue Chocolate”, which I am assuming is just another name for Black Silver, or maybe an obscure variation of Black Silver with another modifier thrown on top just to spice things up? 

(It’s been a while since I dabbled in horse color genetics.)

I also know Ruby Chocolate is a thing, but that’s an edible thing and a rather new creation that I haven’t gotten around to sampling yet. (But trust me, It will happen.)

Whatever it is supposed to be, I think it’s kind of neat, and another reason I’ve been wanting this release for a while.

5 comments:

Little Black Car said...

I have to confess I'm mystified by the obsession with Silvers in general and this one in particular: It's a cute mold but so are a lot of others, and this looks like a pretty nondescript quickie paint job. If it had dapples and nice shading like the paint on the jumping pony I might get it, but this looks like Breyer Buckskin Circa 1992. Even in the sample pictures there is some pretty epic overspray on the mane. Oh, well.

Ha ha I remember when Rana came out and once again we all wondered what the heck color he was supposed to be. I think silver was just starting to become a thing in the model horse world then.

Carrie said...

Even though I *am* very interested in equine color genetics, I rather like it when Breyer puts something weird on a model w/ little-to-no explanation. Even better if its Sham!

Salem said...

There was this certain color that I saw on a few live horses when I was a kid that was almost black, with an orangey mane and tail. I was told that it was liver chestnut, but try as I might, I always thought of it as eggplant casserole. ;D

Boulder Sheep said...

Back in the dark ages, I thought I knew all the Breyers and all their varieties. (I didn't, but kids those days.) This is a gorgeous colorway, and I love the challenge of finding the bluest blue. I don't think Phil Sponenburg's book about horse color came out until the 80s; I mean, I remember when "overo" and "tobiano" were new and exciting descriptors. Let alone "Silver Bay".

I was chosen for Goldfinch, much to my surprise; I entered as a mercenary. It seems like everyone and her sister is congaing (conging?) Silver and now I will finally have something sought after to trade (or sell.) Which is just as well, because I just paid a little more than I wanted for a custom Emerson. (And I'm still kicking myself for not jumping on the $100 "Buy Now" box lot six months ago with a Wedgewood Running Mare, but I suppose that is the vagaries that make collecting what it is.)

Suzanne said...

He's pretty! I guess it's more realistic than charcoal-! Yeah, I was thinking "liver chestnut" too.