Monday, May 10, 2021

The Latest in Stablemates

Head’s up: I’m switching over to a different schedule this week, so my posting times might get a little weird here for a while until I figure out my new normal. (Or if it even sticks. The situation is… complicated.)

In the meantime, I’ve finally opened up some recent Stablemate arrivals. My Hendrik is nice, no complaints here:

I also really like the Charleston that I bought all the way back in (ulp!) November. While I look forward to getting more of this cute little feller in the near future, that particular collection will probably be forever incomplete, with the Customs Contest Runners-Ups prize being the Black Pinto version of this: 

This is still not sufficient motivation for me to get my tools out of storage and give that contest a try; I have my hands full as it is trying to get my garden to look like a garden again. (The weather is definitely not being cooperative. At least we didn’t get snow?)

If there’s another rainy weekend in the near future I might actually get a Diorama done, though. (And if it does happen and I actually submit it, I’ll definitely post it here, post-BreyerFest.)

Then there’s my Gold(en) Charm Mini Secretariat, who is just so pretty:

It’s been generally accepted that Gold(en) Charm is the least favored of the original Four Decorator colors, but I think it’s rapidly becoming my favorite, or at least co-equal with Wedgewood Blue. 

Not that it matters, because if I was presented with a choice like that I would probably spontaneously combust. 

That’s actually been a nightmare of mine: finding myself at a flea market or yard sale and finding several Decorators, but only having enough money to buy one or two. 

Which, for better or worse, hasn’t happened yet. 

I have been present at situations where I bought something and the vendor has said something like “Good, that’s the last of them”, making me wonder what the heck I missed in the first place. 

And then there was the vendor who deliberately hid a box of models from me as I approached, after letting others rifle through them. Truth be told, I was taking advantage of her, but it wasn’t the horses: some of my biggest flea market scores came from her dollar table, including a giant bag of vintage gumball charms and a large collection of older (early 1970s) Hagen-Renaker miniatures. 

And if she had asked, I would have given her an honest estimate of their value. But you know, some flea market vendors have to feel like they are in complete control of the situation, and the reputation of some of our co-hobbyists sometimes precedes us. 

But anyway, back to Stablemates.

My “Steven Universe” Unicorns are still unopened (yeah, I know) but I did open up the Chasing Rainbows Unicorn that I bought with them; I was hoping for the yellow Prince Charming and not the Pink, and luck was with me that day:

The box was already heavily picked over by the time I got to it, so I didn’t even bother trying to find the Rainbow Connemara/Croi; I’ll wait a little longer and see if they become more plentiful over time, or if (more likely) hobbyists get fickle and move on to the next new thing. 

And finally, the store also had a small quantity of leftover Fun Day Stablemates, so I bought one of the Icelandics, too:

Since everything else I’ve been eyeing has quickly shot out of reach, I’ve been pricing the Traditional Icelandics. The prices for the Web Special Honeysuckle are inexplicably high – inexplicable because wasn’t everyone complaining how “blah” it was when it was released? – but the Jols are still in my comfort zone, so I think that’s where I’ll focus once spring cleaning and spring planting are done. 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know what??!! This might be a terribly immature thing to say --but seeing your gorgeous mint "Hendrik" actually makes me mad!

Why??! Well-- for the 3rd time in a row, Breyer has either sent me a lousy model --or where the "gambler's choices" were involved, the least favorite color of my choice (Matte "Atticus" --Horrid blue pintaloosa Alborozo unicorn)

I very very rarely contact Breyer about anything - Mainly because I don't want to be on the complainer's bandwagon for every single solitary model Breyer releases--and I've been a collector for quite awhile! (sometimes, it is what it is, I guess!)

This time, however, I am hurt and immensely disappointed in quality of their of their product. My "Hendrik" would be the epitome of what the people were complaining about! The forelock & mane were oversprayed or missed; he actually has a hairstrand, air bubbles and paint drips on his off mane side. His chest and undersides were much paler than the rest of his coat color!

I wouldn't say anything now --expect a collector friend of mine who lives less than 1/2 hour away also got a beautiful mint "Hendrik" similar to yours and I'm curious as to why the difference in quality??

I don't want to drag old previous discussions up ( this is the 1st time I've ever noticed such bad workmanship on a model before) I doubt I can return said model for a replacement--as he might have been someone else's return--but I am hurt and immensely disappointed!

(On the other hand, while I missed out on the 1st round of getting the current Classic "Slyder", the same said friend ended up with 3 of them and I was able to buy my color choice (the pinto) at cost--so there is that! Again, there was the matter of the overspray of the mane--but not a deal breaker on one of their prettier colors! Now to find the appaloosa @ a reasonable cost!

Anonymous said...

Oops--forgot to mention the reason that "Hendrik's" condition was so important to me--is that I'm a die hard glossy fanatic! While I don't agree or believe every color or model should be glossed, (light colors are a definite "No!"), I do prefer glossy over matte where appropriate!

That word should read "except" instead of "expect". Sorry--sometimes the computer doesn't let you see what you've typed until you hit "send".

Salem said...

I am always in awe when you mention delaying opening a model. How does that even work? Our mail runs early most days, so when I know that I have a package waiting for me at home, the work day drags along so slowly, and I'm totally preoccupied and impatient. I can't imagine that kind of self-discipline.

Corky said...

Anonymous -- you should definitely contact Breyer. They can help. My partner's Goldfinch came in with a huge gouge on one hind leg that caused an inch-long section of the paint and gloss to lift up; she contacted Breyer and they sent a prepaid return label right away, and the replacement model they sent us was perfect.

That said, when we lived in Japan, we were members of the Premier Club, and our Croi Damsha arrived with an enormous gouge in the plastic on the off-side of her mane. She'll never be able to be live-shown that way -- this looks like something that happened when the body was pulled out of the mold, or when it was cooling. Luckily it's on her off-side and she photo-shows well; even so, it rankles me that such an expensive and gorgeous model had such a major flaw. I guess that's part of collecting mass-produced items, though.