Affectations

Completely missed out on the Vintage Club Grab Bags: I was in-transit to work. I’m actually a little bit bummed, since I suspect that there might be a few Gambler’s Choice items mixed in there, and that’s all I really have a hankering for. (Another Sailor would be nice. Or an Ali!)

That’s okay, I have a neat package to open up today that will make up for it. (Next post!)

My first reaction upon seeing the Patriotic Spring Decorator Washington was “Oh, at last a more easily obtainable and/or affordable Interference Blue Bay release.” And I happened to grow up in Washington Township and participated in a couple of Bicentennial-themed parades back in the day.

(Yeah: I am OLD!)

Then a few moments later: “C’mon you know better.” 

Most of the online dealers are already sold out, and with my current work schedule, picking one up locally is a dicey proposition. So I’ll have to wait and see what the situation on the web site will be. Quick sellout, or will he linger?

Last year’s Patriotic Decorator Anthem isn’t too hard to come by now, so I think I’ll be okay. The Show Jumping Warmblood mold isn’t super-mega-popular, or even as popular as the Ethereal mold. 

I only have two other Show Jumping Warmbloods: the 2010 WEG Special Run Cedric, and the 2020 Celebration Horse Ballynoe Castle RM. All the others I’d like on this mold I was either not drawn for (Magpie, Inconspicuous, Bolo) or are budget-busters (Here’s to You, Apollo). I might pick up a Sugar Maple eventually, if the time and price are right.

One model I will definitely be going out of my way to get is the rerelease of Carltonlima Emma, now with neck sash:

I know a lot of hobbyists are a little disappointed that Emma is Not A Glossy. We tend to forget, however, that Gloss finishes are a hobby affectation: something that is way more popular within it, and not so much outside of it. 

Since it’s being marketed to the general public, it makes sense to release the original model. The neck sash is a nice little perk, even if it does give off strong “Malibu Stacy” vibes.

Who knows? Maybe they’ll save some to Gloss for another promotion – the Collector’s Club Appreciation Sale, Live Show Prizes…

And speaking of that, I had my first BreyerFest nightmare last night: I was 4 hours late for the live show and missed most of my classes. It never ceases to amaze me how my brain tailors my terrors like that. 

Pardon me while I try to figure out whether or not to sign up for one Collector’s Class entry, or two…

Blue Emerson

That eBay Benefit Auction Emerson? Of course I love him:

This color has only been used on a handful of releases in recent years. Aside from the Lancelot mentioned in the listing, last year’s Stablemates Club Gambler’s Choice Dahlia on the mini Croi also included it.

An Appaloosa variation of this color was also seen on the Best In Show Stock Horse Web Special Calvin in 2017, and a darker and more metallic variation appeared on the BreyerFest One Day Stablemate Big Lex in 2018.

That Stablemate was inspired by the life-sized statue of Lexington designed to promote the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. A small (slightly larger than Little Bits scale) resin of Big Lex was released at BreyerFest in 2010, which probably represents Breyer’s first production release of the color.

There were also a couple of Traditional Man o’ Wars painted to decorate a jump designed for Children’s Activity Area at BreyerFest, before it became all about Stablemates Painting. One of those Man o’ Wars was allegedly stolen, but if it was it hasn’t been seen since. 

There have been a few Stablemates Chase pieces in Iridescent/Interferenced Black-pointed Blue, too, mostly recently on the G2 Morgan for the Canadian Walmart market – aka “the French Stablemates”.

And there was last year’s “differently colored” Ansel, in Metallic Blue Overo.

Others have pointed out that the Emerson mold is actually a pretty good match for the Ukrainian Riding Horse, which is probably why the mold was chosen specifically for the purposes of charity. 

Out of all the previous releases, the only one I have is the Stablemate version of Big Lex. I didn’t buy the mini Lex because I am clumsy and break resins. Money was tight so I didn’t buy a Calvin at all. The Gambler’s Choices of both Dahlia and Lancelot gave me different colors, and I’m reluctant to pay the premium for either. 

Same goes for the Stablemates Chase pieces, except the premium is even moreso, because they’re Stablemates. (I saw how much the 2009 Frankenstang went for on eBay. Ouch!) 

And while I would have preferred the Blue Ansel to the Holographic Silver Uffington, because I really wanted the Cremello Uffington, I’m not going to complain about that one too much. (Other than finding myself in the weird position of having to pay two to three times as much for a regular Uffington compared to the holographic one.)

Part of its desirability is in its scarcity, but Reeves could throw us a bone or two our way in the form of a larger production run. Any mold will do, really....