No one ever expects the TSC models (before Breyerfest!)

 Whoa, more new unexpected reveals last night! This year's TSC models are already on the website. Just do a search for Breyer and you'll find them (unless they get removed). Here's the first one, a new Wild Mustang set: 

Ooh, the stallion and foal are both so pretty! Actually, the stallion is like a mini version of Picante. The mare is kinda meh, I'm questioning why they used Mesteno's Mother when they could have used the Haflinger Mare and had her match the foal better. Oh well. 

Next: Bugaboo! 

She's pretty, but uncomfortably similar to the micro run Diana from Breyerfest 2019. They used the same masking on her legs and everything. Not sure I'd be too happy if I owned one of those. Her name, "bugaboo" means an imaginary source of fear, so maybe they're leaning into it? Huh. 

Next, here's Lydia:

Ooh, a new Lonesome Glory! Too bad I sold all mine. I'm guessing it's the female version of Lonesome Glory since she has a female name? 

Next, here's Big Blue! 

Wow, this guy is really handsome! I love his gold accents. They look great with that dark blue color. I'm not a Clydesdale Stallion collector, but I'll admit this color is tempting me. 

Lastly, here's Peyton! 

This one is...very reminiscent of Old Bob. Actually, the Old Bob that's on IDYB doesn't seem to have that striping on the neck, but the one I've been trying to sell for years definitely does. I'm not sure why they reused this color? I mean, Adios has come in pretty much every color by this point, but it's been 25 years since he was issued in a solid bay color (not counting Pokerjoe, who was a Paint), so you'd think they could have done something in that vein. Oh well. 

It's nice to see these releases so early, but the bad part is now having to wait until probably September or later to see them in stores. Guess we'll just have to be patient! 

Sparrow drawing and another new test model!

 Well, readers, after a bit of a delay, it finally happened - Sparrow winners have been notified! If you entered, check your email or your Club home directly to see if you were drawn. Congratulations to all the winners! I did decide to enter on the off chance I could trade Sparrow for a Magpie, Peregrine or Kingfisher, and whaddaya know - I got drawn! So I'm looking for a potential trade partner. 

In other news, there's another test model for Collector Club members to enter for the chance to buy! Check him out! 

Ooh, an Adios. This guy is making me regret deciding to sell off all my Adios models a couple of years ago. He's pretty, despite his plain brown wrapper. He has a nice sheen to his paint job despite not being glossy. I see they jacked the price up to $1200, but that's still a fraction of what he would go for on the secondary market - Adios has a lot of fans out there with deep pockets. He'd make pretty good trade fodder too, so I put in an entry for him. I hope someone gets him that wants him, though! 

Featured Model - 4/17/2022, Black Pinto Test Adios

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model I don't own but  has an interesting history behind it, give some stats on it and provide commentary on it. This week's model is...the black pinto Mego Adios! 

This model was a OOAK produced on the Adios mold sculpted by Chris Hess. He was sold at the 1996 Breyerfest Live Auction. 

While he doesn't have that interesting of a history behind him, he's still an example of an alternate color scheme using an existing mask - the one that was used to produce Mego, the 1995 Breyerfest Celebration Horse. At that time Breyer was still using masks that clamped onto the models to paint their pinto patterns, and a lot of those masks got reused for other releases (see also Tseminole Wind and the bay pinto JCP Sham, amongst many others). I can see why they wanted to use the mask again - Mego looks especially striking in black! 

Adios has always been a popular mold, and he's one of the very few vintage molds that has a lot of representation in my herd (though I'm preparing to sell all of them this year, sadly). However, he's only had one appearance as a web special, back in 2009, so I'm wondering if he may get another web special release soon. I'd also expect to see him pop up in the Vintage Club again at some point, since molds have been used multiple times there and several vintage colors were never used on him - I'm still waiting for that glossy bay Yellow Mount to show up. Maybe someday? In the meantime, I'm prepping all 23 of my Adios models to go up for sale later this month, and contemplating keeping just one of them for nostalgia's sake - I don't really want to sell them, but shelf space and life changes demand a reduction in the collection - around 150 other models are slated to be culled as well. That's how it goes sometimes, I guess. Anyway, I hope Adios gets a new release soon - hmm, he's never been a TSC special run either, despite all of the "stock horse" releases he's gotten over the years, so we may see him there as well. Or perhaps as the Holiday Horse - the possibilites are endless! 

Featured Model - 4/3/2021, Cocoa Beach

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model I don't own but would like to, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...Cocoa Beach! 

This model is item #712050 and was a run of 100 produced on the Adios mold sculpted by Chris Hess. He was a special run for the 2011 Sunshine Celebration collector event. 

Every time I see a model from the Sunshine Celebration, I kick myself again. I was drawn from the wait list for tickets to attend it, but didn't go because I didn't have the money and didn't have anyone to go all the way to Florida with. What a dummy! I could have found the money, and it wasn't like I'd never traveled long distances alone before. And the prices for any of those models have gotten insane lately (also still kicking myself for not jumping on a slightly-beat-up Daytona for $275 at the Clarion a few years ago). But, I guess that's how it goes sometimes. 

As for Cocoa Beach, Adios certainly looks handsome in glossy flaxen chestnut! Maybe someday I'll get lucky and add him to my herd. I always figured it couldn't be that hard to find one, since he was one of the higher run numbers, but I very rarely see them for sale, so maybe he's more popular than I thought. I'll just have to keep looking, I guess.

Adios doesn't get used a whole lot these days, but he does pop up here and there from time to time. He was most recently seen as one of the possible choices for this year's second Collector Club special run - he and three other models could be voted on during last year's Breyerfest. Who will win? I think I voted for the Carrick, but if Adios won I'd still buy it, naturally. Now that it's April, we should find out the results of that vote relatively soon - although it may be longer than normal with all the shipping delays we've had lately.  I hope it's sooner rather than later! 

Featured Model - 8/29/20, 1998 Breyerfest Auction Adios

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model, provide stats on it and give commentary about it! Following from last week's "modification" of Featured Model, this is (again) a model I don't own, but would like to find someday! I give you...the 1998 Breyerfest auction Adios in glossy Copenhagen pinto! 

Photo courtesy of Identify Your Breyer.

While the photo on IDYB isn't the greatest, I picked this model because I remember him surfacing for sale a few years ago - on eBay, I think. There was some speculation that he was another, similar test - not this one specifically - although it looked like the markings matched up pretty well. Since the photo is so low-res, it was hard to be sure, but I figured it was probably the same one. Since this particular model was auctioned off more than 20 years ago, there was a good chance it was more-or-less lost to the mists of time - but it was definitely cool to see him pop up after so much time had passed. Reminds me of the time Carpe Noctis showed up at the Clarion during Breyerfest for less than $100 (!) - I think that was in 2016. (I can't verify his actual price, as I heard about him secondhand - if I'd found an auction model for that cheap, I'd have snapped him up for myself. Talk about the one that got away!) I'm excited to see what other old auction models start to resurface in the future! 

As for Adios, I feel like he's due for another release soon. He did get the extremely limited Weston release last year for the live show program, but I think he needs a new, wider release. Maybe a new regular run? He's still never been a web special, so maybe he'll get that treatment. Probably not this year, though. But hope springs eternal! 

Featured Model - 4/11/2020, Chalky Yellow Mount

Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...my chalky Yellow Mount!

This handsome guy is item #51 on the Adios mold sculpted by Chris Hess. While the Yellow Mount production run lasted from 1970 to 1987, the fact that he's chalky places his production date sometime in the 1970s.

The vintage section of my collection is admittedly pretty small, but I do have a soft spot for Adios, and this guy is no exception. He's a product of the oil crisis of the 1970s, when Breyer couldn't always find pristine white plastic for molding. Consequently, other colors of plastic showed up, which had to be basecoated white before they could be painted. So, this guy could be any crazy color underneath his paint! Not that I want to strip him to find out. This guy also has the forearm spot that isn't present on later models from this run, so he's extra-special!

Where will we see Adios used next? He last appeared as Weston, last year's Live Show Benefit model, and before that he was the Breyerfest 2018 autograph model. He's not a pony, so I doubt we'll see him as a web special this year unless Breyer puts an animal pattern on him somehow. I don't think he's ever been used as a Tractor Supply special run (which seems odd, since he's usually used as a stock horse). Maybe he'll show up there this year? I don't anticipate seeing him at Breyerfest, but I suppose it's possible. My guess is a TSC special run!

Featured Model - 11/30/2019, Pokerjoe

Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...Pokerjoe!



This unique model is a portrait of the real Pokerjoe, the trick horse owned by Tommy Turvey. He's item #1359 and was a regular run on the Adios mold sculpted by Chris Hess.

I picked this model because I've always liked his white tail! So striking, especially on the real horse. But then, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for red bays with four white stockings, so the white tail just adds to the allure.

As for the mold, I wonder when we'll see him used again? He hasn't been a web special for 10 years, but he was used at last year's Breyerfest as the autograph model. His last regular run appearance, as Cherry Creek Fonzie Merit, wasn't terribly successful despite his goofy name - I have one, but the Tuesday Morning stores were full of them for $20 if I remember right. Sheesh, I can't even remember the last time I found a Breyer at a Tuesday Morning - not that I've been looking, since I hardly ever hear about them showing up there anymore.

Anyway, will we get a new Adios soon? I wouldn't be opposed to him getting another shot in the Vintage Club. Breyer seems to be stuck on using newer molds for the Collector Club special runs, but I guess we might see him there - doubtful, though. But maybe we'll get a new web special? I wouldn't be opposed to that, either. I wonder if they'll do a new theme this year? I suppose I'm getting rather America the Beautiful'd out - it's time to see what else they can come up with. Maybe a 70th Anniversary theme? New paint jobs on old molds? I wouldn't protest that at all, since I wouldn't have to buy most of them!

2019 live show benefit model!

Greetings, readers! I hope you aren't all still comatose from yesterday's Thanksgiving festivities (if you celebrate it)! 2019's show benefit model has apparently been announced (or slipped out into the wild) and...it's an Adios!



The photo is from Instagram, for what it's worth. I haven't seen an announcement from Breyer about it, but it seems legit. I really like this guy...which is unfortunate, because I don't show, nor do I have any of these approved shows near me (that I know of). I suppose I should probably look into attending if there are any shows close by, because that color is really nice.

I'm a little surprised they're using Adios for this release - most of the previous benefit models have been on less-popular molds, and he's pretty popular among collectors of vintage molds. I'm not going to lie, I'd love to see this guy on the shelf with my other Adios models. Maybe 2019 will be the year I finally go to a show? Time will tell, I guess.

New Arrivals: Winner's Circle, Julep and Pim

Breyerfest has been over for a week already! Where does the time go? Well, in lieu of anything more exciting to post about, I took some quick cellphone photos of a few of my new Breyerfest arrivals. First up are Winner's Circle and Julep and Pim! I'll start with Winner's Circle!

I'm pleased to report that he isn't cast from ABS plastic, like I thought he'd be. Nope, it appears he's made from good old cellulose acetate! Breyer must have decided to sell him for ABS price for the fun of it, I guess. I'm not really into having models signed, so I didn't test out the marker that came with him. Hopefully those were up to snuff! Otherwise, I think his color is really nice!

Next, my beautiful dark Julep:

Most of the Breyerfest models I've seen from this year were quite nice, quality-wise, and my Julep is no exception. I didn't see a flaw on her! She's dark and pretty and I can't wait to get her on my shelf with her sisters! Her color is stunning and I'm glad I added her to my collection.

And lastly, Pim:



New to Breyerfest packing jobs this year was the foam between the Pim foals' legs. I didn't save a sample of it, but just imagine small foam inserts between both pairs of legs. I don't know if it helped support the legs or not, but at least they tried, right? Not much else to say about this one, except Pim's name is still dumb and I'm probably not going to get over it. She is nice, though, and I love her blue eye.

That's all I have for right now - tune in soon for more Breyerfest models!

Featured Model - 7/7/2018, Champagne Toast

Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...Champagne Toast!



Not to be confused with the other Champagne Toast, this Champagne Toast was a special run for Breyerfest 2014. He was item #711186, and 1,500 models were produced on the Adios mold sculpted by Chris Hess. An additional 25 models were produced in silver charm for Breyerfest's 25th anniversary and randomly scattered amongst the rest of the run. This was done for all of the Breyerfest special runs that year.

Those silver charms were practically the death of me - I wanted almost all of them, so when the Breyerfest leftovers went up for sale on the website after Breyerfest that year, I bought a ton of them. I think I ended up with seven or eight extra Champagne Toasts at one point? I never managed to get a silver charm, sadly, but it was fun to keep trying for a while.

As for the model itself, his color and pattern are both really nice, and it does a good job of illustrating how far Breyer's painting techniques have come in the last 50-odd years. Take a look at the original Yellow Mount release, and then look at Champagne Toast. The complexity of Champagne Toast's paint job is mindblowing compared to some of his early releases, but we take it totally for granted. He's beautiful (not that the previous releases weren't), and I thought he made a worthy addition to that year's lineup.

Adios himself was last used as the regular run Cherry Creek Fonzie Merit, and will be released in a few days (!) as the Breyerfest 2018 autograph model. Hopefully I can get my hands on one! I wonder where else the mold will show up in the future; he was a web special way back in 2009, so I wouldn't complain if he was a web special again. Either way, we'll see him again eventually.

This is probably as good a time as any to announce that Featured Model will be on hiatus next week due to Breyerfest. I can't wait to go to Kentucky! 

Just when I thought it was safe to avoid the pop-up tent...

...Breyer comes out with one last special run! Say hello to Winner's Circle, the autograph horse!




However, due to some misplaced fingers when I started typing his name, I may have to give him the informal name of Wubbalubbadubdub...

Ahem. Anyway...this guy is the official autograph horse of the 2010 WEG 2018 Breyerfest! That's right; Breyer has done autograph horses before. Look familiar? That's the 2010 World Equestrian Games autograph horse, on the Cleveland Bay. I'm not sure why these guys have matching paint jobs, other than to make the autographs more visible. Maybe we'll get more autograph horses in this color in the future?

Interestingly, although I don't own an example of the WEG autograph horse myself, it was reported at the time that they were molded from ABS, which is what most modern Stablemates are molded from. The prevailing thought was that this was so they could keep the model's price down. Since Winner's Circle is being sold for the low, low price of $25 (the same price as the WEG autograph horse), I'd say the chances are good that he'll be molded from ABS too. Which could lead to issues with yellowing in the future, similar to what we have now. Just remember: if he does start turning yellow down the road, don't put him in the window! Exposure to sunlight makes ABS turn yellow faster.

I had been quite happy that we wouldn't need anything from the Breyer Store or the Garland Gift Shops this year, so I'm mildly disappointed that this guy popped up. I'm hoping his quantity will be fairly plentiful so I don't have to stress myself out too much getting one, because it's looking like we're going to be really busy this year. Hopefully we can squeeze a trip through the gift shop into the schedule!

Featured Model - 1/27/2018, Adios

Hello everyone! Welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...Adios!



This model was the inaugural release on the Adios mold - Adios! He was a portrait of the real Adios, champion Standardbred harness racer and legendary sire. He's item #50, produced from 1969 to 1973, and was sculpted by Chris Hess.

This may actually be one of the oldest models in my collection! Most of my models are pretty modern, but there are a few older ones here and there. Adios isn't my favorite mold, but I still have an entire shelf (and more!) full of his models; he seems to be the other exception to my dislike of stock horse molds.

Okay, technically he's an aged Standardbred stallion, but the mold is frequently used to portray stock horses, so my point is valid. Interestingly, this model is a variation that doesn't have the weird black streaks on the hind socks like most of them do. I can't find a photo of the real Adios from this side to verify if he also had the weird streaks (though I don't know why he would). I still need to find a model that does have the streaks for my collection, but it's kind of a low priority at the moment.

Due to the age of the mold, he's been issued in a number of colors over the years - and some of them have been quite nice! I really like Hollywood Gold's color, as I mentioned in a prior blog post on him. I'm also a fan of Brandywine, Frappe, Cocoa Beach and You Oughta Be in Pictures, among others.

Despite the age of the mold, he hasn't been used at Breyerfest all that much - a couple of times as glossy prizes, one raffle model, one celebration model, one tent SR (two if you count the silvers) - and a number of auction models, of course. This year's Breyerfest theme is racing, so will we see Adios pop up somewhere? I'd be okay with that. Could he possibly be the surprise? Maybe, if Breyer (well, Sommer) can come up with four colors and patterns that haven't already been used and wouldn't make people complain that they looked too much like (insert previously existing model here). It could probably be done, though! Let's hope we see Adios somewhere.

Live Auction Model #3 - Adios!

Check out this gorgeous hunk!

 

He's lot 3 in the Breyerfest auction! If he was mine, I'd probably name him some variation of Potato Chip or French Fry (because of his mane). That probably sounds weird. Oh well! Sundown was one of my favorite models as a child because I thought his tail looked like a French fry. Well, that and his stereotypical Arabian look. I bet this guy will go high, too, due to Adios's popularity.

This also eliminates Adios from contention for the surprise model, not that anyone was guessing it would be him. The list slowly grows shorter! I can't wait to see tomorrow's model!

Featured Model - 10/22/2016, Hollywood Gold

It's time for another edition of Featured Model, the weekly event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and make commentary about it! This week's model is... the handsome Hollywood Gold! 

 This model, item #701799 issued on mold #50 Adios, was produced in 2000 for Quarter Horse Outfitters. He was a portrait of the real Hollywood Gold. ID Your Breyer doesn't have any information on how many were produced - I'd think around 2,000 or so, but I could be totally wrong on that.

The real Hollywood Gold was described as both dun and palomino, depending on who was doing the talking; I think it would be safe to assume he was a dunalino. The model certainly looks like a dunalino - and without the time to properly research this, I'm going to go ahead and say it was probably one of Breyer's first attempts at painting dunalino. And I think it turned out pretty well!

Adios is one of those molds that looks good in just about any color. I found this particular model at the Clarion last year, NIB for $20, after having been looking for one for years. Score! So he joined the collection. I'm up to 17 Adios models now - he is tied with Wintersong/Othello in my collection. I haven't acquired the Cherry Creek Fonzie Merit release yet; I'm pretty much waiting for my husband to get it for me for my birthday or Christmas (he's amused by Canadian things). I do have the web special Frappe, and I love his color too. I would LOVE to get a Cocoa Beach, but that doesn't seem likely to happen anytime soon. Pokerjoe is another release I like; the contrast between his white tail and the rest of his bay body is quite nice.

One of the only Vintage Club models I've purchased was Amigo back in 2014. He's a nice dark shade of charcoal - I prefer the mostly-black charcoal look to the brownish ones. Let's hope they eventually come out with that glossy bay Yellow Mount pattern on him - I'd buy that!

Adios is also one of the only Hess molds I still collect - I used to have examples of almost all of his molds in my collection, but most of them have ended up being sold off over the years - mostly when I needed shelf space for molds I like more. This mold is most often used to portray stock horses (not my favorite horse type), despite being a portrait of an older Standardbred stallion. Maybe that's why I still like him - because he wasn't originally sculpted as a stock horse? Who knows.