I'd almost thought Breyer forgot the monthly Collector Club newsletter, however they finally released it today. Another sneak peek was revealed, however I think they made it too easy for this one. They said "Mind if we slide a little sneak peek in here?" I'm pretty sure this is going to be the Classics gambler's choice that Breyer has been releasing annually for the past few years. I believe we're looking at the Hollywood Dun It mold on what looks like a glossy bay. I'm excited to see the return of this mold, as it hasn't been used very much at all. Lots of colors could be used for this mold since only buckskin, palomino, chestnut and bay have been used so far.
The freebie of the month is the 70th anniversary Fighting Stallion from the regular run series last year so if you're a Collector Club member and haven't bought him yet, be sure to put in your name to possibly win one. After a very hectic day at work and getting the notification from Breyer that some of the regular runs on my order are backed up until June now due to overseas container ships arriving late, I was pleasantly surprised to find Nonoma and Goldfinch waiting for me on my porch. At work, we are packaging meal boxes for the Farmers to Families food bank and the overtime has been crazy. I'm not complaining though, with the way the world is right now I'm just lucky to have a job at all, and happy to be helping a good cause. Even though I had ordered both together, Breyer again shipped them separate, but at least I got to save on shipping costs. I will start with Nonoma, who is not chalky as I had previously thought. Nope, all that white is bare plastic. However, I did end up with the one with all the war paint symbols, which is what I was hoping for, so I'm super pumped about that. He has a blue hand print, red eye circle, broken arrow, coup and raid markings. I love his blue eyes and subtle pink shading. He also has the start of a dorsal stripe, prominent leg barring and is a medicine hat as you can see in the pictures. A throwback to the Lakota Pony, I'm assuming? I'm not sure what breed the Foundation Stallion was meant to be originally (someone chime in) but he's been produced in several different breeds, however I think this guy looks good as a mustang, and it's the mustang shelf I'm going to keep him on. My second mustang is Goldfinch, the ultimate grail of just about everyone in the model horse hobby. I don't know if I'd go as far as to call him my ultimate grail but he did exceed my expectations, like I had not idea that he was chalky. Quite ironic that the horse I thought was chalky wasn't, and the other one actually ended up being the chalky. Breyer's stock photos are so deceiving. Rather than typical black buckskin legs, his legs are more of a chocolate color and he has bi-colored eyes. Being an avian lover as well as an equine enthusiast, I'm also digging the bird on the bottom of his tail. I will do video reviews of these two on Youtube over the weekend when I have more time so you guys can see them more in depth, and maybe it would be a good idea to use Goldfinch in a video telling the difference between chalky and non-chalky for those who don't know the difference, as I see this question all the time.
Anyways... Hendrik, the second release in the Stablemates Club, also came out today. He has already been bought and paid for so hopefully he'll arrive by the end of this week or next week at the latest. He is a Georgian Grande horse, which was a breed I had never heard of, but I did some research and I'm in love. How cool of Breyer to think of a breed that's a bit out of the norm! Here I thought they were tossing around random colors on random breeds like they like to do every now and then. The next Vintage Club horse has been released! For the next model Breyer chose Nonoma, the Indian Pony. He is a grullo pinto with (possibly) war bonnet markings. I say possibly because we can't see his other side. He has blue eyes, leg barring and it kind of looks like his white areas are chalky. I guess we'll see if my speculations are official when he comes. This guy will make a good pair with Teton, whom I also own. Here's the catcher... Breyer made FOUR different variations of this guy with varying war paint, IF he includes war paint, so it sounds like one variation will be without. I'm really hoping for war paint because with only 125 pieces being made, he will officially be my rarest model. Also Breyer has announced that they will still be holding a special event, although that event will be virtual. Collector Club members will be able to put their names in to be drawn for this event on April 2nd to April 6th. You MUST be a CC member to participate. The theme is True Blue to represent Australia. A highlight of this event is a tour of a Thoroughbred breeding farm in Australia. I'm hoping to get in for that reason, as I've been to Coolmore America so I'd love to see an Australian stud farm, although my chances of actually getting a ticket will probably be low. Lucky attendees will be drawn April 8th. I'm sure more information will be posted soon. This event is like a mini Breyerfest and includes a celebration type Traditional model and an event Stablemate with your ticket price. You are also able to purchase up to two special run models with your ticket, just like you would at Breyerfest. These half dozen or so models are made exclusively for the event and are very limited, usually no more than 100 made, but are on the pricey side of about $175 to $200 each. However, considering how rare they are, their price in my opinion is justified. On the contrary, like last year, the special runs will be going by a preference form so there is a possibility you may not get the model you want, just as with Breyerfest.
While I said I wasn't going to enter for Goldfinch, I couldn't resist the temptation. It was his mold making me teeter on entering for him more than anything, as Silver is a mold that doesn't fit on my shelves, which is why I don't have any Silvers. However, the more I looked at him, the more I thought he'd fit right into my own collection based on his color, although I didn't want to get my heart set on him since he was so popular. I entered and said if it'll be, it'll be. I entered for Bilberry last year, another whom I wanted but was super popular, and didn't get him, so I honestly wasn't expecting much and actually kind of forgot about Goldfinch. Then I got the email today: I really couldn't believe my luck! He looks very similar to a buckskin mare that my neighbor used to own, and whom I used to ride... the horse I'm riding on my home page. I haven't ordered him yet since I'm waiting for the second Vintage Club horse to combine shipping. Hopefully they won't wait until the last few days of the month to release it.
Breyer released the second in the Birds of a Feather series. Although I wasn't too into Puffin personally, I do have to admit that Breyer is reeling me in with this one. I think I'd like him better with dapples, but that's just me being nit picky and finding any reason at all to not have to pay the $175 asking price. I think his steep price is because it's on the ever popular Silver mold. Must... Resist... The... Urge... To... Enter... His name is Goldfinch and they made 380 of him. I am excited to see what else Breyer releases on this beautiful series! I could see a bald eagle with a silver mane and bald face. Or a fading grey Canadian goose with a black mane and tail. Maybe a red roan flamingo or blue roan with white pinto markings Bluejay? I also foresee a couple future decorators... please one be a colorful rainbow parrot!
I apologize for the delay in making any posts. I was away for the week so I wasn't able to make any blog posts or ship out anything. I will try to get everything taken care of ASAP so keep an eye on your inboxes for tracking numbers if you've ordered anything over the weekend. In the meantime, my Premier Club welcome letter came in the mail while I was gone, although sadly nothing much new was shared. Even for the Stablemate all it says is that it's "freaking awesome" so really Breyer is keeping this year a big secret. Rayvin Maddock might be one of my new favorite artists, though I'm fond of the works of the other two as well. I can't wait until May when the first Premier Club horse is released! American Dream is, so far, my favorite Classics and Maggie Jenner-Bennett sculpted him, along with little Mirado, whom I also adore, though I think Mirado looks better as a mustang than an Andalusian. Since Fireheart is a mustang, I highly doubt Maggie's will be, and I doubt we'll see another Andalusian mare and foal set since we already have one through the Premier Club. What could it be? I would love to see a bowing horse in the lineup (people have been wanting one for a long time) or a newer grazing mare and foal set, maybe even with teats like Susecion.
Morgen is probably best known for Bristol (who is one of my top Traditionals) although she's also sculpted Wyatt, Bobby Jo and True North, so we've seen many samples of her work already. I'm thinking her sculpture is probably going to be an action pose going by her reputation, and personally I'm hoping either for a sliding reiner or a landing jumping horse, the aftermath of Bristol. This is pure speculation, you understand, and I'm almost almost always wrong :) To the 499 other people in the Vintage Club with me, be on the lookout for your welcome letter. There is a list of the horses that we will see in 2021. Honestly the only reason I hadn't joined the Vintage Club before this year is because I don't often like more than one or two a year, however Breyer has a way of sucking me in (*cough* Julius *cough*) and this year is no different. The letter not only told of future Vintage Club releases for this year, but also confirmed my rather low club number. So without further ado - and please stop here if you don't want any spoilers - I will introduce you to the 2021 Vintage Club lineup, minus Julius since we have already seen him. One release will be Nonoma, a Native American warhorse on the Foundation Stallion mold. Although I'm not too fond of the Foundation Stallion mold and currently do not own a single one in my herd at this time, I have in the past, though he didn't last long. That being said, I have a few oddball molds I don't typically collect if they're on a pretty color, and as most of you know I do like mustangs and Native American horses. I expect we'll see some war paint markings on this guy, and I find it incredibly cool that Breyer is adding this to the lineup. There will be a Classics sized glossy dappled bay Thoroughbred Champion on the Terrang mold, which I'm really surprised about given how everyone hollered about the Classics trio that came out a few years ago. This horse will be made to mimic the Presentation Series models and will have a hardwood base with a nameplate. Being a racehorse fan for many years, and owning a bay racehorse myself, this one would interest me if it weren't for being in Classics scale. I'm offering mine up to those who want him for their own collection. It seems like this year they are really going all out with a bunch of different types of models because the Gambler's Choice is Brighty officially named Nugget. Usually the gambler's choices are Wedgewood blue, Copenhagen, gold charm or gold Florentine. He will be for sale since I don't collect donkeys. This double sided poster was also included with the welcome letter: The optional horse is the one I'm excited about the most. They're making a mare and foal set (love the matching momma and babies!) named Dusk and Dawn. They are on the Marabella and Amber molds and will be painted as a pair of charcoals. I've always wanted a pair of charcoals. I used to have the Cream and Cocoa set, which had a Smokey mare with a Charcoal foal, and I wished so badly that Breyer had made them both charcoal. I've gotten my wish!
Finally, the freebie stablemate will be a mini me portrait model of Yellow Mount on the Smart Chic Olena mold. This guy will be for sale for sure, as I don't typically collect the club stablemates. He will also be a pre-order, although he will not be available until January/February of next year. Now we wait for the Premier Club welcome letter! My web store is officially up and running again after being down for maintenance. I was supposed to have it back up by March 1st but one thing led to another and I just now finished it. I apologize to those who have been waiting to put in an order. I decided to go ahead with pre-orders on the 2021 holiday collection as well as some rarities from my personal collection so be sure to check it out! Some of them won't last long! The first of my Lafayettes is here, and I'm quite impressed. He is more steely grey than black and appears to have some metallic sheen in his gray tones. He has brown colored eyes and a little white star on his forehead. Even my non-collecting husband remarked that he was a stunner when he first saw him. This one is going to a new home but I still have another coming in September. I just hope the second round of Lafayettes are as flawless as these ones were. I haven't seen a single complaint about him yet when it comes to flaws. I've decided to let go of my original Hamilton. I know, I know, I said I'd never sell him (someone buy him before I change my mind!) however I really need space. Although I have sold off quite a bit of my collection in the past few weeks, I still have quite a ways to go before I can see my shelves again. I've tried limiting my collection to rare and flashy colors, but in all honesty that still left me with a lot, especially after this year with all the colorful horses Breyer is making. I have to limit myself even more by collecting only rare colors, eliminating anything flashy that's not a rare color. Unfortunately for Hamilton, a bay pinto doesn't really count as "rare" and neither does his palomino counterpart. Lafayette does since Breyer doesn't make dark greys too often. Basically I'll be keeping anything that is a sooty palomino/buckskin, buttermilk buckskin, black/bay/blue/red roan, silver chestnut/bay/black, cremello, dun/dunalino, dark dapple grey, rose grey and grullo. I will still be keeping a few portrait models of horses I like in real life for some plain ponies thrown in. Everybody else will be rehomed. I have to be firm about this or these horses are going to take over my house. Also I found out that my real horse will be needing a minor surgery soon. He had a bulge show up on his head literally overnight and we brought the vet out for x-rays, who discovered that he basically has extra teeth growing near his ear. Think wisdom teeth that sometimes grow where they're not supposed to. For all you vet people, it's officially called a dentigerous cyst. He will need to have the extra teeth removed which will require sedation and a hospital stay... never cheap to those who know horses. I will be putting the money from selling off the rest of the oddballs in my collection towards his surgery so know it will be going to a good cause! Finally, I'd like to mention that the new Classic purple unicorn, Rainbow, is showing up at some Walmarts. He comes with a little sticker sheet. Be on the lookout for him if you collect the Classics unicorns! He's probably the best one Breyer has made so far and one you don't want to miss!
Well, I'm honestly not too surprised when collectors announced more warehouse issues today with Lafayette. Supposedly the people that got ordered via the backordered list got shipping confirmation while people that ordered him before he was backordered now won't get him until September. This is the trouble I feared would happen with the backorder. I personally think Breyer should have sold him until sell out and then waited a few days before putting him on backorder to give time to ship the ones out that they had at the factory first, that way the orders wouldn't have gotten mixed up. I guess the one advantage is that the more people that cancel, the more rare he'll be. Hopefully next year they'll just consider going back to pre-orders and avoid another mess. Boy, I tell ya, Breyer can't catch a break this year... and it's barely into March. I purchased one on each of my accounts. One has been shipped already and will be going to a waiting customer, the other one I haven't received shipping yet so I assume he's backordered, which is perfectly fine with me. I'm just glad to have had the opportunity to purchase him at all, as I will be keeping the second Lafayette for my own collection to add to my Hamilton conga. One thing I don't think anyone is complaining about though is this new test run available for lottery to Collector Club members: Oh. My. Word. I have a small conga of Lady Phase and this one would have been a must have if she were selected for Breyerfest that year. I'm in love with anything GLOSSY blue made by Breyer. Ironically I don't care for matte blue, which is why I don't own Twill, as this is one color in which the gloss makes it or breaks it for me. I only wish she were more obtainable. As they've only made this one, there's not really any point in me entering. I'm just not a lucky person by nature, and this gal holds a $1,100 price tag to whomever does win her. Before I end this post, look who arrived today! I took him out to inspect him for flaws and decided to snap a couple pictures of him before I sent him to his new owner, who I'm sure is eagerly awaiting his arrival. He is beautiful and flawless. His cute little drawstring bag brought back memories of a bygone Stablemates Club time. He's a tiny little guy but his Troubadour pattern was spot on. I'd love to have a realistic colored Fjord on this mold in future. How about a gift set with various colors of Fjords all on this mold? Like brunblakk (brown dun), rodblakk (red dun), ulsblakk (white dun), grablakk (grey dun) and gulblakk (yellow dun). Pretty please, Breyer?
If any of you have joined the Collector Club this year, keep an eye out on your mail for your Collector Club welcome letter. What your membership card looks like will depend upon which club you've joined. I joined both the Deluxe and the regular membership. They were pretty much the same except the pictures and the Deluxe also mentions the included stablemate at the bottom. Here is a side by side view. Also, if you joined the Premier Club this year, you should also get a welcome letter complete with a copy of the artist's sketch of the first horse, Fireheart, which should arrive before May when Fireheart is released to members to buy.
Before I finish out this post, I just want to say in regards to all the moping about Lafayette "not being limited enough" as Breyer has decided to do backorders to those who didn't get a chance to purchase him outright, honestly guys even with the backorders, Lafayette is still a limited edition. Limited editions aren't necessarily numbers, but it more or less means that it was only produced for a limited time. Whether they end up making 1,000 Lafayettes or 10,000 Lafayettes, he is still limited in that he was only offered to Collector Club members for a limited time. For example, although the 70th anniversary horses from last year were made in the thousands, they were still technically limited editions since they were only made for a year. People were saying for months "Breyer should make it fair for everyone to get one" and they did, yet there are those who think every model made for the Collector Club should be rare. Sorry guys but if you want ultra rare models of only 350ish made, you're going to have to enter the raffles and shovel out $150-$175 for a truly limited and rare model. Please cut Breyer some slack. Let's be thankful that they did this because they really didn't have to. |
Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|