How To: Verifying Vintage Part 3

The title is a little misleading today, because while we’re verifying models, we’ll be looking at models from the 1990’s and 2000’s, so they aren’t exactly vintage. Nevertheless, there are still many things to help your distinguish these models from others so that you can really “Know your Breyers”.

Breyers from the 1990’s are some of the easiest to find right now because many people who had them as kids are growing up and getting rid of their collections. Models from the 1990’s started to become more realistic and Breyer began playing with new techniques to compete so that they could be called “The most realistic horses”. Breyer began using resist dappling on their horses to create dapples; this wasn’t always the most realistic way to create dapples, but some of them were truly beautiful. We started to see pinto markings that were “Masked” which means that Breyer’s painters used an adhesive blocking to “mask” off part of the horse so that it could create stark and detailed markings on the model. One detail that Breyer did for a short time was “Bi-Eyes” which were eyes painted with a brown iris. This was done for about 6 months in 1997.

The 1990’s also began the years of new molds. Kathleen Moody was a popular sculptor in the 1990’s and she created some of the most fanciful and beautiful models we think of today. Kathleen’s models are known for their fanciful nature and beauty. Models of the 1990’s are similar to models of the 1980’s but they became more realistic and had more details.

An example of a Cantering Welsh Pony with Resist Dappling

The new millennium brought a whole new level of detail for Breyer. Most of this is due to production being moved to China where artisans could work effectively on models and create a level of detail we’ve never seen before. Many Breyer’s from this decade have realstic dapples, crisp markings and hand-painted eyes. Mapping also started in this decade. Mapping is when a white marking on a horse has a small grey strip around it. This is something that occurs in real horses and helps to create truly realistic Breyers. During this time we have had dozens of new molds, many of them rivaling Artists resins.

A Missouri Fox Trotter with beautiful details and paint job

Breyer has truly evolved over the years to become the pinnacle of model horses as we know it. You can find Breyer’s from all decades if you look hard enough. Check out Golden Oak Stables’ Vintage section for a big selection of mint vintage horses. Most importantly, take good care of those vintage models; they just don’t make them like that anymore!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Activity and Craft Projects

It’s starting to get cold up here in New England and my thoughts have been turning to winter for the past week or so. For me, winter brings thoughts of cold, snowy weekends spent with my model horse projects.I use the winter as my time to catch up on everything that I don’t get a chance to do during the year. This year has been especially busy with many model horse events. You’ll probably find yourself with at least a few weekends that could be filled with a project this winter, and why not make it a model horse one?

Within the past few years Breyer has come out with some really amazing craft kits; these are fantastic starting points for any project that you might want to try. Breyer’s first craft kit that was released was the Customizing Kit. This kit features an unpainted horse, paint, paint brushes and mohair to get you started on your way to customizing. There is also a 3D Paint by Number Kit that features a resin pony and helps you to laern how to paint shading using the familiar paint by numbers system. Another painting project kit offered by Breyer is the Paint Your Own Horse Kit. This features two unpainted Paddock Pals, which is the perfect kit to do with a friend.

In the past couple years there have been some really inventive kits that have been released for collectors to try all kinds of new projects. The Pour and Mold Activity Kit is a really interesting and fun kit where you can mold your own horse; when finished molding, there are materials so that you can paint your new horse. In the same light, there is a Sculpting Kit which allows you to play with sculpting your own model horse. It includes everything you might need when it comes to creating your own horse. One of my favorite kits is the Western Tack Kit which includes everything you might need to make a saddle and a new classic scale horse!

There are many more activities that are available from Golden Oak Stables, which you can check out here, including coloring books, drawing kits, painting kits and more! Winter may be long and cold in many parts of the country but you can help it move along a little quicker with a calendar full of projects. Who knows what you might create for next year’s show season!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Verifying Vintage Breyer Horses Part 2

Continuing from last week, this week we’ll focus on the number one question I get at Golden Oak Stables’ shows “What is this horse and when was it made”. This week we’ll go over the 70’s and 80’s.

In the 197o’s Breyer horses changed drastically; Breyers were begining to become very popular with collectors beginning to pop up as well as shows begining to be formed. The hobby really got it’s “Start” in the 1970’s and Breyer took notice. Many new molds were released in the 1970’s and famous horses like Lady Phase and Yellow Mount were created. During the early 1970’s the country went through an oil criss and the plastics that Breyer used was affected. Breyer’s supplies of plastic was depleted and recycled plastic was used. The recycled plastic was often a color other than the pure, clean white that Breyer is known for; due to this Breyer was forced to paint a white base coat on the horse. This white basecoat caused the finish to be very delicate and due to this these horses, dubbed “Chalkies”, are very difficult to find and very collectible. Another thing to look for in horses from the 1970’s is that horses that were produced from the 1960’s were almost all glossy, those horses that made it into production in the 1970’s were often changed over from the glossy finish to a matte one. Lastly, Breyer produced the first Stablemate and Classic scale horses during this time period.

Breyer Chalky Belgian from the 1970’s

The 1980’s brought a very popular decade for Breyer. Collecting and showing were becoming incredibly popular and Breyer began creating not only new molds but also some new techniques. Many of the horses during this time period took off of the iconic 80’s popular Neon colors and are very bright and florescent versions of regular horse colors like palomino and bay. Also during the 1980’s Breyer started to play with hand detailing some of their limited edition horses and some will have hand painted hooves or eyes. The popularity of showing brought even more realistic paint jobs and an extended line of horses in all sizes and colors.

Breyer Classic Quarter Horse Stallion from the 1980’s; Notice the bright neon color

It helps to understand a bit about what makes your horse what it is and when it was made. While they might not be “vintage” we’ll go over horses from the 90’s and 00’s next week to finish this off!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Verifying Vintage Breyer Horses Part 1

I get many questions at the Golden Oak Stables’ shows asking what a horse is or when it was made. At one point or another you’re going to have a horse that ends up in your collection that isn’t brand new. Sometimes they are gifts from friends or family that may have had a horse or two are some point in their life, or maybe you picked it up at a yard sale. Either way, there are some distinct things that can help you identify the time period your model was made during and from there identify what your model is. Its also interesting to understand a bit of history for the Breyer company and how they have changed over the years.

The Breyer Molding Company was around for many years before they went into the production of model horses, but the first examples of model horses we see from Breyer was sometime around 1950. There were only a few molds that were in production in the 1950’s so these are some of the easiest to identify. The vast majority of the molds used in the 1950’s had a molded on bridle and a detachable saddle. There were also other horse models that did not have tack, but many of them did.

In the 50’s Breyer horses had not received the iconic “Breyer Stamp” yet. Without the stamp they are easily misidentified and looked over. Horses from this time period are made from the same plastic we are used to today. Not many model horses are created from this type of plastic, so being familiar with the “Feel” of Breyer horses will help you identify the plastic.

Breyer’s of this time period were all made in a glossy finish. The paint of this time period is still very similar to other vintage models, but they feature soft shading and delicate details. Models with tack often had hand painted details to the tack or very delicately airbrushed details.

In the 1960’s Breyer was still finding themselves as horse producers. They introduced many new molds during the 60’s and expanded greatly. Many of the iconic Breyer’s that we think of today were released in the 1960’s: the Fighting Stallion, the Five Gaiter, and the Running Mare and Foal.

In the early 1960’s Breyers were often glossy; during the late 1960’s many of the models that were released in glossy were later released in a matte finish. At this point, most Breyers had received the iconic stamp so that will help you identify that you have a genuine Breyer. The last thing to look for in Breyers from this period are details like eyewhites painted in the corner of the eye, and foot pads on the hooves and or tail.

By looking for a few things you can easily identify not only what time period your horses are from but also help you identify the exact model as well as the value.

Next week we’ll go over horses from the 70’s,and 80’s!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Overview of Live Showing Breyer Horses

Tomorrow is the first annual Golden Oak Stables’ New England Fall Live. In honor of that, today we’ll take a look at all of our past articles on Live showing with a few more tips tossed in!

Showing for the first time can be very intimidating for anyone, especially if you don’t know anyone that is showing with you. While its quite easy to make new friends at the event itself, we took a look at how to find collectors in your area. You may also want to mention to the show holder that you are new to showing and may not know anyone that will be there. In most cases, she’ll be more than happy to put you next to someone that lives near, or someone that she feels would be a good table buddy for the day. Its also normal to ask to be seated next to someone who’s more experienced and can help you with you questions. Breyer horse collectors are very friendly and eager to help by nature, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Before you go to the show you’ll want to take some time to pick your very best horses to show. Choosing which models to take to a live show can be difficult, but you’ll need to remember to choose your very best models only with the least amount of flaws. Once you’ve chosen what models that you own that are the best condition, you’ll want to try to pick the ones that you feel are suited best for the breed. Choosing horses that are realistic and that have realistic coloring will show best. If the show has collectiblility classes, it may seem confusing as to what makes a Breyer horse collectible, but a few simple guidelines will help you understand why it is rarer than the next model.

Lastly, before you leave for your show you will want to make a first aid kit so that you have everything you could imagine in case of emergency. It will be the best thing you can do for yourself the day of the show.

If you are in the New England area tomorrow please make plans to stop by Golden Oak Stables! Its an event not to be missed. If not, try to seek out a model horse show in your area. Its great to get involved with your models and meet others that have the same interests.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Authenticating Breyer Horses

There’s no question as to authenticity when we purchase a new Breyer from our favorite dealer, but sometimes we purchase used or rare models from individual collectors. The vast majority of collectors are very honest and upfront about the history of a horse, but sometimes, especially with rarer horses, its best to cover all of your bases.

In the past month or so there have been several cases of fake models being sold as real; I’ve had this happen twice to myself. This can happen to anyone, regardless of experience in the hobby. Commonly we purchase second-hand horses via the internet, which is great and convenient for all of us, but we’re purchasing through photographs instead of seeing the model in person. We also may not always know our seller.

The most commonly reproduced models are the glossy prize models that Breyer awards at their sponsored shows and as prizes for other contests. These models have become very valuable and collectible in the past decade and are very desirable. There have been countless cases of these models being reproduced. The common way to tell the difference is the feel and smell of the gloss. Unfortunately you can’t tell this until you get the model home.

At every Golden Oak Stables’ show I give the same speech that I’ll give here. Make sure you know the owner. If you are going to spend several hundred dollars on the model be sure to get the seller’s full name and if he or she won the model, if not, find out who did win the horse. Once you have that make contact with the original winner (If you don’t have their email a google search can help find it) and see what the history of the model is. You can also check JAH for Breyerfest winners for each year, I suggest checking this out and looking for the winner’s name.

These steps aren’t always full proof, but it is a good start. In addition you should ask for up close photos of the horse including the stomach, legs, hooves, tips of tail, under the chin, ect. These are areas where the gloss would drip. It is very easy to purchase a regular run model and place a coat of gloss over them, so checking these places for drips and bubbles will help you weed out the fakes. All Breyerfest models come with a Certificate of Authenticity, but these are VERY easy to reproduce, so do not rely on this to authenticate the horse for you. After you’ve done some homework and if you feel the horse is authentic be sure to use a secure method of payment such as a credit card as well as working out a return policy in writing should the model end up being fake.

Decorators are the second most commonly reproduced models. Decorators (Blue, Gold, Woodgrain, ect) are quite rare and are much harder to reproduce than a glossy model. Most decorators are very easy to tell from photographs which are real and which are fake. Most vintage decorators were produced prior to 1970, so one way to check is to ask for a photograph of the mold mark. No vintage decorators should have the U.S.A mark. Taking a look at the current Breyer guide as well as familiarizing yourself with what these models look like will help you if you should decide to make the plunge.

After you purchase the model though you’ll want to test the model. There’s a cleaning solution by the name of Lestoil that will take off any paint that is not original finish leaving the original paint below. Diluting this in water and leaving the horse soak for a short period of time will either do nothing, meaning your horse is authentic, or the paint will start to peel, which means the horse is a fake. I have yet to hear a story of Lestiol disturbing an original paint job.

Its always best to purchase models in person if possible, but do your homework if you decide to buy online. Check out your seller on Model Horse Hobby Reference for detailed accounts from other buyers about prior transactions and always purchase with a bit of buyer beware, and always remember, you can’t go wrong with a new Breyer from your dealer!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Breyer Horse Restoration-Removing marks

Continuing from two weeks ago, today we’ll learn how to remove those pesky black, brown and sometimes white paint marks that Breyer horses seem to pick up. These marks can occur for many reasons, the most common reasons are falling or bumping into another horse. These marks are not rubs, they are small remnants of paint that have left on the horse. These marks can be difficult to remove, some people might even believe they are permanent, but with these tips, you can save your models!

Black and brown marks are pretty easy to tell, but white marks on your horse could easily be mistaken for rubs. Take a nice close look at your Breyer. As you can see on the horse below, there are many thing wrong with this horse, including black marks on him.

The first step to any restoration is to give your horse a good bath. Using a mild soap like Dawn is best. Dilute a small amount of Dawn in warm water and bathe your horse in it. Take a soft cloth and do a light scrub. Some horses have texture that will hold dirt. Be sure to get in the nooks and crannies as well.

You can first try a little bit of Dawn or other dish detergent on a wet rag to get the mark off. Gently scrub the mark with a rag with a bit of dish detergent on it. Scrub lightly, you can even use your finger nail over the rag, but do not scrub harshly or scratch at your model. If after a few moments your mark doesn’t budge you might want to try another method.

Another tool to use is a pencil eraser. This works best for black marks on a white model, but may work on other colors, be very careful not to damage your horse. Using the eraser move in small circles over the mark and apply a bit of pressure. Within a couple minutes you will know if it is working.

One of the harsher methods to use for stubborn marks is Lestoil. Lestoil is an industrial cleanser and should be used very carefully. It can be found in hardware stores as well as some grocers. Fill a large bucket with water and add a small amount of Lestiol, put your model in there for a few hours and check it. Lestoil does not remove original finish paint but will remove any other paint. Wipe over your horse and if the marks come off give him a good bath, if not let him sit for another couple hours.

There are many choices when it comes to repairing your models, but the most important thing to remember is to have patience and take your time. Rushing will only hinder your restoration project and in most cases make more work for yourself.

Stay tuned to Golden Oak Stables’ Stable News for more restoration projects and tips to come, along with the latest Breyer news!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Breyer Horse Restoration-Touchups on a Bay Horse

At some point we all end up with a model or two in our collection that might have been played with a bit and has some rubs and marks. This is very common for Breyer horses. Those of you that were at Golden Oak Stables’ workshop day in August may have seen me doing touch-ups on a few horses there. This is very simple to do with a little practice!

For this project you’ll need.

• Acrylic Paint
• Water
• Paper towels
• Breyer horse
• Paint Brush
• Q-tips

You’ll first want to clean your horse really well with water to get any dirt off, you want the cleanest canvas possible to start your project on.

Once your horse is clean you can begin to work with the paint. For this dark bay horse I only used two colors, a medium/dark brown and a black. By using acrylic its completely washable if you should mess up. Mix a color that you think is closest to the color that your horse is. When you do have that color, start putting a light layer of paint down withe either your paintbrush or Q-tip. You’ll find one that works best, for this project Q-tips worked best for me. Your first layer might be too light, if you can see white still through the paint put down a second layer.

Moving onto the ears and nostrils are some of the most common places for rubs to occur. On a dark bay horse these places will most likely be black. Using the black I began to put the color on the nostril as well as the ear tips lightly.

Here you can see where the black on the eartips are. They still need to be blended in with a bit of brown on the opposite side so that it isn’t noticeable where you have painted the horse. Using the Q-tip blend these colors together so that the black line you see evens out.

Once you’ve touched up the places that are needed let your horse dry completely. As you can see here, he’s almost done!

The ear tips and nostrils look brand new, you can barely tell that they ever had rubs!

This example of a Breyer still has a few spots on him that need removed. These are white and black marks that are on top of the paint, not through the paint. These are very common too. Next week we’ll go over how to get those off and turn this guy into the handsome boy he once was!
Good luck!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Tacking Up a Breyer Horse

Most of us all have a few pieces of tack lying around our stables and you might not know how to put it on properly. Whether for play or show its fun to be able to put tack on properly.

I’ll be working with Breyer’s Elegance Dressage tack set which is the crème da’ la crème of Breyer tack, there are many options of Breyer tack that is available through Golden Oak Stables. Any kind of tack will work, but the more realistic the better. The only difference will be that some Breyer tack has one large buckle for the girth and some will have smaller buckles that fit under the saddle flaps.

Once you have your tack and horse picked out start with the saddle pad. Those of you that have tacked up a real horse will have a bit of an advantage, tacking up a Breyer horse isn’t much different than tacking up a real horse. Place the saddle pad on the horse so that its centered on the back and sides and so that it isn’t hanging over the hind quarters. Once you have that centered put the saddle onto the pad, again making sure it is centered. Place your hand over the saddle and pad to keep it in place and lay the horse on its side so that the un-done buckles are facing up. Fasten those buckles tightly, but be careful not to break the tack. Pick your horse up and straighten the blanket and saddle again.

The bridle is a bit more difficult to put on. If possible buckle the noseband prior to putting on the bridle and place the reins around the neck. Slide the noseband up onto the horse and pull the crown piece over the ears. Adjust any of the buckles so that the straps fit snugly. Buckle the throatstrap. If your bit is a separate piece you’ll want to put a little tacky wax (Found at any drug store as dental wax) on the corners of the mouth and placing the bit in that spot.

Once you have your bridle on you might want to pull your reins tight and sticky them in place too with some wax.

Now that you can tack up your horse, you’re ready to play or show! Take a look around online for pictures of real horses tacked up, it will help you get all the details exactly right. Good luck!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Finding Breyer Horse collectors in your area.

Finding other Breyer collectors in the area can be a great experience, having friends close to share you hobby makes it easy to get to model horse events as well as having someone close to share the hobby with. Even getting together to make tack or organizing your collection is easier with someone near! When I moved to New England a few years ago, I didn’t know anyone. I was very lucky to have my model horses, live showing and chatting online helped put me in touch with great friends that I never knew I would or could have!

We are lucky that we have the internet in today’s day and age. When I first began collecting we had to use the post office for any form of communication in the hobby. The internet makes it easy to contact others, as well as keeping in touch with them. Some of the best places to find other Breyer horse collectors are on the internet. The easiest place to find collectors in your area is through the North American Model Horse Showers Association’s website, http://www.namhsa.org . They offer a contacts list that offers a breakdown of representatives by state as well as links to individual discussion pages for each region in the nation. They split the country into 10 regions and one for Canada. The page outlines which region your state is in. The discussion pages for your region are a great resource, the discussion lists are often very busy and very friendly. They can be great places to find events as well.

Another good place to look is also online, model horse websites. http://www.modelhorseblab.com is a very active model horse message board with thousands of members. Regional discussion is encouraged and you’ll find collectors of all ages and experiences there. Another good model horse message board is http://www.fallen-leaves.net . Fallen Leaves is also very active and is an easy place to find people in your area. Both of these websites are very active and have thousands of members, you will notice once you start navigating the sites a bit that most people list what state they are located in. There are also often discussions of events in certain states or live shows in the area.

One of the best places to find model horse collectors are live model horse shows. Live shows can be found on the NAMHSA website as well as www.breyerhorses.com under the events section and in Just About Horses. Even if you aren’t showing, visiting for the day can be great fun. If you are entering, be sure to ask the show holder if you can be sat next to someone that is near you geographically. Its something we automatically do at Golden Oak Stables‘ shows, and great friends have been made just through our few shows! You’ll find live shows are very welcoming and that most people there are very happy to meet someone new. Just be friendly and introduce yourself and you’ll find new friends in no time!

One thing to always remember is to never meet anyone you don’t know alone and be cautious when navigating online, never give out personal information and if you are a youth do not ever contact anyone without your parents knowledge. The internet is not always a safe place and care should be taken. That said finding other Breyer horse collectors can be a great thing. My very best friends have been met because I collect Breyer horses, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com