Thrift store score of the year

 I walked into one of my favorite thrift stores over Breyerfest weekend, and walked out with what I later discovered is probably my thrift store find of the year. 

 

 

I picked it up because I'm on a bit of a collie kick, but mostly because it's a lovely ceramic dog, in mint condition other than crazing, and it was only $1.  Came home and posted a pic on the Clinky Connection, asking about an ID.  Turns out, this is a vintage Hagen-Renaker Marmion, from the San Dimas factory.  And worth in the vicinity of $200.  

"Shocked" was an understatement.  He (she?) is absolutely beautiful.  Some crazing, no big deal.  Eartips are even intact.   

More chalkies!

 And a week later, more luck at the consignment auction.  Two more chalkies - a bay Clydedale Mare and dapple grey Proud Arabian Stallion - plus some other Breyers and a plethora of non-Breyers, including Barbie horses, Grand Champions, and other odds and ends.  

Glamour shots coming soon.

A neat Breyer copy

 Went to the rare estate sale that has Breyers a few weeks ago.  This one had a vintage Classic Pegasus in the photos, but since I had to work Friday morning, it was already gone by the time I got there.  I did buy a couple of things.  

Nice Legionario.  I think this is the original release, but maybe not.  In good shape, and I think the ma

 

 

A nice Red Mill copy of the Clydesdale Foal.  They also had a copy of the Nursing TB Mare, and two of the Laying Foals at the sale.   

Retro vintage Avon decanter. 

The foal is Made in Korea, no label of any kind on the poodles but they were cute. 

A good tip and a lucky day

 I got a tip from a hobby friend of mine, thanks to Facebook Messenger and a local flea mall that posts pictures online.  I got off work early today and had enough time to drive out there before school pickup time, so I took a little drive.  My friend has a good eye and she was right - she spotted a Special Run in one of the booth photos - the Classic Secretariat, on the Terrang Mold, from Hobby Center Toys in 1988.  The price was a whopping $15, so I grabbed him right away.  Missing a bit of an ear tip, and a few rubs, but the original run was only 1,000.  

While I was there and had some time, I walked around the rest of the antique mall.  Most of it, anyway.  I saw a lot of overpriced (in my opinion) Breyers, including some Family Arabian Foals ($29 each) and some Classic Arabian and Quarter Horse families that I'm pretty sure were there last time I was - which was about 3 years minimum.  I did find a pair of vintage Breyers that I decided to buy - the Western Horse and Fury, both in old brown pinto, with their saddles.  The Western Horse even has the older O-link reins. 

Brighty

 Just bought this one on eBay.  

 

 Brighty is going for bonkers prices lately, listed for $50 and up (usually up).  I got this one for just under $50.  However, a drawback of bidding on the phone is that this one was listed as a chalky, and after a better look on a bigger screen, I'm not sure he is.  Still a decent price, considering, so a lesson learned.  I should have learned that when we bought a DVD set on Amazon's phone app, and managed to buy the Region 2 version that we can't actually watch. 

Another posting gap

Oops No pictures with this quick post, because new computer has no photos on the hard drive yet. Been on a bit of a buying spree, it seems. Last of the Vintage Club horses - a really nice Wedgwood Brighty named Nugget, and a glossy charcoal Marabella and foal (Ashley?) called Dusk and Dawn. Plus the bonus SM, a mini Smart Chic with Yellow Mount's paint job - mine was the no forearm spot version. Other purchases: Theo, a Brahma bull, a leopard Cheyenne at a price I could not cringe at, because he's missing the saddle and reins but only one small eartip. The Sucesion & Le Fire unicorns (Diadem and something) because it's the only affordable way I'll ever get that set. I thought of buying the original RR release, but passed on it, waiting for a color I liked better. Which hasn't happened.

Julius, and adventures with shipping

 Julius is here finally, and looks amazing.  

His journey was interesting.  First delivery date was Friday the 12th.  So I shoveled a path for the UPS driver.  By 9:00, UPS admitted he wouldn't make it.  New date - the 16th.  On the morning of the 15th, he was out for delivery.  But then it snowed, so he got bumped back to the 16th.  Musical delivery dates. 

And the adventures continue.  Last week, I paid for both SMC Atticuses (Attici?), and two Pocket Box ridealongs on each order.  Yesterday, I got the shipping notices and tracking numbers.  Five tracking numbers altogether.  Right now, three will be delivered tomorrow, one the day after that, and one is "check back later" status.  I'm thinking one order is in 3 boxes/envelopes, and if Breyer's shipper really shipped a Stablemate and 2 Pocket Boxes in three separate packages, then (a) they really need to have a talk with the shipper and (b) they lost a lot of money on that $5.95 shipping fee. 

Prince has arrived

 The Deluxe Collector Club SM finally arrived yesterday.  I got lucky, my box wasn't smashed like many of them were (seriously, Breyer, go back to those sturdy brown boxes, not these flimsy things). 

He's not as yellow as he looks in this picture, and I need to get a picture of him with my vintage palomino Fighting Stallions.  And the charcoal pairs, too. 

Vintage auction score

 I usually find some luck once a year at the estate sales here, but I haven't been to an estate sales since March, thanks to COVID.  But, there are other options.  Yesterday, the local consignment auction had a sale ending, and I remembered to look through the online catalog.  And, bingo, Breyers.  Listed as Breyers, of course, so there were multiple bidders.  I didn't bid on many of them, just 3 lots with Breyers and one lot of random animals that was mostly bone china horses, but a wood horse and a Hagen-Renaker Lying Foal in the mix.  

Big score, and the one I spent the most on, is a glossy alabaster Semi-Rearing Mustang, with red eyes.  He's gorgeous.  There are some rubs on his mane and nose, but the black marks came off, and he's great. 

Next is the alabaster Running Stallion, who is older than I am.  Lots of times you'll see something online that looks like an alabaster Running Stallion, but it's just a Unicorn that's lost the horn and beard somewhere.  This one, I'm pretty sure, is the real deal. 

Third is a glossy alabaster Pround Arabian Foal, who was peeking out of a box surrounded by a doll and some kind of stuffed animal, and a lot of odds and ends.  

Then, on a whim, I bid on the group of small animals, because the bay foal looked familiar.  Turns out he's a Hagen Renaker.  Of course, he's also the only one that was broken, but the piece was with him and it should be an easy fix. 

Took a nice drive out this morning to pick them up, and spent a little time cleaning them when I got home.  Managed, with work, to get most of the black marks off the Mustang, so they're all gorgeous now.