Friday, August 29, 2014

Look-Alikes: G1 Quarter Horse Stallion

Though this mold has a few look-alikes, none of them are particularly challenging.



The chestnut at the top is the regular run #5046. He only came in old plastic, is typically of a lighter and more orange-toned shade, grey hooves, and a mane and tail which is darker than the body. As this model was only available late 1975-76, the detail is much finer than the later releases on this mold.

The 1995 JCPenney special run below is a darker, redder chestnut than the regular run. He was only made with new plastic and has the loss of detail and mold deformities typical of the later releases. He also usually has four socks and pale to white hooves.




Often a bright lemon, though more realistic yellow-tan models can be found, the regular run #5045 palomino Quarter Horse Stallion was always made with the old plastic. He usually had a solid face and a off-hind stocking. Over-sprayed mane and tail were more common than not.

Also a regular run, but made with new plastic this time, 'Pumpkin' from the #10103 Seabiscuit Stablemates Three Piece Gift Set was a paler, more realistic shade of palomino than his predecessor. With the new masking techniques, the markings on this run were remarkably consistent compared to earlier runs. These models should have a crisp star, blaze, snip combo, near-side stockings, off-side socks, and bright white mane and tail. Of course, there probably are variations out there.



There are two distinctly buckskin releases on this mold and one which sits on the fence between bay and buckskin.

The top left model is regular run #5047. He is a nice golden buckskin, often with an off-hind sock, but can be found with a wide variety of leg markings, both distinct and vague (mine has a distinct off-hind stocking and three vague-socks). The quickest way to tell this run from the others is to perform the clunk test as these models are always old plastic.

The 1996 JCPenney special run on the bottom row is similar in colour to the regular run, but is always new plastic and often has a sooty cast to his coat. He should have an off-hind stocking, often paired with a near-hind leg marking, but as you can see, sockless examples exist.

On his own or with other bay models, the 1995-97 regular run #5186 Quarter Horse Stallion to the upper right can look like a dark buckskin, but when you place him with the other buckskins, he looks more like a bay. He is always new plastic and should be without any markings.



The #5186 regular run is back. Standing down on the bottom-right in the bay line-up he looks more like a dark buckskin or a sandy bay.

The only old plastic representative in this quartet is the regular run  #3085 from the Stable Set in the upper-left corner. This guy can range from a deep, dark bay to a lighter red bay. The colour does stay fairly dark and red-toned. Leg markings can vary from none to four and rumors of facial markings are out there. Matte to glossy finishes are frequently found.

In the upper-right corner is the other regular run, #5210 English Rider and American Quarter Horse from 2005. This model is usually matte to satin in finish and is always new plastic. He should be a nicely shaded red-bay with a big splotch of a star with a little trailing tail, hind pasterns, and tan coloured hooves on the marked legs. The paint on the hooves of my model appears rather heavy; I'm not sure if this is typical of the run.

Lighter and more brown-toned than the others is the new plastic 1998 Sears special run. In addition to his four sporty little socks and tan coloured hooves, a model from this run should have a sprinkling of lavender or robin egg blue spots over his haunches. These spots are almost so fine as to be called a mist and at first collectors assumed they were a mistake.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Variation Spotlight: G1 Citation #495092 & #711094

Sears Special Run
#495092 Stablemate Assortment IV
1992
&
JCPenney Special Run
#711094 12-Piece Stablemates Set
1994

Last month we saw the chestnut leopard appaloosa G1 Quarter Horse Stallions from this set, this week we have the dapple grey G1 Citations.


Friday, August 15, 2014

Conga! G1 Quarter Horse Stallion

The original ceramic Hagen-Renaker mold, #31 Mini Quarter Horse Stallion34, was sculpted by Maureen Love Calvert, and leased from the company by Breyer for production in plastic. The Quarter Horse Stallion mold was released in 1976 and was discontinued along with the other Generation One molds in 2005.

During this time, Breyer released ten regular runs and eight special runs on this mold, making him the sixth most used G1 mold, just behind the G1 Saddlebred. Unlike most of the other G1 molds, the Quarter Horse Stallion does not have any old plastic Sears special runs as his first SR gift set release was in 1992.

Conga! G1 Quarter Horse Mare

The original ceramic Hagen-Renaker mold, #428/61 Mini Head Down Horse35, was sculpted by Maureen Love Calvert, and leased from the company by Breyer for production in plastic. Since the Hagen-Renaker Head Down Horse is a stallion, the mold was altered to remove the male parts in order to produce the plastic mares.

The Quarter Horse Mare mold was released in 1976 with the other molds, but unlike the others who were discontinued in 2005, production of this mold ended in 1998. During her short life time, this mold was only used four times making it, hands down, the least used Generation One Stablemate mold. These four runs were all regular runs; no special runs were ever released. Other generations have molds which have been use less thus far, but since these molds are still 'live' there's still the potential for future releases.

Friday, August 01, 2014

Play Sets and Singles: Got to Be a Götz - Ponies and Dolls

Götz (or Goetz in the US) started as a small, family owned, German doll company in the 1950s. Originally made with paper mache, in 1957 the company began using rotational molding to produce vinyl dolls. They pioneered the mass-production of "designer" dolls with their product line by artist, Sasha Morgenthaler, in 1964. After establishing a factory in the US in the late 1980s, Götz became involved with the Pleasant Company, the producers of the American Girl Dolls.33 The company continues to be a major player in the designer doll world to this day.

Breyer produced models for both the Pleasant Company and Götz, but the runs produced for the former company were only of the larger scales, and thus of little interest to us here.