A surprise cropped up today in the form of Bunyan (# 430049), a Micro Run of 58 pieces. Priced at $295 and painted at Breyer’s facility in New Jersey, he will be available for purchase to Collectors Club members chosen via lottery. Presented as a decorator in Wedgewood Blue, he differs from other Wedgewoods in that the intensity of the blue has been softened.
This mold, the Walking Hereford Bull, was introduced in the mid-1950s (~1955). Two other micro runs, Logan and Colton, have been done on this mold. Both bulls appeared in the 2012 Collectors Club Vault sale.
Logan is a glossy chestnut (40 pieces made):
Colton was done as a glossy golden brown, with around 40 pieces:
In keeping with the Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox theme, there has been another blue bovine. The Texas Longhorn wore the Wedgewood Blue to become Babe in 1960 and was sold through Paul Bunyan Restaurants. I remember that a Babe came up for auction on eBay in about 2006 or so, and I want to say it sold for 9-10 thousand… does anyone remember? I may have the sale price incorrect, but it was in that ballpark. I believe another one surfaced on eBay a few years later, but didn’t fetch as high a price. Here are photos of Babe the Blue Ox:
It would be super cool to see Babe and Bunyan together. Unfortunately, there are only a few Babes around. It would also be neat to see the three micro runs together as well.
*Photos of Bunyan are from Breyer’s email and website.*
*Photos of Colton, Logan, and Babe the Blue Ox are from the Identity Your Breyer website.*
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