The First Test Run of 2024: Black Pinto Miniature Horse Set

 

The first test run offering for 2024 has arrived:

It is a set of miniature horses in black pinto, comprised of the Merrylegs mold (# 3040ML) and the Midnight Tango mold (# 467). Breyer places their production during the late 2000s to early 2010s timeframe. Members of the Collector Club may enter the drawing for an opportunity to purchase the pair. The cost is $1,200 and the set comes with a COA.  Entries will be taken until midnight on February 28, 2024. 

The Merrylegs mold:

The Midnight Tango mold:

More photos of the two together:

Let’s fly in the clouds for no apparent reason:

These two molds have previously been paired together in a set showcasing Miniature horses. The set featured LTD’s Red Cloud, a red roan Medicine Hat, portrayed on the Midnight Tango mold and Magic Man’s Grand Slam,  a black overo, depicted on the Merrylegs mold. The set, numbered #1180, was available in the Breyer line from 2006-2008.

Here is LTD’s Red Cloud:

Photo copyright Identify Your Breyer 

And here we have Magic Man’s Grand Slam: 

Photo copyright Identify Your Breyer

We also have an interesting case of an almost doppelgänger. Take a look at the original introduction of the Midnight Tango mold and at the test model offered:

Midnight Tango:

                                            Photo copyright Identify Your Breyer

The test run almost doppelgänger:

I find it interesting that Breyer would do a test run nearly identical to a model that had already been in production. Midnight Tango was introduced in 2000, and Breyer gives a timeframe for the test run’s creation of nearly ten years later. Could the test run perhaps have been a prototype for the Midnight Tango model? Certainly there is no way for us to know. This is one of those model mysteries, lol! While it is a cute set, I will not be entering for the drawing. Best of luck to anyone entering for this duo!

*Photos are from Breyer’s website  and email.

*Photos from Identify Your Breyer are labeled as such. Thank you IDYB!

In Memory of Andrea Gurdon, the Breyer History Diva

 

Our hobby is reeling from the loss of Andrea Gurdon, aka the Breyer History Diva. She passed away on Saturday, February 17, 2024, shortly after receiving her cancer diagnosis. I have been struggling to get my thoughts together regarding Andrea’s passing. It seems impossible to have lost Andrea; it is unfair that the cancer had such a foothold that Andrea didn’t even have a fighting chance. I cannot find words.

Many of us never met Andrea in person (including me), but her incredible hobby expertise and presence through the decades made her an icon. I think I still have a couple of her sales lists from the 1980s, back from the days of SASEs. Her long running blog was chock full of so many interesting things about Breyer’s history (she knew more about Breyer’s history than they did) and models. Her musings were always a great read. Andrea was the person to ask questions to about models, especially those oddballs that would surface. She was willing to educate and share the information she knew. Her vast knowledge led her to write the Breyer Vintage Club COAs. The COAs were outstanding- I have sold a few of my VC models, but I always made a copy of the COAs to keep for myself; the original COAs went with the models. The VC COAs will never be the same, nor will our hobby. The void left by Andrea’s passing will never be filled. Rest in peace, Andrea. You were so special to us and we will miss you greatly.

*Photo is from the Breyer History Diva blog.