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!

Bonanza of Breyer Announcements

Wowza, Breyer went wild with announcements Monday! I checked my email late that evening to discover three emails with exciting Breyer news! Actually, it was more than three emails because one of the announcements came from various Breyer dealers. The announcements from the dealers were for Old Glory, Breyer’s Spring 2021 decorator.  Done on the Esprit mold, this clearware decorator is patterned after the U.S. flag, complete with Stars and Stripes:

I like him, and will see if I can get one. The next announcement was the second Test Run Model lottery of 2021. It is the saddlebred weanling mold, with a test color...which is supposed to look like a vintage paint job but not quite there. I think she’s cute, and the test color came out odd-not a bad thing for a test model. After all, that is the purpose a test model serves. The color idea isn’t terrible, it’s the execution of the paint job that is the issue. I get that the painter was going for the old Appaloosa Performance Horse look, but it didn’t quite work out. Take a look at the old APH:

His splatter dapple pattern fades into the rest of the coat. Now compare with the test run model:

That boundary line from the splatter dapple pattern into the grey smudge is weird looking. There are some of the sharpie dots from the back half of the weaning that travel onto the shoulders and front leg splatter dapples if you look closely, a clear mimic of the APH. This test model is priced at $850, down from the last test run model’s price of $1,100. The saddlebred weanling is petite, which may account for the lower price. Good luck to anyone who is entering for her!

And now the best for last. The second reveal of the Premier Club, Astrid:

I almost fell off my chair when I began reading the email. A fjord, and a mare to boot!  I had been wishing for a new fjord; while I think the old Henry mold is cute, it was high time Breyer popped out a new fjord mold. Breyer did not disappoint, and I love the color. PC members may choose a glossy or matte finish. I have chosen a matte finish as I am more of a matte girl, but I think she’d look stunning in gloss.  It would have been nice if Breyer had shown an actual picture of a glossy Astrid instead of this cartoony photo shop gloss.

Too bad she’s still some time away. I want her now! It is also going to be exciting to see what the last PC model will be for 2021, since I really like the first two. 

*Old Glory photo from Breyer released to dealers*

*Appaloosa Performance Horse photo from the Identify Your Breyer website*

*Saddlebred Weanling photos from Breyer’s website*

*Astrid photos from Breyer’s website*

Test Run Jeans and Lafayette Woes

Okay, test run jeans sounds much more amusing than Denim. At least to me, anyway. The first Test Model of 2021 is a beautiful glossy light denim blue Lady Phase. She has a pattern of warp and weft threads to mimic the weave of fabric. This Lady Phase was the test run for Twill, a 2013 Breyerfest Special Run. Twill differs from Denim in that she is a pinto, has white facial and leg markings, and isn’t glossy. The thread pattern on Twill was retained from the test run model. Denim will be sold via lottery draw, and is priced at $1,100. This is the highest of any test run offered so far. Breyer had initially priced the test runs at $800, and the prices began to increase. I wish Breyer had kept the test pieces in the $800 range to keep them affordable for more collectors. The higher prices have cut many out of the chance to purchase a Breyer test run.

Here is Twill, the 2013 Breyerfest Special Run for comparison:

Personally, I prefer the test model over Twill. Maybe Breyer was going for a ripped jeans look when they decided to add the white pinto markings to Twill? Presenting the latest fashion trend-Pinto Pants! Wear them to any Breyer Event!

If you have entered the lottery for Denim, good luck to you!

Moving on to the much anticipated CC Lafayette model...when Lafayette was finally available to members of the Collector’s Club, he was available in two batches. One was the in stock group, and the other was the backorder group for those who missed the in stock Lafayettes. Breyer allowed the option to backorder a Lafayette model which would be delivered in September 2021, and gave a generous time allotment for the ordering period (February 26-March 18), which I thought was fantastic. However, it seems that Breyer’s Wild Warehouse People began filling the orders randomly. Some people who had ordered Lafayette when he was in stock have been pushed to the September backorder group, and some people who had backordered Lafayette have received shipping notices with delivery dates for the model. The Wild Warehouse People have in recent weeks been mailing horses in bubble mailers, and shipping items from multi-item orders individually. 

Onward with more about Lafayette. The Breyer promotional pictures show Lafayette to be inky black with subtle silver dapples. Those who have received their Lafayettes have noted that he is not the inky black color-he is actually a dark gray, with varying degrees of the silver undercoat peering through. There seem to be variations in the darkness of the black topcoat, with some looking to be more of a smoky silver. I would have preferred the jet black myself, but I’m still loving the color on this guy. I should have mine next week, barring any disasters than may wreak havoc on the shipping route. 

*Test Run Denim photos from the Breyer website*

*BF SR Twill photos from Identify Your Breyer website*

*Pinto pants/ripped jeans from Pinterest*