News - 2002
Shopping for A Horse Lover?
November 28, 2002--They say great minds think alike. Maybe this applies to model horse manufacturers? A couple of days ago, the Breyer company magazine, Just About Horses, arrived with its offer of a special, holiday model, "First Frost." "First Frost" is the Breyer Five-Gaiter in glossy white with gray shadings on the knees, hocks, muzzle, and tail.
The day after that, a catalog sheet from the Hartland company arrived with its holiday special model, "Snow Angel." Guess what? "Snow Angel" is the Hartland 9" series Five-Gaiter in pearl dapple grey with black shadings on its knees, hocks, muzzle, and tail! Could this be a coincidence? Will the Peter Stone company make it three?
The Breyer model is a limited edition of 3,000 available to JAH subscribers. The Hartland special is available until January 31, 2003.
November 25, 2002--Wow! It's been two years since this news section began, two and one-half years since this web site began, and 22 years since I began the Hartland book(s)!
While the economy has been a bit slower the last two years, many holiday catalogs are offering gifts for horse lovers. More on that later.
Until December 20, new horse models from the Hartland company were 25% off. Call 1-866-467-7399 from 9-5 M-F Pacific Time or visit www.hartlandcollectibles.com .
Regarding Grand Champions brand of model horses, Mutiny Bay Enterprises will no longer handle customer service for Alpha International, the owner of Grand Champions. Mutiny Bay's final sale of Grand Champions horses is underway.
Call 1-800-308-9211 or visit www.grandchampionshorses.com .
Best Horse Calendars for 2003
These are my calendar picks.
For attractive variety (photos of groups or individuals, in action or at rest, whole horses or close ups): Horses 2003 Calendar by Cardinal. Check in stores. $12.95.
Each picture is a single horse in action, a different horse for each month (photos): Horses: A Sixteen-Month 2003 Calendar, by Design Studio by DateWorks, An American Greetings Company. $4.99 at Walgreen's drug stores and probably elsewhere.
For art (paintings): The 2003 Horses in the Mist Calendar by Bookmark, Ltd.,
1-262-646-4499; www.lang.com . $13.95.
Catalogs with horse-themed items:
Back in the Saddle: gifts including Breyer and Stone horses, T-shirts, housewares, and more at:
www.backinthesadddle.com; 1-800-865-2478.
Breakthrough Publications: horse books; 1-800-276-8419.
Blain's Farm & Fleet stores: The Breyer trotting National Show Horse in dark bay is $21.79.
P.S. Cord & Co.: Peter Stone model horses; www.modelhorses.com .
Libertyville Saddle Shop: tack and stable equipment; www.saddleshop.com
Wild horsefeathers: gifts including Breyer horses and
tack, horse postcards, and more; 1-800-298-4998; www.wildhorsefeathers.com .
The above companies sent catalogs in the mail except the Blain's Farm & Fleet catalog was a newspaper insert.
Also, check these catalogs:
JCPenney Christmas catalog
Sears Toy catalog
Horse Videos by Celedon Productions
Charming and reasonably priced! See them father down on this web page.
The Horse in Culture -- A Redundency?
PBS. Worth seeing is the program on horses in the "Nature" series on PBS. Topics are: the horse as a part of everyday life in Mongolia, Mustangs and horse training, and a retired event horse who served as a show mount for talented, disabled riders.
HARPER'S
A painting of horses by George Stubbs appears on the cover of Harper's Magazine, October 2002. Inside, on pages 43-59, is John Jeremiah Sullivan's article, "Horsemen, Pass By: Glory, Grief, and the race for the Triple Crown." It presents his views and research not only on racing, but on the entire history of man's association with horses. Your public library would probably have this magazine.
Fall 2002 Model Horse News
QVC: Breyer's latest program on QVC was Friday /Saturday, October 18 / 19: 10 p.m. Pacific time on Oct. 18, 11 p.m. Mountain time, Midnight in Central time, and at 1 a.m. Eastern time. See www.qvc.com to order models. They don't all sell out during the broadcast.
New model horse books due to come out in the next six months or so, perhaps not before Christmas, include: new Breyer book editions by Felicia Browell and Nancy Young -- each has a different publisher -- and a third Hagen-Renaker book by Nancy Kelly. Don't forget that their current editions -- and the two Hartland books by Gail Fitch -- make fine gifts. Note on May 29, 2003: A new edition of the Nancy Young Breyer book has not come out yet, and it isn't in the fall 2003 publisher's catalog. Maybe the announcement in a model horse magazine was premature. I recommend the Nancy Kelly book on the art of Maureen Love, the main Hagen-Renaker sculptor. Felicia Browell's latest Breyer edition includes many useful reference lists. One lists the sculptor for each model. Breyer has quite a "stable" of sculptors. Lately, all of them are women.
Additional Hartland horses issued insummer 2002, shown in the photo below, from left, include:
• 9" series Polo Pony in buckskin pinto (Jamboree special run; some may be available yet from Sheryl Leisure)
• 7" series Tenn. Walker stallion in dapple grey
• 9" series Polo Pony in pale palomino
In 2003, Hartland plans to issue the Lady Jewel and Jade molds in resin, with sculpted detail added by Sheryl Leisure. (The original sculptor was Kathleen Moody, but she now works for Breyer.) As of May 29, 2003, the Hartland company hasn't mentioned the resin Lady Jewel and Jade in months. It looks like they are on hold-- perhaps, indefinitely
Exclusive Hartland models from summer/fall are:
11" series Arabian in black pinto -- 35 were "gifts" at the Jamboree; a star was added to the face of 15 more, which may be purchased only by the winners of a drawing, among, subscribers to the Hartland company newsletter.
Five winners from an earlier drawing received the 9" series Thoroughbred in "pearl grey" with dark mane, tail, and lower legs except for right fore and left hind socks.
The "Copper King" chestnut Regal Arabian was sold through three model shows in the first half of 2002. To purchase one, contact:
• Debra Kerr (Florida) -- dkerr@worldnet.att.net
• Betsy Andrews (Maryland) - woodlandfarm1622@juno.com
• Robyn Porter/Melissa Clegg (Washington state) -- enumgust@qwest.net
"Bronze Ruler," which is the same as "Copper King," but with black added to the mane and tail and to the knees and hocks above the stockings to make it a bay, and with a
slightly deeper body color, was the Hartland show special
model for the second half of 2002. It appeared at the
Jamboree ( www.modelhorsejamboree.com). Show-
holders in fall 2002 had the option of selling it.
(As it turned out, "Bronze Ruler" was not sold at Lauri Barnwell's show in northern California November 9-10.
For news of the show, email bbarnwell@asis.com or see http://www.asis.com/~bbarnwell/titlepage.htm .)
Article added October 9; revised November 25-26, 2002, and January 1, 2003; photo added January 13, 2003.
I personally am not a fan of the marketing tactic of making it difficult for people to obtain models, and excluding people. I think a better strategy would be to try to sell those models to as many people as possible, and make it easy for people to buy the models they want. Model horses are not necessary to life, and most of us have more than enough concerns and activities to keep us busy and happy without adding to our model horse collections, which in many cases are already very extensive. Discouraging access to models does not lead to sales. Model manufacturers / sellers should keep that in mind!
--Gail Fitch
COPPER KING
a chestnut pinto 11" series Arab, was the Hartland show special model for the first half of 2002.
CHINESE-STYLE horses about 10 feet high stand ready at the entrance to P.F. Chang's China Bistro which opened at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July 2002.
Breyer: The Breyer QVC program on Thursday, August 8 was two hours long! A new mold for 2002 featured was a Peruvian Paso in action, in plastic. Several models were familiar molds, but in GLOSSY FINISHES! I hope that Hartland will consider glossy finishes, which can turn a nice model into a knockout. The show aired at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. Models not sold out during the show may be purchased at www.qvc.com . Breyer has begun email notification for special runs, new products, etc. Go towww.BreyerHorses.com to register.
WARM COLORS--Late June brought these three new Hartland issues: 9" Five-Gaiter in bay with small dapples (left) 11" series Quarter Horse in bright bay with four stockings (center), and 9" series Tennessee Walker in copper chestnut.The Saddlebred and Tenn. Walker were still available 4-21-03.
Summer Model/Horse Fun & Hartland Tips
Hartland: Jack Kelly offers repaint services for Hartland models. (He asked me to post this! Contact him at: jck666@hotmail.com .) He also offers this tip for helping gunfighters stand: Remove the arms and fill the model 1/3 to 1/2 full of small acquarium stones.( I think salt would work, too!) An autobiography of one of the popular actors that Hartland made a model of long ago, has just been published. Read more in my next newsletter! In July, a gentleman sold an Annie Oakley on eBay that used to be a lamp! At the antique store, he asked the clerk to throw away the shade and post. Now, he knows better! If you are missing your Hartland lamp shade, read about replacements in my next newsletter!
Stone Horses: The Summer 2002 Stone newsletter pictured the performance (cutting) horse with full, loose mane, aand the Pebbles series galloping horse. It's nice to see new molds and variations!
"Real" Horses: Equine Images magazine, Fall 2002, includes an excellent article on Anna Sewell's classic book from 1877, Black Beauty. Don't miss this four-page article with color illustrations of the covers from many editions of this popular book. Email info@equineimages.com .
July 29, 2002
Baskin-Robbins' tie-in (left) with the animated movie, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is the "Blue Sky Shake" and the "Cimarron Sundae," complete with horse cookie. Above: $6,000 would buy this bronze horse at a flea market in Cedarburg, WI. Don't need a horse? How about a canoe? (6-11-02)
Hartland Theme for June 2002: Gray
June 7, 2002--I happen to like gray. I'm in luck since the two new horses debuting June 6 are a grey overo paint (11" series) and blue roan Tennessee Walker (9" series). This postcard picturing them (at left) arrived June 3. Too bad the edition sizes are so small: 50. The Tenn. Walker was still available as of 4-21-03.
In May, Hartland began to offer the rifle-holed saddle in two colors: black and brown. These new saddles are made from the old mold, and are intended as replacement saddles for 9" series horse and rider sets. They appear to be matte finish, as opposed to the glossy look of the original saddles from the 1950s-1960s.
Also offered in May were Wyatt Earp standing gunfighters in white plastic (unpainted). They had been molded by Steven Mfg. in 1994. The current Hartland company purchased them in 2000 along with the rest of the Hartland assets. The arms are not attached.The saddles and gunfighter were still for sale on 1-8-03. Read about the 2002 Hartland models in my article in the May-June Horsing Around magazine.
Spring 2002 Model News In A Nutshell
• Friday May 3 -- Breyers on QVC
• Saturday May 4 -- Kentucky Derby
• Friday May 10 -- Hartland test sale -- Bids and want-to-buy lists must be received
• May 24 -- National debut of animated movie about horses: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron(TM).
• July 25-27 -- Equilocity, sponsored by Peter Stone Company, Lexington, KY
• July 26-28 -- BreyerFest, Lexington, KY
• August 15-16 -- North American Nationals model horse show, Pomona, CA.
• August 17-18 -- Model Horse Jamboree, Pomona, California
Breyers on QVC TV
Breyer sent this lovely postcard to announce the Breyer program on QVC TV, Friday, May 3 at: 3 p.m. Eastern, 2 p.m. Central, 1 p.m. Mountain, and Noon Pacific time. Check www.qvc. com and www.BreyerHorses. com for details on the models. Some models limited to QVC may be available for some time after the program.
Lipizzan in Levade
In 1962, the Republic of Austria put an image from the Spanish Riding School of Vienna on the five schilling coin of a Lipizzan and rider doing the levade.
Special Hartland Sale
May 1, 2002--Hartland is selling 21 one-of-kind "test color" models. Before May 10, only 2002 Hartland collector club members may purchase them. Then, any unsold models will be sold from the company web site, www.hartlandcollectibles.com .
Seven items will be sold by silent auction: four 11" series Arabians, two 11" QH-mold appaloosas, and a Chief Thunderbird 9" series rider set. The minimum bid for each is $200, except $250 for the rider set.
Fourteen other models will be sold at fixed prices, but by lottery. Prospective buyers should send a list of models they want to buy, with their name, address, phone number and/or email address. For each model, the company will draw one name, and contact that person about sending payment.
The fixed-price models are: two 7" series TWH foals ($75 each), a 7" series TWH stallion ($150), and six 9" series horses priced from $165-$195. There are two Mustangs, one Tennessee Walker, three Five-Gaiters, and five Polo Ponies. All are shown in a color flyer. Another color flyer shows regular models.
Write: Hartland Horses, 700 E. Redlands Blvd. #U-242, Redlands, CA 92373, or
Call: 1-866-467-7399 (toll free).
Bid by email: Westerns@hartlandcollectibles.com
12 Images From Issue #5 of Gail Fitch's Newsletter
In February, any or all of the six Tinymites in black (above) could be purchased. They're now sold out.
"Wave the Banner", the 9"
Five-Gaiter in skewbald, is the 2002 "club" model. No longer available since 12-31-02.
The buckskin, 7" series
Tennessee Walker family
and dapple grey Polo Pony
came out in February 2002. Each is limited to 50 pieces, and is still for sale on 1-8-03. Read
the details in Hartland Model Equestrian News.
dapple grey Polo Pony
Buckskin 7" series Tennessee Walker family
Glazed Breyers Sold on QVC
late Friday night, January 11
A set of five Stablemates with glaze finishes; a model painted as Seattle Slew; the action Percheron mold in glossy, liver chestnut; and 1,500 pieces of the Zippo Pine Bar mold by sculptor Sommer Prosser were sold on QVC, the home shopping network on cable TV, late on Friday night, January 11.
Show times for the one-hour program were impossibly late for many of us: 10 p.m. Pacific Time, 11 p.m. Mountain Time, midnight Central Time, and 1 a.m. Eastern Time.
Breyer models may also be ordered from the QVC web site: www.qvc.com .
(Information from Just About Horses, the Breyer company magazine. Also see www.BreyerHorses.com.)
Added January 7, 2002; updated Jan.-21 & 2, 2002
Hartland Model Equestrian News
Issue # 5 of Gail Fitch's Hartland Model Equestrian News, came out in January 2002. Wider in scope than just Hartland model horses, it includes articles on model horse
collecting and showing, equine art, and related subjects! It is 28 pages--formatted like a magazine.
For Issue #5, send $6* to:
Gail Fitch
1733 N. Cambridge Ave., #109
Milwaukee, WI 53202.
Check, money order, or PayPal (gfitch@execpc.com).
Back Issues:
Send $8 for the first four issues--32 pages in all.
* Those who bought Hartland Horse and Dogs from the author pay only $4, instead of $6, for Issue #5.
Added January 7; updated 1-21& 6-7-02 and 1-1-03
The last Hartland Rider Set with Rare Horse 1961 MIB that had been saved, unopened in the box, by a Hartland executive for 40 years, sold on eBay December 10, 2001, for $920. The proceeds go to him and his wife. Thanks to the winner and all the bidders.
Thanks also to those who bought my MIB Large Ertl Horses and Nylint Jumper on eBay in Dec., 2001. Watch for Hartlands (my doubles) for sale. My eBay seller ID is gfitch@execpc.com
"Saturday morning finally arrived after 9 long months of planning...."
So writes Lauri Barnwell on the Victorian Village Live Show, November 3 in Bridgeville (northern), California. The VVL was one of the shows selling Hartland's "Silver Sultan" Arabian model. Read Laurie's report in Issue #5 of Hartland Model Equestrian News.
Added 11-14-01; updated 1-21-02
Sneak Preview: customizing Hartland horses
September 23, 2001--One of the artists who does a wonderful job of customizing Hartland horses is Terri DeWit. Read an interview with Terri in Issue #5 of Hartland Model Equestrian News. Updated 1-21-02
This custom, Regal
(11" series) Hartland Arab by Terri DeWit is a rich bay. Photos are used with permission.
Terri sells her work on eBay. This customized, Hartland 7" series Quarter Horse stallion is now an appaloosa.
Rose grey 11" series Arab. A custom Hartland by Terri DeWit. Her stable name is Ruby Pines Stables.
Barbara Zoulek offers repaint, repair, and touch up services for Hartland horses and riders. She restored the Hartland orange sorrel Five-Gaiter (left). She found this buggy, but she makes and sells vehicles and harnesses, and customizes Breyer and Hartland horses. For more examples of Barbara Zoulek's work, and her address, please see the Repair Page in the Community section of this web site. (Added 10-23-01; photo copyright 2000 Barbara Zoulek)
I first saw artist Barbara Zoulek's customizing work at a model horse show almost two years ago. Her dapple greys were especially outstanding, and the custom models she brought to the show sold quickly.
Two months later, she was winning blue ribbons at another show with vehicles and harnesses she'd made herself. She also brought to that show a Hartland, LargeChamp type Lone Ranger that had been in her family since 1955. She'd filled the gap in a split seam, and matched the blue color of the shirt. Now, model horse collectors do not usually "touch up" their horses, at least not their show horses, because it would confound the category they could be entered in.They would not qualify as "original finish," and would not be sufficiently "customized" to show well in custom classes. However, in the Hartland horse-and-rider collecting world, there are some collectors who want their models repaired or retouched. Few people are willing and able to do this work, but Barbara has been doing it for the public for about a year.
Barbara has worked on Hartland horses, riders, and baseball players! Please contact her before shipping models.
• Pricing policies are described at The Hartland "Horse-pi-tal" web page:
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tinkersagain/instantphotos.html
• For harnesses, carts, and buggies, see the Homepage of Star Studio Ranch:
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tinkersagain/index.html
Contact Information updated on September 9, 2006, for artist Barbara Ambuhl (formerly Zoulek -- she got married!)
New Email: tinkersagain@yahoo.com
New Phone number: 1-830-914-3123
Barbara Ambuhl
1145 W FM 78
Marion, Texas 78124.
The Postal-Mailed Newsletter: Five Back Issues Total 60 Pages
Issue #5 of Hartland Model Equestrian News was published in January 2002. Issue #4 came out September 7, 2001. All five issues so far are available. They go into more detail than what's found on this web page. They chronicle the Hartland models, but go beyond that to include other, model horse and horse-related news. The contents are timeless.
Issues #1 through #4 total 32 pages and are $8 for the set or $2.50 each. Issue #5, at 28 pages, is $6.00. Send check or use PayPal (gfitch@execpc.com).
This newsletter is not sold by subscription. Instead, each issue is sold after it comes out. To be notified, please email me (gfitch@execpc.com) or send SASE.
(7-17and 9-13 & 22, 2001; updated: 1-21-02 and 1-1-03)
Letters to the Editor
Mike Griffin writes, "Just wanted to thank you for writing this book. I received one as a gift last year. It is terrific! I've been collecting Hartlands since the very early 1960s.....I purchased my Hartlands with paper route money..." This photo taken, about 1962, also includes a Marx Zorro.
This Morgan mare, photographed in October 2000 in southeastern Wisconsin, didn't like the sound of the camera. (Photo ©2000 by Gail Fitch).
For her birthday in 1958, April Powell received Tom Jeffords and his appaloosa horse. "I have loved paints and appys ever since," she writes, and adds, "The site is beautiful and I visit it frequently." [Thanks, April! This site's design is by Michael Mueller.]
April Powell received Cochise and his black pinto horse for her fourth birthday in April 1957. She writes, "I hope that it all works out for the new company. I just love those Hartland molds."
From Paula Wegner,
June 8, 2001
"I just wanted to let you know how impressed I am with the Hartland Horsemen book I got from eBay. I really enjoy looking at it! It is very well done. I enjoy the stories in the back as well. You have done a tremendous amount of research, and have made this book very complete. It has made me even more interested in collecting the Hartland brand, even more than the Breyer! I had a few Hartlands as a kid, including a complete set of the mini TV horse and riders. My parents owned a bakery and used the Hartland westerns and sport figures for decorations on their cakes! I had forgotten about Hartlands until just recently. Your book showed me how popular the models used to be and the variety of models that were sold."
Dear Paula,
...Hartland toys/models/decorations were just part of the landscape when we were growing up. Hartland products had many applications. Compared to other things then and now, it's easy to realize that Hartland products were among the many brands of small, material things that made life more pleasant....
Gail Fitch
[The comments from Paula Wegner were unsolicited, and are used with permission, as are all other quotes on this web site. Thank you, Paula, for the nice things you said. I enjoyed hearing about Hartland models being used at your parents' bakery.]
From Steve Babineau,
August 30, 2001:
Gail,
I just wanted to take the time and thank you for such a wonderful book you produced on the Hartland Horseman. I have had this book for over a year now and it has rekindled my memories to my youth when I played just about every day with the eighteen or so I had as a kid. However, I traded all my western figures in 1980 to complete the baseball series which has been in storage for 20 years now. But the power of eBay and your book has brought back to me at a price the complete Gunfighter series, Mini series and 11 Riders. My kids think I'm crazy but they don't understand the joy that they brought to me and my buddy when we played with them. So thank you, for a wonderful book and keeping me young at heart.
Sincerely yours,
Steve Babineau, careerprints.com
Hi Steve,
I'm happy to hear that my book is a good influence. Every generation has different things that are special to them that other generations can't quite understand. We're all a product of our time, and our time has included a lot of nice products.
Gail Fitch, August 31, 2001
From Bill Lyon,
October 13, 2001
Ms. Fitch,
I already bought a copy of the book [Hartland Horsemen] and just wanted to compliment you on a truly fine book. I find the Hartland statues fascinating, and your book really brings them to life.
Thanks, Bill
-- Gail
From Diane Garcia,
May 15, 2001
"I recently purchased... a Large Champ Lone Ranger and horse set [eBay #584223671]. My question is this: The Lone Ranger is wearing a red scarf! I got the set in the mail yesterday, and it sure looks like a factory paint job. Have you ever heard of any Large Champ Lone Rangers with red scarves? I guess someone could have painted it and just did a fantastic job, but the paint...looks molded into the figure."
Hi Diane,
The painted-on color often looks "molded-in" on the 1950s-1960s models, even when it isn't. That's how good of a product Hartland produced. The Large Lone Ranger seems to usually have a white scarf, so the red is unusual....
Gail Fitch
It's Never Too Late...
Through 40 winters and 40 summers, General Lee and Traveller waited for their orders. They knew it would be an important mission: to make someone very happy. They just didn't know whom... or when.
Hartland enthusiast Larry Hyatt had the priviledge of unwrapping the first Lee set sold from the case of six, mint Lees that became available in August 2001. He captured the occasion with these photos.
Move
The box has this picture of Generals Custer and Lee on both sides.
The horse is on the bottom, standing on its feet. Larry opened the box from the bottom
Horse, tag, and catalog were wrapped together.
The flag had been standing diagonally along one side of the box.
Lee was tightly wrapped like this since a day in 1961, by "Packer #98."
Lee shared quarters with his saddle and accessory bag.
The cinching instructions are printed (in red) on the bag so Lee could keep his mind on more important things!
Collector Larry Hyatt has made a plastic general and his horse very happy!
From Larry Hyatt:
"Hi Gail,
I can't express my thanks! I am retired and have had two heart operations. I am not permitted to work any longer. The only enjoyment I get is my family and my Hartlands
"Mine is perfecto! JustWONDERFUL! Outstanding! Pristine! Magifico!".
Photos, copyright 2001 Larry Hyatt
