Hartland Horse & Rider, Horses, and Religious Statues
December / January Sales on eBay
Various Hartland items -- from the Ketchuck collection, from an old store, and my doubles have been flowing to eBay since the end of September. (Eleven Ketchuck Hartland auctions ended November 18.) Look for rare Hartland religious statues around Christmas.
Check under my eBay seller name: hartland_guru (blush!). I've had that eBay name for three years. A friend suggested it. I've been on eBay eight years. You can also buy models outright in the "Models for Sale" section. --GF
Also see my "Home Page" for models for sale! -- 12-29-06
The Hartland Roy Rogers Lamp was sold on eBay December 28, 2005. The reserve was very reasonable (less than "book" value, with the book being Hartland Horsemen)! The price exceeded the reserve!
The book Hartland Horses and Dogs (Schiffer Publishing, 2000) includes the detailed story of Hartland: the company, how the models were made, the people who made Hartland, and later Hartland companies through 2000. It is 180 pages with over 700 large and beautiful color photos and rare, company archive photos. It is a must-have companion to the Hartland Horsemen book.
See "Catalog" and "Order Form."
The Rearing Sgt. Preston set went for $2,024.99 after 11 bidders fought it out in 15 bids. It was auction #230036472256. This is the most I've ever seen a Hartland rider set sell for on eBay. Runner-up was a Mackenzie set complete and mint/mear mint with box that sold for $2,000 in about 1999 or 2000. (I could look it up.)
Another neat Hartland auction that ended over $100 was three Small Champ horses with saddles, apparently in excellent condition. The palomino (with brown bridle & martingale), brown pinto, and black with white socks and blaze brought out six bidders and ended at $178.05 after 14 bids. The black with white socks and brown pinto are both especially difficult to find. This was auction #230036473014.
[Update added 10-12-2006]
If you know a lot of Hartland collectors and frequently do the "Hartland" search on eBay, you probably notice that some people buy Hartlands, but never sell. This summer, two major collect-only people were selling parts of their collections. When joined by parts of many other Hartland collections, it adds up. Now that the colder weather is setting in, there seems to be a bumper crop of Hartlands on eBay.
As another collector pointed out to me today by email, one auction in particular is quite remarkable. It's for a
Sgt. Preston on a REARING black horse, with bridle painted brown and a brown martingale painted on. Normally, a black rearing horse is Mackenzie's mount or a Black Beauty without a rider. Mackenzie's horse will have the bridle painted brown or black, but I don't know that it has a martingale. Black Beauty has a red bridle and martingale (and saddle). So, this horse on eBay is rare, and Preston is hard to find to begin with. Check out eBay auction #230036472256 ending October 11. It should be interesting.
[Added October 7, 2006]
'Til later,
Gail Fitch
Horse Lovers' News
The next Equine Affaire horse industry expo is February 1-4, 2007 at the Fairplex in Pomona, California. See www.equineaffaire.com
Subscriptions to Art Horse magazine are $15 for one year (two issues). This is a glossy, full-color magazine illustrating real horses and sophisticated works of equine art in various formats, from various eras: recent and historical.
My own "magazine," Hartland Model Equestrian News, is more humble in format. It is oriented to relatively affordable, three-dimensional horse likenesses, and the horse in popular culture (books, movies, public art, the news). I sell by the individual issue, not by subscription.
There are new Painted Ponies, horse Beanie Babies, Breyers, and many other choices available for horse lovers this holiday season. Happy Hartlands, horses, holidays!
In a web search I did today, December 19, I was particularly impressed by the variety of horse gifts for sale by the company Giddy Up Horsie - Horse Gifts & Products. One of the largest selections of Horse Gifts & Products.
-- December 13, 2006
Tennessee Leads Magazine Sales
Collectors in Tennessee and California have bought more copies of my July-Aug. Hartland Model Equestrian News
than those of any other states so far. Runner-up states are Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. This issue, #10, is the most recent one, and is still available. Two pages are in full color. See custom models in color!
Short, Musical Movies Entertain
Horse tapes (short movies) to entertain children or educate prospective horse owners are available. The background music is by Johann Strauss. See the Models for Sale section, "Sales by Collectors" page.
Hartland Repairs & Customs Made
For Custom Hartlands or Repairs by two talented individuals, see the Community section, both pages. More pictures were added 9-16-06
Flicka Movie Opens October 20
A new Flicka movie, from 20th Century Fox, will arrive in theatres October 20. In this version, the human star is a girl, and Flicka is black, instead of chestnut. (Information from Breyer's Just About Horses, Sept/Oct 2006.)
The movie was not so good as the original My Friend Flicka, but had a more believable parents-and-child relationship than Dreamer, another recent girl-and-horse movie.
Breyer models of Flicka, including a four-horse Stablemate (three-inch-tall) set and a Classic (six-inch tall) horse and mountain lion set) are available from Breyer dealers. [Added 11-15-06.]
Model Show in Illinois October 28
The Hallowe'en Hoe Down Live all-halter show at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Carol Stream, Illinois, will have divisions for Breyer, Peter Stone, custom, artist resins, chinas, and minis. The judges are from seven states! For information, see www.equus001.net/hhdinfo2.htm .
September 6 & 9 & 16, 2006
Hartland Model Equestrian News: Issue 10
Issue #10 of Hartland Model Equestrian is the latest issue. It is 20 pages, numbered 165-184, and two picture pages are in full color! News, features, and advertising for Hartland collectors and horse lovers are included, as always.
To get one, send $7.60 via check or PayPal to Gail Fitch, gfitch@tds.net. The back issues, with pages numbered from 1-164, are available, too.
A one-time purchase of Hartland Horses and Dogs (from me directly for $33.50 ppd or from me on eBay) is required in order to be eligible for Hartland Model Equestrian News. (Those who bought the magazine before July 2006 are grandfathered in.)
Relax with the July-August 2006 Hartland Model Equestrian News. It is 20 pages of news, features, and advertising on Hartland horse-and-rider sets, Hartland model horses, and other topics of interest to horse lovers, model horse collectors, and western TV fans. Two pages are in full color. It is autographed.
On the cover are Cheyenne, a rare Matt Dillon set, a 9" Five-Gaiter, and an 11" Quarter Horse. As with most issues of Hartland Model Equestrian News, this one appeals to both men and women. It is a continuation of the popular newsletter, Hartland Market (1994-1996). This issue is part of a series. The July-August pages are numbered from 165-184. Back pages (issues) are available.
Those who bought my book Hartland Horses and Dogs (from me) received a discount on Hartland Model Equestrian News for over five years. The discount ended August 7, 2006. Now, everyone pays the same price, but a purchase of Hartland Horses and Dogs (from me, for $33.50 ppd. or from me on eBay) is required for being eligible to buy the magazine. It only makes sense to have the book that defines the subject of Hartland! (Those who purchased Hartland Model Equestrian News before July 2006 are grandfathered in.)
August 21, 2006--
Kentucky Horse Park Issues News
Discover Horses, the magazine of the Kentucky Horse Park, is now an annual. It's a window to the world of horses in general and the Horse Park, near Lexington, in particular. The 2006 annual issue was bundled with an issue of
Equus magazine this summer. Both share the same publisher.
To order a copy of Discover Horses, using your charge card, call the Equus editorial office at 1-301-977-3900.
Online news of the Kentucky Horse Park can be seen at www.kyhorsepark. com, where you can also sign up to receive the Horse Park's email newsletter, HORSeNEWS.
Left: In the series of state quarters, Kentucky's (2001) illustrates a horse and a mansion. The state song, "My Old Kentucky Home," is played at the Kentucky Derby. Kentucky became a state in 1792.
A Little of Everything
Illinois and California Model Shows, September 16
The Meows and Minis Live Show September 16, 2006, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, is open to mini-sized model horses (roughly, under 5" tall). It is a benefit for Cat Guardians, a no-kill, non-profit cat shelter. Meows and Minis has a discussion group at www.yahoo.com. Donations are welcome.
9-20-06 update: Thanks to the many donors to the benefit auctions, this show raised over three thousand dollars for the Cat Guardians shelter, according to show organizer Chris Wallbruch. A date has already been set for next September (2007).
The "Back in Time" model horse show September 16 in Mariposa, California, is open to model horses made before 1990. It is an all-halter show. For information, see www.modelhorsejamboree.com--August 22, 2006
Catalog Season Arrives Early
In the Back in the Saddle Catalog, Early Fall 2006, Breyers are on pages 29-31, and non-Breyer plush horses are on page 28. I like the horse placemats (p. 21). and the bedding on page 33. Check www.backinthe saddle.com. -- July 12, 2006
Mid-Year Announcements-- July 3, 2006
Happy Fourth! My, this year is half-done already. I have a lot of little pieces of news (and opinions).
Model Sales--See the "Models for Sale" section of this web site for new listings of models "For Sale" and "Wanted" by a variety of people. I have some doubles at auction on eBay, where I am hartland_guru. Some of the Ketchuck estate horses, riders, saddles, and Tinymites are still for sale in my Models for Sale section. Before long, they will go to auction.
New Magazine in the Works--I'm going to produce another issue of Hartland Model Equestrian News this month. I know of one person who's been waiting six months for this issue. If you have contributions, contact me. The previous issue came out in December2005. I've been so busy this year. Now that my editing and writing for Historic Milwaukee's Summer Echo are done for the Summer issue, I can do my own magazine!
Packing Peanuts--Here's a tip if you need packing peanuts. Tthe manager of a Barnes and Noble book store was willing to set aside packing peanuts for a lady who needed to ship plastic models. The bookstore gets a lot of peanuts in its shipments, and was happy to recycle them. It would be worth a try to ask.
Yahoo Groups--Yahoo has a lot of model horse groups. One is MIJ_Model_Horses, for made-in-Japan china horses. A recent new member is Cheryl Greene, who has collected for decades and has been kind enough to sell plastic and china models at reasonable prices. I used to buy 1960s Hartland horses from her in the late 1980s / early 1990s.
eBay Goofiness--Collectors and sellers say the darndest things, especially on eBay. A 30-year Hartland collector who recently bought my book Hartland Horses and Dogs has been selling her collection on eBay. In the auction for a c.1990 pearl white Weanling Foal, she said that she couldn't find it in my book. Well, there were two, large pictures of it in the book, and it was listed in the text section, too! I gave her the page numbers, and then she still didn't find it in the text, so I described its exact location on the page. I think some people can't see the trees for the forest!
Fake Prototypes--I don't think her (above) intention was to mislead, but with other sellers, I'm not so sure. One man cited my pre-1998 book, Hartland Horses and Riders, in his auction for a square, Budweiser Clydesdale sign whose horse had been made by Hartland Plastics around, as the book said, 1965. My book used the term "prototype" to describe any factory sample model. Well, the term has been overused by those trying to give the impression that their model is special in some way. The sign was missing the Budweiser logo.
The seller insisted that it was a "prototype" that had belonged to a Hartland employee. I said that if I got a nickel for every time the word "prototype" had been misapplied to Hartlands, I could pay all the tolls from the Wisconsin border to downtown Chicago and back again. He said he could not recall the man's name. Then, he changed his story, and said he got it from the widow of a Hartland employee who died in the early 1970s. In the email conversation with me, he kept saying the background in his sign was different, but he was unable to really say how it was different.
His sign sold for about $13.50, while a sign like it, but complete with logo, from a different seller, sold for about $17 on the same day. That seller did not make any special claims. There should be a lesson or two in that.
White vs. Ivory--I get a lot of interesting questions. One that surprised me was a collector who asked whether rider-series horses that are ivory-colored are more valuable than ones that are more nearly white. If anything, whiter models are worth a little more than ivory (slightly yellowed) ones, but the values depend more on other condition factor and the relative scarcity of the model compared to other Hartland models.
The 1990s Steven models were a stark white that I do not prefer, but there's nothing more beautiful than a non-yellowed, white Hartland horse from the 1950s-1960s!
New Hartland Model Horses in May 2006--In May, the current Hartland company announced two new models and two new Tennessee Walker families, plus a drawing for the chance to buy one of an edition of 20 Regal Quarter Horses at a much higher price.
OPINION: It's like Hartland is now a boutique, issuing tiny quantities of models, and trying to attract high-end buyers. Good luck. I don't like a model more because only 20 people have it. I'd rather have what "everyone" has, so long as it's attractive to the eye and reasonably priced.
Great Vintage Hartland Sales
May 19, 2006--Fifty pieces from Shirley Ketchuck's Hartland collection are now for sale. Shirley, who died in 2003, enjoyed Hartland horse-and-rider sets and regular Hartland horses. For sale are horses, riders, and saddles being sold individually; Lady Jewel and Jade sets; Tinymites in the box; regular horses in 7"-9" sizes; farm donkeys; and a gunfighter hat. The sale is being conducted from this web site. See the "Models for Sale" page. Then, pull down the word, "Navigation" at the top of the page, and go to "The Ketchuck Collection" sales catalog page.
May 25, 2006 --Hagen-Renaker, Hartland, and Breyer horses are are being sold from the estate of Laura Scarsdale. A number of the exceedingly rare Hagen-Renakers are priced at $200 or more. Contact Pat Kelly, executrix, at minpinhsc@omuonline.net or (270) 684-7937 in the evening. [Note: By July, this estate sale was finished.].
New Hartland Horses Ready in Late May
Five new horse items will be available from the Hartland company by about the end of May. Four of them (two sets and two individuals, shown above) are being sold outright. They are a Polo Pony in red chestnut overo pinto, the 9" series Five-Gaiter in flaxen liver-chestnut, and the 7" Tennessee Walker families in bay roan (black legs) and strawberry roan (rust legs). The two 9" series horses are $30 each and the 7" families are $38 each plus shipping. Only 25 of each are being made.
[Photo added 9-09-06]
Hartland "club members" can also enter a drawing for the opportunity to purchase an 11" series Quarter Horse in dappled, pale buckskin, for $75. There will be only 20 of those. The entry deadline is May 22, and the drawing is slated for the end of May.
My sources for this information are the Hartland company's Winter 2006 newsletter, which arrived in mid-May, and a phone conversation with Sheryl Leisure, whose work for the Hartland company includes designing the horse colors.
About 17 out of 27 test color Hartland horses are still available for sale at Sheryl Leisure's web site: www.modelhorsejamboree.com. Her site also includes a link to the Hartland company web site, which is at www.hartlandcollectibles.com . -- by Gail Fitch, May 19, 2006
Test Color Update: Update May 25, 2006 -- I connected a buyer with seven of the test color Hartland horses, (the 9" series Five-Gaiters) so now only about 10 different test color models are left!
On This Day 23 Years Ago...and Other February Notes
February 25, 2006--On this day 23 years ago, I mailed out books to fill the pre-paid orders for Hartland Horses and Riders. It was the first printing of the book, which is now two books with separate titles: Hartland Horsemen and Hartland Horses and Dogs. For the one-block trip to the branch post office, I borrowed the shopping cart kept in the lobby of my apartment building for just such purposes. In 1983, February 25 was a Saturday, too, just like this year! I still have the list of the buyers of the books and photocopies of the checks they sent. That was before PayPal!
Odd Horse: Unfinshed and Customized--Recently sold on eBay was an unusual, 7" series Hartland Pinto (Morgan mold) stallion that was white (unpainted) on one side and painted in the normal pinto pattern on the other side. It was obviously a model that left the factory unfinished, and was probably a factory reject. Hartland employees were allowed to take rejects home, and there are more of them out there than you would expect. This seller happened to be in Indiana, but the models (and their people) get around.The model also had red feet and forelock, which the seller thought were painted with nail polish. So, this model wasn't just factory unfinished, it was also customized (post factory). The auction was #7218485338. The horse sold for $17.50 on February 20. What the model lacked in standard perfection, it made up for with uniqueness.
Super Bowl Ads--Did you enjoy the two Budweiser Clydesdale commercials in this year's football Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics from Turin (Torino), Italy? Which did you like better?
Vintage Book For Sale--The owner of a Hartland book from one of the earlier editions (with spiral binding) would like to sell it. This edition is from the early / middle 1990s. There are so many pages that the book was sold in two volumes, including about two-dozen pages of photos in full color and an equal or greater number of black-and-white photo pages. He wants $40 for both volumes plus $7 shipping. That price is much less than my cost was to print the book! Contact the seller: Ron Snyder, 590 Wilcox Pkwy., Clare, Michigan 48617; email: rasflash@hotmail.com.
Model Shows in Illinois--This year, the Great Lakes Congress model horse club is not holding a large, spring show, but is holding small shows each month. Membership for 2006 is $35. Members get a discount on show entry fees. Occasionally, other events besides shows are held. The GLC activities take place in northern Illinois.
Nice Books, Nice Models--Finally, this compliment came from D.M. on February 19, "I absolutely love your books and envy your being able to see all those wonderful horse models for your books." My reply was: "It is a pleasure seeing Hartland models whether it's one or two that might turn up at a flea market or antique mall, the ones I live with (and should be dusting), someone else's at their house or at a model horse show, in the beautiful photos that various people contributed to the Hartland books, or the hundreds that appear on eBay every week (even the ones that are badly photographed)! Every little note of beauty helps!'
Model Horse Shows A Bright Note in the Winter
At this point in the Oak Creek show, the judging tables held classes for original finish plastic models at halter.
At the closest table are Spanish breeds, long ears (donkeys and mules) are on the middle table, and the far
table holds mixed breed horses, several of them pinto in color. (Photo by GF added 1-20-06)
January 18, 2006--Wisconsin has long had a reputation as a progressive state. One of the surprising fields it leads in is model horses. Wisconsin is a hotbed of model horse shows! The real horse show season in Wisconsin runs from about late April to late October. Model horse shows are a good winter alternative.
The year begins with the Milwaukee County 4-H Horse and Horseless Program Youth and Open Show. It is not just for kids: It is a NAN-qualifying show. This year, the show was Saturday, January 14. There were a dozen or more 4-H entrants and about 30 open (adult) entrants. The Breyer, Stone, custom, resin, and other models entered in the performance, halter, and collector classes were stunning. They overwhelmed the room at the Legion Hall in Oak Creek, just south of Milwaukee.
In 2006, there are model shows in Wisconsin on the first three Saturdays in February and one is scheduled for Saturday, April 1. Greg Stebnitz is the judge for the February 4 & February 11 shows, and he distributes class lists and entry information for all four of the shows. Email
JSTEBNITZ@LAKEFIELD.NET or write: Greg Stebnitz, 110 S. 6 th Ave., St. Nazianz, WI 54232.
The event on February 4 is a combination Used Tack Sale and Open Model Horse Show put on by the Sheboygan Co. 4-H Horse and Pony Project. The tack sale and model show will be held at the same time on separate floors at the Waldo Town Hall. The table fee for each event is $5 for one half table and $10 for a full table. There are 23 performance classes, 18 halter classes, and 12 collector classes (53 classes in all). The entry fee is 50 cents per horse per class. Awards are given to 6th place. January 28 is the deadline for pre-entry. Doors open at 8 a.m.; judging begins at 9 a.m.
Saturday, February 11 is the Horse “N” Around 4-H/Open Model Horse Show at the Manitowoc County Office Building Complex. It has 53 classes, including a Valentine’s Day Display, in which the winner will be selected by the exhibitors and spectators.
The show on February 18 is at Camp Sinawa in Valders, Wis. (Valders is at the intersection of Highways C and J in Manitowoc County). It is sponsored by Timberline Horsemen/Friends of Sinawa for the benefit of the camp.
The April 1 show is NAMSHA approved, meaning that first and second place winners can advance to the North American Nationals model horse show. It is sponsored by Friends of Sinawa, and is held at the camp, whose location is described as Sinawa Road, eight miles off Hwy. I-43 on Cty. C.
The three later shows are not combined with a tack sale, but are, otherwise, similar in most respects to the February 4 show. For details, contact the show holders, listed below
Schedule Of Shows
| Show Date |
# of Classes |
Contact |
Pay Checks To: |
| February 4 |
53 |
Kate Cichocki,
920-564-2440 |
Sheboygan Co. 4-H
Horse and Pony Project |
| February 11 |
53 |
Heather Hall,
920-775-4309 |
Horse “N” Around 4-H Club |
| February 18 |
64 |
Greg Stebnitz,
920-773-2331 |
Friends of Sinawa |
| April 1 |
54 |
Greg Stebnitz,
920-773-2331 |
Friends of Sinawa |
Good Manners Still Apply
Questions Are Answered Privately--Since this web site began in 2000, it has never had a message board. I get a lot of Hartland questions and comments by email -- hundreds of them every year -- and respond to them privately, by email. I am also happy to take phone calls and correspond by postal mail. I enjoy doing this, and I think it is a very effective way of sharing the interest, and helping people by disseminating Hartland information in a personalized way.
Public vs. Private Matters--Message boards have a lot of pitfalls. One of them is that some people fail to distinguish between what's public and what's private; i.e., a discussion that should take place between two individuals, rather than be plastered up for "the world" to see. The result can be that things are made public that have no business being made public. The result can be that innocent people are humiliated. (I heard from someone who made this complaint about a web site -- not my web site.)
Emails Belong to Their Sender--A variation on this situation is the posting of an email by the recipient without the permission of the sender. An email or a letter are the intellectual property of their writer, and permission should be obtained before displaying them for public viewing on the Internet.
It can be a problem when people don't seem to understand the difference between what belongs to them and what belongs to others.
Columbus, Ohio, is the site of the Equine Affaire horse fest, April 6-9, 2006 --------------->
And Some Other Comments...
Books Back to 1983--A question I was asked recently concerned my Hartland books, which date back to 1983. My books have always covered three parts of the subject of Hartland from the very beginning: (1) the Hartland horse-and-rider sets, (2) the regular Hartland horses, and (3) Hartland company / product history.
Creative Collecting--I recently heard from a Hartland horse & rider collector whose creativity in his collecting is admirable. A lot of neat people appreciate Hartland models, and sometimes share their enthusiasm, their photos of models, by email. It's nice when that happens.
Hartland Story is A Page Turner--If you want to read about "Hartland Plastics history" (the people, the products, how the models were made, when, where, why, and by whom), you will love my book Hartland Horses and Dogs (2000). It includes all of the Hartland companies from the beginning until 2000, and explains, among other things, which models were made by which company. It is a lot more complicated than you would expect. Hartland made a lot more horses (horses without riders) than people expect, too! You'll also be able to get a better appreciation for the quality that was built into Hartland models.
My 1999 book, Hartland Horsemen, covers the rider sets but includes only a tiny portion of the "history." The fully developed story of Hartland is found in Hartland Horses and Dogs. Those who are true fans of Hartland, whether they collect sports statues, horses, rider sets, or whatever, will appreciate their models a lot more because of the "history" in Hartland Horses and Dogs!
Thanks, Gail Fitch, gfitch@tds.net
January 7, 2006; added to 1-20-06
Roy and Dale Head the List of Hartlands Currently Available
January 6, 2006--If you have money to spend, there are suddenly many Hartland options. I'll summarize them here.
• Two, brand new re-releases of 9" series horse-and-rider sets: the '00s release of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. They were made in China. [SEE FAR BELOW.]
• Test color Hartland horses from the '00s, being sold by Hartland's designer, Sheryl Leisure, who painted them.
• Remaining, painted horses made by Hartland Collectibles, L.L.C., dating between 2001 and 2005. Also, remaining, painted saddles and Indian accessories issued in the 00s. Two horses that were sold with saddles in 2005 are still available.
• Leftover, mostly unpainted stock of 1990s Hartland horse-and-rider parts.
• Leftover stock of some Hartland baseball players and parts, mostly unpainted, being sold by Sheryl Leisure's husband.
To order, call (209) 742-6802; order online at www.hartlandcollectibles.com; or pay by mail. The address is Horse-Power Graphics, Inc., PO Box PMB 133, Mariposa, CA 95338. The other Hartland phone number was discontinued, and the new number is not toll free.
For more Hartland and Hartland-related fun, see the November-December 2005 issue of Hartland Model Equestrian News, published December 13, 2005. It is 24 pages. See my Catalog and Order Form pages.
One of two 2006 Hartland "club memberships": a bay 9" Tennessee Walker .
See over 1,000 beautiful photos just like these in my two books, Hartland Horsemen (1999) and Hartland Horses and Dogs (2000).
The late 2005-early 2006 "Holiday" issue: a set of "chocolate-colored" Tinymite horses . The colors are "milk chocolate" and "dark chocolate." The red-wrapped object in the center of the photo is a real piece of chocolate candy that came with the set
Roy Rogers' horse, Trigger, looks like he's kicking, but it's just how he's positioned in his packaging. This new release of Trigger is a 9" series Hartland Semi-Rearing horse with mane up and plain tail. Trigger is a very attractive, opaque and metallic palomino color. Possibly, the only Hartland palominos that are more attractive are the translucent, glossy palominos from the 1950s and early 1960s. The reins on these newly-released horses are very flexible because the plastic lace is so new and quite thin.
Hartland's Roy Rogers is all smiles on being released for the third time since the 1950s. The "v-shirt-yoke" Roy mold dates to 1955; this is the "square-shirt-yoke" mold, which dates to 1958. (Dates are from the book Hartland Horsemen, by Gail Fitch, page 151, and are based on original research by Gail Fitch.)
These
four photos show the models still partly packaged. The blue background color is not part of the package.
The second of two 2006 Hartland "club memberships": a 1990s unpainted Chief Thunderbird (rider and accessories only) "on the sprue"
A Dale Evans hat keychain comes with either type of "membership."
[These four photos were added February 1, 2006 ]
Dale Evans' horse, Buttermilk, has nearly always been represented by Hartland with its "Chubby" mold. The color is light dun/light buckskin (typically called "creamy dun" in my Hartland books). This is the Chubby variation with the bridle molded on. The "Chubby" horse is the mold name I coined in 1982 when preparing the first edition of my book Hartland Horses and Riders (1983), which preceded my book Hartland Horsemen (1999).
The newly re-released Hartland Dale Evans and Roy Rogers have eye color painted in for the first time ever. This Dale mold dates to 1957; from 1955-1957, the 9" series Dale Evans was actually from the Small Champ Cowgirl mold. (Information from Hartland Horsemen by Gail Fitch.) More about these models will appear in future publications.
These four photos and captions were added January 7, 2006, 8:30 p.m
