Page 40 - OCt-JOA-2020

ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK

In the Show Ring with Breyer

here are certain toys that are timeless classics. From Cabbage Interestingly, it was never intended to be a toy horse. Instead, it was
Patch dolls to Lincoln Logs and Legos to Play-Doh, it seems like meant to be an augmentation to a mantle clock. Soon after the special
Tmany childhood favorites have stood the test of time across clock featuring the Breyer horse was released, Breyer started receiving a
many generations. Among those timeless and treasured toys are flood of requests for model horses.
Breyer horses. Breyer horses are model horses produced by the Breyer
company. They are treasured by children, and even many adults, for A Change of Production Focus
their realistic appearances. Let’s take a peek at the history of the Breyer As a direct result of the success of the Woolworth’s clock horse, the
company and its fantastic toy horses. company formed “Breyer Animal Creations” and began producing an
ever-increasing number of model horses. Each of them was developed
The History of Breyer by skilled artists including Chris Hess, Kathleen Moody, Gordon
At the beginning, Breyer Molding Company in Chicago, Illinois, Johnson, Paul Olson, Sommer Prosser, and a favorite of many collec-
manufactured custom-molded plastic products for various industries, tors, Maureen Love.
including the US Defense Department. These designers also worked for other companies including Hagen-
The collecting of Breyer horses can be traced back to the days Renaker and Stone Horses, and created their own one-of-a-kind
when the company was known as Breyer Molding Company in 1950 sculptures as recognized artists. Breyer’s status as a powerhouse in the
when the Chicago-based company received a special order to create a model horse industry brought attention to their work, and it shows no
model horse for Woolworth’s. That horse was given the name “#57 sign of slowing down as people’s fascination with the art and artistry of
Western Horse” when it was produced. The mold was sculpted by the horse continues to thrive.
Chris Hess, adapted from Hartland’s Large Champ, which was sculpted
by Roger Williams. The Transition of Breyer Horse Manufacturing
In the early days, Breyer sold its wares directly to stores. However,
the sales model changed over time, as did ownership of the company
and the manufacturing location for the horses. In the early days, Breyer
horses were made in the Chicago, USA area. In 1984 Reeves
International Inc. purchased the company, which increased the breadth
of product offerings and brought about innovative marketing and sales
efforts.
Today, most new Breyer horses are made in China and sold strictly
through Breyer’s website and specific distributors. Each and every horse
created under the Breyer brand is meticulously hand-painted, just as
they were when Breyer first began in 1950. There are no direct sales
from Breyer to stores like the five and dime and general stores of days
gone by.

American-Made Animals Have More Value
When collecting
Breyer horses and
other animals, the
American-made
ones generally have
more value, but not
specifically because
Breyer #57 with clock
they are American.
Rather, they are the
oldest, and there-
fore they are often
the most difficult to
find. Additionally,
the earlier Breyer
artists like Chris
Hess and Maureen
Love did such excel-
lent work that
their models are
often most prized Snowball the Christmas Pony 1997
by collectors.

Rare Breyers, Including BreyerFest Models
Part of the marketing innovation included the star event BreyerFest,
held every year. During the festival, Breyer horses of all types are on
display in an ever-growing list of equestrian categories from “shows” to
best displays showing everything from barrel racing to hunter-jumper
57 Western Horse

38 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles