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Breyer Horse Packaging and Value
When collecting many items, packaging matters. Sealed packages in
pristine condition can often drive prices up. However, that is not typi-
cally the case with Breyer horses. Horses packaged before the year 2000
often had packaging flaws that could create damage to the horses when
new and when stored over time. Therefore, horses that have been out
of their packages and displayed on shelves are often in better condition.

Other Condition Notes When Collecting Breyers
When collecting Breyer horses, it is always important to inspect the
conditions of the horses carefully. First, look for obvious damage.
Common problems include missing or damaged ears or tails. Yellowing
or seams that are split also indicate a horse that does not have a high
monetary value, unless it is a rare horse. However, manufacturing
defects are an entirely different matter and can make the horse rare and
unusual, as well as valued higher than their standard equivalents.
For instance, a
Breyer horse that
Silver Limited Trotting Arabian Mare Weather Girl was not cooled
Special colors like this tend to stay up in value. Silver models can reach into the low properly during
thousands if especially rare and in pristine condition.
manufacturing
events. The biggest attraction each year is the one-of-a-kind (OOAK) could have bent
Breyer horse models displayed for each festival. They are typically legs. A straight-
auctioned to benefit various charity organizations. Since those models legged version of
are produced exclusively for the annual festival, they are highly coveted. the same mass-
Certain other Breyer horses were produced in large batches but only for produced horse
short periods, making them something to buy right when they are would be very
issued and then hold on to them. Short-run horses are hard to find, so inexpensive, but
they can be expensive when compared to horses that were produced in the bent-legged
larger amounts. These are highly coveted by collectors. It is all about version have a
color, and paint used on these models. Realistic colored horses tend to much higher
stay at a steady price, but fantasy colors typically rise in value. price tag. Breyer Companion Animals

Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not
in the antiques industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances
maintaining the antiques shop’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.

Great Collections cont. from page 37 that allowed the horses to be stacked easily in the back of a wagon

The Coney Island figures or a railroad car as they made their way from one fair to the next.
are products of the location Although many antique portable carousels are still in operation
where they originated. As a today, virtually all of them
neighborhood full of carousels, have retired from traveling
coasters, and countless other and operate in one fixed
amusements, Coney Island location to help preserve
was an exciting place to visit in them and minimize repairs;
the early 20th century, and the figures on portable
the horses on the carousels carousels at today’s carnivals
there reflected this energy well. are almost always made of
The Coney Island carvers were either aluminum or fiberglass,
renowned for creating flam- but are often molded or
boyant, animated, emotional styled after the figures of
figures with wide-open yesteryear.
mouths, elaborate manes, and
plenty of jewels to reflect the If your travels take you to
newly invented electric lights New England this fall, give the
that dotted the carousel New England Carousel
scenery panels. The trappings Museum a visit. They are
and manes of these horses are Country Fair-style figures on portable located at 95 Riverside Ave
often enhanced with the carousels were usually light, compact, and (Rte. 72) in Bristol, CT. The
addition of real 23-karat gold simply decorated, as they had to be easy to Museum is open on Saturdays
leaf, which is thinner than transport. However, some larger and more from 10-5, and Sundays from
paper and takes a great deal of ornate figures were produced by the same 12-5 with guided tours at 12
patience to apply. factories on occasion, like this deer with The Philadelphia carvers were renowned and 2, or by appointment
Designed to be transported real antlers, carved on special order at the for the sculptural and literal qualities of during the week. Also on-site
frequently on portable carousels Allan Herschell factory of their work, producing horses and other and included with admission
while sustaining little damage, North Tonawanda, NY in 1922. animals that look almost alive. are an operating modern fiber-
Country Fair style horses show the simplest and most common style Pictured at center is a c.1905 giraffe glass carousel, Wurlitzer band
of American carousel carving; they tend to be smaller and less realistic from the factory of Gustav Dentzel. organ, the Museum of Fire
than those from Philadelphia and Coney Island. The “battle horses” This fellow, with his head up in an History, as well as additional
of the carousel world, they took a lot of abuse, so great care had to be unusual “leaf eater” pose, has been changing exhibits. For more
taken with the carving; the ears were usually carved into the mane so partially stripped of old varnish and information visit thecarousel-
they wouldn’t break off, and the legs had to be designed in such a way shows old factory paint beneath. museum.org
October 2020 39