Jill's (growing) Collection [update 4.30.24]

Thanks so much everyone!

It's funny, my first thought for the spaniel was Clumber, too, but I was like maybe the legs are TOO short? And he's not quite . . . jowly enough? But he's a little TOO jowly for a Cocker, perhaps, so. Thanks for al the breed suggestions for these guys! The spitz is my favorite, his coat is so nicely sculpted. He's actually got two broken back legs ( ) but they are broken in such a way that they still hold him up at the right angle, which is nice, haha.

The seller did label the Clairet, Starlux, and Estolian correctly, I just can't ever remember which ones are which. All beautiful! The fallow deer is really exquisite, and the fox. Like I said, I can't pick favorite, but it was the fox that compelled me to search for them. I am glad this forum was here to introduce them to me! I've also been reading on TAW that some of them are prone to that bacteria, so I've been trying to learn about that, too . . .

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] those shelves are just nail polish racks. :)

Once a month or so it seems I make it in to see what I've missed and to share what I've found. Better than not at all, I guess.  [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

November was a slow buying month for me for figures, because it was a big buying month for one of my live animals, my sand boa, who got his entire habitat redone. But that doesn't mean I didn't add anyone to the crowd, of course . . .

First of all a few more Play Visions! Like many of you, I was excited to find the ungulates from WhiteLightningWolf on ebay. It is one of my favorites of the sets, I think. I thought it would be a long, long time before I was able to piece it together - but lo! and behold! Plus, another dog, the American Cocker Spaniel, and the boa constrictor. The best part of the Spaniel is that it has toes painted on the bottom! Not very realistic ones, but cute.
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Added more Yowies as well. My buying strategy for Yowies is to buy lots that have all or mostly new figures in them for me, which was easy when I had none and is starting to get harder, haha. I don't have many doubles, yet, though. This was a good group! A couple different lots.
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I found these interesting Marx knock-offs. They are somewhat similar in paint jobs, but were packaged very differently and had "Made in Hong Kong" on the package, plus were a different texture, so I assume not Marx, just borrowing the molds.
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And this year's visit to Tractor Supply to see their Christmas Breyers didn't turn up too many I really wanted (not for full price anyway), but I did add some new Stablemates, which are much better for my space anyway! This is a "family" set, despite both adult molds being female. The adults are new molds to my collection. I haven't ventured much into the new stablemates molds of recent years, so it's nice to see them in person.
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And last but definitely not least, a surprise gift from Paige just to wish me well! Things have been extremely rough this year and have not decided to ease up, and this little gift meant a lot! Plus, it included both the little baby Appaloosa from the Kid Kore set, and the Percheron from the unmarked set, both of which I am trying to complete and which get me one figure closer.
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Splendid new additions! I need that PV cocker some day, he is too cute! Congrats on all!

A great update, you might not have bought as much lately but there's so many really nice models in there - my favourites are the okapi, gemsbok, and duiker (his little horns!) from the first set, the Marxish dogs, and the Stablemates family. And how lovely to receive a cheer-up gift!
Breyer accidentally making a same-sex couple produce a foal amused me, too - they've always paired rather random breeds together (there can't be many Icelandic x Appaloosa in the world), but I don't think they can have realised they'd crossed two mares til collectors started pointing it out

Thank you!

George wrote:

Breyer accidentally making a same-sex couple produce a foal amused me, too - they've always paired rather random breeds together (there can't be many Icelandic x Appaloosa in the world), but I don't think they can have realised they'd crossed two mares til collectors started pointing it out

I applaud their diversity, even if unintentional! Perhaps the foal is adopted.

Nice to see you back and I hope you can find better days as soon as possible. Paige's little gesture is the biggest treasure of your post. I think Marx figures were produced in Hong Kong at a certain time. It is not dramatc that Breyer uses two mares to build a family of horses but I don't think it makes any sense and I am very openminded. It doesn't even work as an artificial insemination set.

Rare additions

A great batch again, I'm happy Fallon provided you with an unexpected PV miracle  

So the question is what kind of baby the frog and lizard will do ? 

So nice to see you back and what an amazing array of additions!
Hurray for Paige and such a wonderful act of kindness, I really hope that things start to get better for you!
I love those mysterious-maybe-Marx dogs, it seems that there are lots of variations/ copies of them and it's hard to know which ones are the originals! But these little pups are really sweet, I guess it shows how popular/ widespread the originals were to have all these other brands using their moulds! I can see why though, looovely dogs!
And the PV American Cocker Spaniel!
That is an AMAZING find, you are so good at tracking down these elusive dogs!! I'd love to know how and where you found him, he's actually the only PV dog I've managed to catch so far and I completely agree about the toes, very sweet! And I love the handmade feel he has about him, I guess it's because of the hand-painted look but it's a refreshing change from figures that have the more mass-produced feel!

Great additions-the American Cocker is a gem!The Stablemates are very lovely as well albeit odd being 2 mares!The little knock off dogs are very nice as well and I really love the little Pointer.

Jill, I do hope the new year holds many improvements for you.

The frog and the lizard must have a salamander child, unless it's a newt.

  A new way to understand evolution 

Wonderful Play-visions models!

Great new Play Visions and Yowies! The Marx knock-off dogs are very good too. Are the originals even better?

Thank you everyone!

Roger wrote:

I think Marx figures were produced in Hong Kong at a certain time.

Oh interesting! These did not have anything saying Marx on their packaging, at least as I received it. Maybe I will make a post about it this weekend when I can get some pictures and see if anyone can tell me if these are knock offs or not.

Bonnie wrote:

That is an AMAZING find, you are so good at tracking down these elusive dogs!! I'd love to know how and where you found him, he's actually the only PV dog I've managed to catch so far and I completely agree about the toes, very sweet! And I love the handmade feel he has about him, I guess it's because of the hand-painted look but it's a refreshing change from figures that have the more mass-produced feel!

He's really wonderful! I am not so amazing at it, it's actually from the same seller as the other two, I just happened to time it well. They might even have sold more in the last two months, I just haven't been checking ebay, because I will definitely find something to buy if I do and this is not a good season to do that.

pipsxlch wrote:

The frog and the lizard must have a salamander child, unless it's a newt.

Pretty sure that science!

rogerpgvg wrote:

Great new Play Visions and Yowies! The Marx knock-off dogs are very good too. Are the originals even better?

The ones I have found have a really wide variety of how nice they look! But yes, they are usually painted better and also don't have a the little bump on their backs.

Here's an example, the knocks off are on the left and the Blue Ribbon dogs on the right:
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Jill wrote:

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That eye placement! Two of 'em, somewhere on the head, that'll do...

The eyes on the knock-offs are more accurate. Interestingly, the knock-offs are larger, which is uncommon.

Thanks so much for the info, the seller definitely sounds wonderful!

rogerpgvg wrote:

The eyes on the knock-offs are more accurate. Interestingly, the knock-offs are larger, which is uncommon.

It really varies, I have two authentic Marx dobermans - one with googly eyes, one without. I am still trying to figure out the pattern that determines googly vs. pinpoint eyes.

George wrote:

That eye placement! Two of 'em, somewhere on the head, that'll do...

 Honestly love this series both for the delicate elegance of many of the models, and on the other end of the spectrum, for faces like these

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2021 is the year I really got back into collecting, thanks by and large to finding this forum, so my last additions for this year feel appropriate for wrapping up the year - set completers! (You must bear with my weird photography, I am experimenting with lighting and it's quite a journey [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] )

These cats and dogs complete two of the first sets I got onto the internet to find out more about, so it is especially nice to bookend the year with them!
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Also very excited to have found a complete set of Marx Blue Ribbon Dogs! They are definitely not in perfect condition (the two not pictured have broken legs in fact), but I had duplicates of the broken ones and so now have an entire set (though I'll keep looking for upgrades for a few of them, as well as variations, as there seem to be many). I've also been steadily trying to remove all the glue and paper from their feet.
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These aren't a set completer, but they are a complete set. Just picked them up while looking for stuff at the local craft store, specifically because of the mudpuppy, water snake, and bat. Cool set all around though, one of the few things I've bought new since jumping back in.
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And these don't complete a set either, but I do love them and thanks to this forum I've learned they are Nylint figures, which I had never heard of previously.
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And these girls weren't actually December purchases, I just realized I'd forgotten all about including them back when I did get them, so here they are! The traditional is Breezing Dixie and the classic-size I am not so sure about. Dixie was a bit of a weird adventure. There was what seemed to be a lot for sale on Facebook for $10 with a bunch of horses pictured and a "buy it now" button, so I took the risk even though it seemed too good to be true. It was, and instead of a whole lot of horses, I was sent one from the lot at random. It was this one, which turned out to be good because I like her a lot and it was a great price for sure. I could never get a hold of the seller or anything either, so, it is what it is. She is my first Lady Phase, and it's nice to have that classic mold on the shelf at last. The smaller one I found at the thrift shop. I don't have any strong feelings about her, but I couldn't just leave her there for 25 cents! Maybe if I ever get the nerve to customize an actual Breyer, she could be a good place to start.
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How lovely to finally complete sets, and come full circle from why you joined the forum to the forum helping you collect more

The set from the craft shop look great, a good mixture of species there - was it themed to animals from a certain country or habitat?

A bit thoughtless of the Breyer seller not to specify if it was an 'everything in the photo' lot, or a price per model, but at least you got one you liked! Her blanket pattern is interesting, a stage of paintwork which seems to fall part way between the old airbrush-blurry edges and the current style of crisp masking. And I don't blame you having to adopt the 25-cent horse, she'd look good as a paint if you fancy tackling some detailed white markings as well as a new coat colour for her!

A wonderful way to round off the year! I'm so glad you managed to complete that lovely dog set with the Shih Tzu, and all those wonderful Marx dogs! They look great as a completed collection, so many fun and characterful breeds! And the Nylint dogs, very interesting to know the brand, they are so beautiful! The spaniel looks especially sweet from this angle!

Jill wrote:

rogerpgvg wrote:

The eyes on the knock-offs are more accurate. Interestingly, the knock-offs are larger, which is uncommon.

It really varies, I have two authentic Marx dobermans - one with googly eyes, one without. I am still trying to figure out the pattern that determines googly vs. pinpoint eyes.

George wrote:

That eye placement! Two of 'em, somewhere on the head, that'll do...

 Honestly love this series both for the delicate elegance of many of the models, and on the other end of the spectrum, for faces like these

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ah these dogs' expressions are just amazing!!! someone must have had lots of fun painting them - And getting away with it

I really like these most of all, even the mouths are so expressive

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and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that 25c horse! it reminds me of a paint pony horse (like my avatar ), with that easy walk and the head held low, beautiful!

Great set of dogs!!and a Breyer horse for 25c-WOW!!!if only that occurred in the UK.I have this model as a repaint.

Thank you everyone!

George wrote:

The set from the craft shop look great, a good mixture of species there - was it themed to animals from a certain country or habitat?

Yes, it's the Safari Ltd Great Lakes set.

Quote :

A bit thoughtless of the Breyer seller not to specify if it was an 'everything in the photo' lot, or a price per model, but at least you got one you liked! Her blanket pattern is interesting, a stage of paintwork which seems to fall part way between the old airbrush-blurry edges and the current style of crisp masking. And I don't blame you having to adopt the 25-cent horse, she'd look good as a paint if you fancy tackling some detailed white markings as well as a new coat colour for her!

I get the impression it was someone selling off someone else's old collection or something they otherwise were not interested in/knowledgable about. It was a very slap-dash ad, but Marketplace is much sketchier than ebay and you never really know what you're going to get. It was a risk I was willing to take for the price, ha!

A paint would be a great look for her!

sunny wrote:

and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that 25c horse! it reminds me of a paint pony horse (like my avatar ), with that easy walk and the head held low, beautiful!

Sounds like agreement!

sunny wrote:

ah these dogs' expressions are just amazing!!! someone must have had lots of fun painting them - And getting away with it

I really like these most of all, even the mouths are so expressive

They really are charming faces. You could make one of those 'how are you feeling today' charts with them pretty easily.