General Additions thread - Recent additions, from February to April

I think I'm right for forum protocol here, just checking - if there isn't an additions sub-board specifically provided under a model brand, like how I posted my CollectA parcel [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], we put them all in one thread on this board instead? I think that's what I'm seeing from the rest of you, as I'm learning my way around, so I'll start off my own thread with today's arrivals...

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Two Kaiyodo rabbits - one mini lop and one netherland dwarf, I think?

There's a backstory for this purchase. Several years ago, a model collecting friend sent a small stowaway in a parcel - neither of us had heard of Kaiyodo as a company but the bunny was cute, and fitted in nicely with my collecting habits of liking toy-type figures as well as the more serious models, so she thought I might like him. I did, of course, but for years he was just 'that pretty bunny' and I never looked into his brand.
I was surprised and really pleased to recognise the rabbit in somebody's collection pictures not long after I joined here and could see the photos with the posts, so I did a little bit of research and found out about Kaiyodo, ChocoQ, and the pets series which included the bunnies. I even looked for them on ebay, thinking it'd be nice to get my lonely rabbit some matching friends, but they were all in the US or Canada, so postage would've been way too much. Ah well, I thought, no friends for my bunny, but at least I know what he IS, now, and counted myself lucky that he'd come my way.
Then I read Ana's recent sales post, spotted more of those bunnies, and being in Europe, I just had to ask about them!

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Here's my original bun with his new brother. I think the sculpt looks more like a mini lop than the original lop-eared breed, the way the ears hang just above touching the ground, and the neat cute faces.

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I like that they've got different patterns, rather than being exact duplicates with different colour paint, it makes them look more realistic as a pair!

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New Lop on his own, he looks just as content and sweet as his black-n-white brother

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And the netherland dwarf, he's got the tiny stubby ears just like the real thing, and the grumpy chin!

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Really, the nethy should be substantially smaller than the mini lop, but I think the models are made to be the same size as each other, rather than to scale

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A better view with the hutch (one I made years ago, so it's clearly not actually big enough for all three to fit inside as plastic models, let alone live in if they were actual buns trying to share such a small space, but never mind )

I love additions topics and what a wonderful way to start with these two gorgeous Kaiyodo rabbits!

Abasolutely lovely bonnies

SUSANNE wrote:

Abasolutely lovely bonnies

Absolutly agree

That's surely the rright section on forum to start a topic for your arrivals regardless of the brand.
After reading your avatar stories, I think starting with rabbits is also very oportune. They're not hares but they're close. Interesting that you've found Kaiyodo before knowing the brand. Usually it is exactly the opposite, we know Kaiyodo much before getting our first model.
Japanese love all things at the same size. Their gashapon tradition consists in having figures roughly at the same size, being it an elephant or a sparrow. That's a collecting concept that really works. Notice their owls, all amost at the same size and it makes them look nicely together even if in real there is a big difference in size. It represents also an advantage either you want to display them in shelves or just storing in boxes where you can use those "vitrine" boxes with divisions at the same size. This concept was also popular in USA some time ago but in a different way of the gashapon concept. It was also not as maniac as it is in Japan.

Last week the friend who sent me the first Kaiyodo rabbit posted a parcel to me, and a couple days later I happened to mention that time she'd included a stowaway bunny, and showed her the pictures of the two new ones I'd bought to keep it company. Today, the parcel arrived - with another free gift inside : another Kaiyodo rabbit! This went into the parcel before I'd said anything about them, and we hadn't talked about the original one for years - how's that for a lucky co-incidence

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Here's the updated Kaiyodo rabbit gang

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The new boy, very laid-back looking dutch rabbit

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What a sweetie!
I think I officially collect these now

The rest of the parcel was animal models, too, a lot of them are duplicate/scuffed bodies to repaint, but a few are to keep as they are in my collection, so here's those (you'll meet the repaints too, eventually, once they're in their new colour coats)

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A grey Tennessee Walking Horse, not the most effective of paintjobs with those resist dapples, but I do enjoy collecting conga lines of moulds I like, so I even keep the ones which aren't especially realistic colours, as long as they're not hideous

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One from the 70th Anniversary batch of blind bags, this is the mini version of the 'Emma' fell pony mould - I wasn't expecting it to be so tiny in hand, but of course it's going to be small like the familiar little Highland pony mould as the real breeds are a similar size

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Small horse, BIG tail! I don't know what breed I'll have her as, probably just partbred cob, though they usually have some white markings even if they're solid coloured, but there's nothing this heavily feathered in the British natives so I might have to have a good thorough think about other draft-build pony breeds.

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Probably the most exciting bit of the parcel for me, the Safari Tinker stallion from a few years ago. Their models went to a weirdly stylised, smooth sculpting style a few years back, and at first I was put off and didn't order any more, but later started to regret not getting at least this guy for my herd of cobs. But by the time I went looking for him, all the ebay listings were really high-priced, more than twice or three times I'd ever paid for Safari in the past, and I decided against getting him several times over as I failed to find an affordable listing. Then he popped up on my friend's sales list, and I got him at long last!

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Although I still wouldn't say I love the sculpting style (it reminds me of 3d computer modelling, not physical clay moulded by hand), I find he's a very endearing horse, with a lovely attitude - ears back, but not grumpy or ill-tempered, just not on full alert forwards like most models are posed.
He's got an enormous amount of feather on his legs (wouldn't want the job of keeping that clean and detangled if he was real, the cob I used to take to shows had half as much and I was always glad we only competed in jumping and mounted games cos I'd NEVER have got her legs clean enough for actual showing in a traditional cob or coloured class, haha!)

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Another freebie, this one reminds me of the Schleich Sorraia but isn't, my friend did tell me the brand but I can't remember right now!

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The current mould Schleich donkey foal in brown instead of grey, this one was a special edition but I don't know any more than that, I'll have to go look on Toy Animal Wiki in a minute and read up on his release details. It looks like he only has one ear in this shot

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He's very cute, I like the normal grey one a lot so it's nice to have the extra colour version, even if I don't have the matching mum!

Next up, Papo donks! I don't generally think much to their horse range, there's only been a few moulds I've liked enough to get (pinto cobs for my herd, the sleeping foal), so I haven't really followed what they release, and had totally missed that these donkeys existed til I spotted them on the sales photo.

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Quite a decent sculpt, compared to their horses! Whether it's from the same sculptor, who just does a far better job on donkeys, or whether they had someone else do these (cos I've noticed they have some good and truly awesome sculpting in the wildlife ranges!), I don't know, but they're really rather nice!

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They've also got a well done paintjob for mass produced models, with thin grey paint which gathers in the dimples of the hair texture and gives them a two tone effect, and properly donkey-detailed pale noses, eye-rings, and ear-fluff!

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And here's the baby, in a fun running pose, with all the same appreciated detail as the mum

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Note the quagga background being repurposed as old fashioned stableyard scenery already

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The two together - I seem to have a lot of family pairs of donkeys, brands like releasing matching babies!

Really beautiful additions, rabbits, horses, donkeys- all!

Nice again

Where is the Poitou ?!!!

You are the one who first made me discover that amazing model from Schleich in another thread and gave me the whole freak farm idea actually (my love for that donkey mare was the starting point of my project).

Fantastic models! Safari is for some years producing horses from a different sculptor and style. I really don't think they are masterpieces but I like most of them in pictures. I have the previous tinker, a kind of lovely model but I think I like the newer version best. Reading your post, it seems they are not as nice as they look in pictures. I must choose one of the new generation models to check how they look in real. I was thinking about the Friesian, looks like a legendary horse.
I am especially curious about that Sorraia. I thought it was the Schleich model actually. Are you sure it is not one of your customs? Please tell us more about it.
About the Papo donkeys, they really do not match the style of their horses but I think they match the style of their zebras. Could you please check where are they made in?

RtasVadumee wrote:

Where is the Poitou ?!!!

You are the one who first made me discover that amazing model from Schleich in another thread and gave me the whole freak farm idea actually (my love for that donkey mare was the starting point of my project).

I didn't buy the Poitou cos my friend hadn't got it, only the Provecale donkeys - these were all second hand models so my choices were based on what was there, rather than hunting down specific ones. Is the Papo Poitou nice? I don't like the look of the neck seam but could overlook that if it's otherwise a really nice model.

Roger wrote:

I have the previous tinker, a kind of lovely model but I think I like the newer version best. Reading your post, it seems they are not as nice as they look in pictures. I must choose one of the new generation models to check how they look in real. I was thinking about the Friesian, looks like a legendary horse.
I am especially curious about that Sorraia. I thought it was the Schleich model actually. Are you sure it is not one of your customs? Please tell us more about it.
About the Papo donkeys, they really do not match the style of their horses but I think they match the style of their zebras. Could you please check where are they made in?

Is this the previous Tinker you mean? I'm struggling to think of one from their standard size range, only this biiiiig guy :

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From the newer generation of stylised sculpting, I'm a bit tempted by the Fjord, just cos I've always collected those, and Przewalski, cos I have so few of them! But they're not available in this country, except some really really high priced ebay listings, so I'll put off making up my mind til next time I'm doing an MPV order

I'll ask about the Sorraia-lookalike next time I message the seller, I just can't remember any of the info cos I hadn't bought that one, it was a freebie

The Papo donkeys are China ones, they have 'Made in PRC' moulded on the bellies

I know I am asking you many things but please let us know more about the Sorraia.
Thanks for telling where the donkeys are made.
checking again the newer Safari models, I think the Knabstrupper would look great with a good repaint.
The Tinker I have from Safari is this model.

Ahhh, I was trying to think of a pinto one

Wonderful donkeys, I love those little foals!

Beautiful display for all your beautiful models!

I have here another parcel of second hand models, as well as a batch of bodies for future repainting projects, there's a little mixture of brands and scales I've bought to keep as they are...

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The Safari buckskin mustang, I have a scuffed palomino on this same mould in my repaint pile, but I like this colour much better and am keeping her for my original finish herd

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The Safari przewalski's horse, I've been tempted by this one ever since they released him, but couldn't find a new one affordably. They're one of those brands which seem to be mainstream and readily available in mainland European countries, but aside from Toobs they're not really stocked here - I have the choice of hoping the ones I want ever reach ebay, catching second hand ones from other collectors, or buying in from overseas (or probably Amazon, but I permanently and 100% boycott Amazon )

I took some extra pics of him, cos I know wild species are most appreciated round here

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He's very cute, but without losing the typical build and look of the takhi, the sculpt isn't overly stylised. He's kind of the halfway point between the old Safari style I loved (Icelandic, Shire, that kind of era), and the newer ones which I'm less keen on. But I am thinking the Fjord would go well enough with him and the rest of my herd that I might have to get that at some point

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I haven't named him yet, time to look up some more Mongolian words!

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He looks adorable from the front

One Breyer Stablemate in the batch wasn't a duplicate or damaged :

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Not the most exciting of colours, but with enough shading that it's not a plain bay despite being plain bay

And finally, some resculpted shetland ponies. These started out as a toy brand called Gee Gee Friends, they're hard hollow plastic and come in packs with accessories, aimed at small children, and often spoilt with painted-on hearts and flowers and bows. Here's one in box. But my hobby friend likes to rescue them from pink pastel purgatory and change them into proper little ponies, in real colours. They've both had their bodies extensively resculpted, heads repositioned, and new manes and tails.

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I just had to have two instead of picking only my favourite, so it wouldn't be a lonely only pony in my collection

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This one's sooty palomino, the same colour as my own real shetland

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I can't call it after mine, though, cos I already have four portrait models of her (CollectA, Magpie, Julip, Stablemate) and am running out of variations on her name

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And here's her friend again, he almost got a soaking cos it started to rain heavily while I was doing his photos, I think I got him inside my jacket before any spots landed on him!

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Shetlands and more Shetlands naturally!
It is hard to get a definitive opinion about the Safari Perzwalski's horse. Those are unusual looking horses and as we are too moulded to see these animals with different proportions, it is common that figures do not look correct. It happened with the CollectA model and it also happens with the Safari figure. Schleich model is basically a remastered zebra so we accept it in an easier way.
However, I find the Safari model quite recognizable and a good figure to join our collections.

Lovely newcomers! And, as always, beautiful photos! Congrats!

Funnily enough I don't have a huge proportion of shetlands in my collection!
I did a rough approximation once and I've got more stock breeds than anything else! I put it down to Breyer and Stone being American companies, and having a bias on making models of the kinds of horses people see and ride over there, plus competition/racing horse portraits. They do world breeds and ponies too, but not nearly in such numbers as the quarter horses!
I really like how CollectA are covering more horses from around the world, compiling a list which reads like the index of a horse book, rather than focusing on repeating American breeds and sport horse types over and over (other than how they do families, or replace old bad moulds with updated ones in the new style)

I'm enamored of that przewalksi horse. It has such an earnest face. Congrats on all these, the shetland customs are a wonderful new life for those toys!

Great new additions! I love the Safari przewalski!

I love him, too - I think part of it is that he has such big beady eyes, done with glossy paint, so they catch a speck of light shining and that makes him look more alive!

So many beautiful models, I love that Safari model, it has been painted in such a detailed way!
And I love how the Shetlands have been re-sculpted, it's such a good idea and they now look fantastic! Stunning Breyer stablemate too!

Wonderful additions!!

I wasn't sure whether to start a 'Breyer Additions' thread on the Breyer sub board, or add these here. If admin would prefer brands sorted out neatly, just give me a nod and I'll re-organise and repost accordingly

Back when I reviewed Breyer's 2021 regular runs, one release which went straight onto my wishlist was the Palominos and Pintos Stablemates set, and they did in fact end up being the first of this year's models I ordered.

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Here's all four together - often the sets seem to include some horses I really admire, and others I'm not mad about, and occasionally one terrible paintjob I actively dislike, but this contains four good mould & colour combinations and all of them nicely done.
Let's have a closer look at them individually...

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The chunky trotting warmblood, or 'driving' mould, in sooty palomino pinto. The patch markings are really neatly outlined, it's a shame the mane masking wasn't so carefully done, with quite a lot of the body colour overlapping the ends of the hair. It's the sort of thing to look out for if you get chance to pick your set in person, rather than shopping online - just be aware that's an area with varied quality control, and have a quick check of several boxes to pick the nicest one!

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The 'Darley' mould in golden palomino - the metallic aspect of his paintjob isn't over-done, just enough that he looks like the palominos who carry a gold sheen on their summer coats, and the best thing is, it's only in the palomino colour paint, they didn't use a pearly base-coat to include his mane, tail, socks, and hooves in the metallic finish, as inflicted on some other unfortunate models!
This one looks like he has a strange mane masking glitch - below the obvious chunk of hair there appears to be a phantom outline of some extra mane, but if you look closely, there is a 3D layer of thin hair flat against the shoulder in the sculpt!

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There he is from the other side, do you see what I mean about looking more like an American gaited cross than a pure old world arabian? Our arabs in Europe, both Britain and the continental mainland, tend to be short-coupled and deep and rounded, with an action more floaty than high and flashy. Darley may be a prime example of an arabian for the US show ring, and American Breyer fans might love it for that, but as a British horse fan and collector, I just can't take this mould as the arabian strains I'm familiar with, so I show all mine as National Show Horses (arab x saddlebred), and think them a very nice model of this breed instead!

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In all the years I've been collecting Breyer Stablemates, I've never seen them do a really pale palomino before! This quarter horse mare is described as an Isabella palomino on the box, and her colour is very delicately done, with areas sprayed lightly or heavily to vary the shading, and a grey nose to make sure the creamy tone with white mane and tail doesn't misread as cremello.

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One of my favourites done on this mould, there's a certain something about it when the paintwork suits the model and just works.

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The last of the four, while at a glance he might look like a chestnut, he's actually described as a chocolate palomino, which I always thought was just a term for a really dark sooty palomino, but I've read recently that it's the result of a liver chestnut base plus a cream gene. Maybe a liver chestnut with sooty AND cream gets you this shade!

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Whatever his fictional plastic genetics, he's a really adorable little model, the Darwin mould sculpted as a lipizzaner but suiting a wide range of colours. Pinto was found in the historical ancestors of today's modern lipizzaner breed, as seen in glorious 17th and 18th century oil paintings and engravings, so there's the option to show him as a historic model, or you could go with a partbred, or pick something else entirely. I'm currently constructing a 'Historical' page on my website for all the obsolete colours and customs painted from old artworks, so he'll find his home there shortly.

Another 2021 addition to the Stablemates range was a 'Horse Foal Surprise' - not just strange grammar which I can't quite make a sensible sentence from in my mind, but a strange combination of re-release and brand new model. In each box you got the same adult and foal as last year's Stable Surprise set, plus one new adult to complete the family. But the new horses aren't available separately, so you have three options : buy the set and end up with duplicates in you bought last year's batch; miss out on the new ones; or hope that someone might split sets and sell the models singly. Luckily, UK model horse shop Chestnut Ridge do exactly that, selling out-of-box/bag models individually, so you can pick exactly which you like and leave those you don't need.
Of course, I picked out the three new horses for my herd.

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The good old G3 mustang mould in a simple but effective chestnut, I like his snip and the fade out of his tail to flaxen. This one was paired with the dark bay tobiano paint horse mare from last year.

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These paintjobs are nice enough that they'd sell as singles, but probably not exciting enough to go ahead and buy the whole set of three if you only lack the new horse from each family.

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This quarter horse mare was paired with the...wait a minute, I think I've spotted a mistake, Breyer.
The dun warmblood mare. And these two females have somehow produced a foal
I wonder if this is linked to the fact the warmblood was initially named as the Warmblood Stallion mould on IdentifyYourBreyer - maybe a collector tip-off corrected that site's mistake, but Breyer themselves were still under the impression it's a stallion when compiling this family group? Oops!

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Anyway, I do like this mare a lot, her faintly shaded black looks sleek and striking, and I just love the big chunky white snip on her nose, that design choice gives her so much character and was why I wanted her so much, I'm glad to be able to buy these singly.

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The G3 warmblood in a nice mahogany bay, paired with the palomino walking TB, makes up the third and final set. For some reason, 2020's roan Icelandic wasn't re-used, and it can't be cos they only have one mould of that breed, as they rarely match breeds together in the mystery foal type sets anyway - last time the Icelandic was crossed with an Appaloosa!

And to finish on, one more of the 70th Anniversary Stablemates blind bags, each mould a mini version of a Traditional scale sculpt. These aren't 2021 releases but having taken a year to reach the UK stockists, they may as well be!

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The missouri fox trotter, not a mould I like enough to have ever bought a full size one, but the mini is a very sweet little horse indeed, and I can see myself ending up with several of these if they release them in more colours down the years.

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I think I got a fairly dark variation here, a lot of the fox trotters have been a paler shade of grey with a lot less shading on the mane, but I really like this one's darker look, even if he was a bit of heavy-handed spraying compared to others!

This mean there's only one 70th Anniversary model left for me to collect, excluding the chase pieces (I'm not into decorators to seek those out, though I'd keep them as colourful oddities if I happened on them by chance, like the copper filigree Django I got from the first series of blind bags). And I haven't painted any of these new mini moulds yet, so I'm not ruling out ordering another batch pot-luck or pick'n'mix at some point : Stablemates are addictive!