This past weekend I went to a local toy show that I always hear about, but have never been able to go to. The event always sells out (225 tables!) so I had to check it out while I had the opportunity.

When I arrived, the place was packed! Buyers were shoulder to shoulder…almost reminded me of BreyerFest! As I suspected, the majority of the vendors were selling collections of action figures, model cars, Barbies, sports cards and model trains. I was curious to see if there would be anyone selling model horses, and even more so, would it be worth the effort to try to get a table in the future to sell model horses.

I did find a few Breyers (and a lot of My Little Ponies,) but they were on tables with a wide variety of items…not just model horses.

I did come across a nice, vintage, bay Grazing Foal. I normally do not collect this mold, but even at a distance I could tell that she was in excellent condition. As I looked closer and around to her other side, I was delighted to see a Blue Ribbon sticker still attached to her neck! And just like that my trip to the toy show was successful…for less than $10 I scooped her up and made her the star of my little blog!

“Bows,” as she was initially named, is model #151 and originally released in 1965. She is matte bay (semi-gloss versions are also known) with a bald face (some extensive as in this example) and two front socks. Variations include models with black hind legs and others with grey. This girl sports the grey version, which do make her look like she has dirty hind stockings!

The “Breyer Creations” Blue Ribbon stickers were used in the 1960s to the early 1970s on store display models. The stickers were provided to Breyer retailers who used them to identify models that were removed from their boxes and used as store display models. If you had purchased a new in box model during this time frame, it would not have had a Blue Ribbon sticker on it. Many different models from this period had stickers made for them, and the stickers were usually placed on the neck or shoulder area of the model.

Does the sticker add any value to the model?

In some instances, yes. There are collectors who seek out models that still have their stickers attached. Since only the models that were used as store displays should have received the sticker…not many models had them to begin with. I imagine many stickers were removed or worn off by their new owners, too. Yes, models with their stickers still attached and intact, are harder to find and can command a little more money than the same model without a sticker.

Blue Ribbon Sticker Revival

Breyer has brought back the Blue Ribbon Sticker. Most notably, with the introduction of the Vintage Club in 2012. But even before then, back in 2003, Breyer released a pair of Collector’s Edition Shires with their own Blue Ribbon stickers. Unlike the stickers of the 1960s and 70s, all of the #1210 Monarch and #1218 Smoke N Mirrors Shires have stickers. These stickers were added at the factory before the models were boxed. The same goes for most, if not all, of the Vintage Club releases in 2012 and since (except for Levi, the 2014 Vintage Club Belgian, who wears a reissued gold foil sticker.)

So, with the current revival of the Blue Ribbon sticker, I can’t help but wonder if their existence may confuse new collectors of a model’s actual age. Yes, most knowledgeable hobbyists know the difference between a vintage model with a Blue Ribbon sticker from a Vintage Club release, but what people just getting started collecting, or those who only deal with Breyers on occasion? Not to mention the re-use of “vintage” names, such and King and Diablo. Confusing? I am curious to see if new hobbyists, 10 or so years from now, struggle with these similarities, or if it will be a non-issue.

Speaking of new hobbyists, as I was heading toward the exit of the toy show, I noticed a man (presumably “dad”) purchasing a Stormy model (that I had passed by earlier) for a very excited young girl. Get them started right!

Thanks for reading!