Horse Ornaments

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wowzer22

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25 July 2011
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Anyone else on here collect models of horses? ceramic, metal, old, new?


I mainly collect heavy horse models - only have about 70 at the moment but im working on building up the collection

Will post pics (when I can get them all together)

Karen
 
Now is a good time to buy them as the prices have been bad for several years - will go up soon I am sure.

If you are looking at Beswick, try to go for the rarer colourways - specifically the piebald, rocking horse grey (NOT the normal grey which is very common!), black and palomino. Those can fetch from £300 to £1300 - even if you can buy a damaged one, a good restorer can work wonders. These prices will go up by 25% or so in the next few years (well, maybe 5 years depending on how our recession is doing!)

If you are buying anything other than the rare ones above, then they must be perfect as they are not worth restoring. Check the ears (dealers will actually use their tongues to check for repairs!) and feet for chips.
 
I have lots :o I also make them too :D


guess who 015 by MayMayNicks, on Flickr

394695_356198834395274_1640642976_n.jpg
 
I used to deal in ceramics (mainly beswick) but the market went flat several years ago and the prices are dreadful. So mine are all packed away safely waiting for the rise which will come along at some point! But it is a fascinating hobby. It is worth rooting around the smaller/less fashionable auctions as there are occasionally bargains to be had. If people don't know the rarer colours, you can often buy something well under the market value, but the common ones often end up over the value - it's really weird.
 
Have to say at least 70/80% of my collection has come from charity shops - the Beswick ones - most of mine were really really cheap! (mind you I don't normally spot the 'Beswick' stamp until after I got home! but thats a great place to get them!
 
I have beswick horses every birthday my dad would go to the shop and buy me one and put iit on my birthday cake I have them in my study . I have never added to the collection.
 
thing I love about the Beswicks is the variety of colours and different sizes

My other ornaments (shires etc) each one is different, different harnesses, different paint colours.

The worst bit is all the dusting though - it literally takes hours - ha ha
 
Most of the charity shops have a set up with the local dealers who will come in and check out the ceramics before they go on sale - they get first dibs on things and help price up the rest. So you will likely get the standard models but nothing special. Despite going into charity shops all around the country, I have never found a quality beswick model for a good price - and I can spot them without having to see the makers mark! Have had massive success with china thimbles from charity shops though (bizarre, I know!) Huge market for those in Japan, Australia and America for some reason. Also for the ceramic posies - the sort of thing that you can't normally give away over here. I accidentally purchased two boxes (about 200 of them) at an auction - checking them over for dmage was a nightmare job, as was listing them, but they made me a small fortune :o)

Definitely auctions are the best place to find pieces - but they must be the mid week non popular ones as the weekend ones have the day visitors who overpay for everything!
 
Google them to find your local auction house. Go along to preview day and check everyting out thoroughly. Don't wait until you get there as you need to inspect everything for damage in decent light. Bring along one of the jewellers magnifying glasses to check out properly. Better still are the auctions that are one offs held in villages to raise money locally - you have to keep your eyes open for those ones.

You can also do quite well at some of the car boot sales but you do need to know what you are looking for. You can purchase the Charlton Books that give current values for Beswick Horses/Animals/Figurines etc. But ebay is a fantastic place for getting the correct current market price. No point paying a fortune for something the book says is worth £1500 when the ebay price is £750 for example.
 
Ive got a few, a customized North night that was painted to look like my appy mare and the Beswick Appy too, plus a few others, I used to have a lot of Beswick, but I sold them before I moved house 8 years ago,

Ive started to buy the Breyer models to customize myself to look like peoples own horses, and for people to show them, something I did not realise went on, and its huge!

My Northlight.. cost me £135 to get this done 10 years ago...
freck.jpg


dont look at the dust!!!
 
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