Rocking Horse

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GeorgieLee

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Hi I know this is a bit random, but Im not sure what to do, I have a beautiful Relko wooden hand painted rocking horse, its bigger than the small ones on frames and its on bow rockers with real horse hair and leather bla bla bla
but is there a market for them and where on earth would I start?!!
I have already thought of ebay but thats so vast I wouldnt of thought she would make any money.
any ideas?:)
 
There is the rocking horse people outside Bethersden in Kent, I believe they buy them for repainting etc as well as selling might be worth calling even if just to ask advise. (they are the ones with the green lorry at Burghley and Badders.) Their workshop is across the road from Potters Farm B&B
 
she is one of only 6 that relko ever hand painted (emailed the company for information) I was offered £600 by a dealer (I wasnt selling her at the time) and he told me I would be stupid to sell her for that , even to him!! honest man :)
so I dont have a clue what she is worth, new Relko's are thousands, but she is so unique that it makes her really hard to value
 
Relko have a website which sadly I can't seem to get on to. I do get the impression it might be worth a lot of money, so check carefully before you accept any offers.
 
We thought about selling ours as it's just sitting in my bedroom collecting dust and being used as a clothes horse.
We put it on ebay and in the paper and got some right jokers phoning up!
£100 and would we deliver it to London...we are in Birmingham!
One bright spark asked if we were going to put it on freecycle if it didn't sell.
Just to add...horses legs are fine! Bub's insisted on bandaging up for XC! Whole ruddy roll of my cotton wool and half a first aid kit!
DSC00086.jpg
 
I cant get on the site either! have spoken to them before though and they are in new zealand now and from what I remember are owed by different people but they basically said yes she is very rare and worth alot but she is only worth what someone will pay for her.
tried some of the other websites and apparently she isnt old enough yet! needs to age another few years!!
 
if you put in Relko rocking horses and search with google images and click on the first one that comes up then you can get into their website, mine is just like the large one but dapple grey with black mane and tail,
hope this helps!
 
GeorgieLee said:
if you put in Relko rocking horses and search with google images and click on the first one that comes up then you can get into their website, mine is just like the large one but dapple grey with black mane and tail,
hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Lovely!! :D Well, have a think about what you want for it (you will have to do some research so you get the right price for it) and let me know - i'll see if i can raid my husband's piggy bank when he's not looking. Although, my usual trick when having been shopping is to slip the item in to the house, then claim to have had it for "ages" when he notices it..... somehow, don't think i'd get away with that with a rocking horse!!!! :D
 
Don't let it go too cheap, they are worth a fortune and if she is a limited edition one then even more. Take the time to do your research and if you go to auction choose a good one and set a high reserve, if there are no 'specialist' buyers there then you may not reach the price she is worth. You could try advertising privately once you find a proper amount in collectors mags. We hand carved and painted our own full size one, he cost £800 to build before you even looked at the cost of time and effort (and love, Sami was 3 and did her fair share of sanding down) that went into it, 'Shadow' is obviously priceless to us and we will never part with him but if we were to sell he would be worth 1500+ and that is without any famous makers name and in a 'well loved' condition. If you decide to sell good luck and I really hope you find him a good home!
 
this one is a year younger than mine and not hand painted and in america! but its as close as I could get to a valuation this was valued by an auction house:
"This stunning wooden rocking horse was handmade in 1978 by
Relko, the collaborative company of an award-winning artist and
a woodworker-pony judge who sought to make the finest rocking
horses in the world. Their trademarked technique uses a laminated
wooden construction, giving the horse not only unique strength and
durability but also an original “muscled” effect that makes the pony
seem as if it could gallop away. This rocking horse comes complete
with his own tack made of real leather and a fluid mane and tail
comprised of real horsehair. Relco rocking horses have belonged to
the likes of British royalty and American celebrities. The cherished
child in your life will know only that this is the gift of a lifetime. You
will rest secure that this high-quality item will bring generations of
children incomparable joy.
Value: $6,000"
 
In this country, The Stevenson Brothers are the experts, so I would give them a call. Not sure it's something they would buy though. You could try the bigger auction houses but I think she's too new for them.

I used to collect Rocking Horses & remember the laminated wood Relko RH's. I have around 10 horses - all antique in various states of repair. They peaked in value a few years ago & have slumped a bit since then. Since bringing my real versions out of livery & home, not only have I lost interest, but don't have the time to restore them anymore.

Not sure what else to suggest, but now is a good time to sell if she's destined to become a Christmas present.
 
Hi again, I could be way off the mark, but I think she's worth about £250. I don't think modern horses, except for those made by Stevenson Bros really hold their value.

She's very pretty though.
 
someone has offered me £1000 for her as she had a Relko before and lost it in a fire, she is also having her transported to Orkney! im happy as it sounds like she is going to a fantastic home :)
 
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