They may be small in size, but my collection of Hagen Renaker mini models is outgrowing the cabinet I have them in. As a result, I rarely take them out for fear of clinking them together and causing breakage. No damage this time, thank goodness!
Yesterday's post about the new palomino models had me pulling up a chair, opening the cabinet doors, and smiling as I looked at Hagen Renaker's beautiful pieces.
I focused in on these three sets of Monrovia pieces. (I think they were intended to be family groups.) They are called Rearing Horse, Running Mare, Lying Foal, and Running Foal. (I've grouped three other white foals with them. They are two Lying Arabian Foals and Arabian Foal Standing, tail pointing up version.)
The bay set is my favorite - the color is so rich and deep.
Look at the shading on the white set!
The palomino set was missing the Running Foal
but I found one later and added it to the rest. All three sets originally came from Nancy Falzone's collection.
Remember how I said that the Hagen Renaker palomino color is so distinctive that I have been able use it to help me identify HRs while in antique and thrift shops?
Case in point, years ago I came across this set in a thrift shop. I knew that three of the pieces were Japans (and HR copies) but that lying horse gave me pause due to its color.
I bought the set for $3 or so and sure enough, that is a HR Reclining Horse made 1951 - 1952.
I've since found a second, lighter version plus the Saddle Horse.
It's documented in HR books as "style two" since the front feet are together. (They are separate in style one.) Even more intriguing is that there are at least two mold variations for style two.
I have an old photo that shows the hind feet side by side but I don't have permission to post it. You can find it on page 303 of Gayle Roller's 3rd edition of the Charlton Hagen Renaker Catalog.
My piece has the off hind leg a little ahead of the near one. I wonder if that is the other mold variation for this piece?
As I looked at all the pieces in my Hagen Renaker minis cabinet, I noticed some "palominos" among my dogs.
These cocker spaniel puppies are very much "Hagen Renaker palomino" and are from 1950 - 1954. And yes, I bought them not knowing if they were HRs but with a strong suspicion that they were. That suspicion paid off when I found them in the Charlton book.
Digging through books, online resources, and ephemera is part of the fun of collecting vintage pieces, be it Hagen Renakers, Breyers, or others. Some may find it tedious or think that looking for minutia about legs together/legs separate is unimportant, but I find it fascinating and enjoy it very much.
I have more new Hagen Renakers to show you tomorrow as well as some other items that are from Breyer.
Stay 'tooned!
