Did you know that Breyer released its first model horse in 1950? Made from injection-molded cellulose acetate, a unique cellulose-based plastic, the #57 Western Horse sculpted by Christian Hess, was the Breyer Molding Company’s first model. It was a made-to-order piece to decorate a mantel clock for Woolworth’s, the venerable department store of the 1950s and 1960s. Appreciation for this realistic and authentically scaled equine was widespread. Soon, horse lovers were lobbying the company for freestanding horses of different breeds, and the Breyer Molding Company’s business changed forever.

Sold at toy and tack shops, Breyer models became synonymous with the horse world. Horse lovers of all ages began to amass collections of Breyer models. Some collected by breed, others by scale, and others by finish. Models in the Vintage Club blend the molds and finish work of both vintage and modern Breyer models. Club offerings include both vintage decorations on newer molds, as well as fresh interpretations of vintage favorites, which include a variety of finishes from high gloss to “chalky” white basecoats.