It's Friday, I'm a Guest Judge! OF China Collectability by Heather Bochonok

It's the second guest post on the blog! This month, I asked my friend Heather to talk about a less well-known division - Chinas. 

OF China Collectability

by Heather Bochonok

Hey everyone! My name is Heather (Bochonok) Moore - Macie invited me to write a post on her blog, and I’m so excited to introduce everyone to the land of clinkies! Just to tell you a little bit about myself, I’m a co-host for NAMHSA MSOTY ‘23 and ‘24 (and Runner-Up ‘25!) Are You Kitten Me Live. I like to judge as often as I can at local shows, including Island Time Live, Steel City Live, and Happy Kamper Classic. I participate in and enjoy judging photo shows, and have been a judge for Breyer’s Boot Camp Photo Show for the last few years. I’ve been collecting since I was 7 years old (looking at you, Skipster’s Chief!), and while I still do very much enjoy collecting my Breyers - Chinas definitely hold a special place in my little model horse loving heart. My real horse experience goes back further than my collecting - my best friend Cocoa (a very handsome Morgan cross) blessed me with 24 years of companionship before passing away at the ripe old age of 30 in 2021. During that time I also owned a literal dream horse - my Friesian Heritage Horse Aramus. I am so thankful for all of the years I spent alongside real horses, and hope to find myself on that path again in the future. I sure do miss it! Nowadays you’ll find me surrounded by one of my several rescue kitties - I love my babies so much!

 For those of you unfamiliar with the clinky side of collecting, we consider many different mediums to be shown in these divisions. Bone China (Horsing Around, Animal Artistry, and other European makes), Earthenware (Hagen Renaker, Pour Horse), and Cold Cast Porcelain/OF Resin (Breyer). Some makers offer pieces in various mediums (for example, Thomas Bainbridge Studios offers both Bone China and Earthenware pieces). While this is important knowledge, we do not really classify our models based on composition for China showing - even at large shows like Breakables at BreyerFest.

Today we’re going to talk about Original Finish China Collectibility. Most shows will break Chinas into Original Finish - a run of identical (within artistic reason) models - or Custom Glazed (a unique or OOAK finish on a model). Original Finish pieces are judged on Collectibility (similar to Breyers!), while Custom Glazed are judged on Workmanship (similar to CM and AR!). Larger shows like Breakables will create detailed classlists based on regions - for example, Americanware and Europeanware divisions. There will also be divisions that are based on run numbers (Small Production/Test) - similar to Limited Run and OOAK classlists you would see for plastics.

 So let’s get to it. Today our class consists of three very different pieces:

Photo courtesy Heather B

Horse A - Thomas Bainbridge Studios OF Dapple Grey Leonardo - Edition Size 30, 6 Artist Proofs, 24 Numbered Pieces. There are 6 OF Dapple Greys with a variety of gloss/satin finish and flowing/braided tails. This particular piece is 1/4 glossed and 1/4 with flowing tail.

Photo courtesy Heather B

Horse B - Hagen Renaker San Marcos Large Zilla Test from the BHR Collection

Photo courtesy Heather B

Horse C - Breyer 2001 Volunteer Model The Poet (100 Made)

Heather's placings can be found under the jump. ↓

The Placings:

🥇1st: Horse B - HR Zilla

My first place Collectibility horse is Horse B, the Hagen Renaker Zilla Test. In my opinion, this model is incredibly collectible for a multitude of reasons. The California Hagen Renaker factories and way of business are gone with the passing of Sue Nikas. We are lucky to have the molds being utilized and kept safe by HRTN/Kristina Lucas Francis, however, the way that factory operates and produces is very different from what we saw in the Nikas era. Another note of significance is that this piece came from the Black Horse Ranch/Karen Grimm Collection and was auctioned off during the Clinky Mayhem collection dispersal event in 2018.

This piece is also a unique test, with no actual production piece that is finished exactly like it. 

🥈2nd: Horse A - Leonardo

My second place horse is Horse A, Leonardo. Not pinning this horse first is proof that judging needs to be objective, because this is most certainly a personal favorite of mine! The quality of the glazing and the sculpture, coupled with very limited production make this a highly desirable piece. Most newer China pieces that are produced have already proven their immense popularity in resin form, and Leonardo certainly fits that bill. 

🥉3rd: Horse C - The Poet

My third place horse is Horse C, The Poet. This model is one of few pieces produced by Breyer in bisque glazed Porcelain (IDYB claims he is cold cast, that is incorrect!). He was a limited model given to Volunteers in 2001. In a truly broken down China classlist (like Breakables!), this guy could dominate - but when compared to the two other pieces in this class, he can’t compete due to his run number.

I hope this post might inspire a few people to come over to the Clinky side of collecting and showing! I would love to see more showers, so that we can have expanded classlists and full tables at shows that feature Chinas!