Happy Stablemate Sunday everyone! It's nearly April, so let's prepare for the day of fools. Breyer has often played April Fools pranks on their social media pages. In 2024, they turned that prank into blind bags. This set featured recreations of Breyer's most notoriously bad paint jobs from their history (mostly the 90s). The original models were attempts at innovating color to be more realistic, but often were not executed well.
These blind bags were not super popular, and they were available on the website for a while. The price probably had to do with it - they were the same price as the other specialty holiday blind bags at $25 each. This is kind of a tough sell for colorways that weren't liked the first time around, although there are people (like me!) who liked them for the novelty. That being said, they must have sold enough to justify the second set in 2025. We'll know soon enough if we'll get a third set for 2026!
First up, let's look at Cloud. Marking the first use of the Stablemate scale Swaps mold since the original licensing agreement expired in the mid-2000s, Cloud is a miniature version of the 1995-1996 Classic Cloud, done on the Classic scale version of the Swaps mold. I'd actually say the blind bag version pulls off the color better. The Classic scale Cloud's dapples are more patchy, while this guy is more akin to a light handed resist dapple. I was just glad to see Swaps in use again!
On the mini Zafirah mold, we have Cinnamon, who is probably the most (in)famous of the Breyer 90s paint jobs. Whenever I see people complaining about the currently quality of Breyer models, I like to remind them of Cinnamon and her pinking shears blanket. Her Ritz cracker Appaloosa blanket. I went back through my records and she was the only one I didn't receive in my initial order - I had doubles of the Overo Stock Horse instead. I must have done a straight trade with one of my friends for her, but for the life of me I can't remember who!
On the Twist mold, we have another particularly infamous 90s Breyer paint job: the green Sham from the 1994 Arabian Stallion and Foal set. In theory, this color was supposed to be bay going gray. Unfortunately, the whole run ended up this shade of green, with the odd circle every so often for dapples. You know I'm a Sham lover, but I'm definitely putting off adding the original to my herd! For now, this fellow will do!
The final model in this set was the Overo Paint on the G4 Stock Horse, as a miniature of the 1979 Overo Paint on Stud Spider. Compared to the others in the set, the original paint job on this guy is not the worst! The finishwork on the blind bag version incorporates intentional overspray on the pinto markings. He'd be almost show worthy if it wasn't there - almost.
The thing I like most about these sets is Breyer's ability to essentially poke fun at themselves, and own the cringe from their past. Are there any infamous Breyer paint jobs you'd like to see if they bring these back for a third year? Personally, I'm partial to the polka dot leopard appaloosas, like the Riddle Passing Through Times on Hobo, or the original Pony of the Americas run!
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