Once upon a time... I had a model horse sculpted.
For those that don't recall the beginnings of "Companion", let me tell you his story.
I actually don't recall the dates...early 1990's would be my best guess. I was running the BHR Collection of resins and offering about 2-4 new molds each year starting in the late 1980's. These were sculpted by Kitty Cantrell and Sue Sifton (long before working for Stone or Breyer). I was concentrating on traditional scale horses at that time, sculpted in a style like real horses, and painted in a style much like vintage Hagen-Renakers (which are a passion of mine!). I would have Sue or Kitty sculpt the horses, make a master resin here, and I would paint the sample the colors I wanted the factory to duplicate. These were shipped to China and came back in 40' containers full of about 2000 pieces at a time. A slot of sculpting time opened up with Sue and I was thinking of what creature I'd just LOVE to have myself. (If you want to see my horse collection of over 7500 pieces...go to the website! www.bhranch.com ) Well, my thought was to have a "companion" for the H-R "Crusader", one of my favorites. At this time, I was having Loza Electrica, a ceramics company run by Renaker family member Eric in Mexico, do some prototype things and I was selling Loza as well. I had the opportunity to have Loza run in ceramics, whatever I wanted to have sculpted. And so Sue created "Companion", a classic scale Percheron, with french braided mane. We knew that most collectors don't have a original Crusader to hitch up with him, so we wanted a horse with the flavor of an old Maureen Love sculped horse, but more in keeping with the current syle of Percherons (leggier, not as wide).
What we got captured the facial charisma of an old H-R. I was in love with him! The sample resin was made and sent off to Mexico for moldmaking. And came right back...
Acording to Eric... the horse was too tall to fit in his kilns in the layers he'd need to fire them at. Oh no!!!! I have to admit I was devistated. Sue went to work on a size-suitable replacement...which became "Clancy" and was run by Loza and now currently in house here at BHR. Since I dearly loved the sculpture... I hated to see good sculpture go to waste. SO he was run as a mass produced resin as Percheron. He comes in white grey, bay, liver chestnut, matte black, blonde sorrel, palomino (to match the "Sespe Violetti" H-R color), ash grey (like my H-R Ferseyn), and as an unpainted. These last resins are still available (about $20 plus shipping).
And so... since we are no longer running resin horses (been there/done that), I have the opportunity to do what I like best...ceramic horses. We have been running the Weanling, the "Dollar" hunter (new sculpture), and the "Clancy" in small limited runs. The Companion is the first moldmaking project for me with extreme help from best friend, Joan Berkwitz. Making the rubber mold and then the production mold has been my hands on learning experience. Sometimes frustrating, but it has been practical theory put to good use. Believe me, it has made me nearly scream for wanting to get one done!
First one or two...oops, the price of figuring out how to get them out of a mold in one piece. Have the cut off heads to prove it! (I glazed them anyway just to see some H-R colors on them. It's like waiting for cement to cure...patience, Grasshopper!
And so we have our firsts...and I'll add photos of them as I get some done. Like any repainter/customizer/glazer... we have a million colors in our heads to do. I really can't see myself getting tired of this mold! Like the Dollar mold, he's just "right", and I'm happy with him!
Karen
| First one... white grey to match Crusader |  |
| The inspiration piece... a lovely H-R Crusader in white grey |  |
August 2008... Joan visits BHR for a intense moldmaking session. (that's the mold for the rubber master of Companion I'm working on) |
 |
The first ones didn't make it out of the mold... but I kept the heads to sample paint. The chestnut head is similar to the lovely Sespe recently on ebay. White head was ribbon color tests. The other photo... I couldn't resist... first claybody custom. Head tucked and to the right more.
|
|
Second one made... is going to be auctioned. For more photos of this piece, #2 made, click on the photo. |
|
Dapple grey mare pair for BHR. Blue mane ribboned one is a claybody custom with head tucked more.
Watch for these at the live shows. |
 |
Claybody custom... first drastic one. head to left, done as a Clydesdale mare. Click on image to go to its own page. |
 |
Second Claybody drastic custom...to a bay roan with loose mane. Click on image to go to own page. |
 |
| Dark chestnut. Done to match a dark glossy chestnut H-R Sespe Violette. Click on image to go to own page. |  |
| White grey glossy version |  |
| Claybody custom with added full mane and tail, done as a Haflinger. |  |
| Dark bay glossy (click on to go to own page) |  http://www.modelhorsesalespages.com/sales/view_details.asp?id=648104 |
| Las Vegas Live model horse show! See these horses in person and purchase then. |  |
Dapple grey pinto gloss click on photo for more photos |
 |
| Doeskin mare |   |
H-R style rose grey (Monrovia color) More photos of this horse...click on image. |
 |
Updated 1/30/09
Thanks to Sue Stewart, Texas on the purchase of this horse! 