My favorite toy during my childhood was one piece in a collection of 150 (estimate) similar items. I still have this collection but, along with other keepsakes, it’s been packed and stored for decades.
Because this toy isn’t available for me to take a picture of it,
I went to the website that made this toy: BreyerHorses.com.
This is Diablo, the buckskin mustang model horse. He is Breyer mold #87. He was released in 1961 and his mold was made through 1986.
I was six years old in 1961. The
first model horse I received was a birthday gift, but I don’t remember which
horse it was. I do, however, remember when I bought Diablo.
It was the summer of 1964. My favorite singer, Marty Robbins,
had released a new song in May: The Cowboy in the Continental Suit.
The local radio station (KFTM) was giving the song a lot of airtime. I waited
eagerly every morning before school as I ate breakfast for the radio to
play the song. If you’re not familiar with this classic country song, listen to
this video or look up the lyrics, because they relate to this model horse.
If this video doesn't show on your device, this is the url: https://youtu.be/ftetdzHNtgI
B & B Western Wear, a western
clothing store where I lived (Fort Morgan, Colorado), sold Mattel and Breyer
model horses. Most of my model horse collection came from this store. By chance
or coincidence, that summer, the store owners displayed a new model horse in
the front window—a semi-rearing buckskin.
One look at that mustang, and I knew he was “The Brute” from
Marty Robbins’ song. I spent my own money to buy Diablo. He and I went on many
adventures together.
As an aside, if you’re wondering what a continental suit looks
like, here is a picture of the actor Cary Grant c. 1960 wearing a continental
suit.
What was your ONE favorite toy when you were a kid?
Until next
time,
Kaye
Spencer
writing
through history one romance upon a time
www.kayespencer.com
Images: fotolia, Breyer website, Pinterest
Lovely post. My favourite toys were always craft things, like tapestry sets, paint by numbers and the like.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I had paint by number sets, too. That was about as crafty as I had talent for. I wish I had artistic skills.
DeleteBeautiful story, Kaye, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite toys were dolls and also cut-out toys - castles, knights, maidens. Would play with those for ages.
I had Barbie dolls and the cut-outs, too--paper dolls. Remember the rubbery cut-outs? They were sort of clingy and they stuck to the backdrop that came with the set. I had a 101 Dalmatian set that I really liked.
DeleteThanks for a nice post, Kaye. I loved dolls. Now, as an adult, I don't collect dolls, but I have collected a few Breyer horses! I got my real life baby doll when my son was born, but I never did get a horse - I guess that's the difference.
ReplyDeleteI had Barbie and Ken and Skipper and Allen. There was a doll named Midge and a doll names Tressie. Tressie had long blonde hair that you could make shorter by inserting a key thingy into her back and twisting the key until her hair shortened. I think to lengthen it, you just yanked it. haha Poor girl.
DeleteI must confess I did not know exactly what a continental suit looked like. I'm so glad you posted this. Diablo is wonderful! Since my parents weren't horse people in the very least, I didn't know anything about Breyer horses until I was grown. Now, I'm thinking about buying some of them...but they're probably too expensive. LOL Diablo is WONDERFUL! Yes, I agree--he is the horse in that song!
ReplyDeleteMy one favorite toy--I'm not sure! It changed at different ages. But I do remember getting "Baby First Step" and how I had coveted that doll for what seemed like ages (probably just from the time they started advertising it for Christmas sales!) LOL I got her and I loved her and I named her Christy. She had blonde hair and blue, blue eyes, and you put batteries in her back and she actually walked (toddled) and I got her for Christmas--I was so thrilled. I still have her up in the attic!
I remember Baby First Step. I didn't have one, but my sister did. She also had a Mrs. Beasley and THAT was annoying. hahaha Ooh... if you locate Christy, take a picture and share.
DeleteWhen I was small, Kellogg's offered two knights on horseback, one silver and one black. You wound them up and then set them going at the other, and they would joust. Something whispered to me THIS WAS IMPORTANT. The picture on the back of cereal showed two medieval knights jousting--I just knew this was where my heart would always be. It took too many box tops to get it, so my grandfather went out and bought about 20 boxes of cereal to see I got them. I keep them for decades before I lost them in the house fire 10 years ago. About two years ago, I found a pair of them in a second had shop.
ReplyDeleteThose two knights seem to tell me I would write tales of knights and ladies...so I am delighted to find a set from the 1950s again.
Oh gosh. I teared-up reading your comment. I'm so glad you found the knights again. I didn't encounter those knights in a Kellogg's cereal box. I wish I had, though. I would have loved them like you did (do). Don't you just adore our grandpas who made sure we got these little things that meant so much to us?
DeleteKaye, I was barely six years old, but when I looked at that back panel showing the knights and ladies, I KNEW they were vital to me in some fashion. I tried so hard to get the box tops, but was way short. So when a few months later the parcel came and I opened the box to see I got them...well, they are cheap plastic toys, but to me they were the Holy Grail.
Deletehttps://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1958-kelloggs-jousting-knights-cereal-19713432
You can see them on their site.
Wow. I've truly never seen those jousting knights. How special and precious they must be to you. Do you keep them where you can see them? I can picture them in a shadow box on a fireplace mantel or under a glass dome near your writing desk. ;-)
DeleteI was 'quite' old in my mind in 1961 so by then I was into reading, walking, and softball. However, my favorite toys growing up were wooden blocks made by my great-grandfather and then Lincoln logs. But, there is always room for horses, both models and my neighbors which I rode sometimes. Doris
ReplyDeleteDoris, I played with an original set of Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys a lot. I'd build corrals and such for my horses. I loved those building toys. Do you have any of the block your gr-gr-grandfather made for you? That would be such a treasured keepsake.
DeleteThey disappeared over the years. I do miss them, but
Deletehave such wonderful memories. Doris
Lovely article, Kaye. Talking about horses and Marty Robbins is okay anytime for me. I don't know how old I was, possibly ten? when I got a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans ranch kit. It came with cardboard pieces to build the house and corrals, and had the plastic figures of Roy and Dale and their horses. I supplemented my "ranch" with other little figurines, and even an oyster shell for a trough. Played for hours with them. I don't know what happened to them, but my mom was not for saving any of my stuff that I outgrew. One Christmas I was givenn a bride doll but never allowed to play with her, she was kept up on a shelf, but I did have a little brown rubber dolly to play with that could "wet". In grade five I remember loving to play with my cut out dolls and got caught by the teacher cutting out the gowns. I can't remember if she took them away from me, but in any case, I didn't do it in class anymore. We never had horses on the farm, but I was crazy about horses and would buy posters of them and plaster them on my wall. I read the Black Stallion series over and over, and love horses to this day.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I remember the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans ranch kit. I had one that had a jeep of all things.
Delete