The Shirmar herd

I'll never forget the first time I visited my friend, Trisha parents' house. There were horses everywhere: On the walls, on the towels, on the toilet seat and, of course, on the shelves. I almost fainted when I walked into the living room and saw what looked like a whole wall of Hagen-Renaker Amirs, Zaras and Zillas.

"Whoa!" I gasped. "Are those...?"

Trish knew where I was going and quickly cut me off. "No," she said matter of factly. "They're knock-offs. My grandma painted them a long time ago."

And for years, that's all I knew about those horses.

Now, thanks  to Kristina Lucas and her excellent Muddy Hoofprints blog, I know a bit more.

In a post dated November 13, 2018, she writes: Decades ago, and for a very short time, a company called "Shirmar" made unglazed castings of several Hagen-Renaker Designer's Workshop molds, including large Zara. They were identical in size to HR's finished products because the HR foreman provided Shirmar with the HR molds, and his personal permission, to make them. This was done without consulting the Renakers, and they subsequently requested all the molds back. 

This explains why no generational size loss has been recorded in Shirmars; they were all first gen. Some were allegedly plaster castings, but some were cast in ceramic and fired to bisque. I have handled a Shirmar that was identified in one HR book as plaster, but it was actually bisque. Collector Laura Behning had a complete family set of Shirmar's renditions of Amir, Zara, and Zilla, and confirmed that they were hollow ceramic, not plaster. 

Shirmar's castings were made for the hobby painting market, just as holiday-themed white bisque and plaster sculptures are sold today, by craft supply shops. However, a telltale sign of a bisque Shirmar is a huge, unplugged pour hole in the belly.

Amir's pour hole

Last month, rather unexpectedly, I became the caretaker for most of the Brown/Welch Shirmar collection.

There are a few Amirs,

a number of Zaras,

and two Zillas.

Most of them aren't pristine.

There are some broken - and in this case, missing - legs.

Also, a couple of the models have been attached to bases.

Trisha told me that this trophy used to have a Gladys Brown Edwards topper. Sadly, that broke so Marie replaced it with one of the Zaras.

The trophy itself was won by Mt View Charmalea in 1970.

Most of the Shirmars aren't dated, but this one - another Zara - is clearly marked 1973.

Although the do very much resemble their HR relatives, these models are thicker, heavier and a little bit coarser.

They clean up nice, so a few are destined to be refinished.

I've dreamed of owning a palomino Amir my entire life.

Others will kept as is, in memory of Marie and Donna.

Eventually, some will probably be re-homed. 

But not yet. 

It's been almost forty years since I first saw these horses. For now, I'm happy having them on my shelves.

National Retro Vintage Month

Good morning! It's finally August, and August is National Retro Vintage Month (NaReViMo).

Founded by Sarah Minkiewicz in 2019, NaReViMo is a month long customizing party, with a vintage style emphasis on having fun and getting it done. I've always meant to participate, but somehow, it never works out. This year, I was determined. While cleaning out my mother's house last March, I found an old broken Proud Arabian Mare and her long missing leg.

"Oh!" I thought to myself. "This would be a perfect NaReViMo project." 

I brought both pieces of PAM back to Colorado and started making plans.

Then, of course, life happened.

Although I'm very specifically not writing about work, I also can not overstate how difficult, complicated and unpleasant this part of my summer has been.

There's no way I will have the time or energy to start - let alone complete - an ambitious old school custom.

Fortunately, I've come up with a really nice Plan B.

NaReViMo rules specify that Repaint Only models are just fine.

And I just happen to have some really nice vintage bodies at my disposal.

It's going to be a busy month, but I think I can do this!

Wish me luck. I'm going to need it!

Pecans

Everyone wants to talk about the Arabians.

Meanwhile, I'm over here saying, "Yes, but have you seen my old/new donkey?"

This is Pecans.

She is an original finish, made in Japan Lefton China.

She came with a handmade packing set by Marie Welch.

There was originally a halter, too, but all of this is some fifty years old. Despite gentle handling, the crownpiece disintegrated when I took it off for cleaning and conditioning. I'll replace it eventually.

Fortunately, the sawbuck saddle and harness are still in fine condition.

I am so impressed with this set. If you told me it was made by a hobby artist in 2026, I would totally believe you. It's that good.

Here's a close up look at the panniers...

and the pecans inside those panniers!

I promise there will be more information about the Shirmars soon, but for now, let's all enjoy the cuteness of Pecans.

Estate horses

While we were cleaning out my mother's house, I found a box containing every single piece of correspondence I ever sent to her or my father. It was completely overwhelming.

I threw some of it away, but the rest came home with me.

Now it's sitting in a box in my basement.

I haven't spent a lot of time with this box - frankly, I find it depressing - but recently, I skimmed a couple of the letters. One described my first visit to the Brown/Welch home in Wellington, Colorado. I had a good time at Trisha's house, I wrote. They have horse things everywhere! There's even a horse picture on the toilet seat!

not the toilet, but same bathroom

Amost immediately thereafter, that cozy, horse-filled house became my second home.

I was there for the people...

and the horses...

but I also fell in love with the cats,

the dogs,

the barns...

and that wonderful little house.

I have good memories of almost every room.

Especially this one.

Trisha's father, Norm, died in 2021, and her mother, Donna, passed away last December. 

Earlier this month, I attended Donna's celebration of life at the family farm. I was sad, but not at all surprised, to learn that the property has been sold. After the ceremony, everyone was invited inside the house to view...

and perhaps purchase some of Norm and Donna's prize possessions.

Not going to lie, part of me wanted all of it. Maybe not the pearls, but all the art, all the books, all the horses, all the memories.

But the memories of emptying my mom's house are still fresh. I don't want to do that to Ryan and James, so I decided to limit myself to one Lefton donkey...

and one Shirmar Arabian family.

That was the plan, anyway.

I'm still not exactly sure how it happened, but all the Shirmars ended up in my car.

Which means, now they're in my house.

Well, mostly. 

One has already been rehomed, and eventually, some of the others will follow suit. Still, it's a privilege having them here right now. They are a reminder of people - and a place - I loved. Thank you, Brown family, for everything.