Customer Reviews

Hartland Horses and Dogs

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The good news about this fantastic compilation by Gail Fitch is that it clearly presents the wide variety of horse molds that the Hartland companies created, in far more colors and variations than most of us thought possible. The bad news is that now we collectors finally know for sure how many of these beauties we don't have in our collections! Ms. Fitch has done another outstanding job cataloguing and presenting this subset of Hartland items. I've been waiting for this since my very first Hartlands so many years ago. Your collection deserves this volume!

I highy recommend this book. This book is a must have for the Hartland and model horse collector. It is very thorough. Easy to read for younger collectors, too. A lot of work went into this book. The pictures and information are just wonderful. It has helped me with identifying and cataloging my own collection.. I take it with me when I going antiquing. I would highly also recommend her other book: Hartland Horsemen.

This is the most comprehensive and thoughtful model horse guide on the market. Each horse is photographed individually and shown in a large photo, as opposed to some of the Breyer guides where the horses are shown in small group photos. The photography itself is professional and absolutely beautiful. Horses go back to the 1950s when Hartland began manufacturing them. A thorough history of the company is included, not just the horse history. I especially appreciate the photos of the sculptures, one wonders what the creators of these beautiful horses look like. In future publications, I hope Gail can include a photo of Paola Groeber who painted some of the most beautiful Hartlands on the market.
Also, anything is only worth what the market is willing to pay. In this case, Gail's values seem a little low for some of the scarcer models, but for the common ones she is right on the money.

An excellent reference, well written and documented, created by by the woman who is the published authority on Hartland models. If you are a serious collector, this book is a must-have for your library. Ms. Fitch is an author known for meticulous accuracy and documentation. All of her works are a pleasure, and this one even more so. Highly recommended!

Good id guide, but not as well done as the hardcover Breyer book.
Maybe worthwhile for the hardcore collector. The writing in parts is overblown and self-aggrandizing if you ask me, but photos helpful. Also a bit overpriced for a softcover guide like this, but the publisher sells it on discount.

If you have books on Breyer or Hagen-Renaker horses, this is the equivalent (or better) for Hartland horses. "Hartland Horses and Dogs" by Gail Fitch from Schiffer Publishing, is a full-sized paperback, 188 pages, neatly arrayed with 739 color photos and information on identification, values, care of models, company history, model descriptions, artist interviews, and a chapter on the model horse hobby, model shows, resources, and more. Written by a horse lover for horse lovers, this book covers the golden era for model horses, the 1960s, and takes it forward to 2000.
(Another book by Gail Fitch, "Hartland Horsemen," covers a different group of Hartland models: horse-and-rider sets from the 1950s forward.) The Hartland books began in 1983, well before any Breyer books or any web sites existed. Likewise, the Breyer company got model ideas from Hartland, which began first. The American dream in action, Hartland Plastics was a small company with an exceptionally talented group of people, starting with its award-winning sculptors.) Hartland author Gail Fitch has been interested in ALL brands of model horses (and REAL horses, of course) for more than 25 years, and "Hartland Horses and Dogs" gives wonderful insights into the world of model horses in general. This book is fun for those who are knowledgeable about horses (breeds, colors, etc.), but clear enough for beginners. Also, those who only want a collectibles value guide with color I.D. photos will find it easy to use. Each model has its own photo, unlike one of the Breyer books, and photos are larger than those found in the other Breyer book, to give you an idea of what a visual delight this book is for those who collect, used to own, or aspire to own, some of the most beautiful horse figurines in the world. I recommend this book to anyone who likes model horses, toy horses, or horse figurines. The sheer number of horses Hartland has made comes as a surprise to even experienced model horse collectors. The story of Hartland is remarkable, too. This is a well organized, concise, and well illustrated book that is not only a useful reference, but also makes interesting reading.

If you have books on Breyer or Hagen-Renaker horses, this is the equivalent (or better) for Hartland horses. "Hartland Horses and Dogs" by Gail Fitch from Schiffer Publishing, is a full-sized paperback, 188 pages, neatly arrayed with 739 color photos and information on identification, values, care of models, company history, model descriptions, artist interviews, and a chapter on the model horse hobby, model shows, resources, and more. Written by a horse lover for horse lovers, this book covers the golden era for model horses, the 1960s, and takes it forward to 2000.
(Another book by Gail Fitch, "Hartland Horsemen," covers a different group of Hartland models: horse-and-rider sets from the 1950s forward.) The Hartland books began in 1983, well before any Breyer books or any web sites existed. Likewise, the Breyer company got model ideas from Hartland, which began first. The American dream in action, Hartland Plastics was a small company with an exceptionally talented group of people, starting with its award-winning sculptors.) Hartland author Gail Fitch has been interested in ALL brands of model horses (and REAL horses, of course) for more than 25 years, and "Hartland Horses and Dogs" gives wonderful insights into the world of model horses in general. This book is fun for those who are knowledgeable about horses (breeds, colors, etc.), but clear enough for beginners. Also, those who only want a collectibles value guide with color I.D. photos will find it easy to use. Each model has its own photo, unlike one of the Breyer books, and photos are larger than those found in the other Breyer book, to give you an idea of what a visual delight this book is for those who collect, used to own, or aspire to own, some of the most beautiful horse figurines in the world. I recommend this book to anyone who likes model horses, toy horses, or horse figurines. The sheer number of horses Hartland has made comes as a surprise to even experienced model horse collectors. The story of Hartland is remarkable, too. This is a well organized, concise, and well illustrated book that is not only a useful reference, but also makes interesting reading.