Upon the purchase of a kiln in
1995, Pour Horse switched casting medium from resin to earthenware ceramic. Among the
first items produced were pins, including horse pins. The first publicly available ceramic horse pin was given to entrants of the 1995 WRC live show. (Joan had supplied resin pins for the 1993 and 1994 WRC shows as well.) Sculpted by Sarah Minkiewicz, this pin features the WRC logo sgrafitto etched on a disk about the size of a half-dollar. It was finished in mauve art glaze and pinned to a card reading "WRC 1995 Entrant Pin Cast by the Pour Horse." Fewer than 30 were made. The next ceramic horse pin was made on commission for Laurie Jo Jensen. Laurie sculpted this medallion to give to attendees of her January 1997 seminar on Al-Khamsa Arabian bloodlines. The metallic pewter glazed pin features an Arabian horse head, facing left, with a flowing mane. It came on a card reading "Original Art exclusively designed by Laurie Jo Jensen to commemorate the Arabian Horse History Seminar 1997 Pour Horse Pottery." Thirty were made, but few remain in the hobby. In the spring of 1997, Joan created a pin to be given to entrants and judges of the first Pour Horse collectors class, held at the Kalamazoo Valley Live show. These pins are Bressay heads, facing left, flat on one side and finished in clear glaze over white bisque. Ten were made and given on unmarked paper cards. The summer of 1997 featured the debut of the first dedicated Pour Horse pin. The Pony Head is a charming fellow, sculpted by Kristina Lucas. He faces right and wears a luxurious mane and a playful expression. He is sometimes erroneously called the Spanish Horse or Suspiro head. The Pony was first produced in shaded white gray as a gift for attendees of Joan's seminar at the 1997 Jamboree. Fifteen were made. After Jamboree the Pony pin was produced in a variety of colors to be given out at special events. In spring 1998, ten numbered bay Ponies were given to entrants of the Kalamazoo Valley Live Pour Horse collectors class. Fifteen unnumbered bays went to attendees of Joan's seminar at the 1998 Jamboree. Also at the 1998 Jamboree, first place winners in the OF China/Resin division received buckskin Ponies; these fellows had their mold modified to include a rosette (painted blue) at the temple. 2nd place winners received chestnut Ponies without rosettes. About 15 of each were produced. The final Pony pins were produced a year and a half later - special runs of four leopard appaloosas with blue rosettes and four buckskins with handpainted manes. These were given as prizes in the 2000 Pour Horse photo show. Two new Pour Horse pins entered the lineup in 1999. The first was a Clydesdale head, facing right, calm and correct, complete with a lush mane and fuzzy jaw. The second was a braying Donkey head, facing left, with open mouth, tongue out, and long ears pinned. Both were sculpted by Kristina Lucas. The first issue of the Clydesdale pin was a run of 37 given to entrants of the 1999 Pour Horse photo show. Produced in bay with facial markings and a handpainted mane, these pins are indistinguishable from the regular run color, except that some have more conservative facial markings. Later in 1999, collectors got the chance to purchase horse pins for the first time. The bay Clydesdale with blaze and pink nose and a gray donkey with mealy muzzle and pink tongue were offered as open 1999 editions, with 30 Clydesdales and 29 Donkeys ordered by collectors. Since his release, the Clydesdale has enjoyed two special runs. In 1999, Adalee Velasquez produced 71 Clydesdales in black sabino. Markings vary on this pin, but all feature hand-etched "roaning," handpainted black mane, and a pink nose. The most recent Clydesdale was a special run of eight in palomino, given to OF china/resin champions and reserves in the 2000 Jamboree live show. Not to be outdone by the Clydesdale, the Donkey has also been issued in several special editions. During the second half of 1999, Joan created 53 black-spotted Donkeys to sell at Breyerfest, Jamboree, and other events. These pins vary greatly, from nearly black with large spots, through leopard appaloosa, to almost fleabitten with tiny spots. Truly, each is unique! The Millennium opened with another special run Donkey, this one a gift for the 29 Pour Horse Photo Show entrants. This fellow is brown spotted, with leopard appaloosa type markings and a peach muzzle and tongue. In the spring of 2000, the most recent special run of 30 Donkeys was commissioned and sold to attendees of the Kalamazoo Valley Live show. This one is a gorgeously shaded bay with mealy muzzle, pink tongue, and dark eartips.
All these wonderful pins feature Pour Horse's characteristic attention to detail in a tiny package, and they are well worth collecting. Because most were produced in small numbers and given to avid collectors, Pour Horse pins do not often appear on the secondary market. However, since their audience is small, they generally do not fetch outrageous prices. With luck and persistence, one can fill a jewelry box with tiny and lovely Pour Horses. What is on the horizon for Pour
Horse pins? Rumor has it that the Shaggy Pony will be joined by her foal this year. And
there are still many colors left for Clydesdales, Donkeys, and Ponies. You'll need a
second jewelry box!
article written by Liz Holm WRC pin by Sarah Minkiewicz Arab head pin by Laurie Jo Jensen
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In May of
2000, the newest Pour Horse pin was unveiled at the Bring Out Your Chinas live show.
Sculpted by Adalee Velasquez, the Shaggy Pony head pin features a sweet pony, facing left,
with a lush, swept back mane and plenty of shaggy fur. The BOYC SR of 15 was painted in
bay pinto.
