Most, but not yet all, of our HR horse collection (lots of minis yet to be photographed)!

My sister and I began our HR collection with pieces given to us by our grandmother from her own Monrovia-era collection. I later added another dozen horses when I was in high school by spending all of my summer wages on a collection from a local china dealer. Most of our HR "finds" these days come from eBay, but we have on occassion had the marvelous good luck to find them in antique stores and at flea markets.

Mom's mint Monrovia Bedouin, a super rare piece complete and mint with the original gun, all tassels, and the sticker. It was sculpted by Maureen Love and produced in 1956 only. Mom purchased it from the original owner.

Mom's gorgeous San Marcos Nataf. He stands about 13 inches tall at the ears.

Yankee Girl, our white Monrovia Roan Lady. It may seem like a peculiar name for a southern breed, but she's actually named for the Yankee Girl mine in Colorado which is near the small town where we found her.

Mom has a thing for HR Sespes, something my sister and I happily encourage (heehee). We are lucky enough to have three lovely Monrovia examples. This is Ceres, the lightest of the three.

This is Demeter, the middle Sespe. She has darker ribbons than the other two and the prettiest eye.

And the pièce de résistance, Cinderella (because she's so sooty).

Monrovia Rearing Fez in white.

Our Monrovia Abdullah with a sticker. He's part of a collection that I purchased with my summer earnings one year while I was in high school.

My rose grey Monrovia Small Amir, my most treasured piece from my grandmother's collection.

My Monrovia rose grey Fez. I bought this little guy on eBay to match my Amir, and he's been a terrific show horse for me. (I'm looking for a rose grey Small Zara and Zilla to round out the family.)

Monrovia Small Amir in white.

Monrovia Head Up Arabian (also known as the Turning Arabian due to a long ago mix up at HR) in white with a 1955 Abu Farwa sticker.

My Monrovia Sherif, another piece from Grandma.

My Monrovia Heather in palomino, another treasured piece from my grandma.

Monrovia Heather in glossy brown from the collection I bought in high school. Her sticker is dated 1953, and her eyes are painted in the early style with an eyebrow and white eye gleam.

The matching Scamper to the mare above. I also have a matching Clover, but I don't have a picture of her yet.

A beautifully shaded and hard to find Monrovia white Thunder.

My sister's lovely San Dimas Forever Amber.

And her matching mate Lippitt. My sister purchased both of these Morgans from the same collection.

My sister's Miss Pepper.

A Monrovia White Roughneck from Grandma. He needs a little TLC.

A lovely Monrovia white Mischief.

Mom's best DW HR find ever---a mint Monrovia white Large Honora for $3 in an antique store! She also found a white Roughneck (not the one pictured above) and Clover at the same time for $3 each. It was a banner day to say the least.

I've been a racing enthusiast and Man O' War fangirl all my life, so this Monrovia Man O' War was a must have for me.

Mom's Monrovia Comella in buckskin.

A bog standard but still lovely Monrovia or San Dimas Swaps.

One of my favorite pieces from the collection I bought in high school, a lovely Monrovia glossy bay Pay Day with a 1954 sticker.

A Monrovia glossy palomino Topper from the same collection as Pay Day.

My sister's lovely Two Bits. He has one of the old blue and silver Monrovia stickers on his belly.

Mom's enormous San Marcos glossy buckskin Metalchex. Like Nataf, he is about 13 inches tall at the ears.

A lovely San Dimas Lipizzaner.

Monrovia Sun Cortez in black.

My sister's Wrangler, the first piece she chose from my grandma's collection.

My sister's Maydee, purchased to match Wrangler.

My sister's Rascal, purchased to match Wrangler.

My Monrovia Nancy, probably the oldest piece from my grandma's collection. She is in need of restoration, having been played with by some of my relatives in the 1950s...

A Monrovia Tony who was purchased to match Nancy.

Adelaide, a sweet donkey jenny. She has a flowered hat, but I couldn't find it when I photographed her. This piece was found with the Harry below in an antique mall about 15 years ago.

Harry, one of at least 4 we've found. I don't know why, but DW Harry's seem to be drawn to us when we go junking. (Not that I'm complaining!) And all 4 are different, too.

Mom's glossy Mule. This piece is from the 1980s when the DW line was revived at San Marcos.

One of mom's best china finds---the rare Black Bisque Zebra, only $4 at a flea market.

Monrovia Lady Jane and Son John, some of the first non-equine DW HRs I've acquired. I wanted them for years, and I was thrilled to be able to buy a set finally. Lady Jane still has her 1955 sticker.