Some New Vintage Sticker Arrivals

I'm supposed to be downsizing but here we are! I cannot resist a mint condition vintage model with an equally mint large blue ribbon sticker so I just had to grab this fabulous Shetland Pony when she popped up for sale. I have said it before but I especially love the large blue ribbons with the model name.

As you would imagine, it is tough to find these stickers in nice conditon. The large stickers were produced roughly 1969-71 which makes them well over 50 years old now. At the time of course many were taken off or the models were played with and the stickers were worn out. Today, the paper of the stickers has become brittle and the glue is crumbling so if they've survived this long it's still very easy to damage them. So finding them still this nice is always a thrill

The other thing you will often see is that the lettering has faded - I'm not sure if it's from handling or the sun or something else, but I've had a few where the sticker itself is really nice but the writing is barely legible anymore. My red roan lying down foal is an example of this (and I've had some even worse over the years). That's why I always also love to find the ones with bright lettering too.

This is me being suuuuper picky and I do think finding even the remnants of a sticker after all these years is pretty darn cool.

This lovely QH Gelding also arrived this week. I bought him at the end of last year but he had to make his way from across the country and it's a tough time of year for the post office! His sticker isn't quite as nice but still very very good. The first thing to go is always the little lacey edge and most of them will be losing some of the edges by now.

I've had a few models where the sticker has just fallen right off while they're sitting on my shelf because the glue has finally given up (although that has been just small stickers so far, which are older and have less surface to stick). I'm on the hunt for a safe archival glue I can use to reaffix them and also maybe help restick down some edges like on my new QHG. The last thing I would want to do though is use a glue that could damage the sticker or the model so I haven't done anything yet.