WHAT ARE OF AND CM?

You've seen the terms OF and CM in auction postings and are unsure what they actually mean? This guide is designed to help you begin to understand these terms.

DEFINITIONS

• OF translated means ORIGINAL FINISH. This means that the figure is being offered as it was released from the factory -- in its original finish.  Thus, the paint job, positioning and finish coat are as they were made available for retail sale in the original release of the model.

• CM translated means CUSTOM or CUSTOMIZED, or, loosely translated, HAND-DESIGNED. This means that the figure has been modified from its original factory-released version in some way.  Often a repainted model is referred to as CM'd or customized.  A model that has been repositioned or resculpted has been customized.  And tack that is listed as CM means that it is not factory-made or assembly-line product; that the item was individually designed and hand-made..

DO OF or CM GUARANTEE QUALITY?

Not necessarily.  Many times OF models released from the factory are less than live-show perfect.  It's not uncommon for one to find mold or finish flaws in a factory-original model, such as drips, warps, bad seams, fuzzy markings, and sometimes even fingerprints! 

CM pieces do not follow any particular hobby standards and are created at the discretion of the artist or designer.  There are many stunning CM pieces available at any time through eBay and other sources, but there are also many offerings of people just beginning their CM work who are still perfecting their skills and talents.  These pieces may or may not be of show quality and are often left to the purchaser to decide.

Models sometimes have seams and logos removed before painting, and sometimes do not.  Some hobbyists feel that a model is not truly customized if it is only repainted.  Then it would be considered a "repaint."  Customized models are often considered to be those models that have been modified in shape or positioning from the original release.  This can include leg shifting, new manes, tails, faces, all the way up to a model that has been so drastically customized that it no longer has any connection to the original release and may, in fact, be a composite piece of several different models.  These models are occasionally referred to as "drastic customs."

Tack, show props, or dioramas listed as CM mean that they have been hand-designed by someone, and are very often one-of-a-kind creations.  There are many artists in the hobby who have several years' experience behind their offerings and create dazzling pieces of art that truly replicate real horse tack or situations, or are stunning pieces of eye-candy that are simply attractive.  Again, there are up-and-coming artists at the beginning stages of their presentations who may offer pieces that are less than show-perfect, but may still be attractive to buyers.

DO EITHER INDICATE LIVE SHOW QUALITY?

OF and CM terms do not have any relation to Live or Photo Show Quality.  Often a customized piece has had personal attention to the finer details that may set it apart in a show environment.  However, it should not be assumed that this is the case with all customized offerings.  Typically the term "Straight Repaint" is used to indicate that a model has not had it's seams smoothed or factory logo removed, or any potential mold flaws modified.  In this case, the model has been merely painted to look different from the original.

Tack, while often indicated as CM, just as often is not show quality.  For instance, many hand-designed Arabian costumes are offered without a saddle or stirrups, which would not qualify them as show quality in most US model show environments. 

IS A CUSTOM MODEL BETTER THAN AN ORIGINAL FINISH?

Customized pieces are, as any artwork, subjective and totally up to the buyer to decide if it appeals to them or not.

Custom pieces offer originality, exclusivity, differentiation, and often much more detailed pieces than a factory original.  Many times a custom piece has many -- sometimes hundreds -- of manhours into its creation, resulting in such fine detail work that the model literally seems ready to breathe.  It's seldom that assembly-line pieces are able to capture that essence of a well-done, customized model.

Factory original models are typically easier to come by and more affordable.  Exclusivity can be found in limited release factory original models, ranging from releases of one (one-of-a-kind and test models), to 6 or 10 (often Judges' and show Helper models), to 25 (group models) to 50, 100, 150, 200, etc.  Pricing often depends on the number in the run and the popularity of the model.

Hopefully this guide will assist in understanding some of the terms used in model horse hobby postings.

For more model horse terminology, please click here:  What Are LSQ & PSQ?