Customizing Mountain Boys...?

[MidnightFireflies]

In NO WAY am I trying to be mean. But I found 2 auctions on ebay for a customized fireball and a customized ice crystal. I think they are both BEAUTIFUL so don't get me wrong. The artist has such GREAT TALENT. But I thought you weren't supposed to customize ponies like that no matter what condition they are in? It's just a question. I am not trying to offend ANYONE. And I think their work is GORGEOUS. =)

[Varkolak]

i saw those earlier today, they looked pretty!
but i think it depends on what condition the pony was in before they started? i don't think i'd restore or bait one even if it were bald and full of splotchy cancer spots, but everyone's got their own opinion. at least they made it look really pretty!!

Post Merge: February 15, 2012, 10:10:49 PM

maybe he started out as a steamer? and they just made him into a fireball

[PinkRosedust]

Thankfully the Ice Crystal looks like he used to be another boy, but for the other one, I think he actually was a Fireball. 

It is kind of understood that you don't use a rare pony like a Mountain Boy as a bait, sort of an unwritten rule. It makes me personally really upset to see that one has been used (if that is indeed the case). So many collectors would have loved him just as he was. Obviously none of us could stop someone from doing what they want with their ponies even if we wanted to, but I dunno. This sort of thing just makes me really sad...I admit that I don't really like seeing any G1 boy used as bait, but I'd rather see a Big Brother than a Mountain Boy.

[Princess-Sparkles]

Thankfully the Ice Crystal looks like he used to be another boy, but for the other one, I think he actually was a Fireball. 

It is kind of understood that you don't use a rare pony like a Mountain Boy as a bait, sort of an unwritten rule. It makes me personally really upset to see that one has been used (if that is indeed the case). So many collectors would have loved him just as he was. Obviously none of us could stop someone from doing what they want with their ponies even if we wanted to, but I dunno. This sort of thing just makes me really sad...I admit that I don't really like seeing any G1 boy used as bait, but I'd rather see a Big Brother than a Mountain Boy.

This is my exact thoughts.

I'd love a mountain boy one day so that fact that one got customized is sad, but yeah it's their po y to do what they want with it....

[Varkolak]

would it be worth more if someone got it and just cleaned its paint off that they put on it?

[Snapdragon]

I ... cringe at those posts. ALWAYS. Mountain Boys are pretty dang rare, so they must have gotten them from a car boot sale or something, for them to be cheap enough to be worth baiting. But still! It's like people who wreck vintage toys for Etsy sales or art - you might have gotten more money for the thing as it originally was, and you're just going to have collectors face-palming at it, to boot.

[cesprins]

I ... cringe at those posts. ALWAYS. Mountain Boys are pretty dang rare, so they must have gotten them from a car boot sale or something, for them to be cheap enough to be worth baiting. But still! It's like people who wreck vintage toys for Etsy sales or art - you might have gotten more money for the thing as it originally was, and you're just going to have collectors face-palming at it, to boot.

My thoughts exactly.

[Noasar]

Oh dear...I think that unfortunately a lot of the popularity of FiM has led to more and more people taking up customising as a hobby. Which isn't a bad thing. But a lot of non-collectors either don't know or don't care about the value or rarity of some ponies, hence why rare ponies are getting ruined.

I really hope somebody buys them, removes the paint and restores them.

[Calico_Star]

Oh man. Instances like this are so hard. On one hand, I hate seeing ANY G1 customized, but especially as rare and expensive a pony as a mountain boy? Big big no-no. WHY don't people research the value of ponies before they strip off their symbols and yank out their hair? Really, how long does it take to type in the pony's name on ebay and see what kind of prices they go for? She obviously knew the ponies' names... I'm reminded of a recent auction with a completely ruined Mimic in it...same issue.

On the other hand, those customs are pretty. The paintwork is really nicely done, and the hair blends are  nice. The artist obviously put a lot of care into the creation of those two customs. If I were their creator, I'd be heartbroken to know that the two ponies I worked hard on were bought simply to have my work destroyed so they could be customized again-- back to their original state. I'd be so sad to know that they weren't actually loved or appreciated at all for the effort I put into them.

The damage is already done. Those ponies will never be original again, and since they are well-done customs, I hope whoever buys them leaves them as they are and enjoys them that way. I wouldn't be able to feel good about having a custom like that in my collection. It'd make me sad to look at him. But hopefully someone will be able to appreciate them for what they are and not let the knowledge of what they were detract from that. And at the same time, I really REALLY hope more people will start putting more time into researching the ponies they're defacing so that issues like this don't come up...This whole situation makes me sad

[DemureGirl]

Just looked them up, couldn't believe someone would customise Mountain boys
They are gorgeous, the paintwork on them is beautiful. The fireball is definately a fireball but I think that the ice crystal is a salty rather than a genuine ice crystal. He is missing freckles and has blush.

[Princess-Sparkles]

Oh man. Instances like this are so hard. On one hand, I hate seeing ANY G1 customized, but especially as rare and expensive a pony as a mountain boy? Big big no-no. WHY don't people research the value of ponies before they strip off their symbols and yank out their hair? Really, how long does it take to type in the pony's name on ebay and see what kind of prices they go for? She obviously knew the ponies' names... I'm reminded of a recent auction with a completely ruined Mimic in it...same issue.

On the other hand, those customs are pretty. The paintwork is really nicely done, and the hair blends are  nice. The artist obviously put a lot of care into the creation of those two customs. If I were their creator, I'd be heartbroken to know that the two ponies I worked hard on were bought simply to have my work destroyed so they could be customized again-- back to their original state. I'd be so sad to know that they weren't actually loved or appreciated at all for the effort I put into them.

The damage is already done. Those ponies will never be original again, and since they are well-done customs, I hope whoever buys them leaves them as they are and enjoys them that way. I wouldn't be able to feel good about having a custom like that in my collection. It'd make me sad to look at him. But hopefully someone will be able to appreciate them for what they are and not let the knowledge of what they were detract from that. And at the same time, I really REALLY hope more people will start putting more time into researching the ponies they're defacing so that issues like this don't come up...This whole situation makes me sad

And this is my exact thoughts too.

[Malicieuse]

They even listed them as mountain boys so that's just..yeah. They bothered looking up what ponies they were but didn't bump into the value?
I also have to disagree, i don't think those customs look that great/amazing.
The fact they could have used any other pony makes me cringe.

[zora]

i would ALWAYS try to restore such rare and expensive ponies.

[Aflame]

i have customised g1s but only bait common ones i have customised 4 boys out of the familys that a freind gave me that had no tails and buzz cuts i turned one in to a spike pony that james marsters signed and one in to a christmas partner for merry treat  xaflamex       

[Pythia]

Firebaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall. Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Neither of them look like they have any cancer - thought if their symbols were pretty much entirely gone, AND their hair was really bad/gone, there probably wouldn't be much difference in doing a 'restore' and a custom anyway, I guess. But they both look in such good condition underneath the custom paint it's hard to know - it'd upset me if they were in good nick.

Also, price. WTF. I'm pretty sure even a pretty baity Fireball or Icey would go for more than 7 pounds.