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Author Topic: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG  (Read 5507 times)

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Offline pinkkittywinks

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MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« on: May 25, 2018, 03:50:22 PM »
MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight on Happy Tail Variants by LadyG!

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Perhaps one of the more unusual inclusions in the Nirvana forum are the Happy Tail variants. Only found in the UK, though made in China, they appear to be more like factory seconds than variants in their own right. Frequently, they also appear as a mish-mash of ponies as heads and bodies were mixed and matched. This particular spotlight will take a look at all the Happy Tail variants, whether it be only a head or body or the whole thing. This does mean that there will be some crossover with the variant princess spotlight, since the Happy Tails sometimes borrowed body parts from their royal counterparts.

The existence of Happy Tail variants was first noted by Taffeta and Reaperfox in the late 1990s, both UK members of the MLP community. At this time, much less was known about variants and their distribution. The one in Taffeta’s possession was christened ‘Bobbie’ (note the ‘ie’ rather than the ‘y’ or ‘i’ often used), and the name kind of stuck, even though she was never sold under this name. ‘Bobbie’ is still used to refer to the Tall Tails variants. The other early ones known about were named ‘Princess Woosie’ and ‘Hex’. Princess Woosie comes from the fact that she has lavender Woosie’s body and Princess Amethyst’s head (from the German version no less!), while Hex is a nickname from Reaperfox that can still be found in some circles for the Squeezer variant(s).

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NB. The tail was already gone in the Romper one!

Although some are ‘whole ponies’ as it were, others do have mismatched heads/bodies, which always seem to belong to princess ponies, either first or second edition. Generally, it is a Happy Tails body and a Princess head, like with Princess Woosie or Princess Tabby, however there also exists a Princess Moondust body with a Tall Tales head. This particular pony doesn’t look like one of the Happy Tails variants, until you squeeze her head and realise it is very definitely squishy!

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Both pictures used with kind permission of pinkkittywinks

Princess Woosie perhaps deserves a special mention. Although a variant in her own right, she is actually a variant of a variant of a variant. *counts on fingers * Or something. She is originally based off Lavender Woosie, a US issue variant who is unusual enough in herself! Although she does not normally come under the Nirvana heading, she is a legitimate variant. She was sold in the same box as the normal green Woosie, but is much harder to find. The head on Princess Woosie is from a Princess Sparkle/Amethyst, with a pale pink mane and silver tinsel. The tail is white and has tri-coloured tinsel. This is the most common version of Princess Woosie, however, there is also one with a glow in the dark mane, though the tail is teal. The only other MLP with glow in the dark hair are a couple of other princess variants, which will be covered in another spotlight.

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Lavender Woosie used with kind permission of pinkkittywinks and Princess Woosie #1 used with kind permission of BridgetsMum

The glow in the dark hair is very similar in consistency and colour to Moondreamer hair, which were also made by Hasbro. This would tie in with the theory that Hasbro used leftover parts to create the Happy Tail and Princess variants (more detail on that later).

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Apologies for the pic above – I only have one Moondreamer! I did attempt to take one of them glowing in the dark, but it didn’t work very well 

There is also a fair variety of hair colours on the Happy Tails variants generally. Bobbie is a very good example of this. Although she is usually found with pink (or faded to white) hair, there also exist versions with blue hair, which are much rarer. Mane and tail colours do not always match (sometimes are very different), and the tails have a tendency to be quite thin at times.

Happy tails variants can also be found both with or without symbols.

What ponies are there?

Five of the Happy Tail ponies have variants in one form or another, a number are listed below:

Tall Tales – ‘Bobbie’ – Bobbie with pink/white hair and no symbol; Bobbie with pink hair and pink symbol; Bobbie with blue hair, Princess Moonbob (Princess Moondust’s body and Bobbie’s head).

Squeezer – ‘Hex’ – Hex with pink hair, no symbols; Hex with white hair, blue tail and yellow symbol; Hex with white hair, dark blue tail and no symbol

Tabby – ‘Princess Tabby’ – Tabby’s body and Princess Ruby/Primrose’s head with white hair and blue/gold tinsel, no symbol

Woosie – ‘Princess Woosie’ – Lavender Woosie’s body and Amethyst’s head with coral mane and white tail, both with tinsel, pink symbol; Lavender Woosie’s body and Amethyst’s head with glow in the dark mane and teal tail, pink symbol; Lavender Woosie’s body and Amethyst’s head with coral mane with tinsel and pink tail, pink symbol; Lavender Woosie’s body and Amethyst’s head with blue/green mane with tinsel and greenish tail; Lavender Woosie (yellow hair and pink symbol, has mechanism).

Romper – Romper with pink hair and symbol; Romper with pink hair and no symbol

I have yet to see any variants of Tossles, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any out there. The Princess Woosies and Bobbies tend to be the most common variations, though they are also the most recognisable.

Where were they sold?

These gals are only to be found in the UK. Any that appear elsewhere have been bought in the UK and then taken there.

The only really reliable information on what shops they were sold in comes from Reaperfox, who bought hers as a child in a factory seconds/rejects store in Southampton in the 1980s. In is reasonable to assume that others were sold like this, and perhaps all.

My own personal theory on the reason why they appear is that Hasbro UK bought up all the odds and ends of ponies left at the factories for cheap, and stuck them together as best they could, which would account for the number of mismatched ponies, and also the wide variety in hair colours. Those with and without symbols would have come from different parts of the process. All the Happy Tails variants would have been rejects by virtue of having no tail mechanism – perhaps it was before they realised the hole would need to be larger or something. They might not have the mechanism, but they were still valid ponies! This is supported by what we know about the packaging. *since this spotlight was written a MIB Bobbie has been found.

How were they sold?

Again, there isn’t an awful lot of information about how they were sold. Reaperfox recalls hers being bought in legitimate Hasbro boxes, with unusual pamphlets showing ponies that were never sold in the UK. This information is corroborated by the existence of an MIB variant princess, a set of ponies whose existence seems tied to that of the Happy Tail variants. This princess variant is a Princess Amber, but she was sold in Princess Sparkle’s box, and came with a bushwoolie, which were not sold in the UK through standard channels. Also note that the box was American as well. It seems most likely that Hasbro used whatever was left over from the packaging of ordinary ponies, thereby leaving scope for both correct and incorrect boxes.

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MIB Princess picture taken from the original auction won by BabyKittenCandy

It is also possible, though by no means confirmed, that some were sold in plastic bags, like the excess MO ponies were over here. These were sold off cheap as well (see the price sticker on the below picture stating £1.50). At this point in time, however, this suggestion is mere conjecture and we have no information to either confirm or deny.

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How much do they cost?

The Happy Tails variants are at times hard to price. Although Princess Woosie and Bobbie are the most common(!) of the Happy Tail variants, they are also the most recognisable and the most sought after, which means they will frequently go higher than the less obvious, such as Hex or the Romper variants.

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Picture used with kind permission of pinkkittywinks

In general, the Happy Tails variants generally go between $20 and $80. If it’s one of the harder to find versions and enough collectors spot them, however, it would not be unreasonable for them to go higher. Fewer people seem to go after these than certain other variants.

Trivia
- Woosie has at least five known variants (including one with a mechanism)
- One Tall Tales was found MIB in a Princess box, she has no mane, three brushes (oh the, irony) and a princess hat.
- Squeezer I also know as Hex
- Reaperfox's 'Bobbie' was known as Syntax Error
- Taffeta was also responsible for the naming of Greek Ladybird Pony

Useful weblinks:

MLPArena Nirvana Gallery: http://mlparena.com/archive/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=349059

Taffeta’s site on the UK issue of MLP: http://www.etherella.com/scrapbook/

My extra special thanks go to pinkkittywinks, Reaperfox, Taffeta and BridgetsMum for their brilliant assistance with both information and pics :bigups:

A big thank you got Shelti  :missy: who saved each of the spotlights. This spotlight was first published on 14 February 2007.

Please respect the Nirvana Spotlights and the MLParena and do not take pictures or information for use on eBay, personal sales or webpages. The Nirvana Spotlights were kindly written and donated to the MLParena by members for use here only.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2018, 09:15:35 AM by pinkkittywinks »
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Offline Safflower

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2018, 06:57:53 PM »
This was so interesting!!! What does the MIB Bobbie look like? Has any information changed because of this find? (Lol I feel Like I'm writing questions like this is a school assignment... hope you don't mind!) OT, but imagine if we had to write essays about this stuff!
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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2018, 06:52:53 AM »
The text says Princess Woosie came with German Princess Amethysts head, but her hair is too light pink for that, imo. Or did I get anything wrong?

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2018, 09:11:56 AM »
Safflower I have a picture somewhere on my PC.

Tiara that slipped by when I reread the spotlight! (I’ve been going through and updating each spotlight, but I sometimes miss stuff)  The hair is indeed pale pink with silver tinsel, so not German.

Love pkw xxx
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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2018, 09:43:08 AM »
This isn’t my picture but I saved it from a eBay auction a few years back. This particular Bobbie was losing its mane?
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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2018, 09:56:37 AM »
I *think* that's the one I have pictures of, Reaperfox took her to PonyCon and I got some pictures of her.

Nope, it's worse, she has no mane what so ever, not even plug holes. The factory given her a "comb over" using her tail and top top it off she has THREE brushes :lmao:

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2018, 10:11:44 AM »
I *think* that's the one I have pictures of, Reaperfox took her to PonyCon and I got some pictures of her.

Nope, it's worse, she has no mane what so ever, not even plug holes. The factory given her a "comb over" using her tail and top top it off she has THREE brushes :lmao:

Love pkw xxx
Haha she matches my blue haired one with no mane then haha!!
I remember there was another one that had a dragon in the box?

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2018, 12:14:03 PM »
I love Princess Woosie!!  She is so cute!   ^.^

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2018, 12:39:15 PM »
I *think* that's the one I have pictures of, Reaperfox took her to PonyCon and I got some pictures of her.

Nope, it's worse, she has no mane what so ever, not even plug holes. The factory given her a "comb over" using her tail and top top it off she has THREE brushes :lmao:

Love pkw xxx
Haha she matches my blue haired one with no mane then haha!!
I remember there was another one that had a dragon in the box?

Indeed! :lmao:

I know there is another MIB, but I don't remember the dragon.

Love pkw xxx
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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2018, 05:47:18 AM »
I think I've only seen the MIB one Sel has in person (at ponycon also, though I feel like I've seen it a couple of times..?) I remember commenting on the British humour of a bald pony with three hair accessories ;)

I can't remember if she was also in Aquamarine's box but that sounds familiar...

There was another one on ebay a while back (maybe the one photographed here?) but the seller decided to debox her to take better pictures -.-

Otherwise I am not aware of any others.

I know the Princess ones sometimes come in US boxes but I think I've only seen Bobbie in UK Princess boxes.

I was also going to comment on the hair on Princess W but Tiara beat me to it. Definitely not the same shade at all.

I've never heard of one with a dragon but it doesn't mean one doesn't exist. This is still a really grey area of pony info and MIB ones are so scarce. I've seen princesses with bushwoolies and a mix of 2nd year accessories (comb, ribbon, etc) but I've not seen Bobbie with a dragon. Putting her in the UK box though means it's not impossible that one did have this at some point...

I remember Sel had Hex, Syntax Error (aka Bobbie) and Princess Woosie from new but I am not sure even when I saw them at her place 20 years ago whether she remembered then what they came with...technically she discovered Bobbie too and Syntax Error is a much better name - but because I had the website at the time, Bobbie's the name that caught on. I feel I should say that as I feel a little guilty ;) the person who first discovered and mentioned these variants was her, not me. I just publicised hers on my site after seeing them in person 20 years ago (with her permission) and then Bobbie's name came later when I had my own one...
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Offline pinkkittywinks

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2018, 01:54:38 PM »
I think Sel brought it to PonyCon at least once, I've still not tracked down the pictures I took. I think it was a UK Princess Box, possibly Princess Aquamarine :) it's the Princess variant that's in the US box.

Quote
There was another one on ebay a while back (maybe the one photographed here?) but the seller decided to debox her to take better pictures -.-

I think that's the one BabyDoll owns, I'm sure there was a thread on the pony, but I can't find it right now.

I've corrected the error in the spotlight ;) I still can't believe it slipped under my radar

Love pkw xxx
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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2018, 03:18:04 PM »
Interestingly the Wiki proves me to be completely wrong vis a vis the UK box for Bobbie. There are a couple of examples of her with US Princess boxes.

http://mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Tall_Tales

But the reason this is interesting is that these have the predominately year 2 Princess accessories (in year 1 boxes) whereas the ones in the UK boxes seem far more arbitrary and far less blessed in the hair department. That's definitely Taffeta's wand...and Pristina's clip? I would have to check on the comb and ribbon but that kind of mishmash in accessories matches the loose stuff I got with one of my variant Princess Ambers (albeit without the crown clip).

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2018, 05:40:29 AM »
I have had a look on my PC and I cannot seem to find the pictures I took of Reaperfox's MIB Bobbie, I only have the auction pictures (yet I *know* I took some pictures at PonyCon)

Ebay auction pictures of Reaperfox's Bobbie

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BabyDoll's MIB Bobbie with 2nd edition Princess accessories :) again this is an eBay picture.

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Love pkw xxx
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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #13 on: May 30, 2018, 11:41:13 AM »
That was a good read  :) I enjoyed that.

I bought two varients - one Happy Tails and one Princess - new from a TRU in south London, on two separate occasions. I remember that in particular because, both times, my mum was very offhand about me buying 'funny' ponies - ones she didn't think were real ones - and actually naming one of them 'Costalot' because she was convinced it was a waste of money as it was 'not a real pony', despite being in a proper box. My princess even came with a bushwoolie, which was what made her sure it couldn't be real, as neither of us had ever seen one until that time.

We both know better now, of course!
Thank you *wyvernchick* for my lovely avvie!

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Re: MLPArena Nirvana Spotlight: Happy Tails Variants by LadyG
« Reply #14 on: May 30, 2018, 12:14:59 PM »
I remember you telling me this and bringing one when we met up in Manchester :)

Coastalot!!!!!! That is brilliant, do you remember which pony was Costalot? :lmao:

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