Ugly ponies?

[banditpony]

I think the question at hand is if people display baits -- why is that. I'm kinda curious too. I never really displayed baits when I had them.

I'm at the point I've collected for so long, that most things have been upgraded to a great condition. Not mint or perfect, because I don't believe in mint. But then again, my collection is pretty curated... so it's easy to do with smaller numbers.

The baity-est pony that I have displayed is my childhood Truly. I have a great condition Truly I wish I could just replace her with, but then I don't know what I'd do with my childhood one. I ended up donating the rest of my childhood collection a few years back.. I don't know if I can do it with the last remaining pony. x_x I probably could do that if I had a dear and close friend who collected ponies that I could entrust her with, but... :/ I don't really have pony friends.

I find this discussion better then "what pony do YOU think is ugly" (which tends to be ponies I really like, and that makes me sad). I think it could of been worded a tiny bit better, as the way it has been worded has stepped on toes. People always have different reasons for collecting -- and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as someone else said here.

[Firecracker]

A while back I had a g3 port o bella who was baity.  A little frizz in her hair, and covered in marker.  She was my absolute favorite, I loved the patterning she had from the different marker colors!
Of ponies I've moved on she's the one I miss the most.  Beauty is really in the eye of the beholder, everyone has different tastes.

[KottonKandy]

First things first! Let's tweak that a bit, ok

Those who have baity ponies on display or MOC ponies intact in yellowed packaging how can that not bother you? The reason I like to collect ponies (or toys in general) is to be able to look at what I would consider pretty things. But if it's in bad condition it's not pretty at all. not my preference

Ok so...Oof

Opinions are not fact.

It's startling to see someone judge people and their collections so harshly based solely on looks along with the assumption that everyone has the exact same taste as you....individuality does exist.

Honestly, and as respectfully as is possible in this situation,  the same could be asked of you... why do you bother collecting if you have no real connection or nostalgia for the items? It's just a bunch of pastel plastic horses on a shelf. You could just as easily look at photographs of them and get the same empty validation since there's no true meaning to your vapid material collection.
See how judge-y and rude that sounded?
So ya, let's try to understand our differences in opinions.

Like, I understand where you're coming from, I really do. Who doesn't love a beautiful minty MLP  ? I can empathize with you and your thought process there, and that's because I realize the entire world doesn't revolve around me and my personal ideals alone. You gotta try to put yourself into other folks' shoes. A lot of us grew up with MLP and quite a few of us still have our childhood ponies. In my case alone, those ~nOt PrEtTy ponies have been with me for almost 32 years of my life. I look at them, I remember all the fun I had with them. And when I get a random "baity" pony in a lot on eBay, I again think about what all adventures she may have gone thru. She meant something to some kid out there and I respect that greatly. Also I ~LOVE~ doing restorations so I sometimes purposely get some TLC lots, hehe  That's another facet of MY reasons behind collecting. Restoration means I get to actually do something with them other than just look at them and I enjoy it greatly!

Anyways,
Everyone in the world is unique to some degree and you just gotta understand that. That may actually be what you're attempting to do in this thread, but the OP just comes off as very snide. I almost skipped over it bc I've had an exhausting day and just thought I was being overly sensitive and reading too much into it until I saw the other posts that felt the same way.


And that was a massive post 



TL;DR is basically everyone's different and that's pretty cool 

[Wardah]

I'm sorry if I worded it wrong since I sometimes forget that for some people they still have their childhood toys and that they want to hold on to them for sentimental reasons. I totally understand that is a good reason to hold onto well loved ponies. If I still had my childhood LPS I would probably feel the same way about them. I was more referring to about how some people are against customization of G1s even if they are in really sad condition and against opening MOCs even if the bubble is in really bad condition and the pony would actually look better off the card. While I feel such things give new life to something that looked tragic.

[goddessofpeep]

Collectors can collect for different reasons, and they can collect and display their collections differently.  Some people are mint collectors and only want mint items, but that’s not every collector.  Some people like to display their well-loved childhood or gift ponies.  Some people like ponies that have had a “full life”, and enjoy the idea of giving these ponies a good home where they can be appreciated.  I remember there used to be an online “pony rescue”  where the site owner would collect bait ponies, and then post her collection pictures online for everyone to see.  She’d make up stories for some of them like an animal rescue site.  I always thought  that was a lovely way to respect a toy that obviously brought a lot of joy over the years. 

[poniesthatsparkle]

I'm not a super picky collector. In fact, a lot of my G1s would probably be considered bait by a lot of other collectors. But I think these ponies deserve just as much love. Not all ponies need to be restored or customized. These "ugly" baity ponies have been well-loved, and sometimes it's nice to see that kind of wear and tear on an old toy.

People collect for different reasons, and everyone has their own preferences. A lot of people want to preserve ponies, regardless of their condition. Some people don't want to open a beat up MOC pony because, well, it's not like we're getting any more of those. Same goes for any old generation pony. What's out there is all we've got, so we might as well do our best to preserve them for as long as we can. These old toys are kinda like a time machine.

[brightberry]

More than half of my collection are childhood ponies.  I don’t want to replace them.  New ones wouldn’t be as meaningful to me.  I also enjoy seeing them. So on display they go.

I don’t have a problem with people restoring ponies.  If I were buying online, I’d probably lean towards a good restore over “natural”.  However, even baity ponies have their appeal. I like seeing those too. They’re a part of history and it’s been written on them.

[Taffeta]

Collectors can collect for different reasons, and they can collect and display their collections differently.  Some people are mint collectors and only want mint items, but that’s not every collector.  Some people like to display their well-loved childhood or gift ponies.  Some people like ponies that have had a “full life”, and enjoy the idea of giving these ponies a good home where they can be appreciated.  I remember there used to be an online “pony rescue”  where the site owner would collect bait ponies, and then post her collection pictures online for everyone to see.  She’d make up stories for some of them like an animal rescue site.  I always thought  that was a lovely way to respect a toy that obviously brought a lot of joy over the years. 

I am not sure if it's the same thing you're referencing, but my sister had (still has actually) a sanctuary of ponies she rescued as a kid from the carboot sale as a kind of sanctuary. They went up on the website, they all had bios and stuff. It may be that you're thinking of. If so, the ponies are still rescued

As for the opening a faded MOC, from my personal perspective, I think it's one of the most destructive things you can do to open any MOC item. I look at this as a historian, bearing in mind that's my academic training, and it's the same to me as if you were to excavate a roman site and decide you don't like that some of the mosaics are crumbling so you decide to take the mosaic apart so you can see all the individual tiles, completely losing the sense of what the whole once was.

I can see why people would open a MOC that was going mouldy because that's a different matter. But a yellowed card MOC...nope. The thing is that (again, for me as a historian), I know there are limited numbers especially of MOC items from here in the UK. Some no longer exist. The idea anyone would decard ANY UK packaged MOC pony gives me chills because it quite possibly could be the last existing example.

MOC ponies give you information not just on how the pony was packaged and sold but also accessory variations between regions and releases, backcard stories, etc etc etc. They're not just "things" on shelves to look pretty- at least, maybe to some people, but not to me.

And for me as well, as someone else said, getting a MOC example of a childhood well loved pony is also a target for me. Some I won't ever get because either they're too expensive or as far as I know none have been found to survive (I'm thinking of Fireball and Thundercloud right now). I am still looking for Rainbow Magic, who is super precious to me but of which I only know of one surviving MOC example, total.

Taking someone else's grail away because you decided it doesn't look pretty on your shelf makes no sense to me. That's what ebay is for. Selling something you don't find pretty to someone who treasures it is a good thing...and raises money for you to buy that pretty thing for your shelf.

So yeah, ultimately, my mantra is do no harm. Do no harm to existing MLP stuff, do no harm to other people's hopes and grail aims, do no harm overall.

[milkywaymochi]

I think there's a lot of value to be had in "baity" ponies. (And not just because they're generally easier on the wallet) giving a damaged pony down on its luck a safe new home and restoring them to their former glory is hugely rewarding, and an extremely important part of my overall experience as a collector.

But even more important, it's serves to remind us that these ponies are, in fact, toys. They weren't originally conceived as collectors items, they were for little girls all over the world who loved pastel ponies. I love looking at some of my ponies and thinking about how once upon a time, they were someone's beloved childhood toy. For example, my princess Serena has the initials J.A.D.E on her hooves in neon pink marker. It makes me think about all the fun 'Jade' must have had with her. Maybe she put her name on Serena's hooves so she wouldn't get mixed up with a friend's herd? Maybe now she's in her 30s or 40s, and she sometimes wonders what became of her ponies?

If nothing else, remember that most 'flaws' such as pony cancer and yellowing are purely the result of ageing plastic. Give it ten years, and your mint ponies might be in the exact same state.

[RLisa]

This is an interesting discussion and I agree with others, in particular with milkywaymochi.

The reason it is not bothering me is because ponies were mostly sold as toys to be played with. It makes sense that they are not in perfect condition anymore and I don't expect every pony in my collection to be perfect. When I choose to display a pony with flaws, I want to show that the pony was a beloved toy once and is now a beloved pony in my collection. Seeing a bait pony also shows their (sometimes long) history and also how unique that pony is.

Now for people who don't want to customize or restore ponies, I guess it depends on what can be considered to be a really sad condition. Personally a few pen marks and spots are okay for me, but a pony without any hair would be a good restoration project IMO.
So maybe I also have some ponies on display that others find to be in a very sad condition? I think everyone has their own standards for what is a flawed but displayable pony, or for a bait pony who could use some restoration before displaying.

In addition, I think it's important to consider that not every collector has the time, skills, or resources to start a restoration or customization project. For example, I don't have all the right tools for rehearing but that doesn't mean I will pass on ponies with a haircut that I find pretty to display.

[slyons]

I am one of those collectors and the reason I would do display "bait" ponies is because it's all I could aquire/afford.

Knowing I have achieved a collecting goal by obtaining a certain set of ponies I wanted, may mean one of them is in not such mint condition. 

All of my childhood ponies and ponies I have bought over the years grace my display shelf in the used condition of having been played with and enjoyed as a toy for many years.  Am I happy that my childhood Confetti is more brown than white? My once mint orange Partytime is blotchy pink? Not really, but being on this forum had taught me that every pony is still a pony that deserves love.

We are all collecting the same (for the most part) 35+ plastic toys, with only a few left in pristine condition.  There is simply not enough minty versions of the same pony for all of us to have.

I would gratefully display a bait Rapunzel on my shelf given the chance.  Lord knows I'll never be able to collect a mint original.

[Leave a Whisper]

I've got two ponies with names on them. A very pretty Skydancer I bought from a kind soul here, whose childhood owner has Erin written on the bottom of her hoof.

And a Toola Roola I bought at the swapmeet for my birthday with braid-wavy hair that won't straighten and who has all kindsa marks and the name Samantha something written on her butt. My kiddo called it a tramp stamp, and I thought it was funny. I ended up keeping her instead of trading her because I liked her so much, and she's pretty and will be a reminder of a fun day out with my daughter.

[Minty_Magic]

I am also someone who keeps and displays “bait” ponies. Most of my collection was found second hand in thrift stores over the years. About half of my ponies are childhood ponies I never sold. I like the thrill of hunt, and there’s a chance you might find a bunch of ponies for cheap. Their condition bothered me at one point in time, because I felt like my collection was somehow “less” for not being near mint. Over time I came to appreciate their markings and chopped hair, it gave them a personality that was unique to them! Some of my regrind and spotty ponies have grown to be favorites in my collection now, because they have become one of a kind in a way. For me, my ponies are not just to look at, they serve as inspiration for me when I’m doing art and they just cheer me up!

As others have said, time will wear down even the mintiest pony anyway. I know I have a few where when I bought them they looked fresh off the card, but now their plastic is starting to deteriorate in one way or another, even though I try to keep them in good condition. Taffeta brings up a good point about the yellowed cards as well, they really may be the last example of the pony on the card!

There are a lot of great examples and stories in here of why baits deserve love too. It makes me happy there are so many collectors who will take in a less than perfect pony and give them a loving home!

[Taffeta]

A lot of my childhood ponies still have my initials on their hooves, but some it's faded off and I find it a bit sad that it's gone xD I know that's odd but the fact they had my name on meant two of them that went astray when I was a kid got back home safely

I have zero problem with kid names on hooves, and I also wonder about the adventures the pony had in the past life wherever they lived. Especially if it was in another country, which I may never visit. For example all my US obtained ponies who lived their US childhoods with US kids and then came to live with me in the UK. It's pretty cool to think about that.

I don't restore ponies. I can reroot just fine. I don't do it. I don't have a problem with someone else doing it if the pony needs restoring, but I won't buy a restored/rerooted pony unless I am looking to buy a custom of some kind because to me rerooting and repainting is always customisation. I understand that this is a bit of a binary perspective, especially given that there are sometimes grounds for restoration rather than full scale remake - but the historian in me dictates this again and I will not remove or replace something original to the pony.

There is only one pony in my collection that is an exception to the above rule, and that's Greek baby Bluebelle who came to me with no eyes. PKW painted new ones for her beautifully. I bought Baby B because she had no eyes with the intention of getting her repaired, but the trade off for me is that even though she now looks beautiful, she's no longer original and I see her as a semi-custom. I wouldn't ever sell her or even try to because of this.

[Esbayne]

I agree with others, that baity does not always been ugly to me! Infact, usually the opposite! I love all ponies, I don't discriminate, lol. As far as ponies covered in pen marks, missing body parts, those I do agree would be better to customize, but who am I to say? Ones in my herd would be, but not in others' and that's fine!

I also agree with the yellow bubbles, it would look better to open them up and maybe display them separately so the pony isn't ruined (but keep the card! Like Taf said those are really cool pieces of history) but that is just my opinion! (And luckily for MOC collectors, I am not one so I won't be doing that! lol )

I personally have a lot of "baity" ones that hang out in my personal collection. Especially G3s because I thrift them so much! Mostly a lot of haircuts with them, but a lot of the time I like the funky looks it leaves them with! Little bobs, funky mohawks... There's a few it looks so good on! A couple with some scuffs.

As others have said, they are toys. I have personally always found it a little odd to obsess on getting absolute perfection with them, even with newer store bought toys! (I totally got wonky eye placement, but things like "These seams are much too large, it looks unprofessional." "These stitches are slightly too visible." especially with dolls and stuff, they will never look perfect, they are not made like collector's items!) But especially with older toys, where some of the ponies are older than even some of us collecting them! They have had their own lives and stories as well, not a lot of them made it out without some battle scars, as others have said! I like embracing the "battle scars," I think it makes them interesting. Some of mine have their own and interesting stories to go with them, I wish my 2nd hand ones could tell me about theirs.

I also agree with not replacing childhood ponies. It would never be the same.