Custom made accessories? How to tell that is not real?

[BabyBlueRibbon]

Hi all.   I liiiiiive  Back from not being on the boards for a very long time (several years).

As someone who is stepping back into this pony world again, I was browsing Etsy.

Some of these custom accessory items are truly amazing replicas of the real thing.

For example, this is a CUSTOM wand:

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Hats off to the seller of this (which is not me). However, I am wondering how could someone tell this is NOT actually the Hasbro version later on for selling or trading?

There are several other things on Etsy that look like great replicas too. I just happened to post this one.

In the future, I would not want folks to be be duped thinking that they have the real version, when it is a custom version instead.

Thoughts?   

[Mewtwofan1]

This has always been a wee bit of a struggle for me. As much as I would love reproduction/fanmade of the harder to find bits and bobs...I think there should be an identifying detail. Like a tiny stamp or embossed thing. Barely noticeable. I don’t know if people do that, but if I ever made some, that’s what I would do.

[Taffeta]

I know the replica shells have stamps on the bottom, and the responsible fake wing makers have white tabs on their wings.

But I'm completely opposed to replica production for exactly this reason. It's not that I don't understand people wanting placeholders, but they have to be identifiable as replicas, else there's the risk of confusion later on.


Put it this way...I am so glad that I was able to mass flutter wings from carboot sale finds back in the late 1990s because I wouldn't dare go out trying to obtain wings now. There are just too many fakes on the market.

Not everyone wants a placeholder. Some people are serious about waiting for the real thing, and the fact there are people doing this irresponsibly is going to come back and bite the community in the future.

[Shaiyeh]

I absolutely agree replicas need to be marked for easy identification. I know someone in Sweden has made replicas of the liquorice hair barrettes and RnB guitar combs, but they're different on the backside from what the originals are (however, if you've never seen an original- how would you know?) and also in another material as they're 3D printed and sometimes resin.

[Leikin]

This IS an jmportant topic, however, it seem to be a sensitive one as well.  I have in previous discussions basicly been told off that I had no opinion in thinking replicas should be possible to identify as such, as it is the artistic freedom, and that people dont care if they are not recognisable as replicas in ten years. So yeah, it's definately a sensitive subject.

For me, I'm whole heartedly for marking them as replicas in one way or the other. I who never have had a real purple dc goblet would probably not know if I bought a replica, if it wasnt marked.
I saw someone recently that had bought cusom shells in a lot, and it wasnt until she got them she realised they where replicas, as they where not marked as such in the lot auction.

So non marked replicas WILL come up and bite us in the rear soon enough, and we will have the debates on if they are replicas or variants, and people may be unintededly scammed to pay a lot for things they think are real, if maybe both sellers and buyers are unaware of that they are replicas. Sure, those who make replicas are probably all legit and  state them as replicas, but further down the line, that information will vanish when sold again and again, if they are not properly marked.

I mean, we still have collectors asking why they cant find the HCG1C ponies, in the inventory books, even when they are quite wide known and documented as to what they are, and where they originates from.
So unmarked replicas will be a h*ll of a lot worse, as there are no collective knowledge or documentation on them anywhere.

[Taffeta]

This IS an jmportant topic, however, it seem to be a sensitive one as well.  I have in previous discussions basicly been told off that I had no opinion in thinking replicas should be possible to identify as such, as it is the artistic freedom, and that people dont care if they are not recognisable as replicas in ten years. So yeah, it's definately a sensitive subject.

Unfortunately any subject that suggests an individual should not be able to do exactly as they please tends to turn up as sensitive. It's the same with marking rehairs. It shouldn't be sensitive, it should be common sense, but people get bent out of shape about it all the same.

It's a kind of an irony because the same people would doubtless be up in arms if they were the victim of a scammer. I don't really understand how these things differ from that. In both cases, if you get no pony or you get a fake accessory or a doctored pony without knowing that's what you bought, it's the same end result. This can easily happen accidentally by people being poorly informed, as Leikin said - but although there's an element of buyer beware, there's equally responsibility on the maker and on the seller (if they are not the same person) to be transparent.

Bottom line is, nobody wants to be scammed. It's just raising that awareness that receiving a fake item instead of a real one is a scam (even if accidental) just as much as not sending the pony is a scam, and both are bad things for the community going forward.

I have pretty strong views about the kinds of people who get uptight when responsible marking of custom items is mentioned.

I have one counterfeit shell (knowingly) in my collection simply to placehold SeaBreeze because it was getting difficult to store her. But I know what it is and it is marked on the base as such. It really doesn't do anything to destroy the quality of the product, is not visible on display or any of those things.

It makes you wonder why there are a handful of people so dead set against evidencing custom items. Whether you can tell or not, it's still fake. And if you can't tell, you might easily get a real one and think it's a fake and pass it on without knowing.

[Carrehz]

Oh dear, another "hot button" topic...

In my opinion, replicas are wonderful, I love them, I'm happy for the ones that exist and want more of them! Just... do something to make it clear that they ARE replicas. That's all I ask. I get that with some of the tinier items it may be difficult to put a mark there - but there's always *somewhere* you could put a little "repro" mark or whatever.

[drusilla]

i agree that all replicas need to be marked in some way and sellers must tell the buyers it is a replica

Post Merge: May 25, 2020, 07:09:13 AM

i believe anything done to a pony item or pony, repinking hair, rehairing, touching up paint etc.... needs to be told to the buyer... i specifically ask  when buying stuff if anything has been done to the item

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I have a replica Princess Wand - think it's from the same seller as the one you found on Etsy.  I got it in a swap though, so no money lost or overpaid.

I believe some of the wands should have a tiny tiny tiny "R" on the end of the wand, it's really hard to see if you are not looking for it. 

I recently got into 3D printing and the very first thing I mentioned was, What can I make for MLP that is NOT going to be mixed up as reproductions?    I don't want to get into that land of confusion! 

It's really frustrating to ID these pieces later on, unless you actually have them in-hand, because it's hard to determine plastic type from photos.  The materials I currently have (photosensitive resin and PLA on a spool), they are very brittle and obviously not Hasbro pieces, but if I had different quality materials, it might be easier to fake.  Hasbro accessory plastic has some give, you CAN scratch or bend it, and when you bend it, it gets that white discoloration.  I don't know exactly which plastic type and manufacturing method they used to make them, but I haven't been able to exactly match it yet, nor do I want to.  But I imagine it is possible... so you have to depend on the creator's integrity and honesty. 

I wish we had a list of all the creators who have made reproductions.  1) identification reasons, and 2) if you really really really want/need a repro piece, where do you go? who do you buy from?

[BabyBlueRibbon]

Hi all. Thank you for responding. I agree this is an important topic, and it is a sensitive one too. This is why I said hats off to the seller of this. I think these (and a lot of other replicas on Etsy) are incredible. It is truly amazing what 3D printing (or molding) can do now a days. However, sadly, even the best of folks might forget that these were not original when they go to sell or trade them later. Thus, I am in the camp that should be some type of way to distinguish real Hasbro accessories from custom 3D printing/molding.       

Post Merge: May 25, 2020, 08:57:42 AM

I wish we had a list of all the creators who have made reproductions.  1) identification reasons, and 2) if you really really really want/need a repro piece, where do you go? who do you buy from?

lovesbabysquirmy, I just saw this. I guess we were typing at near the same time. Your idea would be awesome. I wish something like that existed.

[SaraMari]

Replicas are nice and I applaud the work that goes into them, but yes you must mark them so they are easily identifiable. For example I bought some big brother bandanas and the edging and Velcro are different from real ones so you can easily tell. I don't need them but I thought they'd be nice to review and put on Mountain brothers or daddies.

I personally don't want replicas that much as I know I would get confused easily. Markings are great but also little variations are even more helpful ie something that is purple plastic and the replica is clear purple plastic

Here are some replica makers I know of:
https://www.facebook.com/ARTPonies/ (Makes Precious pocket charms and Winger wings)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/shadowonthemoon (Makes Big Brother and Baby brother bandanas)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TiellaNicole (Can custom make Princess wands, hats, Sippin Soda drinks)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdGirlNerdBoy (Makes Jewelry baby accessories, Nurse Hats)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/StarlightStudioStuff?section_id=17226378 (Makes shells, crown clips, goblets, flutter wings and the wand seen above)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MasqueradesBoutique (Makes flutter pony wings)

[Carrehz]

I wish we had a list of all the creators who have made reproductions.  1) identification reasons, and 2) if you really really really want/need a repro piece, where do you go? who do you buy from?

Ya know what - if people can gather up a list of all these repros and such (and get photos - the only repros I have are some Primavera flutter wings, but I don't think I have any legit flutter wings to compare them to...), then I'd be more than willing to host it on my own site. I agree that such a site is definitely needed.

(Or we could just put it on My Little Wiki, idk.)

Markings are great but also little variations are even more helpful ie something that is purple plastic and the replica is clear purple plastic

see, I thought of this too - but knowing what we're like - someone would probably just find that and go "is this a variant??". I mean, look at how many threads we get along the lines of "Is this a variant..." and it's just a faded pony, or whatever. (not that there's anything wrong w/ those threads, I'm just saying it might cause even more confusion) But I do agree that replicas that are slightly different, but not different enough to defeat the point of them *being* a replica, are a good idea too.

[pinkkittywinks]

Replicas are nice and I applaud the work that goes into them, but yes you must mark them so they are easily identifiable. For example I bought some big brother bandanas and the edging and Velcro are different from real ones so you can easily tell. I don't need them but I thought they'd be nice to review and put on Mountain brothers or daddies.

I am glad you like them and that your boys are enjoying wearing their bandanas

I decided to stitch the edges different (zig zag in white, rather than overlocker stitch in matching colour) and use white Velcro (instead of matching) specifically so they hopefully cannot be passed off as the "real thing" at a later date.

I also make replacement Summer/Windy wings, but I add a shimmer backing to them, again making them different.

Love pkw xxx

[Wardah]

I'm surprised nobody makes the replica princess wands out of pearly resin instead of clear with glitter. They would still look fancy but not be able to be mistaken for the real thing.

I really don't understand why someone wouldn't want to mark a rehair. I can understand perhaps not wanting to use permanent marker since it could leach into the plastic but there are plenty of other ways to mark it that are safe.

[Mewtwofan1]

I really don't understand why someone wouldn't want to mark a rehair. I can understand perhaps not wanting to use permanent marker since it could leach into the plastic but there are plenty of other ways to mark it that are safe.

I don’t get it either. Even restorations should be marked imo. Like the dream castle I’m planning on fixing up (once it shows up at my door after a month in transit...) has not many of the stickers. But the online printable of the stickers I found even has a sticker for “restored by <blank>“. In the unfortunate event I would ever have to part with it, I would want the buyer to know that some of it isn’t original. I’m not that picky of a collector, but I know some who are really about that OG accessory and sticker life.