Author Topic: China version Sugarberry versus Hong Kong - is there a way to spot difference? (Read 2191 times)

maycrestmom · « **on:** June 17, 2020, 05:13:13 PM »

I am pretty sure they made a version out of China - not sure if it was a limited release or a later release?

Does anyone here have both versions? I would love to find/buy the china version and have not had any luck for a couple of years to spot a China version sugarberry - mostly searching ebay (I only recently discovered mercari) and admittedly don't hang on FB.

I think the green is lighter in the china version opposed to Hong Kong?

It's one of those little details that I have admitted I love about collecting - like finding there's a front blue stripe baby TAF milkway and a middle blue stripe baby TAF milkyway

thanks in advance for anyone to share their pics - I checked the wiki but it doesn't seem to mention the China version

Taffeta · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2020, 10:47:14 AM »

I'm not aware of a Chinese one, but if one exists, it will almost certainly come out of Europe. Chinese Majesty and Sundance both have been found there (Majesty here, too, but she's not normal release here). The B&G ponies made in China seem to show up more on the continent as well. So that's probably where you'd need to look if they are a thing.

We are talking about the adult, right?

I have Strawberry Fair mint on the UK card and from childhood here in the UK. We had them in 1988, so a little after the US, but pretty sure both mine are HK.

They're a little earlier than the B&G ponies in Europe but there is some overlap, so that'd be my suggestion. The European releases I know of for that set have the same art as the UK card though so they may be on the same timeline. It's hard to know as Hasbro didn't tend to update the package if the set itself hadn't changed.

I do a similar search for the B&Gs from China on ebay and it's so frustrating when they don't mention/photo the hooves xD.

maycrestmom · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2020, 03:42:13 PM »

thanks - much appreciated and yes, I was speaking of the adult, not TAF baby

yes to wishing they would mention regularly the hoof stamps! That part was why I was trying to remember if there was a color difference that was notable also as I think both versions had curly hair. Thanks for mentioning Strawberry Fair was a HK release - I think that difference from the "Twice as Fancy" US release on the card got me wondering if that was when they switched to making them in China...

I am pretty sure there's a china version and I will find her someday - thanks for the heads up to check mostly euro ebay-s

Taffeta · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2020, 04:12:02 PM »

NP.
For reference, MOC Strawberry Fair's card says HK on it and so does the German carded Lollipop I have. I can't get at the actual ponies right now to make sure their hooves match up mind you.

Spoiler

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The only other one of this set I have MOC is Up Up on the Italian card. I don't have a photo (the Italian card is completely different from the US and UK/other Euro ones) but I can reach her and I just checked her hooves - they're HK too.

And all my loose ones came from the Uk and are all HK, including both silver and white star MW.

So right now I have no evidence there's a Chinese one, but I'm open to be proven wrong if you happen to track one down

I think the babies have HK/China differences, but not sure on the adults.

maycrestmom · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2020, 09:51:13 AM »

yep - that's the plan ;-) always fun finding stuff to add to the history books

halicabi · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2020, 06:06:13 PM »

She does exist, I have her. Since I am not the original owner, I'm not sure where she came from, except "ebay".

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That being said, I actually have 3 in my collection, 2 from Hong Kong (Darker Strawberries and Lighter Strawberries), and one from China.

The vines in the China version are more lime green, though its hard to tell in photos.
Darker Hong Kong and China
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Lighter Hong Kong and China
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The other difference I can see is in the blue swirl of the eyes. There is more blue in the China version:
Darker Hong Kong, Lighter Hong Kong, and China:
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Not sure how helpful that is, but there you go...

halicabi

maycrestmom · « **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2020, 06:25:32 PM »

yay hooray I love the arena = I knew I had seen her like 5 years ago on ebay and didn't know she was hard to find

thank you so so much to confirm she exists!!!

Taffeta · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2020, 12:30:47 AM »

Ah, that's so awesome! Thank you for adding to my knowledge as well <3

Now we just have to figure out where she came from.

More ponies to look for...because it can be assumed if she exists...so must the other five, right??

Barnacle_lady · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2020, 03:49:11 AM »

I saw this topic and checked my Surgarberry's since I also have a light and darker strawberry version. Both Hong Kong but happy to know the variation is legit.
As for the other ponies in this serie. I just saw an ad for a Chinese Love Melody. No hoof pictures but mentioned in the description. So there must be more. I took a comparison pic with my HK. Left is the China one. There is a difference in the eye colour but hardly a difference in symbol.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KgjgeKVjD4YrLQTC7

maycrestmom · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2020, 09:38:37 AM »

yes!! Oh that is so true I would so be banking on now that yep, there should be china versions for the other 5 :-)

love adding to knowledge pile :-)

halicabi · « **Reply #10 on:** July 04, 2020, 02:45:43 PM »

Checking back through my eBay records, I *finally* found the auction. It ended on June 16, 2007, and the seller was in Tennessee.

She was listed as:
VINTAGE MY LITTLE PONY LOT OF 3 GERMAN VARIENTS NR

Item Description:
YOU ARE BIDDING ON ONE (1) LOT OF THREE VINTAGE MY LITTLE PONY GERMAN VARIENTS.
SUGARBERRY MADE IN CHINA WITH NO PAT. PEN. ON FOOT. DATED 1987.
CHINA LEMONDROP WITH BLUSH. DATED 1982.
MILKYWAY WITH WHITE STARS. DATED 1987.
ALL PONIES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO PONY CANCER AND NO HAIR CUTS.
PLEASE SEE PHOTOS FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

So, it looks like she was sold in Germany (that is, if the eBay seller was correct).

As for the Darker and Lighter Strawberries being legitimate variants, I don't really know. When I get duplicates, I compare them, and any noticeable differences are added to the shelves. It would be interesting to find out how many other collectors have noticed this difference.

In regards to the other 5 in this set, the ones I have are all from Hong Kong. I do have two Love Melody's (Darker and Lighter Pink Hearts) but I suspect the lighter one is due to fading, as her body is also a lighter color.

Sorry it took so long to respond, real life has a tendency to get in the way, but hopefully that helps in your search.

halicabi

Taffeta · « **Reply #11 on:** July 04, 2020, 04:11:11 PM »

Wow, that's a serious set of records. Awesome, thanks for that. Since the other two ponies in the lot were sold in Germany but are not exclusive to Germany, it's unclear whether we should assume Strawberry Fair is limited to that geography (both China LD and white star MW were regular issue in the UK, albeit we had HK LD and silver star MW as well, just to be confusing).

That said I still think Europe is the most likely. I am itching to get at my MOC Lollipop to see what is on her hooves...I've never thought to check although, as I said, her card does say HK.

halicabi · « **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2020, 05:16:08 PM »

I know, scary right????? I got into the habit of saving a copy of my eBay wins (in case of problems). Since I saved them as htm files, I can click on them and read the details. Sadly, the images didn't save.

I also believe they were sold in other locations, but this auction description is all I have to go by, given that this auction was from 13 years ago! It's just a tiny clue in the big puzzle!

If memory serves, I was after the Milky Way with white stars. The other two were bonuses!

halicabi

maycrestmom · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2020, 10:20:15 AM »

halicabi

Huge huge huge pony hugs for saving that information :-)

and even better that your china sugarberry wasn't even a want and ya kept her anyway :-) so yep, realize ya got one heck of a cool bonus!!!!

Taffeta · « **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2020, 10:23:47 AM »

Halicabi, if I ever get around to renovating my website, would it be possible to use your images? Since I want to expand a little more into European stuff, and she seems likely to have been European, it would be an awesome help

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