Show Me: Your Pony Diamond in the Rough

[aintnobuffalo]

Have you ever come across a valuable pony that to the untrained eye looked worthless? Maybe a beauty who just needed to be uncovered or a pony so rare any condition is of value? I find that sort of thing rather interesting. When I first started collecting, I was shocked to see how much a Nirvana could be worth with missing characteristics, and as I've been adding to my herd and bait box, I have been surprised what a simple spa day can do for a pony.

I am planning on making a presentation on customizing, and I would like to include some education on ethical baits, so if I could use your pic to demonstrate the need to think carefully before altering older ponies, let me know.

[pickwick_pirate]

I found an eyelashless, symbol less piggy pony. So decided to draw on her butt and give her some nice lipstick with a felt pen. Then, 10 years later found out what she was! I've managed to fade most of the pen now and done her hair for her again. I do have very old photos from when I first realised she may be legit and could get more of her slightly improved.

I had intended on repainting her symbols correctly this time but, I love her as she is. 

[Foxtale]

Have you ever come across a valuable pony that to the untrained eye looked worthless? Maybe a beauty who just needed to be uncovered or a pony so rare any condition is of value? I find that sort of thing rather interesting. When I first started collecting, I was shocked to see how much a Nirvana could be worth with missing characteristics, and as I've been adding to my herd and bait box, I have been surprised what a simple spa day can do for a pony.

I am planning on making a presentation on customizing, and I would like to include some education on ethical baits, so if I could use your pic to demonstrate the need to think carefully before altering older ponies, let me know.

I wish i had some pictures. I have some good examples of this. I'll try to remember this thread when I dig them up.

Are you also including De-Flocking? (One of my pet peeves.) I've seen manyponies de-flocked in better condition than ones in my collection. I would have loved to traded up if someone didn't want the flocking. There are so many ways to clean and restore so soft ponies and so many more rubbed ones out there if you want a "clean" one.

[SkyCakes]

I think its the bond I have with baby applejack. When I got her I found out she had caked in rust really bad so bad it reached her mane. So I rehaired her, repainted her eyes and symbols. I would never think of getting rid of her. Maybe find a upgrade someday downt he line. Though has not happened yet and she still is a very cute pony in good condition.

[glitterball]

Well, I bought a dirty g1 Blossom at a bootsale a few years ago, among a few other ponies, then stored them away in my shed.

Two weeks ago, I re-discovered her, gave her a wash and found her to be an early flat-hoof version! Never noticed before as I had an untrained eye on these things! 

[aintnobuffalo]

I wish i had some pictures. I have some good examples of this. I'll try to remember this thread when I dig them up.

Are you also including De-Flocking? (One of my pet peeves.) I've seen manyponies de-flocked in better condition than ones in my collection. I would have loved to traded up if someone didn't want the flocking. There are so many ways to clean and restore so soft ponies and so many more rubbed ones out there if you want a "clean" one.

I hadn't planned to mention deflocking since my presentation will be aimed at beginer customizers, but I may mention it now that you say something! I'm sure many a lovely pony were lost to deflocking.

[Haruna]

Here's Baby Sweetberry a few months ago . . . My mom bought her as a present for my sister, and I've been sunfading her.

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It's been a month or so and she's improving! The pen is fading and she's a pretty shade of white. She still needs more work and her eye, obviously, needs to be repainted. But I have high hopes for her! It would help if she could be out all day, not just when my sister is at work We've had some fun times scrambling to hide her. She's normally properly covered in tin foil, etc., but she got caught in a rainstorm yesterday, lol, and I've removed it all to let her dry properly.

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[Taffeta]

We found a lot of ponies at carboot sales years back that were hard to find or unknown at the time we found them due to limited info on European ponies but I sort of feel like they don't count here.

There are also quite a lot I picked up and cleaned up and they look much happier now, but still there are two ponies that really fit this bill for me - they are precious *to me* rather than valuable or rare in a global sense.

All my childhood I wanted Glory, especially, but both Glory and Moondancer.
The UK is perhaps the ONLY country in the mainstream market that didn't get any form of these ponies, despite the stories.

But I found these two at a carboot sale in the middle 1990s. I don't know how they got here. As you can see, they both have symbol wear.

They also both came to me without tails, and when I got them, they were also quite dirty.

When we got online, I traded with a lovely person in the US for a Glory and a Moondancer tail so that they could be complete.

I have Glory MOC now and would like Moondancer MOC, but I will never ever replace my loose ones even if they are mint. Because they were ponies I dreamed of as a child, and I found them here, as though they came here to join my pony herd

Here they are as they are today, 20 years on:

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My randomly, impossibly, "British" Glory and Moondancer

[glitterball]

All my childhood I wanted Glory, especially, but both Glory and Moondancer.
...
Here they are as they are today, 20 years on:
...
My randomly, impossibly, "British" Glory and Moondancer

Gorgeous ponies and great taste! 

[mlp4me]

gabumon has a great link with bait reference.
I go for ponies that are extremely common and have a haircut, chews, and other quite obvious flaws before I customize.
I always check under their feet to see the stamps, and wiki reference to identify eye color, symbols etc... Sometimes even a common pony can have hidden variation.

[aintnobuffalo]

gabumon has a great link with bait reference.
I go for ponies that are extremely common and have a haircut, chews, and other quite obvious flaws before I customize.
I always check under their feet to see the stamps, and wiki reference to identify eye color, symbols etc... Sometimes even a common pony can have hidden variation.

That bait reference is very helpful! I will have to include it as a resource in my presentation. Thanks everyone for sharing some stories and pics

[reanna-mator]

My International Princess Sparkle! I got her in baity condition for about $2 and had a lot of fun fixing her up! Here a couple pics.

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Before. No saddle, tangled hair in her seam and crown, markings, plus ratty hair and a dirty battery compartment!

After!
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I created a custom new saddle, cleaned her up, and now she lights up again! For a $2 investment I'm very pleased!

[glitterball]

My International Princess Sparkle! I got her in baity condition for about $2 and had a lot of fun fixing her up! Here a couple pics.
I created a custom new saddle, cleaned her up, and now she lights up again! For a $2 investment I'm very pleased!

Super work!