Prototype furbob toys? Edit: And Flutter Pony Hideaway??

[LadyMoondancer]

Oh my!  Hello Ruth Bush, it is such an honor to have you here!  The furbob molds look incredible!   I, and I think all of us, are so grateful to be able to learn about this chapter of MLP history.  It's a pity the pictured items never made it into production, but at least we now know about them!

[Deep Purple Crystal]

Fascinating stuff, especially those Furbobs - they are conspicuously misshapen but hold a certain charm. I also question why the Flutter Hideaway was denied being put into production - did Hasbro think that their wings would break on the doorframe? Did Hasbro plan for another year of Flutters but discontinued them abruptly, rendering the Flutter Hideaway pointless? Will we ever discover the truth behind it?

[Dragonflitter]

Hi Ruth! Wow, the Arena is the best, we bring in all the most awesome people of this fan community!

[Jorgito93]

I also question why the Flutter Hideaway was denied being put into production - did Hasbro think that their wings would break on the doorframe?

Well if that's why, this decision didn't stopped lots of poor flutters to be wingless.

[Carrehz]

I'm super late to the party but omg, Furbobs!! So cute!!! I wish they'd produced them, I always liked them in the cartoon. And it would've been great to have a Flutter pony playset, too ^^

Those Yarn ponies are really intriguing, haha.. not sure if I like them or not but they're certainly interesting! And I looove the ponies with stockings/blazes.

Also - welcome to the Arena, Ruth! ^^

[LadyMoondancer]

I also question why the Flutter Hideaway was denied being put into production

Because the economic downturn that year (1987 I think) meant that parents would be tightening their purse strings on non-necessary purchases, and it wouldn't have made sense to put a glut of playsets on the market. 

[shabbychicdee]

aww this really made my day. i can't believe how awesome this is after so many years as a collector and an obsessive accessories and playset collector there is always something new to learn.
when i first read this this morning i thought i had woken up in an alternative universe

im also very intrigued to know what the seapony fountain was for, maybe a place for the baby sea ponies to float in.
and see better pics of the ponies that look like they had patches? blaze? that would have been very cool.

AND to know a G1 designer is here on the arena 
Ruth you have created some beautiful stuff there 

im dying to see more close ups of the picture, 

pps i neeeeed that flutter playset

[ValeofSpring]

Welcome Ruth Bush! Thanks to you and others for sharing these wonderful images . . . the artwork for the Flutter Pony house is just beautiful (the G1 artwork was sooooo fantastic--I was so lucky to enjoy it when new in the 80s!).

I *always* thought that Hasbro should have done a picnic set (I wanted one so desperately), so I feel vindicated that at least one was planned if not put into production. I'd love to see better pics of that.

Again, so great to see the wonders of could-have-been!

[josiekat]

I love the yarn ponies! I feel like that's a set that needs to be custom made. lol

I also love that she said that Fairy Tails were one of her favorites. They are one of mine too.

[joce]

The furbobs ❤️❤️❤️  I would have hoarded them as a child!!

[Gypsydancer]

I have to say, what Ruth brought to the fair was amazing. It was really nice to see all the thought and efforts that went into the line but didn't make the cut. Perhaps there were many other things that we've clamored about for years that were thoughts that never made it to fruition. It was nice to get that little glimpse inside the world.

The furbobs and the Flutter Hideaway were super interesting but I'd die to have that little Flutter house! I always wondered why they didn't make one when I saw Flutter Valley in the movie. It's the same reason I don't buy my boys their 5th Imaginext set. Money and room to store it. 

[ringwraith10]

I saw these pictures on Tumblr (of all places) and I've been drooling over them for a few days now! I really wish I had been able to go to the fair this year -- these would have been SO COOL to see in person!

[Lilja]

after reading all these comments about the flutter pony hideaway and the furbobs, I just want to say thanks for appreciating the effort that went into these, even if they werent produced....It was a most fun time for me and its nice to know there are pony fans out there...

I'm very thankful to you for sharing this! I love seeing the process behind how a toyline like this is conceived. All the hard work, brainstorming, designs and ideas that in the end never materialized.

Because the economic downturn that year (1987 I think) meant that parents would be tightening their purse strings on non-necessary purchases, and it wouldn't have made sense to put a glut of playsets on the market. 

Do we know it was meant for a 1987 release? I think it'd make more sense for it to coincide with the release of the movie, when the Flutter Ponies were still new and a big deal. But in the end they may have decided they had enough playsets as is, and would rather focus on marketing the huge Paradise Estate.

im also very intrigued to know what the seapony fountain was for, maybe a place for the baby sea ponies to float in.
and see better pics of the ponies that look like they had patches? blaze? that would have been very cool.

It's been said it was a sink that was meant to complement the Scrub-a-Dub tub. The bathtub also has a sea pony motif, even though sea ponies were out of production by the time it was released. Makes me think it was designed a lot earlier. I suspect that a lot of the sets from later years are actually ideas that might have been initially scrapped, but brought back when they needed new sets to release (e.g. Megan & TAF Sundance, Drink 'n Wet Babies, Rainbow Babies).

Among all this amazing stuff, I also noticed the card artwork for the Pony Friends include the unreleased human companion dolls. I want to see this artwork so bad!!
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[Terra]

Wow, this is really interesting stuff! The furbobs are really cute.
I'm pretty curious about what the plan might have been for the "yarn" ponies. Was this intended as a line of plush ponies?

[Carrehz]

Among all this amazing stuff, I also noticed the card artwork for the Pony Friends include the unreleased human companion dolls. I want to see this artwork so bad!!
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!!! I didn't notice this!! aaaaahh I want to see the full version so much ;__; I've always loved those prototype dolls.