Vintage Playmat-any info?

[BethyVic]

I have this playmat that I got from ebay years ago.  Does anyone have any information about?  Where it was sold, what accessories came with it, etc?
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[Taffeta]

It comes from the UK. It's a mail order item. We didn't get ponies, we got items. I have a flier scanned for one of the playmats, there are more than one so I'm not sure if it is the right flier...hang on. Going to get pic.

Edit to add: Yes it is. I think this was the first mat.

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That's the flier. I think the plan was that you put your playsets on the mat or something. I'm not really sure. The flier came in pony packages around that time. The closing date is 1986, so I imagine it was probably being sold with ponies like Hopscotch, Gypsy etc. Although that early in 1986, it might have actually been with the Groom & Style Ponies instead. Baby Lucky's flier was also doing the rounds at this time though.

It may also have been offered through the club but I'm not 100% on that.

There is at least one more. I have both but need to find my first one to photo for the site. This is the other one I know of, which was also a later offer...

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[BethyVic]

Thank you so much!  I have been wondering what the story was.  I think this mat is awesome, easy to clean and very colorful. 

[nessa16]

I loved seeing this mat in person at the MN meet.  I didn't realize it was cloth instead of a plastic or something.  Definitely something I want someday. 

[Einhornbaby]

I have a similar item (same image); mine though is made of plastic. It has german writing but I have no idea where it was sold (got it from Ebay). Maybe it was mailorder too.

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[Taffeta]

It somehow doesn't surprise me that they could've been all across Europe. Things do get reissued with minor alterations. Would be interesting to find out.

BethyVic, would you mind if I used your image for the playmat on my website? Mine is in the attic somewhere and I won't find it before I go back to Uni, so it would be great if you didn't mind.

[BethyVic]

Taffeta, it wasn't my image, I just found it online. I figured it was ok because I wasn't using it for selling or anything.  I suppose I should have mentioned it. 

[Taffeta]

Ah its okay Never mind then. No doubt mine will turn up eventually, it isn't urgent.

[moonflower]

Here are my scans of both mats if you want to use Taffeta:-

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WARNING - they are high quality scans so files are large!

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e200/MoogleyMog/MLP%20Collection/G1%20Merch/Image4_zps811e54c3.jpg~original

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e200/MoogleyMog/MLP%20Collection/G1%20Merch/Image8_zps499f6728.jpg~original

[Taffeta]

Ah, Moonflower, you are awesome Thank you

I found the insert for the second mat, too - the flier I mean - it's the same one as Magical Breeze and it's from 1991. I don't know if it was previously released before that as well...I am pretty sure there was a playmat offer in 1987 as well but I'd have to go through my paperwork.

These are the images I have of the 1991 flier; can't get to it to do a better one right now.

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The mat is on the middle panel, with the second carry case release.

[Einhornbaby]

Oh how cool is that, it came with that carry case!!
Germany didnt get ponies with points either but I remember saving points as a kid and gettin this particular carry case <3 Mine didnt come with a playmat though.

[Taffeta]

Hrm. I'm not sure it came with the carry case; I think they were just offered at the same time and were pictured together like that.

I know that there's an earlier carrycase with an insert flier like the earlier playmat as well (has Gypsy and Honeycomb and such on) but I think they were completely separate too.

The mats are interesting as to which playsets they point to. The second one has the dance school on the edge of it, and the Dance School was also available through mail order still in the UK at that point. (Hasbro really liked it, clearly..xD)

Einhornbaby, it's possible you had the playmat offer but it had a separate flier in Germany? It sounds as though you had some of the same mail order stuff we did!

Edit to add: I just found among my images a flier image from 1989. I thought at first it was a different mat, but I think it's just a simplified drawing of the second mat.

It dates to 1989. There's also a carrycase pictured but it's not clear which ponies are on it.

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