What amount of fixing/cleaning is acceptable to collectors?

[Radha]

Hi Everyone,

        I'm new to collecting and I'm looking for some general guidance on pony value, not just for selling ponies but as a collector.  As in, is the value of a pony reduced if the hair has been recurled? What about if it's been replaced?  I've read about taking out the old tail washers (since they cause tail rust) and replacing them with zip ties.  If I do things like that, will that harm the value of my ponies?

       I ask because while there are some ponies I definitely want to collect and keep, I would also like to fix some up and sell them- I love making toys pretty again (not to make a profit, just to help cover the cost of my collection).  However, I don't want to damage the value of a pony by 'fixing' it too far.  Also, when I go to fix up my own, I don't want to damage them.  Can you tell me in general what fixes are and aren't ok?  I assume cleaning is necessary, but what about recurling, regluing and re-hairing?

Apologies if there is already a guide on this- please direct me there if there is one!

[hathorcat]

A lot of it comes down to personal opinion and what is acceptable to individual collectors as well as the condition of the actual pony you are fixing up. Also sometimes it depends on which pony it is; as some people will consider a rare pony with a hair chop still valuable and prefer no fixes while a common pony with a hair chop will probably not drop in value by rehair.

However, there are a couple of key things to remember. If anything you do changes the originality of the pony - such as re hairing or touching up symbols/eyes/blush then you are in theory devaluing the pony - you are certainly not increasing its value. Simple things like recurling hair and of course removing marks are not changing the original pony so while they dont jump it in value they certainly dont lower its value [unless damage is done to the hair/body in the process].

Another quick note is that you will find a lot of collectors prefer to purchase ponies and then fix them up themselves, so you should always be careful if you are restoring you are confident in what you are doing and that you dont ever spend more money in fixing up than you are adding to the pony's over all value.

There are no set rules to be honest and if you are stuck or unsure you can always post pictures and ask for advice here in the Corral. People are always happy to help!

[Baby Sugarberry]

Tail washers are probably one of the few "original" things you can remove that actually increase the value of the pony.  I can't think of too many collectors that would prefer a rusty, icky pony over one that has been cleaned and had her tail washer replaced with a zip tie, provided  you don't damage the neck plug in the process (cutting a pony open = definitely going to hurt the value.) 

Rehairing usually drops a pony's value to most (though personally I'd much prefer a rehair done in the original style, plug size and color than a major haircut).  Most collectors avoid repaints even more than rehairs, since it's incredibly difficult if not impossible to get most paint fixes to look identical to the original.  Recurling isn't usually a problem either, though many collectors like original curl, curling a pony that was supposed to have a curly style and has since lost it doesn't drop her value, and may increase it a bit since she'll display better.

When in doubt, ask, is probably the best rule of thumb as hathorcat has said.   Good luck!

[ravengusty]

My TE Mimic was a rehair when I bought her, the lady from ebay who I purchased her from had to rehair her as she was practically bald and in a terrible state when she found her. She looks pretty fantastic now and though I paid a bit less than the average price (mostly I think because the bid ended at silly o clock in the morning when I was in work (bout 5.30am) she's just as valuable to me had she been the original pony.

Some collectors like a fixer upper but it depends on their abilities in fixing up ponies. And how baity the pony is. I try to get ponies that aren't covered in highlighter or cancer or have buzz cuts.

I was given two ponies by my penpal and she didn't clean them because some collectors are fussy about cleaning their own ponies, though to be fair it's only Gingerbread that needs a bit of a wash, baby Lickerty Split is fine. I'm waffling on aren't I? I guess it depends on who your selling them to. Some ebay sellers give ponies a light wash but leave the rest up to the collector. I can't think of anything else...I'm no help

[Feathermay]

I have a sort of related question,

Several of the ponies Ive gotten/found have a small cut on their neck where it has been pried open for cleaning. Is this common? Is it still considered mint/collectible if they have that?

I dont really mind them, but I don't want to mislead anyone in the future.

[Marlin]

Much good advice mentioned already. I do think it is very important when selling (cleaning aside) to mention in your description if you have modified the pony in any way (re-hair, re-pink, symbol touch up etc). I think it's good to be aware of what has been done to a pony - no nasty surprises for a buyer who may not have wanted a re-haired or re-pinked pony, for example.

Good luck 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I have a sort of related question,

Several of the ponies Ive gotten/found have a small cut on their neck where it has been pried open for cleaning. Is this common? Is it still considered mint/collectible if they have that?

I dont really mind them, but I don't want to mislead anyone in the future.

It happens... just disclose the issue and take pictures.    If they are HTF or expensive then it typically doesn't decrease their value too much.  If it's just a terrible job on a HTF pony, yes, it devalues.  If it's a common... well, it depends on the taste of the buyer. 

[Feathermay]

It happens... just disclose the issue and take pictures.    If they are HTF or expensive then it typically doesn't decrease their value too much.  If it's just a terrible job on a HTF pony, yes, it devalues.  If it's a common... well, it depends on the taste of the buyer.

I will make sure I do that next time.

Thank you. 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

It happens... just disclose the issue and take pictures.    If they are HTF or expensive then it typically doesn't decrease their value too much.  If it's just a terrible job on a HTF pony, yes, it devalues.  If it's a common... well, it depends on the taste of the buyer.

I will make sure I do that next time.

Thank you. 

For most of us older collectors who have lots of G1 experience... we are more than happy to take ponies with issues.  Hardly any of us easily exclaim that a pony is REALLY bait! 

[Sunshine]

I restore ponies all the time...

My limit is repinking, rehairing and touching up paint. I'll do basically everything else without describing in detail how it was done... But if any part like, a tail, or a mane is replaced, or something. Of course that's disclosed.
If the neck seam is just opened with the normal "jaggedness" from the original glue bonding to the body plastic, I don't really think it devalues it. I know many people who'll pull the head off any pony because it's more important to make sure the pony is not full of rust or gunk versus having a glued head...

But I agree with Cat and Squirmy - it's opinion, and especially for G1s, many people love them in conditions less than perfect.

[Wardah]

Since rehairing is time consuming, I'd be willing to pay more for a rehair as long as it was still less than it would cost to then have to send it on to a rehairer. If you are able to rehair ponies why not sell them as is and offer an option to have it rehaired for a little bit more? That way if someone wants to rehair themselves or leave it as is they can do it themselves but if someone wants them rehaired they can save on shipping.

[MoonstoneFluff]

Just my personal opinion...  if the pony looks nice and is a close to the original toy, it doesn't bother me.  That said, honesty is the best policy. If you are up front in your sale/auction description then people always have the option to not bid or buy. 

For me, a gorgeous rehaired pony is still going to look wonderful on my shelves, so I'm good. 

As a side note: welcome to to the arena!

[PinkRosedust]

These are mostly my own opinions:

is the value of a pony reduced if the hair has been recurled?
-Well, if the pony has factory curl, it's best to leave it. If the hair has been brushed out by previous owners and is now straight, go ahead and recurl (but mention that it's not factory).

What about if it's been replaced?
-To me, yes, it loses value. I prefer original hair so I'd pay less for a rehair in most cases. But some people prefer new hair so they may pay more for a nice rehair.

I've read about taking out the old tail washers (since they cause tail rust) and replacing them with zip ties.  If I do things like that, will that harm the value of my ponies?
-No, I honestly don't care. Although if there is no rust there, I'd say just leave the washer in. It can be removed later if/when rust happens.

Can you tell me in general what fixes are and aren't ok?  I assume cleaning is necessary, but what about recurling, regluing and re-hairing?
-It's really very subjective. If you, say, buy a lot off ebay and keep what you want but sell the rest, you'd probably only want to do a basic cleaning, maybe remove the head if you can without damaging the pony and clean inside if it is needed. Leave the rest to the buyer. I also recommend you don't reglue a head. There's no need for it.

[Radha]

Thanks, everyone!  Your responses were really helpful, and I'm washing some new (to me) ponies now. It's great finding such a friendly place to talk about ponies 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Glad to be of service!  You can post photos from Photobucket and the like here, if you need further help!