MLP on UK TV News

[Artemesia's Garden]

An exhibition is opening in the UK to show hobbies and interests. There was a short article about it on TV news last night and pictures of someone's collection, I think they said it was Miranda Worby. Link to a corresponding article here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm528kezyd3o

[Barnacle_lady]

That's cool. Always great to see someone's collection in such way.

[Taffeta]

Reminds me of the brief installation in Dudley with Wondermint's collection some years back. Dad and I went to see that, and it was cool I'm wondering if it's a collector I've crossed paths with. Difficult to know with just the real name up there.

I would definitely not want the media to film or photograph my collection or me with them in any way, shape or form, tbh. I did an interview a long time back with Radio Wales but that was audio and not video, thankfully! And long before the brony thing happened.

I also remember Sel (Reaperfox if anyone knows who I mean) did an interview for something as well going back...I think it was an I Love Toys or something? It was a really long time ago though.

On one hand it's amazing seeing other collections/collectors and also seeing them get acknowledged as a collectible. On the other hand if it sparks people thinking all ponies are valuable then everything gets madder again.

I have been reflecting lately on how much I hate that ponies are now so expensive. I have no vested interest in cheap prices - probably the opposite from a collector standpoint, but there was so much more joy in the time when you were just trading ponies with people who also loved ponies, the rest of the world butted out and didn't care or try and shaft you with ridiculous prices. Yes there were scams sometimes, but we could monitor scammers way more easily then than now, there were so few of them in operation really.

Now people see ponies = money = scam targets and people just starting out are having so much trouble getting even common ponies for cheap. And everyone seems to be asking every ten seconds how much some pony they just found is 'worth', even though they're not selling. And I don't like that. :/

Ah dear. Sorry. Let the cranky old person out for a moment there

[Artemesia's Garden]

Ah dear. Sorry. Let the cranky old person out for a moment there

I know what you mean about publicity, however I think this exhibition has a nice focus on hobbies and collections where the collector has something actively to do with it. They mentioned in the news article that some ponies were customised. Overall they show inexpensive, ephemeral things of different kinds like shopping bags, nail art, kid's toys. So hopefully there won't be the wrong sort of attention.

[Taffeta]

I re-read over the article. Apparently it's in Croydon? I don't live down that way any more but if I get down south again before October I'll see if I can figure out the buses and try and find it.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Yeah when MLP collecting hit the mainstream, the delight really ... died.
Now there's such a small chance of finding hidden treasures at the thrift store, even the donations staff know to put it aside and put it in the display case with a much higher price. 
I feel very lucky to have had a large collection and then having filled other people's shelves with joy and happiness when I did, because now I really dislike that trying to sell ponies is usually filling someone else's re-seller shop inventory for an online store.  Nearly everyone I know from "Ye Olde Days" has stopped collecting because the ponies are so expensive, and the shipping is 3x the actual pony cost. 

[Taffeta]

Yep, I feel sorry for the people getting into collecting now - of which there seem to be a bunch. Though who knows if it will be a long term thing for them or not.

I am also glad not to be starting from scratch and feel blessed to have my collection, but also feel like I need to be much more careful with them than I maybe would have thought in the past. They're tough things and they've survived living with me for 20+ years in most cases, but I still can't help thinking this way now.

A lot of good people have also gone. Unfortunately, some of the other type still lurk around social media.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Yep, I feel sorry for the people getting into collecting now - of which there seem to be a bunch. Though who knows if it will be a long term thing for them or not.

I am also glad not to be starting from scratch and feel blessed to have my collection, but also feel like I need to be much more careful with them than I maybe would have thought in the past. They're tough things and they've survived living with me for 20+ years in most cases, but I still can't help thinking this way now.

A lot of good people have also gone. Unfortunately, some of the other type still lurk around social media.

The thing I'm really grateful for is teaming up with a couple of lasses from the USA for big swaps a while back, before things all changed with the postage.

Same here about being careful. I've learned a lot from your perspective and others here, combined with museum experience. The debates we've had/have are so like debates about conservation that take place in other collector communities and museums as well and I think keeping that discussion open is so valuable. Hopefully my collection lasts long enough in storage for me to enjoy it again one day. Hopefully I can report back!