1987:
The Birthday Party Playset
(United Kingdom and Europe)
With TUTTI FRUTTI: Gold earth pony with green mane and tail (yellow streak in mane), lime, cherries and slice of orange symbol.
The European release of the Birthday Party set was a bit of a cheat after the pony-loaded release of the set in the North American line the year before. Though the basic accessories between this set and the North American one are the same, instead of five ponies there was only one - a brand new character called "Tutti Frutti" who was only ever sold as part of this playset. She was an earthling - despite having the coloured streak in her hair - and there are two variations, for her streak of hair can be rooted on either side of her mane.
There has often been argument and speculation about how many accessories the set came with in the United Kingdom and Europe. The My Little Pony Comic advertisment makes a big deal of there being six of everything, but I have had so many emails from people with the set Mint in Box claiming that there are only four plates and cups and party blowers. Indeed, my own Mint in Box Tutti Frutti (which is in English packaging but stickered with a Dutch market label) has four of certain accessories. And yet, that comic advertisment is adamant that Tutti Frutti had six of everything.
And guess what? She did.
It took me a long time to solve this one, but finally, I think I have. Pictured below are the two versions of Tutti Frutti Mint in Package:
|
 TUTTI FRUTTI MIB: UNITED KINGDOM |
As you can clearly see, the package on the left shows four of certain accessories. The package is quite clearly in English - but there in that top corner is the yellow Dutch market label which my own Mint in Package pony also features. Though I can only speculate on the number of countries that had this release, it seems certain that - in the Netherlands and probably Belgium - this was the version sold.
HOWEVER it was not the version released in the United Kingdom. As usual, the comic was right. Shown on the right is the correct (and much more difficult to find Mint in Box) UK release of this set. As you can see - six plates, six cups - just as the comic advert states. The basic box is the same, which is what has caused the confusion! (It's also interesting, noting the way the hair is packaged in the boxes, considering the known variation with the streak of hair. My loose Tutti Frutti, as you can probably tell, was bought here in the UK! Her streak is on the outside of her mane, so it is visible on top of the green in her hair. My Mint In Box Tutti Frutti (from Europe) has her streak on the other side - because that is the way her mane is supposed to fall!) It's worth noting too that the United Kingdom edition had a round puffy sticker for Tutti Frutti, whilst the other version does not.
The main difference between Tutti Frutti's accessories and those from the North American Party set is that the invitations and the sticker for the Pin The Tail On The Pony game feature Tutti Frutti, rather than the North American ponies.
(Thanks to Amberina and The Delaneys for the loans of the above MIB pics)
