The My Little Pony Scrapbook: Baby Bright Bow (Rainbow Baby, 1991-2)

Baby Bright Bow

Rainbow Baby Pony, 1991-2

Pink baby pegasus pony with blue OR aqua, yellow, purple mane and tail, moon with shooting stars symbol
Variations on hair and colouring common.

Pony Data
Set	Rainbow Baby Pony (1991-2)
Asst. Number	4005 (UK and Europe) 16010 (North America)
Accessories	UK and Europe: Dark aqua-teal shooting star comb, aqua blue ribbon - North America: Blue flower brush, no ribbon
Pose	Baby Firefly
Distribution	More or less worldwide
Other Versions	Versions exist with slight body/symbol tone differences and significant hair style/ texture differences. Pony shown was bought new in the UK.

Baby Bright Bow

Baby Bright Bow was the pegasus baby from the Rainbow Baby set. She was first available in North America in 1991 and the UK and Europe in 1992. In the UK and European release she was sold with a shooting star comb and ribbon, while in America she had a flower brush.

Baby Bright Bow Mint on Card
European edition, 1992 (Italy)
Image donated by ebay seller

In Europe, cards and names were translated into various languages depending on the release location. Her English name in the UK was the same as in the North American release, with one exception - the American name was all one word, while in the UK, it was separated out as Bright Bow.

Baby Bright Bow - Name on UK Card

Like many of the sets sold between 1991 and 1992, this set had variations, which mostly centre around the hair (although body shade/symbol print shades are also not uncommon). I am going to refer to these as Silky and Curlyfrizz variations. These variations are not geographically exclusive and can be found in both Europe and North America (probably also beyond), but what seems to be the dividing factor is when the pony was produced. Those produced earlier in the line tend to have the silky hair. This means that more silky haired versions appear in North America and more curlyfrizz versions in Europe. The pony shown below was acquired at Ponycon so I do not know her country of origin.

Baby Brightbow - Silky Hair Version

As with the others, although there are minor differences in body shade and symbol print, the biggest difference relates to the hair. Aside the texture, the most noticeably different section is the first part, which is definitely blue on my curlyfrizz childhood pony at the top of the page, but a more aqua turquoise on the silky haired version.

The ponies with curlyfrizz hair do, as the name suggests, get frizzy much more easily than the silky type. But they do also often come with some factory curl, which is not ever seen on the silky versions. Unfortunately my childhood Bright Bow is a bit more frizzy than the others, and I don't remember whether she came off card with her hair in any kind of curl.

Baby Bright Bow's Character

The Rainbow Babies lived in a cave on Rainbow Mountain, ostensibly under the supervision of the Rainbow Curl ponies. Bright Bow's card story is actually the only one that mentions this connection directly, as it mentions her hearing a story from Rainbow Storyteller (almost certainly, although she isn't named here). It also mentions her searching for a rainbow and bringing it back to the cave.

Baby Bright Bow's Backcard Story
UK, 1992

Baby Bright Bow's special magic was to light up dark spaces, and in at least one pony comic story this trick came in useful in helping a gaggle of thunder clouds determine whic one was the noisiest. The clouds helped Baby Bright Bow to find the missing pages of the calendar, without which the New Year could not begin. They were able to help largely because...one of the clouds had eaten them.

Baby Bright Bow bemoans the loss of her magic snowdrop, and makes some surprisingly noisy friends
My Little Pony Comic, 1992

Baby Bright Bow

Rainbow Baby Pony, 1991-2

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Baby Bright Bow

Baby Bright Bow's Character