The My Little Pony Scrapbook: G1 in the UK and Europe

1986

Beddy Bye Eye Babies



Beddy Bye Eye Baby set of six ponies

Beddy Bye Eye Ponies, 1986
North America, Benelux.

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Ponies Sold in 1986 in the UK Twinkle Eyes (Set One) | Play & Care Set Babies (Set Two) | 1986 Pony Asst | Grooming Parlour |Baby Sea Ponies (Set One) | Wedding Bells Confetti | Show Stable | Lullabye Nursery | Baby Lemon Drop | Megan & Sundance | Dream Castle | Baby Lucky | Snuzzle (Concave - Argos)| Flutter Ponies

Other 1986 Ponies Twinkle Eyed Ponies (Set Two - UK:1987)* | So Soft Ponies (Set Two) | Pearly Baby Sea Ponies (UK:1987) | So Soft Megan & Sundance | Beddy Bye Eye Babies | Molly & Baby Sundance | Fable Ponies | Rainbow Ponies (Set Two - Europe, not UK) | Earth Ponies (Europe) | Birthday Party Gift Set| Birthflower Ponies (Scandinavia/Aus) | Hollywood | Satin & Lace | White Tootsie | Stockings | Baby Blue Ribbon | Baby Bonnet School of Dance (UK:1987)| Baby Sleepy Pie and Purse

*Partial set had later UK release.

Beddy Bye Eye Ponies

After the success of the original Baby Pony set, Hasbro decided to try something new, and introduced this mixed set of six characters with a gimmick - open and shut eyes that they labelled 'Beddy Bye Eyes'. In theory, the baby pony's eyes closed when you laid her down. In practice, this is not always successful, and the eyes can become stuck or rusty with age or damp conditions.

Baby Heart Throb BBE in box
Beddy Bye Eye Baby Heart Throb MIB
USA release, 1985-6
Image from Shivhae

Hasbro created three new poses for their new gimmick babies, each of whom was the offspring of one of the So Soft Pony set that had been so popular the year before. We know that this was the intention because Baby Heart Throb's symbol copies the So Soft adult, without the winged hearts, and none of the baby unicorn or pegasus ponies had glittery symbols - again like the So Softs. Each baby came with a wide array of accessories to help her new 'Mummy' (or Daddy) take care of her, and these too were specifically detailed on the box top.

This set were not sold in the UK - instead we had the Play and Care Set babies, without the Beddy Bye Eye gimmick. The Beddy Bye Eye set did see a European release, however - notably in the Netherlands and probably Belgium, as ponies sealed in translated Benelux boxes (in French and Dutch) survive.

Baby Shady and Baby Lofty only exist in Hong Kong form in this set, as Beddy Bye Eye Babies - they were never released in the Play and Care Set issue. A Brazilian version of Baby Lofty with regular eyes does exist, but there are no alternate versions of Baby Shady known about at time of writing. In spite of this, Baby Shady was depicted in the original Hasbro catalogue with regular eyes, and in Baby Tiddly Winks' pose - inspiring many customs. The same catalogue image also promoted a unicorn baby version of Truly, who was never produced.

Notoriety

There is no getting away from the polarising status of this set. Some collectors despise them and call them creepy, others embrace them and love that slightly uncanny stare. If memes had been a thing in the late 1990s and early 2000s, these would definitely have been a meme. Although they are so often disparaged by collectors, however, they are extremely common on the second hand market, meaning that at the time, they sold very well.

Finding them in good condition can be hard, because of the damage that their eyes can suffer over the years. Ponies with missing eyes, missing eye irises, and rusted eyes have all helped add to their weird reputation, and the wild hair of the baby unicorns, coupled with their innate inability to stand up on their own for more than ten seconds has done nothing to help.

It is probably true to say that, despite being roundly abused with the moniker 'Non Beddy Bye Eye Babies', the Play and Care set versions sold in Europe are more popular in collecting circles. I quite like these quirky little critters, though. They certainly have personality.

Beddy Bye Eye Baby Ponies: North America, Benelux, 1985-6