I started collecting the Trail of Painted Ponies in 2003 after a friend told me to check them out on E-Bay. I quickly made my own list of each pony I saw offered. Then started checking them off as I won them. Then the collectors lists showed up. I have all the ponies made to date, all are 1E's with the exception of War Pony which is a pre 1E. In my trails and trials to get them all, I've discovered information that I hope will be useful to anyone interested in collecting the earliest ponies.
Each of the ponies in the 1st and 2nd collections when authentic 1E's or pre 1E's will have a copyright date of 2003 with the Trail of Painted Ponies, LLC on the bottom of the base. There is no exception. The original boxes and tags are all black.
The six resin ponies in the 1st collection will not have a 1E before their numbers, up to 3600. They started the 1E at 3601. Any of theseponies listedwith numbers from 0001 to 3600 cannot have a 1E or they aren't authentic. Authentic meaning the numbers. The resin ponies are:
Boot Scootin' Horsey (retired 3/04 last number 2E/4520),
Caballo Brillante, (retired 01/07)
Fireman Pony (retired 7/05 last number 3E/8046,
Karuna (retired 3/04 last number 2E/3488)
Motorcycle Mustang, he isn't retired.
War Pony, the icon of the Trail, not retired
The ceramics in this 12 horse collection are: Five Card Stud,
Lightning Bolt Colt
Navajo Blanket Pony (retired 3/04 last number 2E/6597)
Route 66 (retired 4/05 last number 4E/1107)
Spirit War Pony (retired 2/05 last number 3E/8478)
Wildfire (retired 3/04 last number 2E/9117).
After writing my original guide, it has been brought to my attention from a few collectors that they have some ponies with numbers that go a little higher than the last numbers I show. My info came from a list at one time provided by The Trails official website. I think because there have been more than one collector mentioning this that the Trails list may be off by a few hundred. When in doubt, contact the Trails website and ask. They are very helpful.
The 2nd collection (ceramic ponies 1st)
Give Me Wings (retired 7/05 last number 3E/7462)
Mosaic Appaloosa (retired 3/04 last number 2E/3601)
On gemon Ground (retired 7/05 last number 3E/4906)
Renewal of Life, ( retired 01/07)
Rosie The Apparoosa (retired 3/04 last number 2E/0577)
Unity (retired 9/04 last number 2E/1945)
The resin ponies are: Go Van Gogh (retired 2/05 last number 2E/3200)
Happy Trails, Not retired
Patrol Horse (retired 2/05 last number 2E/2888)
Quarter Horse (retired 9/04 last number 2E/6800)
Sequintial: A Sequine (retired 9/04 last number 2E/0800)
Vi's Violet Vision (retired 06/06 don't have number of last one).
General information on the other collections is as follows:3rd collection, some may have a copyright of 2003 and some may have a copyright of 2004. All will show theTrail as an LLC, will have black boxes, black tags.
The 4th collection will all have copyright 2004 and Trail as an LLC, will have black boxes, black tags.
The 2004 Holiday Ponies will have copyright 2004 and Trail as an LLC, can have black boxes, black tags, some may have Maroon boxes, tags.
The 5th collection is when the Trail of Painted Ponies, LLC became the Trail of Painted Ponies, Inc. The boxes changed to maroon along with the tags. These ponies are all copyright 2005 and the Trail as Inc.
The 6th collectionwill be copyright 2005 and the Trail as an Inc. Maroon boxes and tags.
The 2005 Holiday Ponies will have copyright 2005 and Trail as Inc. Maroon boxes and tags.
The 7th collection will be copyright 2006 and the Trail as an Inc. Maroon boxes and tags.
The 8th collection is shipped and has a new mold. There are three resin ponies in this collection thatare taller with thier necks and heads in a different position than theStandingMold and Running Mold. They are the new Walker Mold. The new 2006 Holiday Ponies are available now as well. Some also are made of the new mold. Check them out.
Also, new for 2006 are four large ponies. They are limited to 5000 each. These have a nice brass look name plate on the edge of the base as well as the limited number on the bottom of the base. The ponies are: Fetish, Tewa, Woodland Hunter, Medicine Horse. The details of these large ponies really jump out. They are magnificant.
Because of these new four The Trail has retired the earlier four large ponies. The early ones are: War Pony, Ghost Horse, Happy Trails and Quarter Horse. Better find these wherever you can and get them before they are all gone.
New ponies are geing the end of January 2007. They are exceptional. There will be 8 of them. There are also 4 new Large ponies that will be limited to 5000 each. Look for them soon.
Now we are waiting for the July 2007 release. Each collection seems to get better and better. This latest has my favorite "Sacred Reflections of Time." The release offers the usual 8 ponies and also 4 Holiday ponies and new ornaments. Some ornaments from previous releases and some from this new group. No large ponies added at this time.
Update 7/26/08 - There have been two releases since the above paragraph. The latest is just now hitting okay. Really nice ponies. Two of our AAOPP artists have ponies - For Spacious Sky's (Janet Snyder) Wounded Knee and Let It Snow (Vickie Knepper). They are available now on okay.
I have to add a paragraph on all the beautiful custom ponies artists are creating and offering for sale on E-Bay. Look for them. I doubt The Trail of Painted Ponies realized what great creations would gee of the Paint Your Own Pony Kits. Your friends and mine are very creative and outdoing themselves on the ponies they are creating. Wow, do a search for Custom Painted Ponies and see what I mean. I can't give enough credit to the artists for their wonderful designs, native americanhistory, touches that bring history again to life or the Christmas designs as well as the whimsical. You are all so talented. Keep up the great work. They are so pleasing to the eye and sointeresting to read about. What an honor to be able to collect such amazing artwork.
When I added the above paragraph I had no idea that my husband would start painting the custom ponies. He's been painting most of his life but on other things. Well he is loving painting them and we are members of the okay gemunity Group AAOPP. We are very pleased to be associated with this group of exceptional artists. There are artists that aren't in our group that are also exceptional so don't think we are snooty. That's not us or our group. We care about all the pony artists and wish them all great success.
One of the rewards of collecting the ponies is all the great people you meet along the trail. With this information I hope it will assist you in making good choices on who you want to share the trail with and those you might want to ride off in the other direction from. Be sure you know what's on the bottom of the base of any pony you are interested in that is hard to find and very limited. Choose sellers that accept PayPal for any high dollar amounts so you are protected if something goes wrong. Be vary of any seller with low or zero feedback that is listing lots of hard to find high dollar ponies. Ask questions, find out where they got them, make sure the boxes, tags are the correct color, ask for the copyright dates on base if not displayed in pics. Also, use your intuition. If it's tooo good to be true, beware. Some unscrupulous sellers have tried to jump on the band wagon and list numerous ponies that they don't even have. They don't accept PayPal and delay the shipping etc. By the time a buyer realizes they aren't going to get the item won the seller is gone. Pictures don't mean they have them. They can use stock pictures or photographs from insurance gepanies or others collections.
Updating 7/26/08 - okay has made some rule changes so new sellers have to accept PayPal.Due to the recent decline in our economy I have seen and heard about ponies not being delivered though, ponies broken before shipping, misleading numbers etc. Of course with prices down it's a good time to buy but be scrupulous when buying the Hard To Find Ponies.
Updating 10/14/08 - More okay changes to gee but hopefully that will stop some unscrupulous sellers. Watch out for sellers that have RARE ponies with no boxes or tags and won't answer questions or produce pictures of the underside of the base. Some ponies have been made a long time and some folks have figured out a way to alter the numbers. Make sure all matches. If no box or tag ask what happened to the box and tag. Occasionally a seller will offer a pony without the box and tag and usually without the styrofoam also. Just ask why andthe honestsellers will tell you why.Suspect a seller that only offers ponies without the above. You'll see I have posted a negative feedback on a seller that does that. I have only returned 3 ponies that all had problems that weren't what was described. That's not many considering how many I've purchased. Those threeeither had an altered number, or a repaired break but all were listed as new.
Updating 01/03/09 - Happy New Year. It's been brought to my attention that there are more unscrupulous sellers showing up. Watch for sellers that have lots of low numbered 1E ponies and especially the ceramics. They have found a way to erase and put low editions and numbers on them. CHECK FEEDBACK and don't fall for these scams. Stock pictures (not pictures of the actual ponies) should be another red flag. If you receive anpony that you believe has been altered report to PayPal and okay. File a geplaint and post neg feedback. Don't hesitate. Please make sure the copyright is the correct date for the pony edition. Now they are changing the other 4 numbers as well as the edition numbers.
Please print out the information on the early edition ponies for reference.
Above all, have a great time creating your collection. Be sure and make room in your home, add a room, whatever it takes to have an awesome display of ponies. Lighted, mirrored curio cabinets are great for displaying and keeping the dust down. I use a feather like duster so I don't disturb the feathers and put any marks on the ponies. I keep the tags under the base of each so if a guest wants to read the story it's easily accessible. I keep the empty boxes in plastic storage containers in closets, not in a shed or garage.
Please let me know if you find this helpful by answering yes when asked.
May our Trails cross again.
Catlpenr/Jan Davis
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