Starlite plush Variations? [image heavy]

[Rainbowhorse]

Hello to everyone. I am wondering about the large Starlight plushes. I found them both at the same thrift shop about a year apart.

SL #1 is taller, plumper and has thicker stitching around her star. Her mane and tail are also thick course yarn.

SL#2 is shorter, thinner, has thin stitching around her star and her mane and tail is fine softer yarn.

Why the differences? Which was released 1st? Both have tushtags dated 1983. Any info you can give me on these would be greatly appreciated. While I do not plan on selling either, I am also curious on value.









Thank you for any information.

[Blondine Arc-En-Ciel]

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There were three different plush Starlites.

The first was the standard Mattel version. It was scaled for the nine inch dolls.

The second was the Mattel Emotions version. It was a little smaller than the the first.

The third was made by Toy Play in 2003-2005.

So, which ones do you have?

Look at their tags if they are both still in place. The tags will give you the country of origin. Original Mattel Starlites were made in at least South Korea and Italy. Emotions Starlites will say Emotions on the tag. The Toy Play version will have two or three tags on it.Toy Play or another name on it on a white tag plus an orange generic Rainbow Brite tag.

As the standard version was made in factories in at least two different countries, it's very possible that you can see small differences between them. Also, normal production variations come into play here. I have no less than three different body colors in Mattel Rainbow Brite dolls, both small and the same three again in large. I suspect that Starlite was quite popular at the time and was produced in huge numbers (in the millions) so variations are going to happen when you work on that scale.

Storage conditions over the years can also make differences. I think that your bottom photo shows this very well. In the first two photos I thought you had standard (tall) and Emotions (short) versions. That last photo tells a different story. The tall horse is standing flat on all four hooves with straight legs. His neck is also straight. The short horse is standing on hos front 'toes' and rear 'heels'. The front and back legs are drawn towards each other. The neck on the short horse may also be bent downwards.

Try to straighten out the short horse so he looks like the tall one. You may not be able to keep him that way for long, but have a go. I think that you'll find the two are the same height after doing that. Please try this and let us know. I think he's been squished and maybe for a long time.

Good luck.
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[Rainbowhorse]

The thick maned versions tags say made in Korea the thin maned in China.

(C) Mattel, Inc. 1983
Hawthorn,Ca 90250
MADE IN CHINA
REG. NO. PA-60
ALL NEW MATERIALS
Consisting of
polyester fiber


(C) Mattel, Inc. 1983
Hawthorn,Ca 90250
MADE IN KOREA
REG. NO. PA-80
ALL NEW MATERIALS
Consisting of
polyester fiber

The backside of the tags are the same;
(C) 1983 Hallmark Cards.
Inc.

They both had a 2ndary cloth tag that is blank, Korea's is shiny, China's is matte. No toy play or emotions wording anywhere.
I think you're right on them actually being the same size, ones just slouching a bit. I am noticing ones body fur is also courser than the others.

I bought one of these back in June of 1985 and loved it. I don't know what ever happened to it so when I spotted these at the thriftshop I snagged them up. I think I paid 98 cents for each of them.

[Blondine Arc-En-Ciel]

Just production variations. Factories in different countries have access to different materials so you get slightly different results.

[Galacticatt]

Interesting! The Korea v China Baby Brites have color & yarn variations too-

I think the starlites might be the same size if one just got a bit squished over the years...

I don't think there is a price difference