Harbour Lights Greenbook Guide review, Part #7

Many of you will, no doubt, be familiar with this publication, but if you're not and you collect HL pieces, this book will be indispensible to you

"The Genuine Greenbook Guide Devoted Exclusively to Harbour Lights"

1998-1999 Premiere Edition

"The Most Respected Guides To Contemporary
Collectibles & Their After Market Values".

ISBN 0-923628-55-X

Greenbook
2000 Sunset Drive
P. O. Box 645
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
1998

http://www.greenbooks.com

Soft cover, 5 1/4" x 8 1/4", 352 pages, glossy stock, over 125 color photos.

If you collect Harbour Lights pieces and want to know the complete story, this one's for you.

Chapters:
1. What we do and how we do it.
2. Introducing Harbour Lights.
3. FYI.
4. Limited Editions.
5. Harbour Lights Collectors Society.
6. Ornaments.
7. Miniatures.
8. Thumbnails.
9. Accessories.
10. Great Lighthouses of the World (GLOWS).
11. QuikReference.
12. Glossary.
13. Number Index.
14. Name Index.

After all the preliminary information is given, (all of it fascinating to me), the book then turns to the HL line of pieces. Starting with HL101, Admiralty Head, the entire line is covered through about mid 1999.

Each page has a color photo of the sculpture, when issued, when retired, size, group, series, description, particulars, the retail value, the "GBTru" secondary market value, variations, and a state map showing the location of the lighthouse.

The facing page has a history of the particular light, taken, I believe, from the history packaged with the piece from Harbour Lights.

Virtually every piece HL produced is covered here within the dates listed, including all the event pieces. This is helpful to a collector just starting out since in one volume he/she has all the information needed to become a much more informed collector and it helps to expand one's knowledge of the line. This makes involvement with Harbour Lights much more enjoyable.

Greenbook also has software available on CD-ROM and ordering information for this is included in the book.

Also included in the Greenbook Guide as an insert is a "Wish List" in a vinyl pouch. This is a listing of pieces and their photos with boxes to be checked for "Have" or "Want", the idea being, I presume, that you accidently leave this out in plain sight where your spouse can find it just prior to holiday or birthday shopping.

The second edition of the Greenbook Guide, covering 1999-2000, won't be published until early 2000, according to a Greenbook representative I contacted by phone.

***** (5 stars out of 5: highly recommended)



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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

Thanks Bob,

I will contact them, I have been looking for a good publication on the HL's and haven't found one in the book or magazine shops.

I give last year's edition 3 out of 5 stars...nice first effort but needs work, especially more collector input to make the production notes more accurate...for example, production notes for Key West, FL say that very few Canadian molds were produced, last known number is #200...well, I happen to own #653. Also, production notes for Ocracoke, NC say same, that very few Canadian molds were produced, last number known is #33...I own #488. Finally, page 300 lists the 1997 Society Reunion exclusive piece as #616 Rose Island...we all know that the actual piece was #604 New Point Loma...I know I'm being hard on the book, but these Greenbook people are supposed to be experts!

Rock,

Thanks, I just online to order and did not because I was trying to decide between the book and the CD Rom. Plus do I wait for the next one at this point. They did have them discounted 25%.

I use the CD - I like it a lot, although it's not intuitive how to post unlisted (new) items. I'm also wondering about what will happen when they update the CD - will my unlisted entries in the current database automatically post? I really like the reporting features.

Dixie

This particular type of data was taken from surveys done by JC on the original HLCIC. (who received no credit for his efforts) I believe it was still a work in progress at press time.

__
/im

Dixie,

Thanks, Since the CD is reduced from $39.95 to $19.95. I think it will be worth the purchase now and again next year.

Have a Good One.

I don't know what I would do without my Greenbook- it is such a handy reference and my kids love looking at it too! Definitely worth the money and the paperback is easy to carry around with you too!

I have the "Green Book" & it is good in many ways. My opinion is that the first book that a new HL collector should get is Jim Rutherford's "Harbour Lights Survival Guide". The Green Book is then the second. Any others out there? (for HL collectors)

I'll second the vote for Jim Rutherford's guide. I got mine almost immediately upon starting in this . I just recieved my copy of the latest edition. I have found it invaluable in guiding me in my purchases , both on eBay and at the Marketplace. I bought Greenbook CD, but have not had achance to transfer my info to it yet. I also have seen a HL guide publishedby Checkerbee. I have not seen it and wonder if anyone has. Let us know if you have. Dennis

I bought Jim Rutherford's guide from him at the first reunion in San Diego. I started reading it on the plane trip home. I couldn't put it down until I had read the whole guide. I have bought his guide books each year and find them a great source of information.

Hi,

I tried to find Jim Rutherford's book on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com and came up empty. Any leads to where I can buy this book? I have the 1998 Greenbook Guide to Harbour Lights and find it very useful for history,prices and model size, etc.

Turbo

Email Jim at HLSG@aol.com or call Harbour Lights (800) 365-1219 - they carry it along with a large selection of lighthouse books.

Hi Turbo,

Jim Rutherford is at:
James Rutherford
The Nautical Exchange
P.O. Box 501101
Atlanta, GA 31150
(770) 754-9060
HLSG@aol.com

I highly recommend his HL Survival Guide.

Hey, Turbo:

John and Lamar have given you the connection, above, and if you'd like a review of Jim Rutherford's book, see that information elsewhere on the General Forum.

You'd do best ordering directly from Jim if you want the 1999 (5th) edition. If you order through Harbour Lights you'll get the older 1998 (4th) edition.

And have fun with it!

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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

We just ordered from Greenbook.... we're waiting for it to come soon... hopefully very soon!

Jim Rutherford's book is great, I ordered mine from him directly, but you can also get it from "Lighthouse Depot" also. My first book that I purchased before finding out about Jim's book was called "Collector's Value Guide" for Habour Lights, from Collector's Publishing, it probably doesn't have as much stuff as the Greenbook, but it is about half as cheap, and the pictures, and info have come in handy on while treasure hunting for HL's.


Rusty

Thanks for all the helpful information on contacting Jim Rutherford on his Harbour Lights Survival Book.

Turbo

My greenbook has been a great help. I keep it in front of me when I'm on e-bay just to get an idea if the prices are close. I also keep lists from the market forum. Many times the prices there are better than e-bay. It is a very good book even with the noted errors. I look forward to the next edition.
Dale

Thanks everyone for their kind words about my Survival Guide.

Dee Brandt, who recently retired from this wacky collectible world, did an outstanding job on the original HL Greenbook. All of the errors I have found in it were a result of her publisher not making the corrections she provided. (Whereas any and all errors in my book are due to me alone.) I fear that any future editions, and I doubt there will be, will not do as good a job as Dee's effort.

The two books, Greenbook and the Harbour Lights Survival Guide may not deserve comparison with each other because they each try to accomplish different things. I recommend them both.

Thanks!
Jim Rutherford

Welcome to the Forums, Jim!

Glad to see you've made the jump into these 16,000+ messages.

As you can tell, you are well-thought of in these parts and we look forward to reading your opinions on some of these threads.

As you've noticed, you've achieved the initial status of "Newbie". But after you've created all these Wackos who discovered your Survival Guide a few years back, you should have a higher title.

John:

How about "The Great Enlightened One"!

(No lighthouse pun intended...well, okay, it was)

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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild