I'm certainly not the first person to object to Harbour Lights' open-edition shenanigans. Remember when Alcatraz, Mukilteo, Fire Island, and other pieces came out originally as open editions? There was a great outcry by limited-edition collectors (and this was before I was even aware of the company). So clearly, a big part of the allure of the line is the scarcity of its sculptures, and there are many of us who want that scarcity respected.

With dozens of GLOWs, the spyglass series, and now TLLOM (and what's next, do you suppose?), HL now looks very much like...gasp...Scaasis. You can have a big lighthouse...or a medium lighthouse...or a small lighthouse..or a super small lighthouse. And if you supersize it you get a large order of fries.

Like I said, John, I'm not an expert in the collectible industry (in fact, the "Survival Guide" by Jim Rutherford indicates that there are many like me...guys who never would have given *any* collectible line a second glance until HL came along). My perception is that Hummels are limited-edition, expensive, and have a very healthy secondary market. I wasn't aware of the fate of David Winter.

And although my trust in the company isn't what it used to be, I still love lighthouses and they still make the best models of them.
The people who run the company are wonderful people...I just question the soundness of their marketing strategy. Time will tell. If TLLOM attracts new Society members and limited-edition buyers, then Hallelujah.

"Back Seat Driver" Billy