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Cleaning house... #80361 09/27/09 09:47 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 12,331
Bob M Offline OP
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It was a slow start today after entertaining friends last night. The weather was dismal to say the least, no boat trip, no top-down Crossfire cruise. Nothing else to do until "kick-off" (Patriots vs Falcons), so I decided to do a thorough cleaning of my curio cabinets where I display my HL's.

I carefully removed the displayed HL's one at a time. So many memories, I thought. Low numbers, lightning rod pieces, and so many once extremely desireable pieces. Most all were from the good times. Many of us "old timers" remember the good times.

Will Harbour Lights ever make a comeback and return to the top of the heap of collectibles? God only knows. I've banked on it since the decline at the turn of the century, yet that was only nine years ago. I still have faith. I think things will eventually improve. It will never be like the days of old, but there will be an upswing sooner or later.

How do you feel about all those HL's you accumulated throughout your collecting years? Can you hold out for the future? Are you concerned they are probably worthless to other than a few diehard collectors? Will one man's trash once again become a treasure?

smile Bob

Re: Cleaning house... #80362 09/28/09 12:36 AM
Joined: Dec 1969
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Lorie Roe Offline
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A few years back, I had every LE made by Harbour Lights except Coquille River, OR. I also have every ornament, all reunion pieces, lenses, thumbnails, little lights, a few AB's, a few GLOWS, a few Guardians of the Night, even a hot air balloon.

Now...after 14 years of collecting, all my HL's are in boxes. I sold my home last year and moved to the desert southwest. They don't match my new home decor style so I don't know what to do with them. frown

In answer to your question Bob, I don't think they have a lot of value unless you are a "diehard collector". In years past, the nautical theme for decorating was popular. It was easy to incorporate my HL's into my home. I don't see the popularity of that theme in stores today.

It's kind of a sad ending for what used to be so fun to be on the hunt to find a missing piece to your collection.

Re: Cleaning house... #80363 09/28/09 06:53 AM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,221
ericlighthouse Offline
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When people have more income then they need for bills, collecting of all kinds will go up.

As far as my little collection, most are lighthouses Susan and I have visited and that has memories. The lost lights are special to me since they can no longer be seen and gives a view that a picture can not.

As President of the Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation, I will be happy to take any reef lighthouse models that some one wants to donate. The last one we raffled off made the man very happy to get as he works at Cape Florida and can see Fowey Rocks from his work place.


Eric, Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation; Godfather of Jones Point River Lighthouse; member and District Commissioner of Florida Lighthouse Association et el
Re: Cleaning house... #80364 09/28/09 09:12 AM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 12,331
Bob M Offline OP
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Yes, there were many of us who had to get them all. It was a difficult task but certainly easier when there were less HL's as there are today. A new collector would probably not try to get them all. There are just too many of them now.

I didn't think it then but I do now. The wise collectors were those who collected a small portion of the total offering. Some collected what they had visited. Some collected certain regions. Some collected what they liked. I collected every single limited edition made by Harbour Lights. Then I went on to purchase many duplicates at bargain prices hoping they may be worth a few more bucks in the future.

If I knew then what I know now, I probably wouldn't have tried to own one of everything. I have no regrets about what I did collect and I did manage to have them all except for the slim tower original Cape Hatteras. Even now I must have over 500 HL's in my cellar storage area. I've sold quite a few but that market has ceased to exist right now. Maybe someday the thrill will come back and there will be a market for these treasures.

smile Bob

Re: Cleaning house... #80365 09/28/09 11:52 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,152
Lighthouse Loon Offline
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I have never collected HL's with the resale value in mind, the only value they have is in my heart. I love them!

I'm still hanging in there collecting the new ones and some of the past releases, but I do not plan on collecting all the older ones.

This is coming from someone who still considers himself a newbie, this is my sixth year collecting them.

I hope I have the opportunity to collect them for atleast 19 years, like many of you.


Stan M
New Jersey Lighthouse Lovers
------------------------------------
Harry Wishlist: Tinicum Rear Range, Miah Maull Shoal, Finns Point, Bergen Point, Cross Ledge, Old Ambrose Lightstation, Romer Shoal, Barnegat Lightship, Liberty Lightship.
Re: Cleaning house... #80366 09/28/09 05:36 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 292
Middle I-land MI Max Offline
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With the attitude expressed in your first sentence, you can't lose if values tank.

However, I feel many of us that love HL are not at the "can't lose" attitude place you are and we are hoping they'll have decent value again. So each of us in our own ways continue to support the HL line.

Re: Cleaning house... #80367 09/28/09 08:35 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 176
SDudley Offline
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I myself when I started collecting collected for the love of the models themselves. I still love them and plan on keeping most of them. However times change and your tastes do also. One wants to redesign ones direction in collecting especially if one has been doing it for a long time. I find it a shame that there is no real market for the resale of the items that I at one time had to have. First you tried to make some money, then you tried to break even, then twenty dollars less, then fifty percent and now, well, we will see. Don’t get me wrong I’m not getting out nor am I planning on selling large numbers of items it would just be nice to be able to recoup some of the money spent and to feel they have some value still. I hope the day comes when Harbour Lights and collecting are popular again unfortunately I don’t believe it will be any time soon.

Re: Cleaning house... #80368 09/29/09 07:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2002
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sandy Offline
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We stopped at LH Depot in Wells, ME on our way home from the Nova Scotia/PEI trip and I was flabbergasted at the reduced pricing on LEs. Coanicut, RI (a Christmas piece) was marked down to less than $20. Don't think that bodes well for Harbour Lights. I'll probably get more for the curio cabinets that house my collection than I will for the collection.

Sandy

Re: Cleaning house... #80369 09/30/09 10:59 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 221
silverfox51 Offline
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Something my wife said one day when I was trying to justify my wanting to buy an expensive piece of coinage for my collection. I told her what it was worth and how much I was saving with the good deal I was getting and it was surely going to be worth much more later. She said "don't give me any of the c--p, you know you will never sell it so what it's going to be worth doesn't matter, you will never see it. If you want it, just say so, if you like it, just say so, but all this justification is just belogna!"

And you know what, she is right. We all have our excuses and justifications for collecting what we collect, but in the end, the only people who "MAKE" money are the people who have what we want and the people we leave it to when we die and they sell it. Value is simply: are we willing to pay what is asked for what we want. I just bought a Hatteras mold 2 (102R). I bought it because I was willing to pay the price asked now but I wasn't 5 years ago because the price was more than my resources allowed. I will also mention I will get the price of it back in the appreciation of the piece and the joy of having it; And of course, the bragging about it.

So, my advice is, buy what you want within the resources you have and enjoy having what you have without worrying about the money you have spent and the excuses you use to justify what you spent.

Enjoy collecting, That little old collector, me.

Re: Cleaning house... #80370 10/01/09 12:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 572
docsweetie Offline
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I agree with Silverfox. I started collecting HLs about 10 years ago. I've added pieces to my collection that I have seen. I keep most in a glass display case. But I have sets of the pieces on a coffee table and end table. I usually pull out 4 -6 pieces that are ones that I have seen on my travels. When I set them out, I get great pleasure remembering my trip and the lighthouses.

Now I have four grandchildren - two are babies, but two are just about 2 years old and they like to look at the lighthouses I have out. They are careful, but you know, it's okay if they touch them because I know that I'll not be selling them to make money. Or probably selling them at all. Kelsey and Trey like to find the interesting things on the pieces like the fishing poles and boats and ghost (Do you know which HL has a ghost coming out of a keeper house window?).

I collect them and display them because I like them. Trey and Kelsey already are interested in the HLs plus they like to look at my lighthouse books.

So the point is, when I started collecting, I thought the HLs would appreciate in value --- monetary. But actually they have appreciated in value - priceless - with great memories and stories and a legacy for my grandkids.


docsweetie
From Grandkids: Aka Grandma Lighthouse

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