Not a Rumor Anymore!

Talking to Kim at the Jacksonville, FL signing today, the rumor about a new St. Augustine LE and Lightship Relief was made official.

Kim said that a LE ST. Augustine, with all outbuildings and keeper's quarters, would be brought out in time for the ST. Augustine Regional in March 2004. It would be a production piece that would run for a normal time depending on the number of pieces made. She did not elaborate on whether it would be lighted or not. Kim also went on to say that the Lightship Relief would also be brought out as a normal LE and would also be for a unspecified production number. It would be available for the 4th of July Regional in San Fransisco.

Kim also made mention that from now on the Regionals would be in conjunction with lighthouse festivals so a larger attendance would be provided for. Bill is doing fine and Kim said that she would be glad when it can get back to normal around the offices. It was a great signing and Kim was her usual spunky self.

That's great news for those who will be able to attend the regionals. Looking forward to seeing what they can do with these.

Bert

Thanks for sharing that information. I guess I'll be adding another St Augustine to the collection as well as another AB.

Bob

Rich
Will this be a regional event piece?
I wasn't able to go to the edge water signing. It was a last minute decision not to go. I had too much work to do.

Besides having regionals at lighthouse events.
Harbour lights also should have signings at dealers that are near the L.E. lighthouse that released that year.

Example:
Cedar Key Lighthouse in Florida has an open house ever year in October. Probably a thousand or two people go to this event. Bill should have been there with a signing event at the closest store when the Cedar Key came out. I told Bill about this. He didn’t realize there was a lighthouse event going on there. I think Cedar Key would still be a good place to have a dealer signing. The dealer is walking distance from the boats that make the tours to the lighthouse.

An other example:
It was done right at Anoclote Key. Bill was at the Lighthouse tour and held a signing at a near by dealer the next day. The dealer made a killing on selling Harbour Lights that day.
The store was packed elbow to elbow, the people were buying.

Many opportunities have been lost to Harbour Lights to make profits with lighthouse people. As I have said before Harbour Lights need to focus on the lighthouse lovers that don’t collect or occasionally collect. Put a special event sticker on the L.E. and you will have collectors buying two or three. The regular shipment and one or two of the special event piece with a sticker on it. I have been there and have done that. How many of you collectors have bought a second Southeast block event piece because of the special sticker that was offered after you all ready bought one.

There are many Lighthouses that have special once a year viewings. Harbour Lights should advertise the day in the Legacy and have a signing event at the nearest store.
Cove Point has a tour once a year. Bill or Kim should have been there at the lighthouse tour and followed it with a signing at the nearest store.

All collectables are hurting, but Harbour Lights has one thing that most of the other collectables don’t have. They can utilize the actual object (lighthouse) they are sculpturing to increase sales.

Daniel,

I agree with your post very much. I believe that many people who love lighthouses, but do not collect them, probably would buy one that they have just visited. COuld be the door that needs to be opened, which could lead to a new collector. I like the idea of the signing at these special events, especially if the HL has been made.

Bert

Daniel / Bert,

I also agree with the idea of incorporating more signings / regionals with Lighthouse Events.

The evidence shows that HL is listenting to us in this matter- hence your above example and the setting of the Regionals next year and subsequent years.

I think you'll see more signings in the manner you suggest in 2004.

Dennis

Kim made mention that the St. Augustine and Relief, while they will be brought out for the Regional, will not be classified as a Regional Event Piece but will be a normal production run. The idea to have more signings nearer to lighthouses was also mentioned but I was packing up my signed pieces and didn't really hear Kim's answer. I remember her specifically mentioning Ponce Inlet when asked about a signing, but again, I wouldn't want to be quoted as what her answer was.

I believe that Kim's answer to that question was that while Harbour Lights only intended on having two regionals next year they would be present at many more lighthouse events. They would rather meet colletors at lighthouse events then at some community center somewhere.

You are wright Jim.
That is what she said.

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Does this mean that HL can produce another version of any LE that they choose to for whatever reason?

I guess that you can interpret the new limited editions anyway that you want at lighthouse events. Hopefully this will not happen but I guess HL will see how the new LE St Augustine sells.

I would suspect with all their lighthouse replicating experience, the Youngers know what will sell. I'm sure they are aware of the facts and figures that a large percentage of an additional model of St, A's would sell.

We must remember that the connected collectors that hang around the CF make up only a small percentage of the people who actually buy HL LE's.

Bob

8 LE versions of St. Augustine later.....somehow I don't think we'll be seeing multiple LE versions of Selkirk, 30 Mile Point, etc. Jim....

Gee! I would like to have a Bonita with Bridge the first time before a repeat repeat of Augustine . (Sorry folks, another opportunity)