Posted By: Bob M
The Future of Harbour Light Collectors - 11/08/03 01:28 PM
There has been some support for lessening the number of LE's issued each year brought up in the Voting Booth Thread. I voted to lessen the amount of LE's issued each year. I do like the "one-a-month" idea plus the usual specialty pieces Christmas, Society Gift, Society Exclusive, Regional Piece, and Christmas ornaments. Even an Anchor Bay release or two is fine.
Such an adjustment would be important to keep a larger grouper interested in a smaller amount of pieces rather than a smaller group interested in a larger amount of pieces.
I believe it's not the financial committment that's causing people to drop by the wayside. It's where do we display and store all these things?
Many of our collectors feel the need to downsize there collections because there is no longer any room to keep them all. At this point, people are torn between old and new, and what do they keep. Do you keep the older more valuable pieces? Do you keep the newer less valuable pieces because they are more attractive to look at? Do you sell off part of your collection? Do you pass your collection on to you heirs?
There are so many questions yet to be answered about the future of Harbour Light Collectors. As a matter of fact, there may be many questions regarding the future of Harbour Lights producing LE's.
If you read all the posts at the CF you will see a trend of less dealers carrying a good stock of LE's. Many dealers are being forced to drop them because the higher edition size pieces didn't sell. It may come to a point that some collectors may not be able to drive to a dealer to view new pieces in a reasonable amount of time.
There may come a time when all limited edition HL sales will be done by mail order through dealers. Everyone will have to order from a catalogue or maybe through the Internet.
We have all seen Younger & Associates branching out with other product lines to support the company. I believe the LLOM line is doing well and has the appeal of a reasonable price and an they are easy to display and store because of their size. The Skybound line of hot air balloons may or may not be doing well. I don't have anything to back up a view either way. The "Knights-of-the-not-so-round-table" crashed and burned. Did someone say GLOW's? They are better looking than ever, but I only purchased one of those this year. I just had to have Nauset Light because it is one of my favorites.
If you read back through the last papragraph, you will notice all things mentioned had one thing in common. They are not limited editions. All the design work, the sculpting work, and whatever is already done. The heavy expense is over with and they can mass produce these items very cheaply on demand. This can't be said about the limited edition line. Each new LE piece comes with the expense of development and production for a known limited profit. Non-limited editions may keep producing a profit forever as long as people keep buying them.
I'm sure many of you have some mixed emotions about where we collectors will be in the future. We will also be concerned with the value of our pieces in the years to come. I guess it boils down to what Kenny Rogers sang, "You got to know when to hold them, and when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run..."
:rolleyes: Bob :rolleyes:
P.S. I'm still buying older pieces at the right price if you have any to sell.
Such an adjustment would be important to keep a larger grouper interested in a smaller amount of pieces rather than a smaller group interested in a larger amount of pieces.
I believe it's not the financial committment that's causing people to drop by the wayside. It's where do we display and store all these things?
Many of our collectors feel the need to downsize there collections because there is no longer any room to keep them all. At this point, people are torn between old and new, and what do they keep. Do you keep the older more valuable pieces? Do you keep the newer less valuable pieces because they are more attractive to look at? Do you sell off part of your collection? Do you pass your collection on to you heirs?
There are so many questions yet to be answered about the future of Harbour Light Collectors. As a matter of fact, there may be many questions regarding the future of Harbour Lights producing LE's.
If you read all the posts at the CF you will see a trend of less dealers carrying a good stock of LE's. Many dealers are being forced to drop them because the higher edition size pieces didn't sell. It may come to a point that some collectors may not be able to drive to a dealer to view new pieces in a reasonable amount of time.
There may come a time when all limited edition HL sales will be done by mail order through dealers. Everyone will have to order from a catalogue or maybe through the Internet.
We have all seen Younger & Associates branching out with other product lines to support the company. I believe the LLOM line is doing well and has the appeal of a reasonable price and an they are easy to display and store because of their size. The Skybound line of hot air balloons may or may not be doing well. I don't have anything to back up a view either way. The "Knights-of-the-not-so-round-table" crashed and burned. Did someone say GLOW's? They are better looking than ever, but I only purchased one of those this year. I just had to have Nauset Light because it is one of my favorites.
If you read back through the last papragraph, you will notice all things mentioned had one thing in common. They are not limited editions. All the design work, the sculpting work, and whatever is already done. The heavy expense is over with and they can mass produce these items very cheaply on demand. This can't be said about the limited edition line. Each new LE piece comes with the expense of development and production for a known limited profit. Non-limited editions may keep producing a profit forever as long as people keep buying them.
I'm sure many of you have some mixed emotions about where we collectors will be in the future. We will also be concerned with the value of our pieces in the years to come. I guess it boils down to what Kenny Rogers sang, "You got to know when to hold them, and when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run..."
:rolleyes: Bob :rolleyes:
P.S. I'm still buying older pieces at the right price if you have any to sell.