Sand Key, FL arrives

My dealer left an email for me that HL #288 Sand Key, FL was in. Hopefully will be able to pick it up tomorrow morning. Very interested in seeing this one.

P.S. Couldn't wait and used the excuse of taking my wife out to dinner to pick up Sand Key before the store closed. It is quite a unique piece of metal work. Large footprint, and well done as usual. It may be a bit more than some are willing to spend, but definetly something that all should take to time to look at.

Hey Dick, ...Thanks for the info regarding Sand Key has been shipped. I received Mayport, Florida, and the Colossus of Rhodes via UPS yesterday. I haven't opened them up yet but I will definitely do that today.

Bob

I just took Mayport out the box. This is a great piece! The tower is reminiscent of some of the best HL's ever made. This is definitely a tall tower. This piece is a real deal for $65. It's a must have for a Harbour Lights collection.

I also took the Colossus of Rhodes out of the box. I wasn't that excited about it. It cost $85. Maybe it should have been $65 and the Mayport should have been $85. I don't think the Colossus will be a really big seller or fast retiring piece.

Bob

I am one happy Mustela! My Sand Key arrived today. Man on man what a beautiful light!

Sand Key came yesterday along with SE Block Island Regional and St Clair Range Lights. Mayport and Colossus came last week. My plastic card is really suffering but they are all great. This could be a banner year for HL and especially us Floridians if Mayport and Sand Key are any indicators.

Just caught a glimpse of it at Lighthouse Depot today. It IS a large piece. Very impressive. My regular dealer won't be opening 'til April 1st, so my official review will have to wait. But I can't imagine that this will be around longer than a few months...if that. Very nice.

Mayport---eh. Neither here nor there for me.

Pharos---"Wow!™" No two ways about it.

Colossus---Much different than I expected. The statue is larger than I thought it would be. Don't like the flame. Will need to study this up close before I give it thumbs up or down. But I will say this: Mary Ann at Lighthouse Depot says she has "...zero lighthouses of any kind in my house. Until now. Those two (Pharos/Colossus) I bought." That's a good sign.

Picked my Sand Key yesterday at my dealer in Delaware. It is a WOW piece. Very detailed.
Hal

I picked mine up last weekend.
This is a must for all Southerns.
It is Awesome.

I bought Sand Key Saturday at a Harbour Lights signing. It's a beautiful piece, but I do have one question. Why is there a keeper's house next to it? According to the write up that came with it (and one that I found in a book). The original concrete tower, keeper's house and most of the island were lost in the mid 1800's by a powerful hurricane. The present metal lighthouse was built to replace it but had the keepers area attached just above the first landing like it does on the HL. So why is there an extra keeper's house?

Carol

Apparently the other keeper’s house was also built after the Hurricane.
See the 1940 postcard on ebay. Note the price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2162876318&category=127

like everything else, if someone collects it, others become interested. It looks like the lighthouse postcard market is rising!

I collect old and new lighthouse postcards, and that is a nice one, but it's out of my price range!

Sand Key arrived late yesterday afternoon. It is truly a great HL and a must have for dedicated HL collectors.

The tower's cross members look very delicate. It would be wise to avoid handling the piece by the tower. I can picture a store clerk reaching into a display case and grabbing this piece by the tower. Such action could cause some serious damage to the piece.

Bob

I agree with you Bob! The tower looks like nothing you would want to pull on! I got mine yesterday and it's one of my favorites! It's got to be in the top 5 of Harbour Lights' BEST! (IMHO)

They keep getting better and better!