The 2006-2007 Harbour Lights Collectors Society pages have been added to www.HarbourLights.com

As in the past, you can renew or join online. If you already have dues paid through 2006-2007, you can order the Society Exclusive Boston Harbor Light (Original) online for delivery through your favorite dealer.

Harbour Lights sent out a Collectors Society mailing earlier this week with information and an order form. If you were a society member this or last year, you should receive one.



Harbour Lights Redemption Dealers were shipped samples of the Boston Light and the society gift piece, Mussel Bed Shoals RI as well as brochures starting late last week and continuing Monday and Tuesday. West Coast dealers' materials went out last week, East Coast ones this week.

Not all Harbour Lights dealers are 'Redemption Dealers'. Even if your regular dealer is not designated as such, you can still specify them and HL will try to deliver through them for you. You pay the dealer when your piece arrives.

For those who like to wait until the very last minute, you can obtain the Hilton Head Front and Rear Range lights for 2005-2006 if you act on or before April 30 online at:

www.HarbourLights.com/society/index_2005.htm

Thanks, John! Looking forward to another exciting year of HL.

Thanks to Jeremy D'Entremont's original research, you can now read a brief history on the original Boston Harbor lighthouse .

I stand corrected. The mailing to past society members went out bulk rate, not first class. Should be arriving from now to a week or so from now.

Why should we rejoin? They have changed nothing! We are still paying $39 for a gift, the Legacy that comes out now who know's when, the last one is date September and then there's the right to buy a lighthouse nolonger standing. Gee they could have at least supported a current standing lighthouse. Take some steps to make the Membership worth something and I will rejoin, otherwise I will buy the pieces discounted on Ebay and save the $39 membership.

imho

Sean,

I don't disagree with you. Your points are very valid.

I see one posible flaw in your plan if everybody thought that way, though-

there wouldn't be any of the "free" Society pieces to purchase on ebay.

Dennis

If it's free we are paying $39 for the Legacy? When they stop calling it a gift I might reconsider.

imho

I have to kinda agree with Sean. I'm a buy the ones I've seen collector now. When they come out with a "gone but not forgotten" light, I have absolutly no interest in it. Plus, losing the 4 printed Legacy's, being replaced by by 2 oline versions. It just doesn't add up for me. Talk about keeping interest in Harbour Lights? What non-collector would want to sign up when the gift is a light they can't even see. I just don't get this making long gone lights when there are so many still standing to be made and that could use the attention.

What happened to listening to our suggestions for the society pieces? I don't believe that either of these we're remotly on the list.

Mike

Folks, it is like I said last year if you don't like the society pieces being offered there is no longer a reason to join because that is all you are really getting. In past years I would have signed up already, however this year I have to think about it. The problem is the lighthouses are really all you get. This year the lighthouses are from an area I do not collect plus one is a fantasy piece, as there are no photo of how it really looked only descriptions, so I cannot decide if I should continue in my membership.

I'll tell you...I kind of considered joining the HLCS since I first heard about HLs, which was soon after I got into LHs in general. I delayed it and delayed it...and then last year, all the benfits got dropped and the price was raised...and then after that, the Legacy went electronic...and now, to me, joining is like buying a regular HL, with two PDFs thrown in, and the opportunity to buy another HL.

For $40, there are other HLs I'd spend my money (if I had any to spend on them), too, instead of a light that doesn't exist (though it's one of my favourite lost lights). I can get 2-3 "eBay specials" for that much money. Or I can buy a new HL that I really like for $40. There's many, many more HL options that I find much more appealing for the money.

The HLCS seems to now just be the "Harbour Lost Lights Collectors Society"

I like the lost lights.

Just for the record, I made these same complaints when Younger and Associates were still at the wheel. I just hoped new management would make changes to the Society. Obviously I have been let down.

I also agree that the "Lost Light" Musselbed Shoals is going to be a nice addition to the HL line and in a special way to my collection of New ENgland LIghts.

For those who haven't see a picture of the original here is a postcard scene from "New England LIghts a Virtual GUide."

http://www.lighthouse.cc/musselshoal/MUSSPC.JPG

THe HL, except for the color sure looks like a great representation of the original.

Here is another from RHode Island Lighthouse History

http://www.rhodeislandlighthousehistory.info/Images/Photographs/musselbed_old_a.jpg

I look at my Society Membership as a sign of support for the company. You are correct when you say we are paying for an alleged free gift, now that "free gift" is basically a discounted HL.

I do miss the hard copy of the Legacy. I feel it was a mistake to discontinue it and offer the online version instead. Now the online version is not available as it should be. Perhaps we should give the new owner a little time and make his own decision as to whether or not there is a demand for the mailed hard copy of the Legacy.

I have no objection to Harbour Lights replicating a "lost light" for purchase. I find it interesting, especially when it was such a significant light from American history. There will be many standing lighthouses supported in the future by Harbour Lights. I say buy it if you like it.

BRING BACK THE LEGACY! It was an informative media that linked the connected collectors of the CF and other HL collectors who are not connected via the Internet. I never heard of one collector who didn't enjoy the hard copy of the Legacy and its preview of things to come from Harbour Lights.

Bob

HOORA!! I agree.

AND THE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS...

Well Folks,

I agree! BRING BACK THE LEGACY AND THE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS.

bobo

I'll add my vote to bringing back the hard copy of the Legacy and the Christmas Ornaments.

I also have no problem with either the "free" piece or the redemption piece being Lost Lights. That's all part of the Lighthouse Legacy in my book.

I can fully understand the problem with paying to belong to something and not actually getting anything in return for it. I believe my support of the company by purchasing their product is doing my part- their part in the past was rewarding my loyalty with something special that wasn't available elsewhere. Technically this is still true but the amount of that special product has been much reduced so as to not make it much of anything more than the purchase of another one of their products.

It's more the spirit of it that has changed- not the substance.

Dennis

Bring Back The Ornaments!!!!!!!!!!

I would also like the Legacy to be a hard copy. I can live without the ornaments though.

In a way, I feel that my membership is a way of supporting HL. I certainly wouldn't be collecting lighthouses if it weren't for HL. I also liked having the hard copy of The Legacy. I like to be able to go back to look up information at times or just to reminisce. I can take it to the den or my bedroom - sort of like carrying around a book when I am reading. I wouldn't want to do that with my computer even if I had a laptop. The ornaments were important to me because I don't have the space (or the bucks) to buy the redemption pieces. I always waited until the following year and bought the ornament instead. Bring them back, please!!

Well there certainly has been a lot of support for a return to the hard copy of the Legacy. It doesn't have to be on the fancy paper and all in color. It could come on regular newsprint paper for all I care. Maybe even regular paper with a color insert similar to a brochure that would announce the company's new offerings.

We would certainly welcome more stories from collectors and perhaps spotlight reports on some of the faithful HL Dealers in the country. How about a regular feature dealing with lighthouse restoration and the efforts of the organized clubs that do so much to support the lights from their area.

There is so much that could be shared through a hard copy Legacy. It would probably behoove Harbour Lights to send "X" amount to their dealers so that a future HL Collector might pick one up and maybe become a connected collector someday.

Bob

I'd think that it wouldn't be THAT expensive to bring back the legacy, especially on something like newsprint or other inexpensive printing paper.

Case Study: I get this newsletter, the ROVERS NORTH NEWS, from this Land Rover parts company, Rovers North, quarterly. It's 48 pages this month, many of them colour. It's printed on newsprint, but high quality, and folded in regular magzine format.

The only thing I had to do to get the RNN was to join the company's mailing list (which I did anyway to get all the new parts catalogues) for free. The thing that may help offset the costs a little is that, throughout the magazine, they have a few pages with the latest specials. So you get a bit of advertising, but it's not overbearing, since the rest of the content is excellent.

It's also available as a downloadable PDF on their website, so those that want to see it online (I sometimes do, as it's there before it gets to my house) can. (For those curious at seeing what the newsletter is like, format-wise and all, here\'s the link to the Spring one in PDF.)

Now, HL could very easily do the same thing. I'm sure that if Rovers North can send a 48 page newsletter on newsprint to probably thousands of Rover owners across the country FREE, Harbour Lights can do the same for a couple thousand PAYING members.

The online Legacy is obviously not working for many people. Maybe it's time to reconsider a cheaper printed alternative. The old glossy, full-colour, hole-punched newsletter is probably cost-prohibitive by now. But it seems like people are a little sick of the super-stripped down HLCS. Maybe a hard-copy Legacy, even on newsprint, could help restore a little bit of faith in the society, and make people more willing to spend $40/year on membership.

Sometimes it's little stuff like getting 2 or 4 "free" pieces of post that makes people feel like they're getting their money's worth. With the rising cost of everything, the days of the gift piece and the ornie and the pin and the print and the glossy Legacy are over, dead, and buried. But it wouldn't be THAT hard to at least bring a little bit of it back.

I enjoyed the Legacy, its just more substantialthen an e-mail

Lighthouse Depot has some catalog experience. Maybe a hard copy of the Legacy would not be as hard for them. As for loining the society as means of supporting Harbour Lights, while I agree with this statement, I think it's only one of the ways to support H.L. While I haven't joined the society for the past couple years, I have boughts 5 or 6 new L.E's each year, bought at retail from a registered dealer, so in this way I to have supported H.L. as best I can.

Mike

Dealer support by collectors is the lifeline of Harbour Lights. As long as collectors are willing to go into a store and purchase HL's, the line will continue. The same applies to those who get their new releases through dealers via shipping without walking into the store.

There are several different levels of collectors:

1. Auto ship, one of everything purchasers, who are Harbour Lights best customers. You also must factor in that some auto ship collectors may not buy GLOW's, Lenses, or AB's. They still support the company buying what they buy.

2. Collectors who go into a dealer and buy HL's from a specific region or those models that they like. They visit the store and often buy other products not made by Harbour Lights. Their financial support of that dealer certainly helps to keep them in business, which in turn keeps them ordering HL's from Harbour Lights.

3. There are collectors who refuse to pay retail. They build their collections through dealer close-outs and through the secondary market, mainly eBay. Although this isn't directly supporting Harbour Lights, it does move product and keeps the door open for these collectors to someday purchase at retail.

4. Non-collectors who purchase a Harbour Lights product for themselves or as a gift because they like the looks of it. This may seem like a small thing but it does support the line. It also may kindle a flame where the person will go back for more HL's. I would guess that most collectors started that way.

We lose collectors every year. They lose interest in collecting, they run out of storage and display space, or they go on a fixed income which can't support collecting anymore. I totally understand their positions. Then we have to hope that new collectors will take their place and support Harbour Lights and collecting in general.

These are the times that the new management of Harbour Lights must face with new and improved marketing ideas. They must keep as many faithful collectors as possible while luring new collectors to the line. As long as they continue the tradition established by the Youngers, and offer high quality and interesting products in the future, they will survive.

Bob

Absolutely!!!

One without the other of these two statements and the line of collectibles will not survive. That's my complaint about the Society. It's the same as last year. There is no improvement!

imho

Tony Constantino, Harbour Lights' Director of Sales & Marketing, is a regular reader of the Collector Forums and urges reps and dealers to read the Forums.

He has prepared a response to address some of the concerns expressed in this thread and another and I have posted it as an Adobe Acrobat File.

Click Here To Read

Thanks.
I am a relatively new collector, who hopes to continue collecting for a long time or as long as the money and space allows!
HCS

I'm encouraged by Tony's input and I really think we should stand by HL and give the new team a chance. It takes time to get things going. I'm sure some things will change that we all don't agree with or care for and hopefully more things will change that we like and do agree with. By the way, I to would like to see the Legacy hard copy bought back.

Has any low numbered HL Society Gift pieces (Mussel Ridge Shoals) shown up yet?

Anybody request numbered pieces to match their "autoship" number?

In the past, those collectors requesting numbers to match their autoship number, usually a low number, received their pieces later than others, usually in June or July.

Just wondering....

He didn't address the "Gift"! It's not a gift. I'm a consumer, I'm not gifting them $39 for an electronic Legacy.

imho

I'll try again later, John, but I couldn't access your link just now.

Hello all

I'm a fairly new collector and continue to support Harbour Lights by joining the Collector's Society. What I'm about to say may upset some long term HL collectors.

I feel that getting a low number of a Collector Society piece should be random. That's part of the fun. I mean, knowing which number one is going to get, takes some of the fun out of it. To attract new collector's (and to continue with more recent collector's), the inability to "capture" a low number makes the hunt less fun and disappointing. Why are we not happy with just getting and having a piece that is as beautiful as a HL piece? I mean, it's disappointing to read comments about collector's being angry with the direction. The items should bring happiness, regardless of the number on the side.

What you said sure doesn't upset me.. I think you stated your thoughts very well...

Very good suggestion to pick the numbers at random. This way new collectors have a chance at a low number. It would be a challenge to look for lower number pieces adding excitement, fun and even anticipation. It may even generate some interest to collect where there wasn't any.
HCS

I would have to agree with picking the numbers at random. You won't know until you receive it and it levels the field for everyone. The random numbers for the Erie Land Light was used and look at how much excitement and anticipation there is!

For the new collectors, it's one of the few ways to get a low number. I know I was very excited getting a double digit Coney Island which is still my lowest #.

I got my Mussel Bed Shoal yesterday and the number is 4461.

My Mussel Bed Shoal arrived Friday. It is a sharp looking piece in my opinion.

Rich, I agree that Mussel Bed Shoals, RI is a very nice looking piece. WELL DONE!! My number is 4457. How do they pick the numbers on these "Gift" Pieces???

I haven't received my Mussel Bed Shoals Light as of yet. I always ask for my auto ship number so usually mine comes in later than the other non-reserved flag#'s.

I've only seen pictures of MBS but it certainly looks like it could be a welcome addition to my collection.

Bob

Mine came in Monday. It's a very nice, little piece. It's numbered 4466.

Got mine it's 4468, I had to look twice to make sure it wasn't 4458 that would be something. However, since most of the dealer have closed near me my members piece was almost a problem. We really had to move down the list so I could pick it up instead of having it shipped. But now I wait and examine the detail of this very nice light. Already found the seahorse. I really like the bell

Chuck

hey Grace any idea how they assign the numbers. I wonder who has 4467?

Chuck

I am kind of amazed that our numbers are so close,
4457,4461,4466 and 4468. I don't think we could have planned it that close.

Rethinking my initial displeasure at receiving #3474--lowest number thus far, at least here.

Sandy

BTW, dealer notified me that #227 is what he received for me for First Boston Light.

Sandy,... Are you on auto ship? I know many people like the thought of random numbers being sent out, but I must say I'm contrary minded when it comes to that.

I believe if a person commits to buying one of everything via an auto ship, then everything he or she purchases should have that auto ship number.

If I didn't have my low auto ship flag#, I wouldn't buy everything offered (no GLOW's though!). I would just purchase what I liked, which would be quite a cost savings. Many of the HL's I buy never see the light of day and are just put into my storage area. Hopefully, I will be able to move some of them on to another collector in the future. Although things have been slow, I'm still buying and selling. That's part of the fun of collecting.

Bob

Bob,

No, I'm not on autoship. Dealer has been sending #73 on pieces I've ordered through him since early March, 2006 so I'm really tickled to have found him. Don't know if he had an "in" on the Mussel Bed Shoal light, but am equally tickled to have gotten that number as well.

Got my first Boston Light today...number 460.