Things are awfully quiet in the "Anchor Bay Harbor of Refuge."

How about some information of what's happening with AB?

Inquiring minds on the East Coast, where it's bright and sunny but cool, want to know.

Here's your first clue where you would find a complete set of the 1997 Anchor Bay Open Edition Ships, Bob.



Saint WackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

[This message has been edited by engbrady (edited 03-26-99).]

Is it me or do those ships appear to be levitating?

Since there are only 13 to 30 or so of some of these pieces in existance, they have the right to levitate, Art. LOL.

Remember, Paul has the powers of a Saint now too. That's probably the only photo ever taken of a complete set of OE's, very nice Paul!
[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 03-10-2000).]

It's either my new Saintly powers, or the ships are lighter without the people on them (OE). Just maybe it could be their value soaring to new heights.


Saint WackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

I sure wish the CGC MACKINAW would levitate into the picture!


Digger

It can't join them, because no more AB Open Editions are to be produced. Only the Chesapeake will be made as an Open Edition, at least for a while. The CGC MACKINAW should be produced as a Limited Edition and soon I hope. These AB opens (pictured) are a pretty exclusive group.

WackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

Is it your magical powers, Paul, or has Harbour Lights started to produce "air boats"?

The picture does tend to give the appearence of the boats floating in the air.

My husband wants to know that if they are not producing AB open editions any more (other than the Chesapeak), how will it effect his complete collection of AB special editions? Would that now make the open editions equal to the special editions considering production has stopped??
Any Captains or 1st mates that can help, let me know--I'm all buchan"ears".

------------------
Sidd




[This message has been edited by sidd (edited 03-27-99).]

Sidd,

Since most of the open editions are actually *MUCH* more limited than the limited editions...

open Kim: 13 in existance
Lorie: less than 25
Nancy: less than 25
Huron: around 60
Toledo: less than 600
Chesapeake: still open, alot of 'em

...it would take a tremendous amount of persistance, phone calls, luck, etc, etc. to be able to put together a complete set of the open editions. Since there are only 13 Kim's in existance, that would mean the *most* complete sets of open editions possible would be 13. I would assume that even if you stumble across the Kim, the odds of finding a Lorie and Nancy to go with it would be very difficult, resulting in less than 13 complete sets in reality.

Paul's photo above is therefore an extremely rare sight. Whether future prices ever reflect this is anyone's guess, but I would personally jump on any chance to get one of those four rarist pieces. I can't see how a person could go wrong, even if the future value never matches the the rareness of the piece, it is nice knowing you are in a very exclusive club.

I have been slowly making *many* phone calls to dealers since the original announcement of the actual edition sizes, and have been able to find 3 of the 4 rarist ones. It has been extremely difficult (and large phone bills) and I hope I can somehow accomplish a full set eventually. Once again, the value may not skyrocket on these, but it is the fun of the chase and the satisfaction that I could actually do it. With some extreme Wackos paying practically anything to get "everything" you never know what offer may be out there in 5 years or so. It would not matter anyways though, I would not sell. Who ever thought in 1991-92 that the "casket" lighthouse would be selling for what it is now. It took almost 4 years for HL's to really take off, so I still think it is too early to say that Anchor Bay has sunk.

As with HL, the fun of the chase is just as interesting than what happens with the value, so if they never jump in price it is still worth it to me, I think they are very neat to have around.

As to what the opens "will do" to the value of the limiteds, I don't know if there will be all that much effect on them. At least on a couple of the opens, there is too few to really be on the market to effect the limiteds at all. Since the Huron and Toledo opens are more available but less in quantity than the limited counterparts, it is possible that a few people may want those over the limiteds in the future, and effect the value?

I am as lost in this as anyone else. This is just in my humble opinion, chime in one and all if you disagree.

---

Rod Watson
[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 03-10-2000).]

I brought this one back.
Thought it was very interesting.

I had found a open edition Huron and had actually walked away from it and left it for someone else to buy. Already had a limited edition one. Some day maybe I will wish I bought it.

I have a "silly" question because I have never really paid that much attention to ABs until lately.

Are the "open" editions that are referred to in the posts above listed as "regular" in the catalog on harbourlights.com (thus having a potential item # of AB102 for Tugboat Toledo OE)?

Thanks for anyone who can clarify this for me.

Steve

The number on the limited edition version has an S after the number, which stood for special. The open edition had no S, no figures on the ships and on the limited edition display base it has the issue number of the piece and 4000 the edition size (like #1324/4000), while the open edition only has the name of the ship on the nameplate on the display case base. http://www.HarbourLights.com/catalog/anchor_bay/ab_chesapeake.htm

SaintWackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

I just spotted an Open Edition Toledo at a store. (at least I think it is) No number listed on nameplate, number of A717 handwritten on label affixed to bottom of piece, no crew, and A717 written on box. I don't normally collect AB, but I put this one on layaway simply because of the thrill of the hunt. I see that it was stated that there were less than 600 OE Toledos made. From this items number, can we assume that number is at least 717?

Tim

The numbers actually shipped of these "Open Edition" (or Regular Edition) Anchor Bays were random and generally higher. They weren't shipped out in numerical order starting with 0001.

The reason is that Harbour Lights expected to ship the first batch of open editions to those dealers who were on auto-ship for AB. However, the decision to make AB a limited edition line mean those lower numbered open edition versions were destined for destruction rather than stores.

Question:

In the HL site, on the Anchor Bay table page,
AB101 - Chesapeake (Regular/Open Edition) is shown with a retirement date of 10-23-98.

Is this correct? If so we would have a final edition number?

The previous postings here seem to indicate that it has not been retired.

#A1858
Thats the number of the Skip Jack Nancy I just purchased on Ebay.
terry

Congratulations Terry, good find!