The last of the 1998 issues for Anchor Bay has arrived - the Lightship PORTSMOUTH.
This vessel is LV101 and WAL 524 and served on the following stations: Cape Charles, Stonehorse, Overfalls, and as a Relief.
While it never actually served a station named "Portsmouth" it serves today as a museum at the City of Portsmouth.
The Anchor Bay model is very well done - Bright red, of course (the HURON was the only black lightship to serve). The water is unique with the ship underway as the bow is raising a wake that ripples down the sides.
The shape of the Portsmouth is very rounded, What may be known as a "whaleback". I'm told it was so-designed to shed water as waves broke over.
A crew of 4 Coasties enhance the ship. Even if you are not an Anchor Bay collector, you should consider one or more of the Anchor Bay Lightships. This one is handsome.
The new packaging for Anchor Bay is a marvel - what it should have been all along. The ship is placed in a syrofoam fitted box which slips inside the glass case which in term fits into another styrofoam box that also accomodates the wooden base. Overall box size is about the size of two old style HL boxes side-by-side.
Price is $170 for this limited edition of 4,000 pieces. The bottom label carries the hand-written number and a brass plaque for the book base also has the number engraved.
Depending on your curio space, this will fit in very nicely without the glass protection and has the footprint of a typical Harbour Lights lighthouse.
[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 12-11-98).]
