Seems like Harbour Lights has had a reputation as a 'mans collectible' -- something the guys get into.

I've noticed that among those who are now registering on the Official Web Site, about 2/3rds are women.

Is this line shifting? What implications does this have? Or was the 'mens collectible' label wrong all the time?

What's it like in your family? Who is the collector, how does your spouse feel about it?

Let's hear your thoughts.

Hi John,
John started out to be the HL collector in our family. I then jumped in and started to appreciate them too!

Mary & John

John,
I am the collector in our family. My wife usually "goes along for the ride". Sometimes I wonder why she puts up with it or me! I would have thought it would be more geared for the guys! Maybe not! I remember Mombo's comment in Chicago about Long Beach Bar (Bug Light). She wasn't impressed with it, while I thought it was one of the best ever made by HL. She said maybe the piece was a "guy thing"!

I am the lighthouse fanatic in our house. There is no doubt about it, Jerry goes along for the ride at times...but I am the collector and traveler and researcher and then I tell him what I have learned. \

This coming weekend, he is taking me to GA so I can fly over Cumberland Island Light and he will wait at the airfield. He is going to go to St. Augustine and Ponce Inlet because I asked for the trip and climb for my birthday present.

Derith

My boyfriend thought collecting lighthouses and visiting lighthouses was a "women" thing. I have had a hard time convincing him that on this forum it seems to be a "man" thing. I wouldn't mind if you guys could convince him it is OK for him as a man to be interested in lighthouses so that I could convince him it was OK to plan trips around visiting lighthouses.

Suzanne

The light-houses are definitely MY thing in our house. My wife has a moderate collection of angels, and this year we opted for beginning the Hawthorne Village Christmas collection (Thomas Kinkade style) together....hmmm. maybe this thing IS getting out of hand.

My husband Gary has been a collector since childhood - stamps, coins, baseball cards, etc. I haven't. Several years ago, after selling all of our collections to help sponsor a couple of college educations, we looked around for something interesting that we could collect together. On a vacation to Marco Island in Florida we wandered into a collectibles shop and were very impressed with the Harbour Lights figurines. The first one we bought was Sannibel Island. Immediately we went to Sannibel to visit the lighthouse since we were so close. We both became collectors and lovers of lighthouses but one of us, the male member, is a fanatic and has to have every variation of every HL piece.

Kay

I'm going to play this one safe. I think Harbour Lights is both a man and woman thing. I just think the men, such as I, get fanatical about it. For me, it filled a need. Being ex-NAVY, I was used to the sea. It was fascinating, mysterious and lonely but serving a very useful purpose. The same as I picture the lighthouse keeper. I live in the desert now, but I am still attached to the sea through my Harbour Light collection.

I started out as the collector, but my husband has really been getting into it for about the last year now. He enjoyes visiting the lights on trips and has purchased many HL for me.

chris g

I would say that if it were up to my wife, she would probably not collect HLs. Although she likes them, she has noticed that a large portion of the storage space in our home is taken up by HL boxes and products. Just how many boxes and HL's do I have? Well I'm only missing the Coquille River LE so that will give you a rough idea.

I've been told by a few dealers that mostly men buy HL's. I feel there are more men HL collectors than women HL collectors.

Bob

Is Missouri a community property state, Chris? I'd say he's buying them because he likes them too.

I'm the collector of HLs in our home. Jackie pretty much thinks they are nice, but just not into it like I am. She is more into Porcelain hummingbirds. I do know she is very happy that I collect HLs considering my previous hobby was collecting firearms. A whole lot cheaper!

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

I'm the HL collector in the house and my wife collects the Seraphim Angels. Trips to the dealer can bring home any kind of surprise for either of us and sometimes both of us. My wife was the one that started me out on lighthouses when she spotted Beavertail Light for sale. It was a favorite fishing spot in my younger days and the first light that we visited together. I now have all the New England lights except the Portland Head LE. Maybe someday!!!

Bert

I started out the colector,but Miss Sharon
has become as avid as I.

My wife says that its my coleection when money matters come up. But I know that she too has the bug, just not as strong as I have it.

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I'm definitely the HL Wacko, but my wife does like them. She even bought me a curio to store some of them in.

She enjoys visitng the real thing more. She also volunteers at Sandy Hook sometimes.

Dennis

I'm definitely the "collector" of many things for many years. The HLs are my passion. My husband, Wayne, enjoys visiting the real ones with me. In fact, we just had a wedding last Saturday in Providence RI. Since it was an afternoon reception we changed clothes & visited Bristol Ferry light just before sunset. Next day we detoured to visit Watch Hill on the way home.

Wayne gets a little overwhelmed by the boxes of lights that have no home yet but calms himself by playing a round of golf!

Donna

I am definitely the collector in my family. My wife does appreciate some of my lighthouse stuff, but she just doesn't understand the whole thing. She keeps telling me that I "have too many (HL)" and that I "have a problem". Oh well (And, for the record, she is a Longaberger basket collector...you'd think that she'd have some appreciation for collecting...)

--Jeff

It started out as something "SHE" wanted. Cindy said she wanted to decorate with lighthouses so we visited the local gift store and saw the selection of Harbour Lights. She wanted the Bald Head but I thought it was ugly and instead bought her the Hatteras "Glow".(at that time not knowing the difference between the LE/Glow versions)3 months and ebay later, I soon realized there was more to these HL and I was just starting out. The bug hit after our first vacation to South Carolina and visiting a "REAL" lighthouse for the first time. I kept buying em(saying they were for "HER") and it became apparent that I was the WACKO in the house. I retain that status. Lighthouses have decorated our bedroom and living room now... Our collection has grown to 55 that fills the curio nicely. But a second one will be in order soon after the Reunion If I could afford it, I'd be on autoship with my local dealer I would love to have em all....but that's not going to happen... But I really enjoy the ones I have and having the ones of the real ones I've seen and climbed.

Oh yeah... after realizing more about the LE factor of HL's, I went back later on and Bald Head was gone. Thanks to some help looking for it, I've since put BH on the shelf with the other N.C. lights (still missing Ocracoke and Hatteras will have to stay a Glow for some time)

[This message has been edited by Medicman (edited 09-12-2001).]

I am a collector. I've collected a few stamp sheets and blocks, some proof coins,and a few Lladros, etc. But, then my friend gave me the HL Fire Island LH as a gift. I had visited it several times when I lived on LI, but had never entertained any thoughts of collecting any lighthouses at that time. Now I'm hooked on collecting Harbor Lights. At first, they were gifts from my friend, but then I started to buy them myself. My husband has been tolerant of my addiction but does not encourage it. However, I did talk him into going to the reunion with me and my friend. Hope to see some of you there.

I have a few lights and coins and stamps,the coins and stamps I might sell but keep away from my lights I wouldnt sell them for a million bucks. BillO'Brien

I am the collector for the lighthouses in our house. My wife collects other things, but she leaves the lighthouses up to me. She likes them, but is not as crazy about them as I am. Probably good that we are not both into this..

Rusty

Unfortunately for us we are both collectors.
However, I started the HL collection but she
finds them first and is gracious enough to tell me when they're going to be available.
She's quicker that my autoshipper!!! Need
to build on another room just for HL!!!

Keepin' the Flame, Rich

I'm the collector in the family, but my husband introduced me to Harbour Lights by buying me my first one, the Cape Hatteras GLOW, about 4 years ago. He gets a kick out of tracking down the ones I think I have no chance of having and surprising me with them.

I would have to say that we are a 50/50 household. Our collection started after a weekend trip to the NC Outer Banks. At first we were just interested in haveing a replica of the lighthouses that we had seen with our own eyes. My husband would say "Been there, Done that, Got the Lighthouse !!!" However 162 lighthouses later we now say "Got the lighthouse, will go there some day and do that !!!"

We have taken out a equity credit line on our house to support our habit. You see we have only been collecting for 9 months and as stated above "162 lighthouses later". Ant Harbour Lights grand !!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Shortcake, ...I think you should be elevated to "WACKO" status even before you reach 50 posts. It sounds like you've made quite an investment in a short period of time.
Welcome to the world of Harbour Lights!

Bob

I'm glad I'm not the only "WACKO" out there. Including Fort Washington, which I ordered today, and not including "Little Lights, I'm at 180 (in one years time). Just think what damage I could do with a second mortgage. The possiblities are endless.

I started out as the lighthouse nut many years ago with only a vague interest by my wife. Since starting my HLights collecttion her interest is way up!!!



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[This message has been edited by pharologst (edited 09-24-2001).]

Mike started collecting Harbour Lights first. Shortly after the first couple I became addicted. I call all over the world for ones that we need. I get a big thrill finding a rare one at retail. We just found the original Hilton Head at retail last week We now have 2 huge curio's and need another one. Mike has all the Anchor Bay ships too but I don't like those! I'm glad to have found Harbour Lights. It saves me a lot of time buying birthday and Christmas presents. One stop at the dealer and I'm set I LOVE them as much as Mike. Mike proposed to me at the Tybee Lighthouse! So Tybee will always be my favorite