A simple question, why is it so difficult to sell HL?? We all have spent good money to purchase these beautiful beacons. They are so related to history that I find it rather odd people don't look at these like they would a good painting, Fenton glass or even a David Winters sculpture. It is so sad that collections have become a thing of the past. There doesn't seem to be a secondary market for most collectables these days. Even old furniture has a value greater than our beloved beacons.

Simply put- the first reason is that the one thing required for an item to be sold at a premium is just not there anymore.

You need to replace older (not an age issue) collectors who have maxed out or stopped collecting with new people who are starting to collect.

This process becomes harder to accomplish as a line "ages" and expands in total number of items which in turn tends to overwhelm new collectors.

In addition we have the problem that while quite a bit in the past stills haunts the HL Collectors world- serious overproduction of many of the replicas.

You then add in the general economy and it's efects on disposable income and you have the 3 top reasons why most people find themselves with a collection that has little or no monetary worth but still has an emotional value.

Dennis

I feel more HL's would sell if more poeple knew about them. As mentioned, other collectables still sell well.

I've come across many folks who have no clue that HL's exist. The US population is too large not to sell more HL's.

Name a collectible that still sells well.

I don't hear anything about those "big" collector's shows that HL's always attended and won awards. This and the loss of dealers has left a gap in the presentation place in the market. For some the lighthouse craze has passed. Very few TV shows honor them anymore. Lighthouses have passed from the public's eye. It's up to the states and cities to keep them in the forefront. I was on a lighthouse cruise out of Boston, and I can attest firsthand to the pride that the organizers of this outing displayed. I always ask myself, how is it ,that the countries I've visited, seem to maintain there lighthouses so much better than we do? Maybe they need to come under an umbrella of the a re-incarnated Lighthouse Service since the USCG plays a giant role in Homeland Security. Hats off to the organizers of the various Lighthouse Challenges. But how many of the attendees are first timers and how many are repeaters?

Let's all repeat the Harbour Lights Corporate Mantra:

Those big collector shows ended years ago. Attendance at the dealer-only shows (and the number of those shows) has declined significantly.
Collector Magazines are out of print.

The collector events like Rosemont were a nucleus around which lots of collectors organized and went on lighthouse trips.

The good old days. Without the personal interaction of lighthouse enthusiasts-collectors, interest in collecting has waned.

The number of HL clubs has declined -- yes, still a couple of strong ones -- but they are NOT collector clubs.

As for the national interest in lighthouses, the Coast Guard continues to give away lighthouses -- but the cost of getting one (required restorations and upkeep) can be way beyond the financial means of the government group or non-profit that is the 'winner.'

The PBS Series on Lighthouses premiered in 1998. DirecTV wasn't available then with 500+ channels to choose from today.

eBay came along and killed the 'secondary marketeers' (and I was one of them.) Anyone can be a seller and fewer and fewer are calling themselves 'buyers' on eBay.

The world economy has hurt the collectible business big time. It slowed about 8 years ago - think 9/11, two continuing long wars, etc.

The depression that we woke up to in mid 2008 was the death knell for many.

"What 'disposable' income?"

Today Harbour Lights is the ONLY lighthouse replica company still in business. Scassi died some time ago and is filling dealer orders from inventory only.

The economy has meant people vacation closer to home. Maybe that's good for close-to-home lighthouses, but not good for the big draw lighthouses and the group outings to the Outer Banks.

All sad facts that are beyond the control of Harbour Lights.

Personally I think Harbour Lights has done great work to react - cutting production quantities, improving quality, eliminating GLOWs, doing limited Little Lights and all this in the face of rising costs for production and raw materials in China. They could have reduced the number of new introductions IMO.

The number of "collectible dealers" is way, way down. There were over 2,500 HL dealers at one time. You didn't have to drive far to find one - or several. Most were Mom and Pop businesses; only a small percentage have made it through until today. God Bless 'em

If you're holding your HL's to fund your retirement, good luck to you. If your heirs think they'll cash in from your amassed collection when you pass away, good luck to them.

Cut to the October 2061 broadcast of "Antiques Roadshow", someone is being sat down at a table with one of the specialty hosts and is about to learn that their "original Cape Hatteras" by a company called "Harbour Lights" is worth $14,000! (it would be worth $20,000 except there's a base chip.) (A 2% annual appreciation from today's $5,000.)

Great! The new 2061 Prius the guest just bought cost $354,000 (A 4% annual increase.) And don't forget the sales tax of $21,239.

I'm not being cynical, just realistic.

This isn't a criticism of anyone's post. It's just my opinion and observation.

Now repeat the Mantra.

Great post, JC! I think you summed it up well. Nothing is over until it's over. Harbour Lights has "shifted gears" and hopefully will maintain a business that will survive until the good old days make at least a slight comeback.

Everything runs it's course. People who have a large supply/collection of HL's should just hold on to them. They can always give them away later. Collectibles do better with age. The availability decreases and hopefully their worth will increase. If not, what have you lost by holding them longer if they only bring pennies on a dollar now.

Rare is good with collectibles. Just think of how many HL's have been destroyed or thrown away over the last decade. Once there may have been 5500 of a certain model in collections, but that amount will probably be decreased many times over in the future.

Not everyone who purchased Harbour Lights products were "collectors". Many people purchased what they liked and proudly displayed their treasures. Some day those treasures may be treated like junk during a house clean-out reducing the actual number to far less than what was produced. Maybe someday some future collectors will realize what these treasures are and their popularity will increase. In the meantime, enjoy what you have, collect what you like, collect what you can afford, and enjoy life while you have your health.

Bob

Ditto... Great post John !!!

The only reason I collect HL's is because I love them. I don't plan on ever selling them, except for any duplicates(usually from gifts).

I still hope and believe HL collecting will improve in the next 5-10 years, not to the level they once did, but to a decent level.

My current consern is the next 2 to 3 years. Will LHM stick with producing them. I hope and pray they do. I REALLY love collecting HL's !!!

From talking to a few store owners, Enesco, Fenton, Jim Shore, etc, still sell good. Is it because these companies advertise more??? Do they have a bigger sales network???

I just want LHM to do whatever it can to get the word out. Every new collector, may they collect one HL or many, makes a difference.

Long Live Harbour Lights !!!

Good Saturday Morning!

I have managed collectibles for my entire professional life from MI Hummel to Anri Woodcarvings to being on the team that developed the Walt Disney Classics Collection, a line that went from $0.0 milliom in sales to $50.0 million in sales, over three years.

While each post offered a great look into the reasons collectibles are on the decline there are one or two other factors to consider.

Are you aware that Merrill Lynch bought MI Hummel, that Bain Captital bought Boyd's Bears or that Charter House Group bought United Design? In the case of United Design, the management team came from Dole/Hunt Wesson Foods and the president from Topps Bubble Gum (the Baseball Card Company) - their experience in collectibles - to a man NONE! Here is what they and these other investment companies saw: to produce a can of tomato sauce costs about .54 Hunt Wesson makes about .02-.03 on every can - not a large margin but there is volume! When they looked into buying United Design, they saw a company that imported firqurines of small animals at about $1.50 "landed cost" and could wholesale that figurine for around twice that much! They hit pay dirt!The margins were beyond their belief! As a result more pieces were produced - more new introductions. Why? They did not understand the art of collecting! Today most of the BIG companies are out of the business.

Collectors have lost sight of the Art of Collecting - Collecting is about loving the art and craftsmanship, quality and detailand equally as important, the story behind the piece. Think of an MI Hummel figurine, Mary Innocent used only two models (children of five years of age a brother and sister) - each piece is handcast - not only are these figurines hand painted but each artist, mixes his/her own paint right at their station. No two pieces look alike!
Look at the Harbour Lights art! The attention to detail -incredible! Harry has brought the use of resin medium to a level that exceeds what any other company has done and beyond the expectations of the industry! I remember when the industry moved from earthenware to resin - Sales Reps were horrified - RESIN! that belongs in WalMart! Harry's genius has proved the "naysayers" wrong. The resin medium can be translated into fine art! Harbour Lights is proof!
While Harour Lights cannot compete with the story of the two adorable children of MI Hummel. By the way, I have actually had the opportunity to meet these two children as seventy year old adults. However, one of my favorite responsibilities at Harbour Lights is writing the histories of the lighthouses. I personally find one history more fascinating that the other! The Art of Collecting!

Now I'll write sometning very contraversial!Let me start out first by saying, I have and still do adhere to the rules of the National Association of Limited Edition Dealers Code of Ethics!I have always represented companies in the primary collectible market and by that code am not able to sell on the secondary market.
That said, collecting is not about investing! In twenty seven years, I have never suggested to a retailer or consumer that a particular SKU would appreciate in value! I have and continue to suggest collect for the love of the art and the story!I managed Annalee Mobilitee Dolls , for several years. What a great story - the faces of the dolls are the result of the Artist, the late Annalee Thorndike sitting in front of a mirror for hours a- cotorting her face to creat the THOUSANDS of faces for her dolls - art with a story!

The small independent Dealer is becoming apart of the past! Why? In many caes , the next generation has decided not to continue - the hours are long and the interest is just not there. The overhead has exploded! Rents, insurance - salaries make it difficult to make a profit ! When I talk to many of our Dealers, I have learned they are not taking a salary from their store - trasffic is way off! They seem unable to or resistent to copmeting with the BIG BOX STORES. Owners of malls would rather rent a store front to The Gap that to Tony's Collectibles!I recently, I spoke with a Dealer, who has moved, in the same mall three times, over the last five years! Why? So a BIG BOX could come in! This Dealer's customers are constanly asking where to next!

Our responsibility: to to go back to our roots - introduce a new generation to this Art of Collecting. Make them see our passion for the art and the story!

I apologize for going on so long - I trust I have given each of you something to think about.

Respectfully,

AJC

Thanks, Tony, for your valued input - we've come to know you and respect your career in the collectible business over the past three and a half years. It's great to have your participation in the Collector Forums!

Tony, Thank you for your input.

From what you said , as a conserned collector, I feel the HL product is in good hands.

I still feel we need to get the word out more, but your knowledge of the collectable business is second to none!