Hey y'all, we took these pix recently of the Roanoke River Light, and then noticed that it doesn't match up with the Harbour Lights replica!
The biggest difference,,, the tower on the actual structure is centered on the roof! On the HL piece, the tower is off center!

What's ya guys and gals make of this?
What's ya think about it?
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HL puts some intentional differences in their pieces so that if someone else were to copy their replica it would be recognizable by the intentional differences that they created. There may be other reasons too, A few years back I believe they won a copyright infringement case based on these differences.

Mark

These photos are of a replica of a previous Roanoke River Lighthouse. The last Roanoke River Lighthouse has been moved twice from its original location in Albemarle Sound. It was first purchased by Elmer Wiggins, a tugboat captain, in the 1950's and moved to the banks of Albemarle Sound. In 2007, the Edenton Historical Commission purchased the lighthouse from Wiggins' heirs and moved it to the seacoast town of Edenton, where it is currently being refurbished. It is this lighthouse which was depicted by Harbour Lights, not the replica of the previous one which you visited.

Good call Roland.. Here's a link to the light that Harbour Lights is based on..

Roanke River Light

Here's a link to the one that the replica shown above is based on..

Roanoke Marshes Light

As Roland stated, these photos are of a replica of a previous Roanoke River Lighthouse. The replica stands in Plymouth, NC.

Roanoke Marshes Light is an exterior reproduction of the 1877 Roanoke Marshes lighthouse, and is located in Manteo, NC on the waterfront.

There is good information including history in an article written by Jeremy D'Entremont in Lighthouse Digest...
Dedication of Roanoke Marshes Light

I was fortunate to attend that dedication.

I think Scassis is the company that made a model in several sizes of the 1877 Roanoke Marshes Light.

Judy

No Judy, Scaasis doesn't have that one.

Roland,
I have two of them (two sizes), but they are still packed up from my move from VA to Maine. I think they were made especially for the dedication. It is definitely possible that it was another company, but memory says it was Scassis.

During the dedication, they were for sale all over Manteo...well, the Christmas Store and another dealer in the heart of the waterfront.

Judy

If it was Scaasis, then it would have had to be specially made for them. I know that Scaasis had once made a Tangier Sound, VA, but to my knowledge there was never a Roanoke Marshes or Roanoke River available commercially.

Roland, I've written to a friend in Manteo. Maybe we'll find out the manufacturer. It was a really nice replica and never looked out of place with my HL's.

It's got my curiosity up now, almost enough to go rummage through packing boxes. Not. (Packing boxes...YUCK!)

Judy

you wanna hear the ironic thing guys,,,,
I went to HIGH SCHOOL in Manteo!

I went to the HL website to look at the photo of HL538 Roanoke River and noticed that it doesn't say what the price of this piece was.
Does anyone know?

Ernie

HL538 Ronoake River Lighthouse

The price is at the bottom of the page $80.. It was the 2002 Society Lighthouse.

The HL479 Roanoke River GLOW is very similar to that one. It has been one of the suspended GLOWS, so availability is limited.
http://www.harbourlights.com/catalog/2008/roanoke.htm
Price $84.95

Roland, I promised to get back to you, regarding the manufacturer of the Roanoke Marshes Light miniature.
It was a piece commissioned by the owner of The Christmas Store in Manteo, NC and was made by Scassis in several sizes.

Sorry I don't have a photo of it.

Judy

HL479 Roanoke River Lighthouse Open Edition

Aaaahhh, that explains it!

Yes I realize this is an old topic but I felt I could shed some helpful light.
There are 3 "River" Lighthouses you can visit in NC: 2 are Replicas (Manteo and Plymouth) called the Roanoke Marshes light, and one is an original (Edenton) called the Roanoke River light. The two replicas, coincidentally are replicas of the same exact Lighthouse and so look almost the same.
The way to tell the difference is the location of the tower: the "Marshes" light is centered on the roof of the house while the "River" light is in the back right corner.
I have 3 miniatures and know of at least 1 other.
I have a Marshes light that is a Lefton (#18326). It's a smaller one and can be purchased at the Museum across the street form the lighthouse in Plymouth (for less than $20). This one shows the metal "legs" under the lighthouse.
I also have a large "Marshes" light that is the one in Manteo. (It is lower and show the "deck" around the outside of the lighthouse as it is in Manteo. It is a Scassis, but appears to have been a special edition commissioned by "The Christmas Shop" in Manteo for $24.95. (The price sticker says it is the Roanoke River Light, which is confusing.)
The third one I have is a large Harbour Light #479, labeled Roanoke River Light. I purchased this one at the Barker House museum which is a block down the waterfront from the lighthouse in Edenton. It cost about $50.
There's another Harbour Lights version out there, as you can see by the pictures above. The visual differences are in the color of the water and the placement of the boat.
I have pictures of all three lighthouses from my recent trip and can also post pictures of all three of my miniatures if anyone needs it.

Good job Jason! Welcome to the Foruma.