Let's get this out of the way first. I do not own a digital camera, do not know anyone well enough to borrow one, cannot afford to buy one, and cannot insist on my dealers' keeping one at their store just to document flawed Harbour Lights. My experience as a collector for over 12 years will have to do.

Recent arrivals at the store:

Point Bonita [ed. #416] came in a few weeks back with the bridge glued on at a 45-degree angle. It was replaced this week by Harbour Lights.

Chicago Harbor [ed. #416] just came in with the ship sail bent over toward the lighthouse and the paint cracked along the mast. It will have to be returned to Harbour Lights.

Wind Point [ed. #416] had a chip out of the overhanging roof that went all the way back to the brick wall beneath it. The chipped area was painted red along with the rest of the roof. Apparently, we are to believe that something big has taken a bite out of the original roof?

For both Chicago Harbor [ed. #415] and Wind Point [ed. #415], the railings around the lantern were misaligned [i.e., the railing posts were not positioned above the brackets, or in relation to anything for that matter] and the lanterns themselves were randomly glued on, so that they aligned with nothing! The lantern positions varied for each piece. This was also true for the lantern of the Chicago Harbor [ed. #416]. Finally, the foam "Top" [but not the box itself] for Wind Point [ed. #415] was thoroughly mashed on the lower right corner, as though someone had stepped on it. Both Wind Point pieces were crammed into the foam so tightly that it was extremely difficult to ease them out.

When the railing is divided by its posts into a number that corresponds with the same number of platform brackets beneath it, it seems as though someone could figure out that there should be some coordination between the two. It would even be a bit easier to take if the railing posts were positioned halfway between the brackets, if only for the sake of some sort of symmetry.

Too often---waaay too often---the lanterns are jammed on at random with no thought to their actual positions on the tower. The lantern faces are usually divided into even numbers [six, eight, ten, etc.] and usually align with either the sides of a square tower or---if the tower is round---with the sections of the railing.

When the railings, the brackets, and the lantern faces are all badly positioned, the piece looks bad.

Okay---now a really personal observation, and NOBODY has to agree with it: I wish that Harbour Lights would leave off the blinkey-blank boats, especially the ones with the masts, because they are so very often the source of damage, usually from careless packaging. Some years back, when my dealer got six of the Colossus of Rhodes, only one of them came with a ship mast remotely near vertical.

I am the first one to see these things in their boxes; my dealer has been having me check them when they arrive at the store for years, now. I KNOW how to handle them. I have never ever damaged a Harbour Light piece in handling it. I can almost always spot a damaged mast before I ever have to remove the piece from the foam.

It's a shame and a crime that the pieces, which are really quite attractive and well-done, are so often sabotaged by careless production and packing.

Danny

I totally agree with you on that point, Danny. I was just thinking about starting a topic about that point. I really don't think Harbour Lights needs to add boats or cars (North Light, Block Island) to their sculptures. Too often these little extras (sailboat masts) are subject to being bent, chipped or broken leaving the piece worthless in the eyes of a serious collector. Breakage causes much aggravation for the collector, the dealer, and Harbour Lights themselves. Breakage is a lose-lose situation.

I'm sure these added items are an artistic challenge for the sculptor but they can be a headache after that point. I haven't visited a dealer in a few years because my auto ship is mailed directly to my home, but I vividly remember observing some rough handling of the HL's. I also found many store employees were uninformed about HL's and handled them like everday giftware.

If Harbour Lights never put another sailboat on a sculpture ever again, it wouldn't break my heart.

:rolleyes: Bob :rolleyes:

I like the added sailboats, cars, etc when added to some of the HL's. Especially the lighthouses that are very simple or don't have alot of extra detail. They add a little extra eye appeal to them.

As for careless HL dealer employees, the buyers should complain so in the future this doesn't happen anymore. I'm sure store owners don't want to lose there regular HL customer base.

The stores I deal with are very careful, so I haven't experienced this problem.

I must agree with Lighthouse Loon. I've been collecting since 1994 and have used four different dealers. All of them have been extremely careful. I haven't experienced the problems Danny has had. Maybe find a new dealer?

I, too, like the sail boats, cars, picnic tables, etc. They add a little humanity to the piece.

bobo

Danny - The foreboding winds of haunted lighthouses and crazy lightkeepers must be living with you. You seem to have the best luck in getting the damaged pieces. I have only had 3 damaged pieces over the years since 1994 and that has been Thomas Point(string broken on boat davit), Cheybogan Crib(broken tree) and Mahota Pagoda(broken piece on top piece angled roof). I'm with Bob when it may be time for you to change your dealer. He may have the aura over his head and you may be inheriting the bad luck from him.

I TOTALLY aree with Bob on this. I wouldn't care to see another one either (Eventhough the ship on the Seven Foot Knoll Socity piece was done very nicely).

I want the LIGHTHOUSE, not other stuff on the piece to deter my attention!! I do like the small pumpkins added to Halloween or Fall pieces though.

Am I contradicting myself? Don't answer that.

I think that New Presque Isle Michigan was ruined by including the stupid ghosts and Halloween sthick.

It is a big beautiful light and deserved better.

Dan

P.S. Sorry Christophr nothing personal.

From Tony Constantino:

Hey folks...

I thought that I had made it clear that I am the first one to lay eyes on the pieces when they arrive at my dealer. They call me to come in to inspect all of the new arrivals, and I pick up my pieces at the same time. Far from being problem dealers, they seem to me to be absolutely ideal!

This is how and why I know that the flaws, etc. originate before the pieces are shipped. At what stage this is happening, I can't say. Misaligned pieces are surely the fault of the production section, but there is damage also being done when the pieces are boxed.

If my dealer was the first to touch the pieces, I wouldn't be making these notes to the Forum, but to the dealer. But, as I have said, my dealer is an absolute dream.

Danny