Currently I have all the limited editions, special editions, and anchor bay ships that HL has made on display. These are displayed in 2 custom curios, one purchased display, and a bookcase. I am in the process of building a top to my large display cabinet to dispaly about another 50 lighthouses. However, I am starting to realize that if I continue to collect everything that HL makes I will either physically run out of space to effectively display the pieces, or run out of physically run out of space in the house to display the pieces. I am almost, or will be in a year or two, at a point that I will need to make a decision about how to display my collection. I would like to know from others how they have approached this crossroads.

1. Do you store some pieces and display others, thus losing some enjoyment of pieces.

2. Do you rotate pieces throughout the year, thus meaning seasonal themes.

3. Do you sell the hutch and replace it with another curio, thus meaning storing your grandmother china.

4. Do you buy a new house with twice the square footage, and have curios built into the walls so you don't have to worry about pictures.

5. Do you "loan" pieces to a local museum, and retain ownership, and thus a tax writeoff.

6. Do you sell (gasp) some pieces to make room for only those you "like".

7. Are there any other creative options that I don't know about.

I have reached a point that there needs to be a decision made, but I'm not sure which way to go. All help appreciated.

I totally understand your problem! When you find the answer PLEASE let me know!

I had 4, five shelf bookcases with glass doors that I used to display my HL's. But then last month when one of my autoships came in, there was no place to put it. I had HL's butted up next to one another left to right and front to back and I just could not get another piece in!

So it was up to the attic and down with the boxes! I now display all my Southeast region and all my Gulf Coast Lights. And packed all those (sorry folks) Yankee Lights back in their boxes.

Stephanie

PS
I am in the planing stages of building a wall to wall glassed in unit inwhich to display my HL's in the future.

I don't have them all and don't plan on getting them all. That, having been said, doesn't mean a thing, except that's where I'm at right now.

We just bought two more curio cabinets (that makes three) and I was finally able to take all my STORED lights and display them. Made me very happy!!!

My collection consists mainly of New England (translated Yankee) :rolleyes: Lights. I have all the LE's and only need two of the GLOW's to complete the set.

Other than that I have most of the Christmas pieces, the society pieces and the membership pieces . I also will purchase and display lights that catch my eye (I'm sure we all have some of these).

I also have another smaller curio to display the LLOM that I have. I'm looking into making a curio for these in the near future.

I don't have any room for more curios, but luckily my lighthouses are spaced out very nicely and there is room for more, but I forsee the day when things will get crowded .

Bert

I don't have nearly all of them Dick, but what I do have is all displayed with the exception of the Christmas lights and Presque Isle, Pa as that one looks like a Christmas piece!

The first thing to go was dishes so I could use the hutch! Then I.O. started making boat models which sure didn't help as they take some of my storage.

I have three small curios, 2 in the living room and 1 in the spare bedroom. I have 2 barrister bookcases. One has all NY lights. The other has 2 shelves of HL's, one shelf of dishes which will probably soon have to go and the bottom shelf has my photo albums of LH pictures.

I also have a mini curio that has some ornies, a few little lights and thumbnails.

In addition I have another hutch which was my daughter's wedding gift from her husband. It's sort of a 40's style art deco piece in a very light wood. The wedding was 4 years ago and they don't have a vehicle large enough to transport it. Besides it's warped and once we finally got the glass doors in the top we figured they're never coming out. (She doesn't know this!) So that's in my entry way holding lighthouses. Guess the kid bought his mother-in-law a gift!

I've just started a major cleaning/rearranging job in preparation of the Xmas pieces coming out. My only "extra" space will no doubt be the shelf in hutch #1 where the Xmas pieces will go.

I'll continue to group the International lights together and maybe the Society/Special pieces. The best of the rest will go in the living room curios, the remainder in the spare room curio. If they don't all fit the "butt ugly" ones will probably get boxed up.

I may try to sell a few at some point but don't think this is a good time as there seems to be a glut of them for sale.

I'm just about out of walls as my living, dining and kitchen are basically one large room. I've only got two bedrooms plus a small porch that serves as a third bedroom. I do have a finished room in the basement which I don't like to use as it gets quite damp in the summer. I suppose I could put the few GLOW's I have down there!

I only have two Anchor Bays. They're easy. One on top of each hutch.

I am purchasing very selectively at this point because of space limitations. The wall to wall carpeting in the living/dining area needs replacement badly. But when I looked around at all the the stuff that would have to be moved - forget it. I just ordered some area rugs to cover the floor space that's left!

I think built in wall units would be the way to go if you have a large enough room. If not just add another room! Since I'm not willing to make that type of investment I'm pretty well stuck!

Sounds like you have a busy house Sue! I just moved all my stuff to the basement room we just finished, but not before I tried out a dehumidifier. It worked well, so I hopefully don't have to worry. You can be sure that I'll be watching veeeeeeery cloooooooosely!

It's quite nice to see how we display or don't display our treasures. I had some in boxes for over a year, mainly CHristmas, society and membership pieces. I was very happy to get my tow new curio's. A local store went out of business and I was able to pick up two quite reasonable. Out they came and into the cabinets.

Bert

Personally, I like Dick's option #4 - buy a BIGGER House! Unfortunately, my husband and I are just starting to buy this house, so no new house for awhile.

I only have one curio cabinet, which only holds 8 of my HL's. But I have found a better way to display my Lighthouse collection. I have installed glass shelves around my house. They start from the end of one wall all the way around the room or to the end of the ajoining walls. The continuing shelf (which is 4'L x 6"W bevelled pieces of glass butted up against each other) sits above the door frames, which gives me about 11" to work with for my Lighthouses - fortunately the HL's are under 10". You aren't able to see all the detail that HL gives to the Lighthouses (which you can't in some curios either), but you can see the Lighthouses and read the labels underneath. The shelves are high enough not to get in the way of any curio cabinet and they are out of reach of curious hands.

I then put little wooden ships and sail boats, shells, wooden pirates & sailors, globes, and other nautical items between my Lighthouses to "jazz" it up (I don't have any Anchor Bay Boats yet - they are still a bit pricey - though I do really want the Lightships). I have also installed corner shelves where ever I have an empty corner, glass shelves on my mirrors, and glass shelves down the wall.

In the guest bathroom, above the toilet, I have installed 3 - 26" glass shelves - 12" apart up the wall. I have a map of Florida with it's 30 Lighthouses framed behind the shelves. On the shelves I have placed only Florida Lighthouses. My husband looked at me like I had three heads when I voiced the idea, but it came out really nice. It's amazing what you can do with a bunch of glass and a little imagination. (It also helps to be on a first name bases with your glass cutter. )

I originally started my HL collection in the guest bathroom, but my collection has grown so much that I have taken my dragons out of the Living Room and have started to install glass shelves for my Lighthouses. I wanted to display my grandmother's wedding china, but I think it'll stay up in the attic for awhile - until I get Option #4.

BonnieJean

Nice to hear your back BonnieJean. The forums just weren't the same without you.

Bert

Thank you Bert. It's great to be back. Not to mention that I am finally well enough to get out of bed and sit up straight! Dang! I really hate being down and out. Now I have to catch up! Ugh! I kept asking my husband if he could drag the computer into the bedroom so that I could at least read everyone's posts, but he just shook his head. :rolleyes: Some people just don't understand I guess. LOL

I think this is a great thread - I may get some more ideas for my Lighthouse displays. :p Everyone - how do you display your Harbour Lights? Inquiring minds want to know!

BonnieJean

I display my whole collection...



The above cabinet is named "The Cabinet"...

It is the entry way to our home and the glass on both sides allows a person to look at both sides of the lighthouse without removing it from the cabinet nor using mirrors..




The above cabinet is called "Oak Harbour".....
It currently houses 70 (LE's & OE's) lighthouses, 6 Mini's, 24 LL's, 12 ornaments, 5 Fresnels, 4 Spyglass & 3 Bob trees with room for more...

I am still looking for the images of the "Twins" and the other two cabinets, which were bought before my Brother-in-law, Joe built the last four cabinets.. The six cabinets surround you when you stand in the middle of the room, where I suggested to Sue (my wife) is the only place left for a cabinet (maybe six sided all glass... free standing one. I can't repeat what she said)

Where is the opening to the "Oak Harbor" cabinet, Paul?

John, you can see the two sliding doors on front.

Paul, would you please send me pic. copy's of your cabinets in an email? I have my shop up now and would really like to have these pics to go by to make myself something similar.

BonnieJean, I see you got the Cedar key Pin for your avistar. WTG

Stephanie

Paul, that is really a nice cabinet! Wish I could do something like that here. (Wife may decide that we WILL do something like that here - she REALLY liked it.) Anyway, I was leaning toward glass shelves along the wall in the basement, lit with ceiling track lights. Wife says dust will be a problem. I countered with using compressed air to give 'em a dusting now and again.

Anybody done this successfully? Without ammunition, the wife will win. Or should I just surrender now 'cause she's right?

Sarge, I think she has a good point and using that canned air can be very harsh on the paint job, especially the older ones.

Surrender Sarge. You can't win!

Bert

Oh! So you know the wife....

No Sarge, all wives are the same and the problem is most of the time they are right. That's the killer part of it.

I have 5 large curios and 2 small curios in the den(son's old bedroom) and one large curion in the formal living room. They're all displayed but at the rate lighthouses are coming out I will have to get another curio and move the computer into the garage. I can't afford a new home like John.

Rich

I posted this in the wrong dang place this morning.I plan to use one inch by six inch board painted to match my crown molding,and anchor it to my walls about a foot below the crown and start from one side of my fireplace and go around the perimeter of my den and end up at the other end of my fireplace.It is about 380 feet of room for my lighthouses without using any floor space.
I am going to lay small cable lights the length of these shelves hidden so that they shine up on the crown molding and shine forward to enhance my collectables

It just might work ! what do ya think?
Rick

I'd try that out with about 3 feet before you go to the 380 feet.

0 :>)

Go for it Rick! I was going to do the wood shelf like that, but my husband (yes, it was my husband's idea - he has at least one good one a year ) thought that I would be happier with glass because you can see the bottoms of the Lighthouses through the glass. I don't have a lot of my HL's signed, but it's nice to see the ones that are. The glass is a quarter inch thick and is held up by a bracket every 1½ feet. The wood will be a bit heavier, so you will need to put brackets in the studs every two or so feet. I would go with 4" instead of 6" though - less bulky. But then again you could router out the middle of the 6" and paste a 1" thick rope between the wood - very nautical. What color is the crown molding and the rest of your room? You can buy different colors of rope or die it to be the color you want it to be. You could even hang a net from it or drape the net from the shelf. You could place small wooden items like anchors, boats, life perservers, or fish, or even real shells from the net. The ideas are endless - just use your imagination!

I love the shelf around the room look, if you stand in the middle of the room you can turn in a circle and be surrounded by Lighthouses! It's Great! My father always jokes that he gets seasick when he comes to my house. May your visitors get seasick at yours!

I just put up 3 72'' oak shelves on a wall between two windows looks great and have wireing run to put track lighting up for these. can't wait till get it done then will take pics and post will take a while yet. picked up the shelves in Shipshewana,

Thanks for ideas Bonnie, especially using four inch instead six inch board shelving.My walls are three tone brown with white and glaze mixed on the crown molding.Yep I had the idea of using rope trim around the perimeter of the facing of the shelves.I have thought about breaking the shelves into each section of the country and having HL displayed by region in each individual section together geographically. I am not sure yet, still tossing around ideas.
Rick

Not wanting to burst the bubbles about the shelves, but, when I started i displayed my lighthouses on shelves and thought that I would go crazy dusting them. No matter how new or clean your house is you WILL get dust and once the dust starts to build up in the crevices of the lighthouses it is almost impossible to get out. Using a feather duster, blush brush, artist brush or canned air with eventually damage the painted finish, especially the earlier pieces.

I would spend the extra money, if at all possible, and invest in a glassed in curio cabinet. Even with the curio cabinet you will probably have to dust at least once a year, but, at least they will be protected better. My opinion and advice to take or leave as you see fit.

Rich

Nothing is set in stone about shelving Rich!
I am just tossing around ideas to hear what ideas other folks have in mind.I understand about the dust factor.I really do want a full glass curio.
That would be great in my den.I think everyone wants to be unique and I will come up with a very unique idea with my HL.It may take some time but with some doing it will be something that hasn't been thought up before.And when I do I will share it with you all in here to tell me what you think.

Rick

I agree about the dust, especially here in the limestone/dust state of Florida. I use a lamb's wool duster - it's like a magnet to the dust. Though the tent cards and light items that were placed around the HL's is distrubed and have to be straightened after I dust. I'm trying to talk my husband into putting a glass on the front of the shelves and the sides. We'll have to wait on that one I think. Also, I'm trying to get him to build a curio type of cabinet for the wall. We have a 8½' wide x 8' tall wall that I would like to make into a huge curio. Place a couple of large mirrors on the wall, place shelves from the top down to the bottom, and frame it in with glass. My husband is trying to figure out how to make it sturdy enough to hold all the lighthouses and nautical items it will hold, but easy enough to get into to change the arrangements. If any one can do it, it is my husband. He'll probably have to frame it in with wood, but I want as much as possible to be glass - easier to see the HL's that way. I'll keep you updated. Good luck Rick on your shelves - I look hearing everyone's ideas.

While a shelf all around a room sounds nice I don't think I'd go that route for the HL's. It would be a dusting nightmare. Also unless you have very low ceilings or are very tall it would be hard to admire/show off the details on the pieces. Just my opinion.

We have about 80 of our lights displayed in four small curios in our den. We've decided to limit our displaying and buying to lights we've already seen. (I of course occasionally stretch that to lights I plan on seeing!) The cabinets we have came from IKEA, and are about 20" square and about 5' tall, with four shelves. With the help of Plexiglass risers, we're able to hold 5 or 6 on a shelf. It's a little cramped for our liking, but we basically only have so much room, and I just can't justify spending the money on lights to sit in my closets, plus we don't have much more clostet space. Right now, we have room in the cabinets for about 6 or 7 more, and then we'll be full. I plan on purchasing one more cabinet for my home office, unfortunatly, the cabinets we've been getting IKEA has discontinued. We'll just have to go with a different style.

By the way, despite our best efforts, we do have about 15 in the closets we hope to see in the future.

In our next house we'll have more room!

Mike

I want to thank all that shared their ideas on displaying their LH's. There are some great ideas and I think the bottom line is that one has to commit to displaying lighthouses, versus displaying other "things", or having room for company to sit down. Based on what I have read I am going to pursue one of five options.

The first option is Paul's entry way idea with the two sided viewing and am looking at how I can create this wonderful approach. The main issue is how to accomodate the limited space in our entry room for this and furniture.

The second thought is taking a wall like my den and bulding a "display wall" that will allow me to display from floor to ceiling. However this limits who can see the collection, and will require rotating for optimal viewing enjoyment.

The third thought is to put up shelving around around a room(s) where the LH's can be placed without interfering with "things" in the room. My only concern is the dusting, or how to enclose these to avoid the dusting.

My fourth option is a to look at rotating the displays in the available space. This would always make me appreciate, and look at the collection periodically, but will be a "handling nightmare" in that if I am always handling the pieces there exists the possibility of damage.

The fifth idea is a hybrid of what I have read. If I am going to try and display all of the pieces I need to look into creating a theme throughout the house. Up to now I have tried to display the pieces in selective areas. If I used a combination of display cases, builtin cabinets, and shelving, throughout the house I could enjoy the pieces as I move from one area to another. This means changing our themes for our different rooms, and convincing my wife that lighthouses in all 12 rooms (including bathrooms)of the house will create continuity throughout the house will be a challenge. Based on the current average of 20-60 lighthouses per room will get the ability to display for another 5 years when I will post this subject again.