In my continuing quest to find "Green Water" pieces I have stumbled across a S/N question. I have finally managed to find a Michigan City with green water after quite a search and a lot of work and decision making trying to compare the difference between a blue water piece and the green water piece that I finally bought. There is not a lot of difference between them. I am now working on the last two legs of my quest (New London Ledge and Barnegat). I figured these would be easy as the green water is green water just like my Minot's Ledge. I also have a good guide to go on with the Greenbook's (John's Forum numbers) to go on. WRONG! I have found a dealer that thought he had 4 New London Ledge's with green water according to the serial numbers. They should have also been Canadian pieces by the serial numbers and should have had rods. WRONG! Three of the four pieces have blue water, no rod and a made in Malaysia sticker on the bottom. Two of the pieces are in the high 700's and the third piece is in the low 800's. The forth piece according to the dealer has green water, but no lightning rod and is also made in Malaysia. It's serial number is in the high 800's. He is a highly reputable dealer and is quite knowledgeable about Harbor Lights and is totally confused. He has had three of these pieces since he first received them from Harbour Lights. The forth piece, with the green water, came from another dealer.

Can anybody shed some light on this and explain why the serial number anomally? I thought about a damaged piece and having a lower s/n assigned to a replacement piece, but, 4 for 4 is a big chance of this happening. Let me know you thoughts on this subject as I'm really curious.

Rich

I think you may have answered your own question. It sounds like they were reissues as replacements. If not, you have a true mystery on your hands.

Bob

At the factories, they do not keep track of which pieces are made first or last.

Numbers are determined when they actually number the pieces.

If you envision them making and painting 1,000 pieces, putting the completed ones on deep shelves as they are done, then pulling them off to inspect, number and box them, they would be numbered in the reverse order from what they were actually cast and painted.

This actually might happen several times in the process.

I don't know if the pieces were ALWAYS numbered in the country of origin or if in the early years they might have been numbered by Harbour Lights at their offices before shipping out to dealers. (This might explain a mixture of pieces by country of origin.)

This is my own speculation and not that of Harbour Lights.

Your idea John about the numbering makes more sense then having 4 pieces renumbered due to breakage. This is what makes collecting Harbour Lights worth it, the longer and harder the quest the more challenging and fun it is and the more rewarding it is when you are done. I think this is why I enjoy my collection as much as I do because getting the early pieces and the hard to get pieces was a challenge. I'm sure glad they didn't have GLOWS when I first started or I might have been tempted to go the easy way and buy GLOWS.

Rich

Hi Rich. What number did you finally decide on was the green water Michigan City for you? I thought there was really no pure green water for this piece, but rather a mixture of green-blue. I have a green-blue piece that is #394. As for your New London quest, I have two green water versions with rods. One is 1189 and the other is 424. Sorry that this doesn't shed any light on your mystery. Scott

Scott,
The number on my "green water" Michigan City is #2343 and it is definately a green compared to my #3303 "blue water" piece. It still makes no sense why the serial number is so high but it is green water.

The number on my "green water" New London Ledge is in the 800 range and it is a Malaysian with no lightning rod. This just blows all the numbers that for these two pieces that I have been able to find.

Rich