This was just won by Rich and I am very surprised he has not shared this with every one. Since ebay is open to the puplic I will share it.

The Minot's Ledge is painted black on one side of the base but not the other.

Rare Minot\'s Ledge Paint variation

Daniel - I haven't had the time to share anything. I'm trying to get the Honey-Do list down before it gets to darn hot to do anything.

I am excited about this piece and when I first saw it couldn't believe what I saw. I don't know if you could call it a paint variation. I would think it's more of an artist mistake. What made me really look at it is it's serial number. I have 4 of the 5 paint variation and am looking for the hardest one to get where the serial numbers are supposed to fall between #1791 and #1840. I think it was either Paul of John that posted the picture showing 4 of the 5 variations and giving the serial number range of each variation.

Well, this piece throws a cog in the serial number range because it is #1793 and it does not have green water but has a bluish green water and meets all of the other criteria called for in the picture showing the variations. It also is only half painted black at the waterline. Does anyone else have a Minot's edge that is only half painted?

This is now my 3rd piece that I have that is COMPLETELY different from the normal variations that Harbour Lights put out. I have a New London Ledge that has a very light Teal Green water instead of the normal dark green or blue water(Bill and Kim referred to it as an artist preference), I have a Gray's Harbor that has the lantirn room rotated 45 degrees clockwise(instead of the normal counterclockwise rotation) and now this Minot's ledge missing half the waterline paint and having a serial number that should have green water but has a blueish green water.

Let me know if anybody has any of these variations that I've mentioned above.

I was also fortunate enough to pick up a Burrows Island OR at a real good price, but, it was needing a new ventilator ball, lightning rod and part of it's lantirn room walkway repaired. It came out good and only me, you and my hairdresser knows the repairs. I'd post a picture but haven't mastered the technique yet.

It is probably just semantics but that is really a Minot's error not a variation..

I have an Old Michigan City Christmas Lighthouse without a railing ever being on the roof of the front porch, if there were several of those produced that way it would have been a variation, but it is a error since it is the only one, most probably.

flacoastie or others who might know:

Just wondering if repairs, no matter how carefully done, can be detected?? What would be the method--magnification, black light, or some other?

The detection is best seen by black light, but, magnification or any other method could be used. I for one let the person know if a repair has beem done and then they can decide if they want the piece. The pieces I repair and then sell(been about 7 years) were sold to a member on the Forums for $15 - $20 a piece with the understanding that if she wasn't satisfied she could return them. A buyer should not have to look under a black light for repairs after they have bought a piece is the bottom line.

You are totally right. I was using the dictionary meaning variation of just being different.
The accepted collectable term for variations is that it would have to be a variation enacted by the factory. I think this Minot’s ledge was the act of the artist just forgetting to paint the other side, that would make it an error and not a offical variation.

Wouldn't that make it even more valuable because it's a "one of a kind"?

Bob

I was quite interested in it and awful glad that one of the Forum members had the coutesy not to be uping the bid. The same goes for the Burrows Island OR and not having the bid run up. There was one person bidding against me but not a member of the Forums I do believe.

"One of a kind" lighthouses are not usually a valuable as let's say 10 or 20 of a light since the "one of a kind" error can only be in one person's hands while a few of a kind has a market for a few collectors or so it was explained to me by a collector who had both "a few of a kind" and a few of "one of a kind" lighthouses.. "One of a kind" almost needs a Reunion auction setting where two collectors try to out bid each other and they get a tax break on their bid..

I know that I am not interested in selling my "one of a kind" OMC so it really probably isn't any more valuable than a regular one..

This of course is just a one of a kind theory on my part..