Here's my story and I'm sticking to it. About 2 1/2 years ago we were wandering around the local mall and went in a gift shop that sells the HL's. We, meaning myself and Teresa (the S. O., likewife, best friend, etc). We were both immediately impressed with the quality of the pieces but didn't buy as we really are not the collecting type.

We never buy souvenirs when we are on vacation (no really). After noticing more lighthouses around we decided to pick up some lighthouse stuff. Initially we felt the HL's were a little pricey for noncollector types, so we came home with a Lefton Buffalo (which for a Lefton is really not to bad)with the little light in the top. We then picked up a couple of pictures and a Lefton Chicago Harbor(which then again for a Lefton etc.)

I kept looking at the Harbour Lights and felt like this is what I really wanted. For her birthday (I'll bet you guys have heard that before) I bought Teresa a Concord. Now this may sound odd but Concord was and still is one of my favorites. (Apparently now an opinion shared with the majority of HL collectors, but hey, to each his own.) I really like the pieces with texture to the towers.

I took the piece to a florist and had them create an arrangement around the Concord (yes I hear the collective groan from the wacko's) Actually it was real cute, I had them use plastic underneath it to protect the bottom, I wish I had a picture of it.

The little Concord hung out with the Leftons (putting them to shame) for quite some time. In the meantime as a present we got another Lefton, small Wind Point, and a no name Montauk. Last fall we went to a dealer and I kind of made a commitment to myself to start collecting HL's.

Although Teresa doesn't share my enthusiasm for the HL's she does show an interest and is going to buy a Navesink for us when I find one at a reasonable price. Also after discovering ebay and seeing what some of the older pieces sell for I was hooked.

I have no buying plan other than getting the ones that appeal to me aesthetically. Being from the midwest I have no great emotional connection to the real thing. I am more into them as a piece of art as opposed to a replica of a actual landmark.

It wouldn't bother me to see some pieces created simply from an artist imagination. A couple of years ago we were on vacation (cruise) and stopped in Key West. We walked from the downtown to the lighthouse (about a mile) to see it.

Now here's the odd part of the story, we just looked at it from the street(I do have a nice picture of it, took it with a disposable camera, quite the shutterbug I am)here's a link to it if you want to see it. I hope this works,

Every time I look at this picture I wish I could take it over. To the left and up, To the left and up. Everytime time I look at it that's what I think. It would have been a really nice shot if I had done that.

Oh, well I'll learn to take more than 1 shot (I hear the gallery now "This guy will never be a wacko. Goes to a famous light, doesn't go in, only takes 1 picture, what the he** is wrong with him) I guess I got off the subject but I think the point I was trying to make is that I appreciate the HL's as for what they are as opposed to what they represent.

Back to my story, for my birthday, Sept 98, I got a Cape Florida (which I requested) and I was starting to get hooked. For christmas Teresa's teachers (she is a elementary school principal) gave her a Cape Lookout, they were aware that she likes the Harbour Lights and a good choice I feel they made. We now had three and I became even more interested and started watching them on ebay and got the brilliant idea to go to some of the local dealers and see if they had any of the valuable pieces I was seeing on ebay (visions of sugarplums or at least big bucks were dancing in my head)

I wrote down some of the names of the more expensive ones and I came home with a real nice Tybee Signature Series. At this point I decided it was time to learn. Of course I do have a nice GLOW piece from it. I have since gained a little more knowledge and have made a couple of good buys for my personal collection and made a tidy profit on a couple of others that I don't necessarily care for but others do.

"KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" I realize there might come a time I wish I had kept them for my personal collection. I now have a Roosevelt Island, Currituck, Cockspur, Stonington, and La Jument. In layaway I have Baldhead & Pensacola. I also have a Hillsboro reserved. I'm on my way. One thing I like about HL's is that they are a more acceptable collectible for a male as opposed to let's say Barbie's or Hummels.

People sure look at me funny when I'm looking at the Barbie's at Walmart (don't laugh, do you have any idea what a Harley Davidson Barbie sells for) I do have a list of lights (not short) that I plan on getting. This is getting a little long but you asked for a story. I look forward to continuing to participate here and am enjoying the people that use this forum

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To activate the image link and add some paragraph spacing...

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 03-20-99).]