Download Official Collectors Guide Harbour Lights eBook

This book is primarily for collectors of replicas of all things pertaining to lighthouses made by an organization called "Harbour Lights dot Com." For me I wanted to purchase this book because I used to know John Chidester, webmaster and book editor. I've also been an avid fan of lighthouses for most of my life. Once had a good friend who was a light keeper on Vancouver Island in British Colombia, who back in the early to mid 1970's invited me to spend several nights at the station he manned. A terrific experience, except when the horns sounded in the middle of the night--all 40 of them were perched directly above my pillow! I hadn't heard of this book till they were all sold out, except this one on Amazon. Originally, Amazon had it for sale at nearly $80. I passed on it. Then a couple years later, I found an ad for it for just a few dollars more than what it originally sold for. Now, I own the very last copy (brand new) that was ever printed and very glad I purchased it. It brought back some really great memories, memories that can never again be brought back to life!

Looking for this type book for the past 2 years, nice to have found it.

Great reference for the Harbour Lights collector. In particular would praise the well done index which is something often overlooked or poorly done in other reference books. ONly shame is that there is not an update to cover up to 2012.

Fair notice: I am the editor of The Official Collectors Guide for Harbour Lights. I created the book, designed every page and wrote most of the copy. I worked with Harbour Lights founders Bill & Nancy Younger, Kim Andrews and Harry Hine to produce this 486 page 4 color book. The book has a table of contents and a full index.

The Collectors Guide covers products from the founding year of 1991 through 2005 and includes detailed information on over 725 replicas of 330 lighthouses, lightships, USCG ships, Fresnel lenses and livesaving stations made by the company. I wrote a new history of the company by interviewing the Youngers. Bill Younger wrote the foreward to the book.

The detailed informaiton includes the product number, product name, approximate size, original suggested price, and date each piece was introduced. Most listings include the edition size (for limited edition items) and the number of pieces made (when that was available from Harbour Lights.) Each lighthouse, lightship, etc has one page that includes beautiful photos by Paul L. Brady of all the different replicas made of that lighthouse, lightship, etc. On the page there is a brief history about that lighthouse, lightship, etc. There are "Notes" on many pages describing special facts about those products. At the back of the book there are a series of tables in which you can log your personal collection. There is also a section of the book that discusses variations. There are photographs of the variations compared side-by-side.

The book is wire-bound so when open, it lays flat.

Harbour Lights went out of business in 2012. The book is out of print. Approximately 4,000 copies were printed. If you have a friend or relative who collected Harbour Lights, this would make a great gift. If you are a Harbour Lights collector who is downsizing your collection, here's a way to keep the memories alive when your collection is reduced.

John Chidester

This is a great guide for collectors. The cross references in the book are exceptional. The Harbour Lights history in the first section is something that all collectors should read. It makes you appreciate all the effort and teamwork that went into creating these timeless works of art. I agree with the previous reviewer that the only regret is that there is not a 2012 version.