C
 

anadian Production

Archives Home

Variations
Artists Marks
Canadian Production
Certificate Changes
Color Variations
Early Retirement
Flag Changes
Lightning Rods
Mold Modifications
Open / Limited Status
Resculpting
Source Country

Modifications Table
 

When the company began production of lighthouse sculptures, they ordered 250 of each of the 'Original 17' lighthouses from a production company in Southern California.

Shortly after the line was introduced in 1991, the company accepted a proposal from Castle Studios in Norwich, Ontario, Canada, to do the casting and painting.

Harbour Lights shipped the master sculptures to Castle Studios and with permission, Castle Studios set about to make the items easier to cast and less susceptible to damage in handling and shipping. They also worked on the original sculptures to make items such as the windows and doors more detailed.

California mold windows are less detailed..

Canadian mold windows show more details.

Another change which Castle Studios made to several of the original 17 was replacing the sculpted ventilator ball at the top of the tower with a ball bearing, and adding a 'collar' to support the bulb and make it stronger and less likely to break off when it was cast.

California mold ventilator balls have no 'collar'.	Canadian mold balls are rounder and have a 'collar'.

These mold changes were made after Castle Studios began production. Usually, they began making castings from the original California sculptures, then modified them during the early production. For this reason, collectors referring to 'California Mold' versions vs. 'Canadian Mold' versions may find that while a lighthouse has the appearance of the less detailed California sculpture, it has other characteristics of being made in Canada.

It's not always easy determining if a particular lighthouse among the original 17 was cast and painted in California or whether it was cast and painted in Canada.

Canadian made pieces had a 'Made in Canada' sticker placed on the bottom. However, this label did not always remain affixed to the bottom material. If it's there however, consider it Canadian.

Rectangular sticker.	Round sticker.

If the sticker is missing, examine the bottom material. California pieces all used a gray felt protection. However, some early Canadian pieces used the same felt since Harbour Lights shipped the material to Castle Studios to use. Later pieces used a green 'flocking' that was applied to the bottom. This flocked bottom is unique because it does not extend to the edge of the bottom.

Two different types of gray felt were used. The lighter gray was probably made in California. Obviously the darker gray less coarse felt on the right was used in Canada.	The right piece is flocked, the left has a green suede felt bottom. The flocked pieces were made in Canada only. The green suede felt extends to the edge and was used in Malaysia and China.

Boxes are often assumed to indicate the country of origin for early Harbour Lights pieces. Canadian lighthouses were shipped in white boxes with "Castle Studios" printed on them and usually with the word "Lighthouse" on the bottom. Printing is done in a medium blue ink.

Canadian made lighthouses were usually shipped in a white box with this logo printed on the side.	The bottom of the white boxes had the word "LIGHTHOUSE" imprinted on the bottom.

Some brown boxes were made with the same Castle Studios logo. The first shipments of the California made pieces were also shipped in brown boxes -- but the box maker circle indicates the box was made in Los Angeles..

However, a white box or a brown box is not necessarily a sure  indicator of the origin of the lighthouse inside. Many of Harbour Lights' first dealers unpacked the lighthouses and threw the boxes away! When collectors wanted boxes, the company arranged to have Castle Studios ship empty boxes to the dealers.

For some time after production was shifted from Canada to Malaysia, Harbour Lights supplied the current style box with the blue photograph of Portland Head Light as replacements to collectors and dealers. Thus some Canadian made pieces may be found in these current style boxes. (Harbour Lights no longer provides replacement boxes.)

Harbour Lights is a registered trade mark owned by Lighthouse Marketing LTD.
Website contents © Harbour Lights email website issues: John Chidester