Post #11365 by ikitnrev on Sat, Oct 19, 2002 8:23 AM

Deciding what tiki mugs to keep for your own personal collection is a subjective matter. I don't think there should be a firm fixed line dividing what is tiki and what is not-tiki - that line should be determined by the individual person, who can range from the beginner who has just bought their first tiki mug, to the experienced collector who has hundreds of mugs and can trace the lineage of each design style.

There will always be certain designs and styles that will be more authentic, or have more of a recognized communal "Wow, what a great mug" aura within this list, but there can be value in those mugs that are not quite so pure in tiki style.

I have several of those blue surfer mugs, and you are correct - the aesthetic they provide is much different than the other brown and green tikis that dominate my collection. But in a sense they do belong - after all, all of them have probably held some form of rum concotions at some time in their lives. I solve the dilemma by relegating the blue mugs to their own separate shelf.

Think of your collection as a constantly evolving collection. Display what is pleasing for you at the moment. As you slowly add pieces to your collection, you will have more luxury to re-arrange and discard those that mean less to you. Discard for me means sending duplicates to other lovers of tiki, never throwing them away. I've even sent several one-of-a-kind items to certain friends, simply because I felt they would enjoy them more than I would.

In the end, it all comes down to the meanings that you yourself place with your mugs. Does the blue surfer mug bring back memories of a memorable date? By all means, then definitely keep it. Does it look cheap and out-of-place? Then you might want to think about sending it forward on its continued journey to find its rightful owner.

Vern