Post #116408 by midnite on Fri, Sep 24, 2004 11:40 AM

There was a seller on ebay who consistently sold Tiki -type items. He knew a lot about Kahiki stuff. I cannot remember his name, but I do know I don't see him selling on ebay, and haven't for a long time.

This is what I recall, adjust for my meds.

The earliest Kahiki mugs were made by local producers, in the early '60's I believe. These Hoffman items are the most sought-after pieces from Kahiki. Coveted, one might say. That production line proved insufficient, so a more commercial approach was taken. The result as the "No 1" mug, the wood-grained Moai.

The No.1 mug is pretty much the protoypical Kahiki mug. Later, the No 1 mugs a were made in a less detailed, more rugged style. Still the same basic design, but distinctly less attractive. I believe they are simply marked "Kahiki", and even that mark is sometimes difficult to discern. The skull mug was "No. 2" and those too were made later on with much less detail.

Relatedly, a seller just prematurely ended two auctions of Hoffman Kahiki items. One auction consisted of two "Idol's Cast" mug bowls. It's frustrating to have that happen on something you're watching. I hope it is more frustrating for the seller when they learn how much these are worth, 'cause I doubt they get anything near actual value when ending an auction erly.

One of these bowls, in excellent condition went for upwards of $700 on ebay. Now that was probably a "one off" event. These, which looked quite nice, have easily fetched a few hundred.