Tiki Pole up on ebay - Collecting Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Tue, May 14, 2002 8:03 PM Ahaa!...vell vell, yesss (hrrmp): Indeed what we have here is two parts of the famed TAHITIAN CANNIBAL CARVINGS, which are STEEPED in Polynesian Pop history (as some crazy buyer must have known), I am planning a lengthy essay on these puppies for some future publication. These two look like they stem from poles once used for The Luau, some of which later went down to San Diego to the Hanalei/Islands (p.205 in B.G.). Or they might very well be from one of the Crane Kon-Tikis (p. 104 in B.G.), like the ones at La Mariana in Waikiki hailing from the Sheraton Kon Tiki there. The Kon Tiki matchbook drawings are pretty cooky moderne (p. 103). There is a great Kon-Tiki menu cover where all three are standing around the sacrificial altar which is NOT in the book (tisk tisk). They go WAYYY back to no other than DON himself, owning a pet pair (threesome that is) and also having them in WRONG ORDER on his menu (p.68, above Bora Bora): They actually go 1.) Tiki sitting on (catching) little Tiki 2.) Tiki devouring little Tiki 3.) Tiki holding his full belly A splendid version of the devouring one can be seen on my website http://bookoftiki.com/004.html (which is in bad need of an update, I know). This one is a single, my favourite Tiki of them all at Oceanic Arts, which they had gotten from Tahiti, where it was obviously carved by a MARQUESAN carver. O.A. sells some small versions, which are wrongly based on the threesome that Crane's designers swiped from the Beachcomber cover and put on the back of the brown Luau menu and matchbook covers (p.105). The wrap-around eyes are not drawn out completely and thus look like Asian slanted eyes. The Mai Kai did a similar unclear rendition (p. 137 and 138). The best DRAWINGS are inside the Don the Beachcomber Souvenir menu (p.72 & 73), on page 72 you can see the actual statues in the back bar behind the bartender. I have the identical ones, they were tourist carvings in the 30s. It is unclear if they were based on actual ancient Tikis. Oh yes, the ones in the Jasmine Tree are big and beautiful single statues, like the ones at the Harbour Hut in Morrow Bay CA, and if the place ever goes under, GET THEM FOR ME!!! (Not before!). And Bosko's mugs are based on my research, as he will readily admit. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki on 2002-05-14 20:20 ]

Ahaa!...vell vell, yesss (hrrmp):

Indeed what we have here is two parts of the famed TAHITIAN CANNIBAL CARVINGS, which are STEEPED in Polynesian Pop history (as some crazy buyer must have known), I am planning a lengthy essay on these puppies for some future publication. These two look like they stem from poles once used for The Luau, some of which later went down to San Diego to the Hanalei/Islands (p.205 in B.G.). Or they might very well be from one of the Crane Kon-Tikis (p. 104 in B.G.), like the ones at La Mariana in Waikiki hailing from the Sheraton Kon Tiki there. The Kon Tiki matchbook drawings are pretty cooky moderne (p. 103). There is a great Kon-Tiki menu cover where all three are standing around the sacrificial altar which is NOT in the book (tisk tisk).
They go WAYYY back to no other than DON himself, owning a pet pair (threesome that is) and also having them in WRONG ORDER on his menu (p.68, above Bora Bora):
They actually go
1.) Tiki sitting on (catching) little Tiki
2.) Tiki devouring little Tiki
3.) Tiki holding his full belly

A splendid version of the devouring one can be seen on my website http://bookoftiki.com/004.html (which is in bad need of an update, I know). This one is a single, my favourite Tiki of them all at Oceanic Arts, which they had gotten from Tahiti, where it was obviously carved by a MARQUESAN carver.

O.A. sells some small versions, which are wrongly based on the threesome that Crane's designers swiped from the Beachcomber cover and put on the back of the brown Luau menu and matchbook covers (p.105). The wrap-around eyes are not drawn out completely and thus look like Asian slanted eyes. The Mai Kai did a similar unclear rendition (p. 137 and 138).

The best DRAWINGS are inside the Don the Beachcomber Souvenir menu (p.72 & 73), on page 72 you can see the actual statues in the back bar behind the bartender. I have the identical ones, they were tourist carvings in the 30s. It is unclear if they were based on actual ancient Tikis.

Oh yes, the ones in the Jasmine Tree are big and beautiful single statues, like the ones at the Harbour Hut in Morrow Bay CA, and if the place ever goes under, GET THEM FOR ME!!! (Not before!). And Bosko's mugs are based on my research, as he will readily admit.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki on 2002-05-14 20:20 ]

Post #1478 by bigbrotiki on Tue, May 14, 2002 8:03 PM