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Tiki Central / Collecting Tiki / Tiki Finds

Post #347497 by Tipsy McStagger on Mon, Dec 3, 2007 11:04 AM

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On 2007-12-01 15:55, Billbot wrote:
I struck tiki gold at an estate sale today. They claimed these candle lamps were from Trader Vic's circa 1960's. They are in pretty dilapidated shape. They hold candles, and the inner tube is fiberglass. There is also a fiberglass interior for the lamp shades. They are burnt and cracked in places.

My question is: Can anyone verify that these are authentic Trader Vic's lamps? And, if so, any idea of their value? Also, are they worth trying to restore? Or just finding new hardware and lamp shades?

Thanks!!!

yep, those are vics alright..i still have one. got directly off the table at trader vics chicago.(no, i didn't steal it).

they would put a plastic jar with a wick and some oil in it and those would be the table lights(you can still buy these from a restaurant supply store)...the fiberglass plastic tube slid over it and the shade just rested on top. i sold one on ebay a couple years back..don't remmeber what it sold for exactly but it was about $300 bucks or so...you could probably get the same today, but they have to be in really good condition..no chips or breaks in the wood....the burnt shade doesn't help either.

on a side note...before trader vics closed in the palmer house chicago, they did have many new resin tiki lamps that were modeled directly from these vintage lamps you got here, only they were all consistent in size since they came from a mold and were not individually carved. they were real nice and clean lookin, using the same peanut man maori design. i never got to purchase one before they closed. I guess traders remakes them for some of their bars...you will probably see tham on the tables again when they reopen here next year....