Post #653760 by Ragbag Comics on Fri, Sep 28, 2012 9:28 PM

I have a weird mug here that hasn't turned up yet on TC based on my searches &
reading this thread (which kept me highly entertained when I was home sick on Monday
I might add, so thanks for that...)

Clearly, this is some variant on the Oceanic Arts "Mahi Mahi" mug (which is in and of itself nearly a crypto-mug), but there are no markings of any kind on it, and it's in a reddish-brown color (as opposted to OA's mottled brown paint job...)

On the OA mug (and the Tiki Farm repop from 2001) there's the "Mahi Mahi" text on
the rear where there's only a blank box on this one:

No markings on the bottom:

Maybe it's a prototype or some kind of salesman's sample? To my knowledge, OA only made this model for the Mahi Mahi in TN; I've never seen one with any other restaurant on it and I know OA didn't veer into the mug business too often, so I can't see where a prototype or salesman's sample would make much sense.

If it were a hobbyist job, modeled from the original, I would assume there would be imperfections and there aren't any. I've seen the original, and the Tiki Farm version, and this sculpt is identical except for the missing text (and the heft.)

Did OMC or Orchids do a Mahi Mahi knock-off (a la Orchids' Kona Kai knock off)?

Or is this something painfully common I've just somehow never stumbled on before (even though it's been in my house for two years)

Thoughts?

--Pete