What was the first Tiki mug? - Collecting Tiki

T Tattoo Tiki Socialite Los Angeles Joined: Sep 24, 2005 Posts: 321	T Tattoo Posted posted on Tue, Nov 27, 2012 10:35 PM There's always been a question about what might actually be the first Tiki mug that I thought I would start a thread - since nobody seems to know for sure. I'm not a big menu collector so my candidates are based mostly on Tiki Central postings and internet research. The rest is just based on what I feel and presumed are the age of certain mugs. The first Tiki barware was the Tiki bowl introduced by Trader Vic circa 1952. Oddly, as Bigbrotiki observed, they never made the leap to mug. The Sufferin' Bastard mug being a gift store item from the 60s and not counting more recent mugs. Even some of the other older establishments that had mugs like Don the Beachcomber and Skipper Kent's Zombie Village never had any Tiki mugs. So what was the first Tiki mug? Here are my finalists: Tiki Bob There's a picture from the 1959 November issues of Rogue magazine that shows a fine gentleman drinking from a Tiki Bob mug. Los Angeles Islander Husband Killer Tiki Mug There's the famed 1960 Los Angeles Islander Life magazine photo showing the old lady drinking from the Husband Killer Tiki mug. I've always felt that this should be the first Tiki mug because it just so perfectly embodies the concept of a Tiki as a mug (and all the Spurlin ceramics just look ancient). The Waikiki Tiki Mug The short lived Waikiki in Washington DC opened in 1959 and had this Tiki mug which I have presumed they had from the start. The Hawaiian Room Tiki Mug However, I have always felt that the Tiki mug from Hawaiian Room might even be earlier. Here's an old picture showing a lady drinking from their Tiki mug. Unfortunately it's undated but it does feel like it's late 50s in my opinion. Tiki Bob's Maori Mug And then there's the Tiki Bob Maori mug with the early Otagiri design of the Lei around the Tiki Bob name on the back. With absolutely no evidence and based on zero research, I always presumed that this was Tiki Bob's first mug before they got their own signature mug. And thus I would date this as pre-1959. Interestingly, it does appear that Otagiri was in business at the same time (if not earlier) as Spurlin. Otagiri did take over/copy/rip off most of the Spurlin Tiki mugs, barrel mugs and bowls later on but they both started at about the same time. Anyhow, I would love to hear what other people think might be the first Tiki mug. The plane! The plane! [ Edited by: Tattoo 2012-11-30 16:02 ]

There's always been a question about what might actually be the first Tiki mug that I thought I would start a thread - since nobody seems to know for sure. I'm not a big menu collector so my candidates are based mostly on Tiki Central postings and internet research. The rest is just based on what I feel and presumed are the age of certain mugs.

The first Tiki barware was the Tiki bowl introduced by Trader Vic circa 1952. Oddly, as Bigbrotiki observed, they never made the leap to mug. The Sufferin' Bastard mug being a gift store item from the 60s and not counting more recent mugs. Even some of the other older establishments that had mugs like Don the Beachcomber and Skipper Kent's Zombie Village never had any Tiki mugs. So what was the first Tiki mug? Here are my finalists:

Tiki Bob

There's a picture from the 1959 November issues of Rogue magazine that shows a fine gentleman drinking from a Tiki Bob mug.

Los Angeles Islander Husband Killer Tiki Mug

There's the famed 1960 Los Angeles Islander Life magazine photo showing the old lady drinking from the Husband Killer Tiki mug. I've always felt that this should be the first Tiki mug because it just so perfectly embodies the concept of a Tiki as a mug (and all the Spurlin ceramics just look ancient).

The Waikiki Tiki Mug

The short lived Waikiki in Washington DC opened in 1959 and had this Tiki mug which I have presumed they had from the start.

The Hawaiian Room Tiki Mug

However, I have always felt that the Tiki mug from Hawaiian Room might even be earlier.

Here's an old picture showing a lady drinking from their Tiki mug. Unfortunately it's undated but it does feel like it's late 50s in my opinion.

Tiki Bob's Maori Mug

And then there's the Tiki Bob Maori mug with the early Otagiri design of the Lei around the Tiki Bob name on the back. With absolutely no evidence and based on zero research, I always presumed that this was Tiki Bob's first mug before they got their own signature mug. And thus I would date this as pre-1959.

Interestingly, it does appear that Otagiri was in business at the same time (if not earlier) as Spurlin. Otagiri did take over/copy/rip off most of the Spurlin Tiki mugs, barrel mugs and bowls later on but they both started at about the same time.

Anyhow, I would love to hear what other people think might be the first Tiki mug.

The plane! The plane!

[ Edited by: Tattoo 2012-11-30 16:02 ]

Post #659924 by Tattoo on Tue, Nov 27, 2012 10:35 PM