Post #76801 by tikijackalope on Wed, Feb 18, 2004 9:24 PM

Kono wrote:

I was cleaning out my kitchen cabinets a couple of weeks ago and came upon this mug that I forgot I had. I bought her quite a while ago and don't really remember where I got her (ebay?). I got to looking at her and she's pretty interesting to me now that I know a little more about tiki/Polypop mugs. She's an exotic gal, polynesian or SE Asian perhaps, likely topless, leaning against a big barrel. On the bottom it appears to say UC121, Horvath, 1949. Anyone recognize her or know anything about her?

Your mug looks like a particularly nice example of male America's infatuation with the nudie-mug. There was a popular set of six "stripper mugs" in the 40's or 50's, on which the handle/woman gradually disrobed. A California potter named Dorothy Kindell sculpted the best known set of these and others took off on the theme with different poses. As far as I know, none of the other stripper mugs credited the sculptor although maybe yours was done by Horvath, unless that was the company. Btw, you can see an example of Kindell's work in Tiki Quest in the hula girl section. She also did ceramic women of various sorts that had a Hawaiian look.

[ Edited by: tikijackalope on 2004-02-18 21:32 ]