Crypto-Mugs. Do these legends exist and who has them? - Collecting Tiki

T tikicoma Grand Member (9 years) wakinekona Joined: Jan 16, 2010 Posts: 839	T tikicoma Posted posted on Mon, Oct 23, 2017 1:00 AM I don't know if this really qualifies as a Crypto-Mug because I don't think it appears on any Trader Vic's menu but I noticed a natural bamboo mug on mikehookers post about his trip to Havana. While at Polinesio the bartender showed him his collection of old Vic's mugs and there it was. I checked Ooga-Mooga to see how many were on there and of all the collections only Slacks Ferret had one listed. A little more searching and an old Trader Vic's gift catalog here showed a set of 6 bamboo cups with cans of Tomato Bongo. What got me curious about all of this was finding 6 of these mugs over a year ago at Goodwill. Then this summer at a neighborhood estate sale this oddball popped up. "Made For Trader Vic" Were these ever used at a Vic's or were they only in the Bongo gift sets? Were the bamboo mugs eventually tossed or did the printing on the mugs wear off? These mugs have little history... there has been some conjecture that bamboo mugs may have been early tiki bar mugs but these may as well be a much later product only for the gift set. Oh, and how in the hell did I end up with seven?

I don't know if this really qualifies as a Crypto-Mug because I don't think it appears on any Trader Vic's menu but I noticed a natural bamboo mug on mikehookers post about his trip to Havana. While at Polinesio the bartender showed him his collection of old Vic's mugs and there it was.

I checked Ooga-Mooga to see how many were on there and of all the collections only Slacks Ferret had one listed.

A little more searching and an old Trader Vic's gift catalog here showed a set of 6 bamboo cups with cans of Tomato Bongo.

What got me curious about all of this was finding 6 of these mugs over a year ago at Goodwill.

Then this summer at a neighborhood estate sale this oddball popped up.
"Made For Trader Vic"

Were these ever used at a Vic's or were they only in the Bongo gift sets? Were the bamboo mugs eventually tossed or did the printing on the mugs wear off? These mugs have little history... there has been some conjecture that bamboo mugs may have been early tiki bar mugs but these may as well be a much later product only for the gift set. Oh, and how in the hell did I end up with seven?

Post #780806 by tikicoma on Mon, Oct 23, 2017 1:00 AM