What was the first Tiki mug? - Collecting Tiki

CN Club Nouméa Member Wanganui Joined: May 03, 2010 Posts: 459	CN Club Nouméa Posted posted on Wed, May 15, 2019 9:26 PM Thanks to a collector friend, below is a photo of items from the Crown Lynn Wharetana Ware range, from New Zealand, late 1940s. This was a mid-century modern range that assimilated Maori design, including tikis, in a contemporary way. At the top you will see two copies of the tiki mug in my byline below that was part of the range: "Ruru and Weku", designed by Harry Hargreaves of Crown Lynn, New Zealand, 1949. This tiki mug sells for several hundred dollars these days. These items were culturally controversial in New Zealand: traditionally the head is tapu so placing a Maori head on a plate or mug for eating off is very non-traditional, as is placing a Maori head on an ash tray for stubbing cigarettes out on. Consequently, it can be assumed they were intended for European New Zealanders rather than for Maori. A full catalogue of the range: http://www.newzealandpottery.net/gallery/More-Crown-Lynn-Galleries/Wharetana-Ware/Wharetana-Ware-cat_c3.htm?fbclid=IwAR1nWCTJll_1s33eafrx6_r7XTy1KM1uekb9VkqGpFYHmt5Eoerkw5kbjyE The earliest known tiki mug: "Ruru and Weku", designed by Harry Hargreaves of Crown Lynn, New Zealand, 1949. [ Edited by: Club Nouméa 2019-05-17 06:16 ] [ Edited by: Club Nouméa 2019-05-17 06:18 ]

Thanks to a collector friend, below is a photo of items from the Crown Lynn Wharetana Ware range, from New Zealand, late 1940s. This was a mid-century modern range that assimilated Maori design, including tikis, in a contemporary way. At the top you will see two copies of the tiki mug in my byline below that was part of the range: "Ruru and Weku", designed by Harry Hargreaves of Crown Lynn, New Zealand, 1949. This tiki mug sells for several hundred dollars these days.

These items were culturally controversial in New Zealand: traditionally the head is tapu so placing a Maori head on a plate or mug for eating off is very non-traditional, as is placing a Maori head on an ash tray for stubbing cigarettes out on. Consequently, it can be assumed they were intended for European New Zealanders rather than for Maori.

A full catalogue of the range: http://www.newzealandpottery.net/gallery/More-Crown-Lynn-Galleries/Wharetana-Ware/Wharetana-Ware-cat_c3.htm?fbclid=IwAR1nWCTJll_1s33eafrx6_r7XTy1KM1uekb9VkqGpFYHmt5Eoerkw5kbjyE

The earliest known tiki mug: "Ruru and Weku", designed by Harry Hargreaves of Crown Lynn, New Zealand, 1949.

[ Edited by: Club Nouméa 2019-05-17 06:16 ]

[ Edited by: Club Nouméa 2019-05-17 06:18 ]

Post #795187 by Club Nouméa on Wed, May 15, 2019 9:26 PM