latour of hawaii - Collecting Tiki

TP The Professor Tiki Centralite Gilligan's Isle Joined: Dec 21, 2019 Posts: 32	TP The Professor Posted posted on Mon, May 16, 2022 8:18 AM Here is some new information a friend dug up on the mysterious LaTour, maker of those excellent Ilikai and Honolulu Trader Vic's mugs and bowls. It seems LaTour Hawaii was, as many have suspected, a one-person business run by Wilma K. LaTour (1909-2004), who also went by "Wili" and was originally from Pratt, Kansas. By 1951 she was living in Kailua, Hawaii with her husband, Remy Latour, who worked for the Dohrmann Hotel Supply Company and joined the Oahu Hotel and Restaurant Supply Company in 1958, hence the Ilikai and Trader Vic's connections. Wilma and Remy LaTour were apparently well known Honolulu society types. According to this 1950 photo, Wilma LaTour (shown standing, fifth from the right) was a member of the Credit Women's Breakfast Club of Hawaii: A May 7, 1963 article from the Honolulu Advertiser mentions Wilma LaTour's ceramics for sale at cocktail party for the opening of Florence's restaurant in Honolulu. Wilma LaTour's obituary tells a bit more: The few LaTour items I have in my collection are among my favorites. It is nice to finally put a name and face to this talented and somewhat mysterious designer of highly sought-after mugs and bowls from Hawaii. [ Edited by The Professor on 2022-05-16 12:36:16 ]

Here is some new information a friend dug up on the mysterious LaTour, maker of those excellent Ilikai and Honolulu Trader Vic's mugs and bowls. It seems LaTour Hawaii was, as many have suspected, a one-person business run by Wilma K. LaTour (1909-2004), who also went by "Wili" and was originally from Pratt, Kansas. By 1951 she was living in Kailua, Hawaii with her husband, Remy Latour, who worked for the Dohrmann Hotel Supply Company and joined the Oahu Hotel and Restaurant Supply Company in 1958, hence the Ilikai and Trader Vic's connections.

Wilma and Remy LaTour were apparently well known Honolulu society types. According to this 1950 photo, Wilma LaTour (shown standing, fifth from the right) was a member of the Credit Women's Breakfast Club of Hawaii:

A May 7, 1963 article from the Honolulu Advertiser mentions Wilma LaTour's ceramics for sale at cocktail party for the opening of Florence's restaurant in Honolulu.

Wilma LaTour's obituary tells a bit more:

The few LaTour items I have in my collection are among my favorites. It is nice to finally put a name and face to this talented and somewhat mysterious designer of highly sought-after mugs and bowls from Hawaii.

[ Edited by The Professor on 2022-05-16 12:36:16 ]

Post #803539 by The Professor on Mon, May 16, 2022 8:18 AM