trader vic's confusion

just wondering if anyone out there knew the story of trader vic's port and starboard light mugs and just how many variations are out there.
i was aware of the the glass and ceramic versions but have recently come across a green 'starboard' (isn't port green on boats?) mug that is a significantly lighter green with a slightly smaller gold rim at the top.
i posted some pics over at the tikiroom:

http://www.tikiroom.net/gallery/vics?page=3

also are pictured the ceramic versions which are actually dated on the bottom 1979 so that helps there...

any other clues would be helpful..

are there alternate red glass versions as well?

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 17:24 ]

Here is some info.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1202&forum=5

I'd bet the really light green is just a manufacturing thing. Not a different mug at all. I have seen the 3 others at Trader Vic's, and I think the more pronounced ridges one is later than the more common glass one. Splitting hairs on that description. The broader gold bands are older.

Found a couple of port lights this weekend and noticed a variation from one already in my collection. I did a search and dug this thread up.The first pic are the two mint ports I found this weekend. Both have 100% of the gold paint and the Imperial sticker.

The bottoms with stickers

Closeup of the sticker

On the left is the imperial and the right is an unmarked port. Morgantown? The unmarked mug on the right has a wider gold rim and the top and is just a little taller.

The next pic shows the variation in the mold marks on the bottom of the glasses.


An image from the Tur Mai Kai menu showing the port light. I have heard that the port and starboard lights may have be made by Imperial and Morgantown at the same time, Does anyone have a Morgantown marked glass? Not a big variation between the two but enough to get my curiosity up. Thanks.

"Anyone who has ever seen them is thereafter haunted as if by a feverish dream" Karl Woermann

[ Edited by: uncle trav 2008-03-02 06:59 ]