Collection of all Tiki related stuff found in Israel

Hi,
I've been meanning to do this for a while, but never got around to taking pics, uploading them, etc.
I thought of putting this in the Tiki Finds thread, but some things here are too much of a stretch to brag about them as the original Tiki Finds thread meant.

Ok, here goes:

My mom used to work as the secretary of the Dean at the Tel Aviv University medical school. One of her co-workers went to Hawaii, and this was the postcard she sent back. The date is October 1973.

My sister-in-law Keren, and my brother Gal, found this in a second-hand store in Jerusalem. They assumed the Hanalei was already torn down, but they were glad to hear that they were wrong. Keren & Gal are responsible for a few more of the finds I'll show here.

Like the next one, for example:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Behold EYE OF THE IDOL!:

This magiccal idol was bought in a dingy magic store owned by the father part of a washed-out has-been father-son magician duo, there were big in the 1980's. The son was later charged with child molestation.
The Moai can point to the jewel that is chosen by the audience member.

I alreday posted this mini-golf Moai in the past. It's at the Yarkon River park in Tel Aviv. It has a Star of David painted on its forhead in a misguided attempt to make it Israeli.

Ok, now for the streches. Things that aren't really Tiki, but since beggars can't be choosers, we treated them as such.

Shalom Tiki! Located a few minutes drive from my parents' place, Dale and I decided this is a Moai or Tiki of some sort, although the artist probably never had that in mind.

Napkin holder found by Keren & Gal. Probably African.

Another little artifact that was given to us by Keren & Gal (they turned it into a fridge magnet. African, too, if I'm not mistaken.

Golden Sands Hotel, Penang, Malaysia. Postcard found by Keren & Gal. Tropical, but not Tiki.

Of course I'm not counting the Tiki News issue from Tower Records (I'm the only one that bought it), or the Book of Tiki paperback found in Jerusalem recently.

Thanks for bearing with me,

Ran

[ Edited by: kick_the_reverb on 2005-01-25 15:03 ]

Cool stuff! I spent time in Israel and Egypt back in '88-and I loved it.Spent a week in Dahab,Egypt,and at the time it was very rustic,but the few "hotels" that were on the Red Sea were very tiki-like,although with a bedouin sort of theme.Lots of palm fronds,tiki torches,and light up blowfish lamps-you lounged on pillows in these cafe/restaurants,and just listened to the waves coming in.Very tiki,if you ask me.

On 2005-01-24 19:53, kick_the_reverb wrote:

Ok, here goes:

....this was the postcard she sent back. The date is October 1973.

Wow! That paper cut-out art is really nice.... Any chance you'd upload a hi-rez version?

I'll have to take a hi-res photo, or set up the scanner, but I could do that.
It is pretty good, although it definitely has a 70's look more than an early 60's look.
Ran

Docwoods,
Sinai used to be one of my favorite places as a kid. My uncle was a Lt Colonel in the IAF, head of the maintenance squadron at an IAF base in Sinai (in a place called Moon Valley), so I would look forward all year to the summer and our trip there.
The desert and the beaches were amazing.
When they returned Sinai to Egypt (I was in the 5th grade) I vowed never to come back, and to this day I have kept my promise.

That IAF base located in a loonar like desert landscape was probably one of the reasons I love the Mojave desert.

BTW - in the stack of postcards where the Hawaii one was found, there was one of a "Sahara" hotel in Sinai. Nothing like the Vegas Sahara, though.
Ran

Ran-your feelings are understandable-I spent the majority of my time in Israel on Kibbutz Rosh Haniqra in the Northwest corner of the country.To anyone who has never lived or visited Israel,it is hard for them to understand the tension that is there.Loved it,however,and was fortunate to get to a lot of places that were absolutely breathtaking.I'd love to go back sometime,but things are still too hairy to do so.Maybe someday.

On 2005-01-25 23:12, kick_the_reverb wrote:
I'll have to take a hi-res photo, or set up the scanner, but I could do that.
It is pretty good, although it definitely has a 70's look more than an early 60's look.
Ran

Thanks Ran - I'm giving a paper cut-out look to a lot of my art these days - so it's appreciated!

Tangaroa, you can find 2 higher res pics of the postcard here:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df09b3127cce9f036f923b3a00000016109AasWbFizac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df09b3127cce9f036f8e3b2600000016109AasWbFizac

Hope this helps.

Ran

Thanks so much Ran! That's an awesome postcard.......

hey, that's my stuff up there!
Oddly enough, I found a similar napkin holder (only a bit darker)at my grandparents' the other day. As for The Book of Tiki - it looks like Stimazkey, the largest chain bookstore in Israel, has received an overstock of softcovers from Taschen. I see copies everywhere, for 49nis. (that's ~11 USD)

I've been meaning to do a follow up to this thread for a while, so here it goes:

found in Tel Aviv's Friday secondhand market. It's small and resin and resembles a Moai. I spotted its sibling on Bigtikidude's bookshelf when we viited last December, and he said that it's probably an Aztec. bummer.

Yup, Ye Olde Ugly "tiki" buddy. Found in a secondhand store in Kfar Shmarihau, one of Israel's richest towns. I go there often to get designers cloths for cheap and found it on a side shelf. At least the stupid straw crown was removed. Please be patient, it does get better, promise.

Luckily, South America is on the Israeli travel map. This wooden Moai and its whimsical ceramic friend below were most likely brought here from Chile. Picked in Jaffa's flea market.

I can't seem to find the box where I keep my postcards - included the Hanalei one that Ran posted here. There are a few good ones hiding there. I scored the following two a couple of months ago at the Tel Aviv Friday market and left them in the living room.

One from the Kon Tiki museum in Oslo:

and one (actually two) of Hotel King Kamehameha in Kona:

And now, for my favourite pieces in our small collection. Over the past few years we bought, received (and recently - created) a number of mugs and ephemera. I've been coveting all kinds of mugs from many companies and mugmakers, but nothing beats 20+ years of drooling over these Benihanas:

In 1983 my maternal grandparents went on a trip to the US, and brught along three awsome souvenir mugs, with holes for straw and everything, from one of the restaurants they dined at. My grandmother loved the Buddha the best. I loved the Geisha, which broke sometime in the past decade. The mugs were displayed in my grandparents' uber-fancy living room. Grandma passed away in 1996. Last year I asked my grandfather if I could receive the Samurai and Buddha mugs and he agreed. Turns out that they're Benihanas, tho the Buddha is a bit different than the usual. Last December I found a newer (and not as slender) Benihana Geisha to complete the trio, but I found it in San Diego and therefore she doesn't belog in this thread.

At the same trip, my grandparents went to Hawaii. They sent me postcards (which are in that lost box), bought a hula girl doll that I gave away with my entire collection of ethnic dolls when I got into punk and was too cool for that stuff and leis. Last year my grandfather had to sell the apartment. When my brother and I visited there for the last time we looked through old pictures and I found two souvenir shots that neither I nor my parents have ever seen before. My grandfather gave them to me and I just love how they look there - happy and beautiful.

look! it's Ku!

Keren.

On 2005-01-24 19:53, kick_the_reverb wrote:

I alreday posted this mini-golf Moai in the past. It's at the Yarkon River park in Tel Aviv. It has a Star of David painted on its forhead in a misguided attempt to make it Israeli.

We live by what used to be the Yarkon River Park mini golf course. The facilities are no longer there. Bummer.

Spotted this Tiki Graffiti on the wall of a cheapo jewelry shack right at Tel Aviv city center and been meaning report it for a while.
Quite uncommon style compared to other street artists in the city and definitely an unusual subject. My grandma lives nearby and it warms my heart to meet him on my way from her place to the video store.

A lame juice bar/ Creperie in a snotty suburban mall:

The Hebrew script says "cocktail", which makes one wonder if there's any cocktail that calls for Nutella.

[ Edited by: nuKKe 2009-11-20 05:44 ]