Carved Tikis!

Hi guys. I'm going to attempt a posting here:

While in Florida, I tracked down a tiki carver who does some fantastic work and came highly recommended by local shop owners. I had located him last year, but was unable to establish contact. This year was different.
I met Charlie Knight, tiki carver extraordinaire! He has a little shack (quite literally!) on Highway 98, between Ft. Walton Beach and Pennsacola, around Navarre Beach. You can contact him a [email protected]. He says he will have a web site up soon.
This guy makes the greatest, most detailed and professional looking affordable palm carved tikis in Florida! I have seen many, but Charlies are by far superior. I got a SUPER deal on a 4' teeth-filled tiki that now sits in my tiki room. And my only regret is that I did not buy a couple more.
I will post a pic as soon as I can learn how.

My frustration with the Yahoo group continues, but I had to post to my fellow tiki-lovers what I had purchased.

Hanford, as always, thank you for the outlet!

Cool Stringray!

He says he'll have a website up soon? Let us know when he does! Do you have any pictures? I know you can't post pictures here yet, but let us know anyway!

Hope these forums treat you better than Yahoo Groups did! :wink:

~Hanford :tiki: :drink:

[ Edited by: hanford_lemoore on 2002-03-25 04:01 ]

When I was visiting my Grandmother in Ft. Myers, FL this Christmas, I too ran into a guy on the side of the road that was selling hand carved tikis. I'm not too familiar with the area, so I couldn't say exactly where he was. His tikis were well priced (I believe a 4' was about $30) and extremely diverse. Just a heads up if anyone is passing through Ft. Myers. :D

-Matt

Senor Stingray,

Do you mind revealing how much you paid?

• Monkey God (Teddy T.)

I don't mind at all. I paid $125.00 for mine. I thought he had it reasonably priced at $200, but I was looking at one of the $80.00 ones and when he wanted to deal, Stacey and I jumped on that. We thought it was a great deal. It is solid palm, very heavy and stripped of its bark. Very attractive.
He had others priced between $30 and up. The higher ones were actually upside down palm trunks with the "hair look". Soem were shallacked (sp?) over the face, some had bark, all were very neat.
I can't want to see his web site, I hope it does him justice.

As for Ft. Meyers, I would have picked up one of those just for the cost! What a deal! I'm sure those things take a great deal of time and talent.

I do have pics so I'll scan one and will send it if anyone wants to have a look.
Thanks for the replys. Looks like this forum is working very well.

That IS a great deal! Especially when you look at Crazy Al's prices. PLEASE post a pic. Can't wait to see it.

• Monkey God (Teddy T.)

Monkey god,
I just realized your sig was from slave labor, do you work there?

Also, if I searched for it I could probably find somthing butwould you have any info on crazy al? I would like to see more of his work.

Later
-stuckie

Crazy Al's site is http://www.tikimania.com

Which reminds me, is anyone planning on going to the Casino Royale/APE (featuring Crazy Al) show on Friday? For Bay Area people, obviously. :)

Stuckie,

No, I don't work for Slave Labor - I just stole the graphic. It worked with my username. This is a legal use of the graphic, isn't it? For personal, not commercial use? But I know their work pretty well as a sometime-comic-book-adpating screenwriter. Always looking for a good comic to adapt. :)

Monkey God (Teddy T.)

[ Edited by: MonkeyGod on 2002-03-27 16:07 ]

Monkeygod,

Heh, I just found out about them(SLG). Really dig that graphic too. Was just curious.

Thanks for the link tikimama.

-stuckie

Hey StingRay, you never got around to posting a pic of this great tiki. So this is a reminder to do so. If you need help, email the pic to me and I'll post it for you.

Swanky- So sorry. I will get a pic scanned (tomorrow if I'm lucky) and I'll get it to you to post. I have just been incredibly busy!
Thanks!
-C.
:sheckymug:

If I knew how to post pictures I would post the ones Charlie just sent me. His carvings look awesome and I have some guys working in the area. I am going to get them to pick me up a couple. If you want pics, tell me how to post them or just email the guy. He will get the pictures out asap.

Okay, I know I havent sent a picture yet of my tiki, but Charlie has his web site up now and I'll give you that:

http://www.palmtiki.com/

My pictures will be coming soon - one way or another! I promise!

-C.

Don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but this guy seems like one of the many Florida carvers that once worked for Wayne Coomb's Mai Tiki and then opened their own shop, basically copying the Mai Tiki style. Now I love Wayne, but his Tikis all have a similar look, sans pineapple or not, and given the endless variations of form Tikis can take, these guys just are not all that interesting. You find them all over Florida. To me, Palm Tree Charlie http://www.palmtreecharlie.com/tiki.htm

is much more daring in a modern abstract Tiki style way, stretching the physiognonomy, and experimenting with various styles.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki on 2002-06-24 21:49 ]

I have been trying to buy from palmtree charlie for a while and finally gave up. He kept telling me he would email me some prices and pictures of what he had left and i never got anything. He does awesome work and I wanted to buy a couple from him but cant get a reply. If you read this Palm Tree Charlie, I still want some of the tikis. Call me, Donald at 1-800-221-4098 or email me at [email protected].