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Tiki Central / Collecting Tiki

Can anyone identify this carving?

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PLT

OK, I've been meaning to post this for while and since today's my Savage Renewal day, now seems like a good time!
This carving is one of my favorite Tiki pieces. It was a gift from a very sweet elderly customer when we opened our store. He now sits on our counter guarding our Tiki items (I could of sold it a hundred times to date....but there's no way I'm parting with this special gift!!!). She said she purchased it at a market in Hawaii in the 60's and it sat in her garden ever since. Unfortunately, that's about all the info I can get from her. It's in great condition, only slightly weathered considering it sat through 30-40 years of our rainy Vancouver winters!
It stands 11 inches tall and is carved from heavy wood.
Anyways, I'm wondering if anyone might know anything about it. Is it a rare piece or a dime a dozen souvenir? (or in other words, should it be sitting on my counter exposed or locked in a show case?!) :)
I've tried searching online, I've scoured Tiki Quest and The Book of Tiki for any hints but no luck.
I'm hoping someone on TC can offer some insight!

It looks just like a coco joe necklace I have, I'll post the image tonight.
-Tw

T

And it looks like a Coco Joe's bottle opener I have, only mine is done in the black lava/resin stuff.

OL

Here's that Cocojoes bottle opener. There seems to be a similar style, but it doesn't tell us if your tiki carver copied a Cocojoe, or perhaps Cocojoe modeled their tikis after one such as yours.

Wow, I'd say that's a match! This certainly helps the on going search.
Thanks for your help folks!!!

[ Edited by: Pepe le Tiki 2005-09-07 10:17 ]

I've got that bottle opener too, and it's a better match than my necklace is.

Here it is anyhow, it has a very translucent bronze sheen to it.

This is one of my favorite finds. I found it at the thrift store behind my house that tends to be fairly sparse in the tiki department. He came with the original gold chain which I have kept.

I normally check the jewelry department for the goofy resin moai that was so popular, haven't found one yet though.

Pages: 1 5 replies