Tiki Find - Looking for Opinions

Greetings!

I'm brand new to Tiki Central, but I've been a devoted tikiphile for most of my life. I'm posting because of an interesting tiki carving I came across in an antique store this past weekend. It's about 5 feet tall, and carved from a single section of tree trunk (I'm not sure of the type of wood.) The tag reads "tiki pole from Oklahoma." The dealer wants $475 (which seems a bit expensive to me), but the woman working in the store at the time left the dealer selling the tiki a message asking if he knew a back story and whether or not he could do better on the price.

I've included a couple of pictures. I'm not a big fan of the nose ring he's wearing, but it's not enough to keep me from buying it (if it has an interesting history.)Is it grossly overpriced? Has anyone seen one like it before?

Thanks-a-million in advance for any opinions or information.

Well for one thing, it's not vintage. It's a typical, not very unique in design Tiki revival Tiki. Everyone here knows that it is my belief that the Tiki revival has overdone it in the big teeth department, and the fact that they are painted white here does not help that.
My opinion: While there are some new carvings out there that would warrant that kind of money, this is not one of them.

I would charge around 200 for a similar carving, that nose ring can be removed pretty easy.

Yep, I would pass at that price. Now my question is, how much is the guitar on the left?!!

[ Edited by: Chub 2008-05-12 12:06 ]

$100 per foot is pretty standard pricing for newer tikis. Granted, that depends on who's doing the carving. So if it's something you really like, $475 is not out of the realm of reason for a 5" tiki.

You may be better off working with a carver in your area to get something that you'll absolutely love though.

Thanks for all of the replies! I'm hoping that it has an interesting back story (like perhaps originating from the once-fabulous but now-defunct Jade East restaraunt in Tulsa), but I'm sure it's just wishful-thinking.

Wow. No wonder my "leisurely contemplate a tiki purchase and return to the store the next week to buy it" method of shopping has met with failure lately. The newbie Texas Ohana have stumbled upon my hunting grounds. Don't make me start marking my territory, lion-style. :)

This is not a hypothetical question for me. I have passed up on that exact tiki numerous times, primarily because I believe it to be overpriced. If you're really into it, make an offer. That guy has been sitting in that store for a while, and maybe they'll be willing to take a lower price to move it.

Good luck!

Thanks, BrickHorn. I moved to Austin (from the DFW area) in 2002, and I haven't really been actively hunting for tiki treasure since the late '90s. While I have taken a rather extended break from tiki collecting, deciding on a tiki wedding theme with my fiance has brought back the fever in a big way. I'll try not to step on your toes in the process! What's your poison of choice? Mugs? Rattan?

On 2008-05-12 13:11, tiki in tx wrote:
Thanks, BrickHorn. I moved to Austin (from the DFW area) in 2002, and I haven't really been actively hunting for tiki treasure since the late '90s. While I have taken a rather extended break from tiki collecting, deciding on a tiki wedding theme with my fiance has brought back the fever in a big way. I'll try not to step on your toes in the process! What's your poison of choice? Mugs? Rattan?

No worries at all. I was just kidding you. I think it's great that there is a more active group of tikiphiles in the area, even if the increased demand has caused a spike in prices at local vintage shops.

Good luck with the wedding, and let us know if you're able to get a deal on the idol.

On 2008-05-12 12:24, tiki in tx wrote:
Thanks for all of the replies! I'm hoping that it has an interesting back story (like perhaps originating from the once-fabulous but now-defunct Jade East restaraunt in Tulsa), but I'm sure it's just wishful-thinking.

I don't quite follow: You mean you are wishful-thinking the seller will tell you some made-up story about it being from such and such classic Tiki restaurant, so you can ...get a laugh...or tell him off....or why ???
Cause as I stated, it is NOT vintage!

I should clarify: I WAS hoping...

Thanks for keeping me on my toes, though.

Just wanted to make sure you got that info...and did not approach the dealer ASKING for punishment...this new Tiki world has lots of vendors who'll tell you that some Tiki came from the Luau, or Tader Vic's, or the like. All since this damn Book of Tiki came out!

The shadowing painted in around the nose, the shape of the mouth, those enormous teeth...all very un-tiki in my opinion. Even though big carvings like this are hard to find in TX, you're better off skipping this one at any price. Save your money for the good stuff!

On 2008-05-12 15:19, Kenike wrote:
the shape of the mouth, those enormous teeth...all very un-tiki in my opinion.

That tiki is what Al used to call "Crazy Al Style", but is now commonly refered to as "HB Style."

According to this post...
Graphic-outline style of the mouth originally attributed to Crazy Al

...that mouth style on that tiki was taken from Crazy Al's tiki #11, so it cannot be any older than his original tiki, which would make it less than 10 years old. You can take in the copy of Tiki Magazine that Al talks about that tiki in to the antiques store guy and prove that it isn't as old as he says it is. And then tell him you can get a tiki like that for less than $100 out in California.

Maybe that tiki was in Sam's Seafood. Does anyone have any pictures of Sam's before it closed so we can see if maybe that tiki was in there at one time?

I'll carve you one just like it for $89.

Buzzy Out!

Hey BigBro et al,

Thanks for pointing out the teeth and mouth shape as a clue. Appreciate your wisdom and willingness to share with us newbies.