The Mauna Loa Drum

Good Morning All,

I am hoping that the Ohana can lend a hand on something for me?

I'm trying to research the PNG Drum pictured below. I've been in love with this drum ever since I got my copy of Big Bro's "The Book of Tiki". Big Bro uses the image as a way to show how artist/designers back in the day used images out of Oceanic Books to inspire their work. He shows how the Mauna Loa of Detroit used this Drum on their Menu. I know the Mauna Loa also had a mugs that were similar in design too. The below images appears on page 154 - (my copy of the BOT is worn out to open to page 154 automatically now). This is the only shot I have ever seen of this Drum.

Questions:

Has anybody ever seen any other images of this drum? Color images? Is it in a private collection somewhere and lost to the public, or is it in a Museum somewhere?
I'm sure it's not called the Mauna Loa Drum...perhaps it has another name?

Basically, anything at all you might know, and would be willing to share about this drum would be greatly appreciated...

It was only after I blew this image up in size did I notice the cool negative space under the nose area...I had just assumed that this area was filled.

Thanks in advance folks...

Here is a pic of the Mauna Loa menu for those who have not seen it. And a couple of mugs fro Ooga Mooga. I have never seen a color photo of that actual drum but if there is one someone on TC will have it. I have found a couple of images of PNG drums with some of the same design elements.

The menu.

drum.

Drum.

Mai Kai drum mug from the collection of Benehune.

Tonga Room mug from the collection of Atomicchick.

Babalu, my Oceanic Arts book stated that that drum is in the British Museum in London, maybe you can find more images at their website, or in publications from that institution.

Uncle Trav, thank you...those drums are AWESOME!

Big Bro, huge thanks to you Sir!...Unfortunately, the British Museum didn't have any reference to this drum on their Site that I could find...I'm off to the Library now.
Again, thanks for the lead...if I find something, I'll post :)

I know its not the same drum, but the old "Arts of the South Seas" book by Linton and Wingert has a similar drum in it. This one has the frigate bird, but no mask underneath it. It's listed as then being in the US National Museum. I can scan the photo later if you need it.

Babs,
Is this the one ???

Wouldn't that be a great mug for Munktiki to make? I would want one!

Plugger...that is sooo cool! :) What have you got going here? Is this a mixed wood and clay combo? Wonderful brother!

Well, I would certainly never want to insinuate that I could do a mug that uses this drum's image as a source better than the Munk Crew could, but I am going to give the reproduction of it a go. I started the below hand built prototype mug a few days ago to get a "feel", by building it, on how would be the best way to cast it. I have had to alter the image some from the original drum to best work as a mug...liquid volume, glazing, cleaning, etc...Can I cast a mug like this prototype? Ahhhh, nope...there is way too many parts and undercuts in this mug to even think about casting it. I'm afraid that this mug is going to have to be a 1 of 1, however, I can cast some version of this drum perhaps...it just can't be this. At any rate, I hope to get this off the table today...I have WAY too much time into it as it is.

Alas, my trip to San Diego's Main Library yesterday bore no fruit on this elusive drum. I will still need a trip or two down there I think before exhausting it as a resource. It is always quite an experience running the gauntlet of homeless folks to get to the front door of the place...I seem to never have any change by the time I get there. I did come away with some GRAND new treasures though.

The carving on this Mauna Loa Drum(I guess I can call it that) just blows me away! The mere fact that these island carvers are carving with little more than a nail and a beer can is incredible to me. Note: I would not advise on taking up the below carving method unless you are quite sure that you can carve with a nail and a beer can...one wouldn't want to take old Pinocchio off by accident would one.

That is one of the Mai-Kai molds. I used portland cement.
It is now an ash tray.
Here is another cool one.

Babalu, your Mauna Loa mug is off the charts. Fantastic job. The Mauna Loa has been one of my favorite palaces to collect. Just an outstanding piece and thanks for bringing it to life.

Babalu, what you have done is absolutely spectacular! I've also loved those drums, the menu renderings of them, the mugs and the Mai-Kai ash trays based on them.

I know this is not the one you want, but just for fun, here are some from the Mai-Kai:

Those ash trays are AWESOME!! And thanks for the kind words fellas...I've finished this one prototype for the mug...I may do a few others. There is still a lot of room for personal interpretation to be done with this guy, and I love the original shape so much that I think it is worth it to work it out just right.

I posted other angles of this mug on my thread in Other Crafts...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=24647&forum=18&start=975&980

Beautiful, Babalu, just freakin' beautiful! Please do more of these drums...

Here's one after the rope broke off:

Buzzy Out!

YAY!!! BUZZY!!! Hotdamn, hotdamn, hotdamn! Great score! Sure wished it was in color. :)

Special thank to Perry (pdrake) too for finding this image of the original drum used for the Mauna Loa ash tray posted above...it "for sure" has to be a mug as well...

I am sooo hooked on PNG drums and Asmat shields right now :) It's like heroin!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380128648569&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

OK, who bought it? I don't have any need to the cover art but would like to try to convert the LP to MP3s

That album cover is GREAT Teaks! Hope you won it?

I posted this in other crafts too, but since I had the designs topic here as well...

I finished the first prototype on this design and am now into the second.

Here's a clean, hi res scan of the Tahitian Percussion album cover.

Babalu,

I know it's a bit after the fact now, but I recently found the following archived images from the collection of the British Museum...

Thought you might still enjoy!

Wow, that's terrific JonPaul...thank you, thank you! I still have 2 more of these that I have to hand build yet, so your images are going help quite a bit.

Best,

Babs

crazy!
great you got some more research pics before completion.....

Just thought I would follow up this thread as I have molds finished now and the mug was launched at Oasis 2010. Thank you again JonPaul, your images really helped me.

Sorry, I lost my camera a while back...I will post a few better shots later on. Thanks to my neighbor Cliff for lending me his for a minute :)

Great Mug!