Urban Archaeology Fort Lauderdale

This story begins a very long time ago. When my friend Lenore was visiting we got a call about an apartment complex located here in Fort Lauderdale with several Moai around the perimeter of the complex. It was late in the evening, after 12am but I was so thrilled to see them that we jumped in my car in our pjs and drove to the site.

They were amazing, all lit up in the moonlight. We scoured the entire premises for them and found 5 and a mask very similar to those at the Mai-Kai, for which I'm certain now, since the pouring of the new molds from the Mai-Kai that the mask on the building is definitely from the Oceanic Arts Molds. (several of them have been poured, painted and added to the gardens and behind the windows outside the Molokai).

Anyway, here's the photos that I took the very next day as I returned in the daylight to see these majestic big stone heads and the mask on the building.

I visited them often. I even took Duda Leite, of Tikimentary, there recently to see and document them for his new full length version of Tikimentary that will debut at Hukilau 2010. He was just as curious about them as I was. I have directed folks exploring prior and after Hukilau to see them as well - for those in California you see this type of thing often but here in Florida you really appreciate them when you find them. I know Florida was once littered with Tiki but it is all disappearing like so many other places around the globe. You can see how the painting of the building and the mask has changed and also that the Moai have suffered a little damage in the 3 years since I took the original photos.

So, today, a friend wakes me to join him for breakfast and as we're pulling up to this diner I glance at an antique store across the street and see the exact stone Moai in the window. I could barely stand it during breakfast as I wanted to go there first but my friend knew better, he knew this would not be a quick visit and that I would ask questions, etc. After eating we crossed the street and there they were in the window.

I always try to keep my excitement to myself, especially in an antique store where there's no prices, but I couldn't. I immediately struck up a conversation with the 2 gentleman inside and asked where they got them, expecting to hear from the vintage apartment complex, and was shocked that it was a different location. They picked them up from an estate sale in the area. I continued to question and they told me it was the estate of Mr. and Mrs. J. Truman - the 2 Moai had been planted in the backyard and sculpted by Mr. Trueman. Then I realized they were speaking of a house that I had recently looked at with a friend of mine. A house that is so amazing, a mid-century gem, with an orchid house in the back and a yard that is screaming Tiki!! I felt this spirit there of what is was when I was looking at the house, it's hard to explain but knew it was some place special. I have visited this house at least 4 times within the last 2 months. I couldn't believe that these 2 Moai were from that house that I have been admiring and telling people about for weeks. Then I noticed both the Moai were signed and dated on the back F. Truman 1962. Here is a detail of the signature below and the pics of the Moai:

Here are pictures of the Trueman estate. Mr. Truman was the President of the Orchid Society, his amazing orchid house is pictured here as well as the round planters that used to house the Moai above:

The front of the house

Window detail with classic awnings that double as hurricane protection

A vintage Beauty Parlor on the right wing of the house!!!!

The amazing orchid house

Backyard patio area

Great tile table with cocktail details

This coral rock is all over the perimeter of the house - I plan to ask the family if I can have/buy some.

Incredible Tree

And finally - the 2 round planter areas that once held the Moai:

I tried to speak to them about the historic value of these Tikis, tried to get them to donate them to the Mai-Kai, an appropriate home for them, but hopefully, someone will see this post and can afford them. He gave me a whopping price of $1200 for both and then said he would take $750. A piece of Florida tiki history for $750, tempting, but I still can't afford that at this time. Maybe one of you will.

The other thought I had about this Mr. Trueman is maybe he was the one that sculpted and made the large Maoi outside the Mai-Kai years ago that was stolen. Chip and Andy have vintage photos of this Maoi with 2 ladies pictured and I tried to find it here on TC - maybe they'll see this and post it. But then I remembered this incredible shot when I scanned the Mai-Kai archives in 2006! It is the same mold as the Truman creations!!!:

I did get the contact information for the family of Mr. Trueman and I plan to contact them tomorrow to hopefully get some historic photos to add to the story. It would be great to know his passion for these Moai that he seemed to share in Fort Lauderdale.

I know this was a long posting but I wanted to share it with everyone....

[ Edited by: tiki_kiliki 2009-10-18 15:04 ]

[ Edited by: tiki_kiliki 2009-10-18 15:38 ]

Outstanding sequence of events! Tikis with an early 60s signature of the maker are tops in my book. Maybe the Orchid society had a newsletter that showed the backyard at some point!?

I'll check on that Sven, good thinking. I'm hoping the family members and grandchildren have photos of these Moai as well. Maybe he actually had other pieces.

By the way, the guys at the antique store said they had to roll them inside, they weigh a ton...

Wow, TK, these are amazing! It's kind of sad they were removed from the house. I was hoping for a happy ending to the story where you found out that the house was for rent, and you were moving in!!!

Good idea to post it here! The Moai would be a good addition to the Mai Kai garden....

And I want that tiled outdoor patio table!!!!

[ Edited by: KikiTiki 2009-10-18 15:21 ]

this is cool stuff // waiting for more to unfold keep us posted!

Great research and pix, Christie..

I love it when tiki adventures unfold like this! That yard has a lot of tiki paradise potential, keep diggin!

Great story! Great photos! I want to buy that house! (I'm sure you do, too.) Thanks for sharing this! Looks like you're loving being back in Florida.

" I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER "

go back to ,
The amazing orchid house

and find the molds,I'll bet they are in there somewhere.

"Pets are welcome,Children 'MUST' be on leash" TD

[ Edited by: TIKI DAVID 2009-10-19 06:33 ]

I went all inside the orchid house. There are molds for birds and other creatures but not the Moai unfortunately. The guy at the antique store said he was able to take over 200 orchids back to his house....for free.

On 2009-10-18 15:02, tiki_kiliki wrote:
The other thought I had about this Mr. Trueman is maybe he was the one that sculpted and made the large Maoi outside the Mai-Kai years ago that was stolen. Chip and Andy have vintage photos of this Maoi with 2 ladies pictured and I tried to find it here on TC - maybe they'll see this and post it.

Christie, you already know how wonderful I think this story is. Thanks for posting this. And I REALLY want to know what the Mai-Kai connection is here and where the mold is in that photo. (Wonder if it's in the Mai-Kai storage?)

Here's the picture you were looking for (thanks to C&A for the original post):

But I thought at some point (memory fails me) we determined that this Moai was done by someone else. I'm thinking there was a Barney West newspaper photo somewhere with this in it, but I just can't put my finger on it. I could be off base on that.

On 2009-10-20 16:32, GatorRob wrote:

On 2009-10-18 15:02, tiki_kiliki wrote:
The other thought I had about this Mr. Trueman is maybe he was the one that sculpted and made the large Maoi outside the Mai-Kai years ago that was stolen. Chip and Andy have vintage photos of this Maoi with 2 ladies pictured and I tried to find it here on TC - maybe they'll see this and post it.

Christie, you already know how wonderful I think this story is. Thanks for posting this. And I REALLY want to know what the Mai-Kai connection is here and where the mold is in that photo. (Wonder if it's in the Mai-Kai storage?)

Here's the picture you were looking for (thanks to C&A for the original post):

But I thought at some point (memory fails me) we determined that this Moai was done by someone else. I'm thinking there was a Barney West newspaper photo somewhere with this in it, but I just can't put my finger on it. I could be off base on that.

That one looks like stone, not concrete. Carved, not cast. Prolly not the same person.

Just to put a happy ending on this story... one of the Trueman Tikis now resides at my place and the other at another TCers home in the area. So rest assured they will be pampered and appreciated and will never see a coat of paint.

Here he is checking out his new home just minutes after he planted his feet. I put him in a corner of the yard that didn't have much going on, so he's now going to be the new focal point. I'm going to get him some surrounding rocks and tropical plantings to keep him warm at night. And his own spot light for that all important glamor night shot.

Big thanks goes to Tiki Kiliki for finding them and making us aware of them!

Big thanks to you and the mystery TCer for giving them a new home. :)

So great to see this Rob - and so glad they are now both at home in Orlando with true Tikiphiles!!

I can't wait to see them in person!

We need you next to it, prostrating, for scale! :)