Pago Pago ship's rudder

This is from the long-gone Pago Pago restaurant in Long Beach, CA. Anybody care to venture a guess as to its collectability and value?

Wow that's a beauty. Very collectible but hard to guess a value in these tough economic Tiki times.

Here is a postcard of the Pago Pago in Long Beach, from Mimi Payne's website. Too bad you can't see the rudder sign behind the bar in the postcard.

Do you have any more of the story that goes with this find?

DC

The rudder was salvaged in the late '70s from the alley side of the building. It used to hang over the side-entrance to the bar. Not sure if it ever graced the inside of the restaurant. It is completely unmolested and is in the same condition as when I acquired it.

Very cool item. Funny what survives.

I've been lugging that sign around for 34 years and the funny thing is I've never displayed it. When I pulled it off the Pago Pago building it was only to preserve the old rudder, and I don't really know why I did it. I don't collect anything and I have no interest in Pago Pago, tiki stuff, or old boats. It just seemed like the thing to do.

I had to scale the building without a ladder so I parked my convertible near the building and climbed on the trunk to get high enough to grab the security bars on a window and pulled myself up. Locking one leg into the bars I leaned out and with one hand unscrewed the one remaining screw that it was hanging from, and with the other I held onto the rudder. When that screw let go I couldn't believe how heavy it was and the damned thing almost peeled me off the wall. If my car hadn't been right underneath me I would have dropped it, but as that wasn't an option I wrestled it down. It's followed me ever since. I'm thinking it's somebody else's turn to babysit this white elephant.

Cool story. I am coming down your way next weekend, would love to check it out. Send me a PM.

DC

Great find!!! It's things like this that get me going. It's got it all. Eye appeal, background history, just a great look and feel to the piece is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.