Canadian Tiki Part Deux

Not particularly tiki - but they have a Canadian reference. My neighbours have a a giant tridacna shell bird bath in their garden. These giant shells - each half weighing approximately 80 lbs - were originally used as ashtrays in the lobby of the Vancouver Aquarium. My neighbours (one of whom is a retired marine biologist) have owned these since the 1970s.

[ Edited by: Eddy Brazil 2009-10-12 14:40 ]

Saw this matchbook on ebay from the South Seas Restaurant and Beachcomber Lounge in Winnipeg. Cool looking PNG mask for the lounge logo.

DC

[ Edited by: dustycajun 2009-11-27 15:52 ]

Here's a view of the 100 block of East Pender Street in Vancouver's Chinatown. Photo was taken in 1974 and you can see a sign for the "South Seas Dining Lounge"

Does anyone know if the place is still there?

The Frank Burnett Collection of South Seas artifacts:

After earning his fortune in grain on the Prairies and real estate in Vancouver at the turn of the century, Frank Burnett retired to South Seas where he wrote travel books and collected ethnological specimens. In 1927, Burnett presented his 1,200 item collection to the University of British Columbia where it was housed in the Library. The collection formed the core around which the Museum of Anthropology was established twenty years later. UBC's first anthropologist, Harry Hawthorn, and his wife, Audrey, the first curator of the Museum, were given responsibility for the care, use and expansion of Burnett's assemblage.

Collection consists of two catalogues (1927, 1935) of ethnological specimens presented by Frank Burnett to UBC and minutes of the University of British Columbia's President's Committee on the Museum (1941-1944).

http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/u_arch/burnett.html

The following are photographs of the collection taken in the 1920s at Frank Burnett's home. Larger, high-definition photographic prints and scans can be ordered online from the City of Vancouver Archives:
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/archives/webpubhtml/qbes/ws_photocombined.htm
(just search on "Frank Burnett" and they will give you the links for reproductions)

:up: Frank Burnett sitting amid his collection.

:up: his schooner, the Tropic Bird, on which he travelled the South Seas.

It would be interesting to find out if one can make appointments with UBC to view the collection.

Sabu,

That is one great looking collection of artifacts!

Here is a postcard of the bar at the Mon Tiki from ebay. Nice tiki on the left and check out the drink mural on the wall.

That makes four images from this unusual place.

DC

On 2010-01-04 17:12, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
Here's a view of the 100 block of East Pender Street in Vancouver's Chinatown. Photo was taken in 1974 and you can see a sign for the "South Seas Dining Lounge"

Does anyone know if the place is still there?

Cool picture Sabu! The neon pictures of this area at nitetime are really cool. As far as this Lounge goes, it is not still there and I actually hadn't heard of it. I will have to look it up and post back here if I find out any information.

Just what I needed, something else to look into!! :wink:

Mahalo, TabooDan

Sabu, thank you for digging up all those pics from the Burnett Collection, I love that kind of stuff.
So i should have gone into GRAIN, huh....?

After earning his fortune in grain on the Prairies and real estate in Vancouver at the turn of the century, Frank Burnett retired to South Seas where he wrote travel books and collected ethnological specimens..

ALOHA everyone!

I am from Québec and I like Tiki. Don't laugh at me, my English is poor! The important is to exchange tiki informations!

In response to the Marie-Antoinette Restaurant, I have informations. The fist Mrie-Antoinette have been founded in 1956, in Québec,Qc. In 1999, when the company closed, there was 12 Marie-Antoinette in the Province of Québec.

There was tiki bars in the majority of them. Their Tiki bar was called: "Tahiti". I included pictures of swizzle sticks from there.

Also, you can see two ceramic bowls on the picture. Those two bowls have been made by Céramique de Beauce. The one a the left was made in 1965. The right one, a tiki volcano, was also made by Céramique de Beauce in 1965.

BYE,

TIKIQUÉBEC

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2010-02-18 19:07 ]

TIKIQUÉBEC

Thanks for the information on the Marie-Antoinette chain. Great to hear that there were 12 of these places in the Province of Québec, most with a Tahiti bar.

Also, that is the first time I have seen the swizzles from the Tahiti Bar. Do you have other items from these places?

I am not a big bowl/mug collector, so are the Céramique de Beauce mugs you reference from the postcards a great find for the Canadian collectors?

Thanks for posting,

DC

Welcome aboard TikiQuebec!! Hopefully you can post some more photos of some of the items or pictures you may have!

On 2010-02-18 23:23, Dustycajun wrote:

I am not a big bowl/mug collector, so are the Céramique de Beauce mugs you reference from the postcards a great find for the Canadian collectors?

DC

Hey DC, That particular bowl, the one on the left specifically, is VERY RARE for ANYBODY to find! Not just Canadians! Being made by Beuceware just makes the bowls more collectible as it adds it to another field of collecting for the Beauceware collectors. You've seen those 'Beauceware' Moai mugs with the cool glaze finishes right? This would be the same manufacturer although I never knew Beauceware made these bowls.

That "Vicious Virgin" Bowl I think, was probably one of the biggest documented finds last year! The Bowl came up last year on Ebay and sold for around $950!! It was pictured here on the first page of this thread along with the above postcard and was cemented in it's place in Tiki history as being from a Tiki Bar. It didn't seem like anyone knew this for sure before.
I didn't think it got enough of a discussion last year when it all came to light. This was truly a great, documented find that kind of slipped through I think. Look at all the talk those Vicious Virgin mugs get from the Islander down in California. Any item like this that has not made it into any of the very well known Tiki Collectible books written so far surely is a rare bird!

The Tiki bowl on the right looks really cool as well but it is hard to see what it looks like and I haven't seen the style before. It too, made by Beauceware, is very rare and will be different than the regular 3 Moai Bowls that you see.

Mahalo, TabooDan

I have three of the Beauceware Moai mugs, and consider myself lucky. Not too long ago - a couple of months, perhaps - a Beauceware tiki bowl went up for sale on eBay. I bid on it, but bailed after the price reached $50. I had a feeling the price would soon skyrocket anyway. I was right. If memory serves, it sold for over $500. Beautiful tiki ceramic, but far out of my price range.

Thanks for the post Kahuna Tiki, I did not see that Beauceware Bowl on Ebay.
Did anybody happen to have save a picture of that auction??

It would be cool to see if it is possibly the one pictured above.

This is the Beauceware mug that I mentioned before:

TabooDan

[ Edited by: TabooDan 2010-02-19 17:39 ]

Hello!

Thanks Dustycajun and TabooDan for your responses.

Dustycajun, I have over 600 swizzle sticks form Québec and I just have the two ones Iv'e presented before from Tahiti bars.

I am looking for other tiki items related to the Tahiti bars.

Céramique de Beauce produced around 10 different tiki objects.

Included in that message, I have the photos fm the bowl on the Marie-Antoinette postcard who was on Ebay and a Beauce Mug from my collection.

BYE

TIKIQUÉBEC

[ Edited by: 2010-02-19 17:48 ]

TIKIQUÉBEC

Thanks for the pics of the bowl, now I see how they got the flame coming out of the Volcanoe in the middle for the postcard photo. That is a beauty.

You need to figure out how to include your photos direclty into your posts instead of attaching them as a link. I think Sabu fixed the last ones you posted for the swizzles.

DC

Thanks for the photos TIKIQUEBEC! That bowl is awesome and is not seen too often at all! Beauceware actually made some decent quality ceramics with nice style. Their mugs always have nice lines, good detail and are thick, good quality ceramics.

Do you happen to have a picture of the base of this bowl? It would be interesting to see if they were marked like the other Beauceware items.

Makes you wonder about this restaurant using these items. Did the Marie-Antoinette chain have a direct deal with Beauceware to make these for them specifically? Did Beauceware just have these as a regular selection for places/people to choose from and they were then made? Hhhmmmmmm.......

TabooDan

Hey, Dan, is that the Beauceware Moai that I sent you? That was an amazingly lucky find: a set of four at Goodwill for $20!
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1099&forum=5&vpost=413466
I kept one for myself and traded the other 3. Would love to find one of those bowls, but I'll never be able to bid that kind of money on ebay!

Yeh, that's the one Brandomoai. I think it is the first one on the left in your picture of four. A great find to get all four!
These are great mugs and the glazes really make them unique!

Later, TabooDan

ALOHA TabooDan!

Sorry, I am late!

Céramique de Beauce produced this bowl exclusively for Marie-Antoinette. Céramique de Beauce worked like that.

NOTE: I AM COLLECTING TIKI ITEMS RELATED TO QUÉBEC. IF YOU HAVE SOME, SEND ME A MESSAGE.

Bye,

TIKIQUÉBEC

For what it's worth, here's a different version of the Moai mug from Céramique de Beauce. Never knew they existed until I stumbled upon 'em one day...

(edited for spelling)

[ Edited by: Carl Ulrich 2010-03-04 21:02 ]

While I'm at it, here are 2 typical sort of mugs from the awesome Coconut bar/Motel in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

What does makes them unusual is the fact that they've been customized on the bottom.

Pics are a little blurry, but the black one, embossed, says: "COCONUT BAR T-R-Q".
The Blue one, stamped, says: "Coconut Bar 3-RIV,O,QUE"
There you have it!

Flea Market

A souvenir photo folder from the Hawaiian Room - a pre-tiki South Seas bar, upstairs at the Tic Toc Cafe in Montreal.

Wow, what a great shot! The styling of those dames! A good find inside an unassuming exterior.

I found some images of matchbooks from a few other Canadian Tiki places while perusing the internet.

The Hale Kai at the Brant Inn in Burlington, Ontario.

Jali Tiki in Joliette, Quebec.

Bar Oona Onna at the Golden Palace restaurant in Repentigny, Quebec.

And the Mai Tai Restaurant and Polynesian Lounge in Longueuil, Quebec.

(I like the use of the palm tree in the name)

Anybody heard of these ones before?

DC

GASP!!!

The Marie Antoinette Tahiti Restaurant and Bar

That featured the amazing Tiki mugs and bowls...

Became the Le Disco-Bar Tahiti! Oh the humanity.

DC

[ Edited by: Dustycajun 2011-01-11 22:44 ]

I picked up this postcard a while back from the Waikiki Restaurant that was located in Comox on Vancouver Island.

Nice neon.

Could not find out much else. Maybe some of the TCers up that way can do a little digging.

DC

I'm pretty sure that there is nothing left of the Waikiki. I spent a few days out in Comox about 8 years ago. I'm sure I would've noticed it back then.

On 2010-01-04 17:12, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
Here's a view of the 100 block of East Pender Street in Vancouver's Chinatown. Photo was taken in 1974 and you can see a sign for the "South Seas Dining Lounge"

Does anyone know if the place is still there?

Hey Sabu, I tried quite hard to find something out about this place but nothing comes up at all. There is nothing listed for South Seas Dining Lounge that I could find. I searched from about 1969 to to 1979 and got nothing.

I am wondering if that sign is just advertising what the place was and not the actual name of it? I don't have access yet to any cross reference catalogs which tell you what was listed at that specific address and who was on title during certain years. These catalogs are much harder to find at libraries and the like and alot just don't keep them on hand. The ones that do have them just don't have the old ones. So I guess the hunt will continue!

Mahalo, TabooDan

EDITED TO ADD THIS RAMBLIN' :wink::
I managed to look into a couple of the years around the photo and it's reported date of 1974 in the cross check reference books but still found nothing that was called South Seas Dining Lounge or anything that may have worked out. I basically went through the whole block for the years I could get but of course I did not have 1974's catalog! In the 1978 catalog, I did find a "Hawaii Barber Shop" that would have been near by but that was about it.

These books are basically a reference catalog (a big phone book) that allows you to look up the address and it will tell you what the name of the person or business was at that location for that year. Also, if you just have a phone number, you can look up the phone number and it will tell you the name and address for that number so they can be quite helpful. Especially if you have an Ad or Match Book with no address and just the ph. number.

The problem is many collections at libraries, archives, etc., are incomplete or don't go back far enough.
I don't really have any other tools to dig with right now so I think this one is going back to sleep for a while. I still love that photo though showing every day life just passing by!!

[ Edited by: TabooDan 2011-08-04 15:42 ]

Since the last page ended and the top of this one discussed a place on Vancouver Island called the Waikiki Restaurant, I figured I would look into it a little. I mean very little!! I don't go over to the Island at all so it is hard to do real hands on research.
Well guess what, I didn't find out anything!!

So I figure we'll keep this on Vancouver Island a little bit here.
I know that Comox and alot of the Islands towns and cities are big with retirees and veterans (couple military bases out there) so it would be a great place to have these Tropical or Polynesian Bars and Restaurants. Remind the elders of their times abroad!

We know of a Lum's Polynesian Restaurant in Victoria which is, quite honestly, a Chinese joint with a cool name. Much better than this would have been one of the Beachcomber Restaurant locations which was in Victoria on Broughton Street. The Beachcomber chain all seemed to be quite 'Tikified' with some great decor so this was probably a decent place. Besides swizzle stix, garnish pic's and matchbooks, nothing much has surfaced from this location.

Victoria's location of the Beachcomber was closed in the early 1980's and the original building was torn down. A new high rise with offices above and shops below was built. This is what it looks like today:

I did however, find a couple places of noteworthy interest that I want to share in this thread as opposed to giving them their own threads. I really think the info. will be lacking until someone can actually do
some real investigating over on the Island. I'm more than happy to start it off though!!

First up was this little Ad that caught my eye because of the....well....you know:

The Hawaiian Fantasy Restaurant And Dinner Club had the address of 820 Esquimalt St. in Victoria.
I thought the name was a bit funny as they really don't mess around with some exotic name or title. They get right down to business! I also like "Super Smorg Canadian Style"! Yes, I know, enter your Canadian jokes here. I know....everything covered in Maple Syrup! Mmm Hmm....

This Ad dates to January 1st of 1987. I do know that the Hawaiian Fantasy Restaurant and Dinner Club (I like saying that:) ) were no longer listed in 1989 but I don't have any earlier dates as to their possible opening date or really any more info. This is what the building looks like now as the Esquimalt Bingo Palace:

You can definitely see some style to the building that has now been sterilized. It wouldn't be too hard to picture this place as a Hawaiian Dinner Club with some great neon, bamboo, dark wood trim and all the goodies!

Next up I have a Ad from the Outrigger Restaurant Ltd. which was located at 120 Commercial Street in Nanaimo, BC.

Not the best of Ad's but still evidence of Polynesian Restaurants on the Island! The building where this address would be, looks to be of new construction so I would say this is another place that was torn down and rebuilt. The address now is 101 Commercial as there looks to be no #120 at all.
The Ad dates from November of 1980. Here's what it looks like today:

No more info. on this one.

And to finish this off, this Ad with a great font jumped right off the page at me:

I seem to remember that font, and subject, used somewhere else as well but can't quite place it.
The Mai Tai boasts of "probably" (cause they weren't sure!) having "The Greatest Salad Bar On The Island"! Now how many Polynesian places can say that??!! The Mai Tai Dining Lounge was located at 6161 Genoa Bay in Duncan, BC. This Ad also dates from November of 1980.

The next Ad was really promising for this place:

I recognized that Tiki and Torch straight away! Stolen menu graphics from the Tahitian Restaurant in California!! This Ad is great as it shows quite an elaborate A-Frame Building with lot's of vegetation and boasting "The Island's Most Magnificent Waterfront Restaurant". Overall with the Mai Tai Font, Tiki and great building, this is a really cool Ad!! This Ad is dated from January of 1988 and I know this Restaurant was listed in 1989 as well but not in 1993.

Unfortunately, I could not find anything at that address or even the immediate area. Looks like the building is long gone now. This one will have to get some more research done on it.

Hopefully someone will do some searching and stumble across these places and maybe fill us in a bit.
That's it for now.
Mahalo, TabooDan

On 2009-06-05 17:34, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
Les Pins Hotel and Polynesian Kiko Bar in Granby, Quebec, Canada

I picked up this nice matchbook from the Les Pins Hotel featuring an image from the Kiko Bar

Love that french spelling - Bar Polynesien.

DC

Here's a very cool swizzle from the Cafe Hale Hakala in Montreal that I just picked up. Never seen one before.

Trader Tom,

That is one cool swizzle spoon. It was obviously modeled after the matchbook art.

I got the matchbook and swizzle from the South Seas in Winnipeg that also use the same Palm tree imagery.

DC

Some more Canadian fun, the Aloha Lounge at the French Casino in Montreal.

DC

On 2008-09-02 13:39, Eddy Brazil wrote:
Well, after repeated calls with no answer - and non-working numbers - Kitty and I decided to make it our mission to visit Rachelle's Vineyard. The two driveway gates (one of which luckily was unlocked) have bold warning signs "TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED". We drove in anyway, since the sunshine was out and we naively were looking for this B&B. I very much doubt this property - all 110 acres of it - ever operated as a bed and breakfast. It was probably listed on a B&B directory with the intention of opening, but - the way redundant info floats around in cyberspace - never did. The first (most likely original) Italianate house is vacant and half-boarded up. The huge property is dotted with land-locked boats (with people inhabiting them) and a variety of cottages and shanty-makeshift buildings that people are also living in. Instantly reminded me of a 1960s/70s commune or biker gang hangout. There is, however, a thriving vineyard on the property which is being professionally irrigated and maintained. Halfway down the dirt drive, we saw an old guy working on a piece of machinery. I stopped and got out of the car and told him I was looking for the Bayshore Trader Vic's which was supposedly barged here. He got a bit excited, in his French-Canadian accent, and said surely I could drive down the road/hill towards the shore - and I'd find it. No problem taking a look at it. He wasn't forthcoming with much info about who the owner is, etc - so I didn't push it (in case he changed his mind). The whole vibe, overall, was a bit shady. The fellow did say that the plan is to open it to the public in a couple of years. However, it appears unlikely that will happen anytime in the near future, judging from the clutter and condition of it.

Anyhow, here's the view as you approach it from the drive.

To Kitty's (and my) surprise, the door was unlocked - yet someone is certainly living here (it smelled of stale ciggies - and the clouded jar of pickled eggs on the still-intact bar counter stirred my appetite)! So, we trespassed some more...

Original door leading (I believe) to the kitchen - which likely was gutted and now appears to be a bedroom.

Mugs "Made Exclusively for Trader Vic's - Made in Japan" on the bar.

Old Vancouver Chinese newspapers (some adverts for Granville Street businesses in Chinese and English) decoupage-ing the corrugated section of the bar/entrance ceiling.

Flooring - which has yet to be properly installed (it's sitting atop the original floor) - was salvaged from Mayfair Lanes bowling alley when it was demolished a couple of years ago. I was told that the owner wants to invite friends over for ballroom dancing when it's completed.

Wonderful original real-shell wall sconces, and authentic tapa bark-cloth wall coverings.

[ Edited by: Eddy Brazil 2008-09-02 13:42 ]

[ Edited by: Eddy Brazil 2008-09-02 13:43 ]

[ Edited by: Eddy Brazil 2008-09-02 13:45 ]

[ Edited by: Eddy Brazil 2008-09-03 06:57 ]

http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/capital_van_isl/story.html?id=aa31e7c5-7221-4c47-8b78-e12d199b1cf7

I wonder if he wants to sell some Trader Vic's stuff to help pay off his fine?? Maybe Ill drive out there this weekend...

[ Edited by: Dagg 2012-11-11 08:39 ]

This is both bizarre and amazing.

Its totally bizarre... and just a bit sad that such a cool piece of local Tiki history has ended up in the hands of (imo) a nut bar!
Ill head out there this weekend and leave a note by his driveway expressing my interest in possibly purchasing any stuff he might want to sell. Cant hurt (i hope)

Bonus, there are two thrift stores out that way that I haven't checked out yet :)

On 2012-11-08 10:31, Dagg wrote:
Its totally bizarre... and just a bit sad that such a cool piece of local Tiki history has ended up in the hands of (imo) a nut bar!
Ill head out there this weekend and leave a note by his driveway expressing my interest in possibly purchasing any stuff he might want to sell. Cant hurt (i hope)

Bonus, there are two thrift stores out that way that I haven't checked out yet :)

If he's willing to part with that tiki on the bar, and you don't want it....

Good luck!

Dagg,

Any luck in your visit to the Trader Vic's building. To bad such an esteemed Tiki temple ended up in the hands of such a crazy person.

A few more images.

DC

On 2012-11-15 12:53, Dustycajun wrote:
Dagg,

Any luck in your visit to the Trader Vic's building.

DC

I left a note with my cell # (on Sat) but haven't heard a thing. and to top it off the 3 thrift stores out that way were a bust as well. :(
I did get a set of five mugs from a thrift store downtown, so the day wasn't a total write off.

(edit to add aerial photo)

[ Edited by: Dagg 2012-11-15 13:29 ]

searched, but couldn't find a TV's Vancouver thread in locating Tiki....

Stumbled across some old photos on the Vancouver Sun website.

Premier W.A.C. Bennett at Young Socred Dinner at Vancouver’s Trader Vic’s November 14 1970.
Photograph by: Glenn Baglo

Trader Vic’s manager Jeff Yee with tall cool drinks on June 26, 1970.
Photograph by: George Diack

The famous doors at Vancouver’s Trader Vic’s, before it was closed in May 1999.
Photograph by: Steve Bosch

The interior of Vancouver’s Trader Vic’s before it was closed in May 1999.
Photograph by: Steve Bosch

apologies if these have been posted before.

Great stuff Dagg!

A few more match covers I found from Canada.

The Bali Hi Polynesian Pub from Quebec.

And the Ricksha from Hamilton, Canada.

DC

A new Canadian entry from my matchbook collection - the Aloha Bar at the Dragon Inn in Lafleche, Quebec.

DC

Another Canadian find, the Waikiki Restaurant in Ontario.

Served Tiki drinks in all of the standard Tiki mugs.

Don't know if it was related to the Waikiki in Vancouver?

DC

Nothing says "Waikiki" like a Chinese junk! :D

"Where beautiful food is served beautifully" - classic!

Indeed, that rendering of the tray-bearing Wahine is great: As you said, one can clearly make out a volcano bowl, a Tiki mug, a skull mug, a pineapple mug, a buddha mug, a coconut mug, and a Dr. Fong mug. Wish it would exist unobstructed by the font.

Found this cool Beauce version of the Paul Marshall Peanut mug.

Marked Beauce Canada 1758. Does anyone know how to decipher this number. I looked for awhile online but only could guestimate late 50s/early to mid 60s.

Be curious to know which one came first. Shockingly I don't have a Paul Marshall version of this mug to compare but it looks identical with the exception of the top and base. The Beauce looks a little less detailed which indicates a copy but it hard to believe a reputable pottery company like Beauce would make a direct copy like that.

Hello Tattoo,

If you go on page 209 of the Céramique de Beauce book published in 2005 (Daniel Cogné et al., Éditions GID), you'll find that your mug was designed and firstly produced in 1963.

Céramique de Beauce produced about twelve tiki pieces. The number under your mug is a production number. From the 1940's to the 1980's, Beauce produced more than 5000 different pieces, that were all numbered.

At that time, it was not rare for the pottery companies to copy each other. Beauce produced some pieces that were designed by other companies, and companies produced pieces that were designed by Beauce.

This is a really nice piece. Beauce tiki pieces are rare to find, even here in Québec.

Aloha!

TIKIQUÉBEC

Nice mug!

I uncovered some more photos of the Trader Vic's in Vancouver.

The A-Frame exterior from different angles.

Front doors.

Towering Tikis

Head chef in action.

Now here are some views you don't see to often - the Trader Vic's building on the back side of the hotel by the pool.

Tiki Torches.

DC