Mystery Tiki - Answering the questions: "Where is this tiki from? "Who made it?" What is it for?

Is this even a tiki?

pewter the size of a hand

What about this one? who did it? Where does it came from?

Vintage for sure

The carver who did these tikis is a real artist and a pioneer. Amazing skills, originality in the theme... Who is he?

P.S. What's the story with the "pewter tiki" I posted two posts above?

Thanks for participating...

On 2010-07-20 22:21, Zeta wrote:
The carver who did these tikis is a real artist and a pioneer. Amazing skills, originality in the theme... Who is he?

He's some nameless dude like all the rest of us tiki "artists" who just take inspiration from our predecessors.

the one on the left is a copy of this piece from the Austral Islands:

the one on the right is based on this hawaiian piece:

But it looks like the carver may have referenced something more like this piece for his:

the body on his looks referenced by this actual piece to me

He really didn;t understand the Hawaiian piece's anatomy. He put two eyes on his under where the real eyes are. Kona style carvings are defined by the abstracted eyes and eyelash details, as well as the whole chin, mouth, tongue complex features. He copied the original eyes without knowing what they were, and then thought it needed eyes under his funny double triangle hat. So, he put some people looking eyes under the tikis eyes. That just looks totally wrong to my eyes. Those modern mass producing Asian carvers do that a lot. Or maybe he wanted 4 eyes because he was an artist. Same signature as that Lockness monster piece you posted earlier, I noticed.

That other one up there a post back is a Hawaiian tourist piece based on this piece:

Some roadside/International Market place vendor in Hawaii probably carved that one. There are a lot out there like that. I favor those style ones because they look more authentic than the usual Tongan Hawaiian tiki ones that are so very, very common.

I can't see anything on that pewter piece that would make me think it was tiki. Consider the medium when you are trying to determine if it's tiki. Ask yourself which islands may have had some sort of metal working tradition. The answer to that question pretty much eliminates any of the original Island cultures, as well as their current souviner markets. Just not that much metal work going on in the Pacific. the metal, and no polynesian/pacific motifs pretty much makes it not tiki, at least to my eyes, and in my mind.

Poor pali-ulii, still waiting...
Buzzy Out!

On 2010-07-20 23:12, Bay Park Buzzy wrote:

He's some nameless dude like all the rest of us tiki "artists" who just take inspiration from our predecessors.

Yes, I knew that, but have you (or any other carver around) ever copied that austral tiki? I don't think so. That's why this carver is original.

The tiki next to that one is weird, but original and well done still.

The "ribbed tiki" is awesome and original. period.

The pewter tiki could be modern. Not all tikis come from the islands, you know?

:music: :music:
I can hear the cuckoo singing
In the cuckoo berry tree
If he says that that's a [tiki]
I suggest that you agree
But he'll find it is not [tiki]
Will not make him bold and brave
Well, at least he'll find it useful
If he ever needs a shave
[Pewter Tiki]
Of Mambrino!

:music: :music:

[ Edited by: Bay Park Buzzy 2010-07-21 01:37 ]

Morning LOLs. Thank you.

Is there any more to the carved "R" on the base, i am sure that has come up on TC before.

Nothing else cheekytiki. I can tell you I found these tikis in a "Nordic cafe" called Konditori (opened in the 50's by a couple from Denmark) in Zona Rosa... Mexico City's tiki powerplace... So maybe the carver is Nordic too.

The off-kilter face of the pewter sculpture reminds me of certain Eskimo masks

"This mask shows a distorted human face, with one eye partly closed and wrinkled forehead. Yup'ik Paul John of Nelson Island recalled stories about a strange noise coming from outside the qasgiq (communal men's house). When the people saw the face of the creature that had come to them, it would have a bent face with a sideways mouth."

This unique concept might also have inspired Tiki Carver Mike Gildea in some of his whacky Tikis:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=22886&forum=2&vpost=284481

The one on the left is a robot, and the one on the right is a Shogun warrior. But then again, maybe not.

Can't fool me. The one on the left is Kermit The Frog.

Two moai cuddling together?

On 2010-02-05 22:53, Zeta wrote:

After seeing a post in finds today, I'm going to change my answer for the original source of that tiki to this one:

You still owe me a dollar!
Buzzy Out!

Very cool. Thank you Buzzy.

Snagged this one at a flea market yesterday for 50cents... not sure what it's used for... it's hollow with a hole in the top of the head. Has some print on the bottom cone part, reads Jamar .. something illegible Studio with a Copyright symbol for 76.
Any insight to this would be appreciated.

If I were to guess what it is.. I'd say maybe a plant waterer.. the top part is glazed but the bottom cone part is not.. kind of porous... just a shot in the dark.

Very cool!

I've seen these before, but never as a tiki. I've got them shaped as a bird and a worm. You pour liquid fertilizer or plant food in the top and stick them into the soil around your plants. The fertilizer seeps out of the non-glazed spike at the bottom.

What is it? Saw it at the thrift store but didn't buy it.

Copy of weapon? Fishing tool?

On 2011-11-30 10:41, Sweet Daddy Tiki wrote:
What is it? Saw it at the thrift store but didn't buy it.

Copy of weapon? Fishing tool?

Fijian cannibal fork...smaller versions are called brain forks...

On 2010-07-27 16:14, Pittsburgh pauly wrote:
Two moai cuddling together?

not sure if these are original to Fiji, but they are very big there...stylized representation of two lovers...

Hey, can one of you with one of them fancy Oceanic Arts books, tell the exact origins of the drum on the Mauna Loa menu please:

I am assuming it is from PNG, but would like to knwo the region and village if possible. I'd like to see if I can get one...

Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!

[ Edited by: Swanky 2011-12-01 10:07 ]

Hey Swanky,

You might also be interested in the mugs Babalu did.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=37568&forum=12&hilite=babalu%20drum

You might want to also ask him about the research he did on the drum.

Thanks for the 411 Aquatic Safarinaut.

Cheers.

Swanky, the drum design on the Mauna Loa menu look to be from page 10 of Oceanic Art by H. Tischner and F.Hewicker, Pantheon Books 1954.

Text.. "DANCE DRUM Melanesia (Sepik River, New Guinea) Drum in the shape of an hour-glass (a characteristic shape for New Guinea). The tympanum at one end is of skin. The handle is in the form of a human mask surmounted by a hornbill."

I can't scan the picture until this weekend, maybe someone else on TC can put it up sooner.

aloha, tikicoma

[ Edited by: tikicoma 2011-12-01 22:55 ]

I don't see any research by Babalu, but looking around, I see Iatmul as a further specifiying name for the original piece. I'll ask my archeologist when I see him again.

I have a very nice version of the drum, but not this style and probably not from this village/area of PNG.

This is a picture from the British Museums site of the drum donated in 1928 by Rev. F.R. Bishop from Sepik River PNG. It's the same drum but a different view from the one in the book I have.

Next is a similar Chambri drum captured by the Iatmul people.

Image from Brooklyn Museum site.

The Chambri are from the Chambri Lakes region of East Sepik. Both drums were collected in the early 20th century. Hope this helps.

aloha tikicoma

Nice, thanks. I will see if such a drum is still being made.

You have to look closely to see it, but there is so much detail here. If you look at the pattern on the main drum, you see that it isn't just the sort of "router" depth clean out, but that every one of those cut outs is tapered, not just removed. So much great craftsmanship there. The vintage mugs based on these carvings are great (I own both), but they miss that extra detail.

Hey Swank,

I have more info on this back at the shop...will post more later on

I know that the hornbills are symbolic of head hunting: If I remember correctly...the native peoples in NG believed that humans were begat from trees. When they witnessed the hornbills eating the fruit off of the trees, they assumed....

The mask, or face is symbolic of an actual person. Drums and shields were/are very sacred. The spirit of a deceased loved one possesses the drum or the shield. It is said, that at times, a warrior would lay down his weapons and surrender to his opponent (knowing of the certain death outcome of such an act) just because he felt out numbered, or scared of the spirit that possessed a shield.

The swirl patterns also mean something...I'll have to look at my notes later for that one...the zig-jag patterns mean something too.

The drum skins are usually made from lizard skin. They use human blood mixed with ? (can't remember) as a binder to attach the skin to the wooden drum before binding.

All of this was major candy for me in moving forward to make those drum mugs a while back.

My PNG guys says that level of quality does not exist in PNG now, but can have a drum made like that if I want it doen over there.

The possum is also a sacred animal there and I see it in the faces as well.

To be clear, he says they do not believe in any gods that truly interact with us here and now. By their theology, the gods did all the creating a long time ago and left. Hero spirits are the ones interacting these days.

The previous discussion is HERE

On a related note, an excellent book on religious art of the Upper Sepik region is Douglas Newton's Crocodile and Cassowary (New York: Museum of Primitive Art, 1971)

Thanks Jonpaul. That thread was nice to look through!

BTW, the drum I have looks more like these pictured.

Is this handleless mug / candle holder from the Mai Kai? It looks like a Harper.

Thanks,
Erik the Red

Got Greyhounds? Viva Kate!

[ Edited by: Mr. NoNaMe 2012-04-14 15:47 ]

I picked up this (probable) PNG mask a few months ago. I have researched online and haven't found much info. The only book on PNG at my library is not very detailed.

I am interested in knowing how to tell a mask made for the tourist trade from a mask made from traditional use. Age seems like it will be hard to tell but any tips on that would be appreciated. The picture isn't super clear on this but the nose protrudes and is fairly realistic - especially when compared to the stylized mouth.

gabbahey

I am sorry to say, but any PNG art you find out there nowadays is with 99% certainty tourist art - no matter what the sellers tell you. They might believe that it's not, but that's because the person who THEY bought it from told them so, and they wanted to believe it. We all do, but it doesn't change the fact that to unearth ritual use pieces for cheap, you're about 60 years too late. If it means something to you, that is what counts. Here is a handy guide:

http://www.newguineaart.com/png-categories.php

...and some Duk Duk souvenirs for fun:

ok so i bought these in a thrift shop a while back for 50 cents a piece and they have no markings on the bottom has anybody seen these anywhere(ps the colors a little washed out they are a little bit darker)

On 2012-09-07 16:35, TikiWereBunny wrote:

ok so i bought these in a thrift shop a while back for 50 cents a piece and they have no markings on the bottom has anybody seen these anywhere(ps the colors a little washed out they are a little bit darker)

Quon-Quon Handled Tiki Mug

On Ooga-Mooga:
http://www.ooga-mooga.com/cgi-bin/all/mug.cgi?mode=view&mug_id=3697

I have more than a few tikis in my tiki lounge. I know the provenance of most that I care about but I have three significant pieces that I don't know much about, having acquired them by various means. I suspect that all three of these have California origins but cannot say for sure.

The two below appear to me to be from the same carver due to the similarity of the eyes, brows, and foreheads. The toothy one with the split jaw I acquired in an ebay auction and the other was passed down to me a few years later when a friend passed away. I understand that the toothy one hung outside by someone's parents' pool (thus the weathering),which I'm guessing makes it at least 25 years old or more. It is thought to be of redwood.

The third one below was purchased from a Stat's floral shop in Redondo Beach, California, and was fairly newly carved at the time, about 2006 or so.

These are all part of my permanent collection and I truly just want to know more about them if anyone recognizes the styles.As you can see, they are installed in my tiki bar, not just photos in the driveway.

Any help would be most appreciated

Just cheap tourist pieces, but they have meaning for you & that's all that counts.

On 2009-12-31 16:44, pali-uli wrote:
Here are some more mystery tiki items I have in my collection. There is not labeling on them and I am wondering if anyone has anything similar and what the story is behind them.

The first one is a glazed ceramic wall hanging in yellow. It is about a foot tall and 8 inches wide.

Any information is great. Thanks for your help

I think this may be from our own Gene S Morgan! :)
Gene Gene, the Sculpting Tiki on the iPad Machine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACpNVD5GMUw

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2013-10-22 14:29 ]

A "Gong Show" reference! good one Skip!

On 2013-10-20 22:53, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Just cheap tourist pieces, but they have meaning for you & that's all that counts.

Thank you, Atomic Tiki Punk! I appreciate the response and I still love them. My dogs have all been mutts, too.
Best regards!

:) :) :) :)