Tiki Central / General Tiki
In Search of Frank Bowers...
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Bora Boris
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09/05/2013
I wish Bowers had done some with schools a little more exotic than the University of Pittsburgh or SMU. For example the University of Hawaii, University Malaya or even St. George's University in Grenada would be more appealing. :) Bowers!! |
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azurebird
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09/05/2013
Hi folks, I am an art dealer in Fallbrook and new to this forum. A client showed me these two paintings they own by Frank and Vicki Bowers this morning and I am trying to get more information about the artists beyond the obvious. One painting is signed by both artists and dated 1951. It is supposedly out of a deceased bar in the Long Beach area called the Ark hence the subject matter. One mural is 48 x 55, the other 48 x 60". A quick search turned up nothing on the particular saloon and I guess the name could be off but I will continue to research the matter. Any help that you can provide will be appreciated. I will probably get them cleaned (they are filthy) and then sell them. Sincerely, Robert Sommers [ Edited by: azurebird 2013-09-06 08:36 ] |
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JOHN-O
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09/05/2013
:right: |
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JOHN-O
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09/05/2013
Great discovery. Thank you for sharing that !! [ Edited by: JOHN-O 2013-09-05 14:50 ] |
KBT3
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King Bushwich the 33rd
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09/05/2013
If I strain my memory to the max, 2 places in Long Beach (CA) come to mind called the Ark. One was a non-alcohol serving Christian dance club (doubt that was it). Other was bar on 5000 block of Ocean Blvd which closed in late 1960's. Funny thing is that is across street from where Tiki Beach Festival is held each year.
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azurebird
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09/05/2013
Thanks to both of you for your responses. |
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bigbrotiki
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09/06/2013
What a swinging place Noah's ark must have been! :) Some of the males seem to be non-generic depictions of specific people, one can assume that they were either known personalities of the time or the owner and his friends, like it was done at The Embers. |
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Bora Boris
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09/06/2013
I hope it was this place - "The Ark" it was in Sausalito but it seems like it was cool. |
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azurebird
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09/06/2013
I will post better pictures soon, definitely after cleaning. Not the Ark in Sausalito, wrong decade, these were done in 1951. Robert |
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JOHN-O
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09/06/2013
It looks like some of those fair haired maidens are paired up with burly Nubians as they board the Ark. That's pretty risque stuff for 1951 !! |
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AceExplorer
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09/06/2013
And therefore very "exotic" for the time. These must have given quite a few folks a big thrill while drinking around these paintings. Cool! |
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bigbrotiki
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09/07/2013
My goodness, that guy was prolific - downright popular in some places: It seems that for a certain period, no restaurant/ bar establishment in the Long Beach wanted to be without his murals! I am still wondering who these gentlemen might have been... ...they are far too specific and contemporary to be anonymous characters in the story of the painting. Were they the owner and his friends, or locally famous personalities? Famous creationists, or anti-creationists? Will we ever know? :) |
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tiki mick
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09/07/2013
Radar O'Reilly and Walt Disney? |
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azurebird
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09/07/2013
I had the same question. You can see somewhat better pictures on my blog. |
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JOHN-O
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09/08/2013
That's a pretty good one page synopsis of Bowers and the works that have been documented on this thread. Thank you !! It's questionable however if the matchbook art was his. |
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azurebird
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09/08/2013
Thank you John. My readership seems to like the pieces and the topic. I appreciate the heads up on the matchbooks. I am a bit of an expert at evaluating an "artist's hand" and will carefully examine them and form my own opinion as to their authorship. I love researching art and paintings and have already found a little private trove on Bowers that I hope to unlock and share one day. I don't have a ton of experience with the Tiki genre, childhood visits to Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's not withstanding. But I have dealt in a few choice pieces of hawaiiana in the last few decades. BTW, Any tips on cleaning on hawaiian black velvet paintings? In any case, I am going to stay on the Bowers hunt like a staffordshire terrier with his teeth embedded in a rib eye steak. best, Robert [ Edited by: azurebird 2013-09-08 11:54 ] [ Edited by: azurebird 2013-09-08 12:11 ] [ Edited by: azurebird 2013-09-08 17:22 ] |
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bigbrotiki
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09/08/2013
Alright! That sounds good to us! We can use more active Bowers researchers! |
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bigbrotiki
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09/25/2013
All cleaned up, on auction for mucho moolah now here:
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mrsmiley
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02/26/2014
I'm sure the mural is fine, but the Hard Hat has had some changes recently. http://vegasseven.com/2014/02/25/hard-hat-hopes-don-hairy-concert-schedule/ |
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JOHN-O
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02/27/2014
Hmmf. I like the old look better... |
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tikicoma
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02/27/2014
OK, their website says "Hard Hat Lounge...an original Las Vegas dive bar" what the hell is an "original" dive bar? Was it built to be a dive bar? That ranted I do have to say that I love Bowers bar murals and hope to see one someday. aloha, tikicoma [ Edited by: tikicoma 2014-02-26 22:02 ] |
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mashoe
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05/04/2014
Some/all of the Bucaneer Sierra Madre paintings appear to have started their life at the Bucaneer in Manhattan Beach - Anne Bonney, Blackbeard, & Captain Kidd match this place mat. [ Edited by: mashoe 2014-05-03 22:41 ] [ Edited by: Bora Boris - Re-wrapped the type. - 2014-05-04 09:19 ] |
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bigbrotiki
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05/04/2014
Very cool find! "Celebrated artist Frank Bowers"! …well, celebrated by us, at least :) |
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mashoe
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05/05/2014
Im going to do a pub crawl to Foc'sle, Embers and end up at the Bucaneer in Sierra Madre. Does anyone know the Manhattan Beach connection? |
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bigbrotiki
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05/05/2014
I don't think so. You found it, so you have to do the research! :) I seem to remember that the Buccaneer in Sierra Madre had been in the building next door, which to me explained the modern acoustic tile ceiling in the current bar - but maybe I misunderstood them and they meant the Manhattan Beach operation…. |
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mashoe
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05/05/2014
It's a tough assignment I am willing to accomplish!! |
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PiPhiRho
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05/06/2014
It's where the Manhattan Beach Brewing Co is now, between Rock n Fish and Mangiamo. |
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Dustycajun
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05/06/2014
Hope to hear more about this one! Here is the full Jungle Room mural in case the auction site goes away. DC |
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mashoe
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05/06/2014
I found out that Bowers and Prunier did a Spanish-California Days mural at what was originally the Ruth Home in El Monte, then later Maclaren Hall. Am not sure if they are still there. |
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mashoe
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01/09/2015
This may be a bit of a buzzkill for Frank Bowers erotica fans, but after waiting over an hour outside a Baptist Church in Long Beach, listening to fire and brimstone pouring out, I was able to get these fotos of 1949 Bowers - quite a contrast to the Embers!! |
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mashoe
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01/09/2015
This may be a bit of a buzzkill for Frank Bowers erotica fans, but after waiting over an hour outside a Baptist Church in Long Beach, listening to fire and brimstone pouring out, I was able to get these fotos of 1949 Bowers - quite a contrast to the Embers!! |
OGR
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Or Got Rum?
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10/25/2015
I'm always looking for old photos for painting inspiration and came across this months ago on the Bay and forgot to bid. I apologize if someone here got it. I loved the "Girl with faraway eyes" look...like she is waiting for someone or just found out here husband is cheating. Anyway the background caught my eye, and lo and behold a Frank Bower's mural. The bar looks like Vivian Laird's restaurant, but the mural does not match, Any ideas? The Leilani Hut? Thanks, OGR
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freddiefreelance
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10/26/2015
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tikicoma
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11/21/2015
bump |
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JOHN-O
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02/05/2016
I missed this post from a year ago. Great stuff !! The original poster omitted the exact location but a little internet detective work came up with the following... Here's a Long Beach Independent news clip dated Sept 1949 announcing Frank Bowers attending the "unveiling" of the murals... And the Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church as it stands today... |
ATP
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Atomic Tiki Punk
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02/05/2016
John, you need to post more! |
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Dustycajun
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02/05/2016
John-O, Nice to see you here again. Here is another article on the Frank Bowers opening for the church murals in 1949.
DC |
OGR
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Or Got Rum?
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02/05/2016
Yes John-O more....BTW, any ideas on my pic on the previous page...."The smoking girl w/ faraway eyes"? |
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JOHN-O
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02/05/2016
Bizzare to think you can attend church with Frank Bowers and Jesus and then drive 20 miles north and drink with Frank Bowers and Satan. BTW Marty Lush is hosting a public Facebook event there at the Embers Lounge on Sun, Feb 28th. :) [ Edited by: JOHN-O 2016-02-05 13:27 ] |
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JOHN-O
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02/05/2016
Dunno. But that is a GREAT find !!!... |
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Dustycajun
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02/05/2016
As we know, Frank Bowers did a lot of work for Vivian Laird's restaurants. This article shows that he also painted a mural for her home.
I have always thought that Bowers likely painted a mural for Laird's South Seas restaurant in Santa Ana. That's my guess for the lady with far away eyes. Bowers also painted murals for the Villa Nova restaurant. And finally, his murals lined the walls of this cruise ship that ran from Long Beach to Ensenada. He was a busy man in his day. DC |
OGR
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Or Got Rum?
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02/06/2016
I was thinking Laird's also...thanks DC. |
ATP
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Atomic Tiki Punk
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02/06/2016
What, the Villa Nova in Newport Beach? Good find Dusty. |
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RevBambooBen
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02/06/2016
It's gone now. :( It's this.... http://thewinerynewport.com/ Bamboo Ben [ Edited by: RevBambooBen 2016-02-05 18:03 ] |
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nui 'umi 'umi
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02/06/2016
Ben, is the mural still there? |
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RevBambooBen
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02/07/2016
I think it's in the Newport Beach CR&R museum. :wink: |
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nui 'umi 'umi
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02/07/2016
Tanks Ben. |
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JOHN-O
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03/02/2016
More Frank Bowers pirate stuff. No buxom wenches unfortunately. Source: http://earlycaliforniaantiques.com/frank-bowers-pirate-scene-p1151/ |