Is this a Tepco Trader Vic's Hula Girl Mug (unmarked)

I'm a newbie and trying to figure out if this is Trader Vic's Tepco Fog Cutter Green/Brown mug. I have six and am not thinking of selling (maybe trade).I've included a close up of 4 of the bottoms. They are all heavy and high quality glazing.I tried using the topic Cool Hula Mug but only received a couple responses and there was a question on them since they are all unmarked.Experts Please help a bruddah out?Mahalo

You might find more info here: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=23166&forum=5&13

Tikigreg Thanks for the link but as I said I tried in the cool hula mug thread(my posts are towards the bottom) but there seemed to be some discrepancies as one person (TikiPug) said "it's weird that there aren't any markings on the bottom" and only 1 person in that thread says they are Tepco for Trader Vic's (boutiki) "Al,
That is an early mug by Tepco for Trader Vic's. Hard to find those, good score!
-Duke" I'm new to colecting as well as new to the boards here and I can sorta see some of the others on the other thread joking with each other. I was just looking for a definitive answer from an expert.

Unfortunately, there's just not a lot of definitive information out there. When the mugs were manufactured they were never really intended to be collectibles, and so no one kept any records. Many mug designs were made by different manufacturers, and often labeled only with stickers. What we do know is that Tepco made many mugs for Trader Vic's and they weren't always marked. That may be as definitive as you'll get. :(

A great find and 6 no less! I have seen your version often attributed to Tepco and Trader Vic's. But it seems that the reality is that nobody really knows. I mean, I've never seen any actual proof of these mugs being either Tepco or Trader Vic's (please proof me wrong someone!!!). Nevertheless, they are amazing old mugs and undoubtedly used at some cool tropical bar.

The early Trader Vic's pieces can be verified by the famous Time Life article that has pictures of the mugs and bowls.

Here's the thread:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=25880&forum=5

Your mugs do not match the one in picture which is this mug:

Similar but different. Other than that, it's a wild guess where your mugs come from or who made them unless someone has an actual old picture of the mug associated with an establishment. The best clue is undoubtedly where you got them from. For example, if you got them in Oakland or San Francisco, then yes, it might very well be from Trader Vic's. Either way, cool mugs!

Thanks Everyone! It is convoluted but I purchased at an antique store in Oregon (I know the owner she and I are from The Bay Area of California originally).The owner got them from her friend also now in Oregon but was a former San Francisco Native. She is a middle aged woman who inherited it from her father who was also a San Francisco Native and supposedly he got them at the San Francisco Trader Vic's in the 50's and on a few separate occasions but this is just the story I have no proof like photos of him there or anything like it.

Also interestingly I found this thread http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=25880&forum=5
The lady on the "Trader Vic's Bartenders Guide 1947 edition. Note early version of the Fog Cutter mug." Picture sure looks like my lady! I guess it doesn't definitively identify the manufacturer but strongly suggests early Trader Vic's mug. Thoughts?

Nice sleuthing! Sure looks like a worthy candidate.

Edit: After another look, I'm pretty convinced they're the same mug. It looks to me like this was a copy or cast of the earlier Tepco(?) version:

http://www.ooga-mooga.com/cgi-bin/all/mug.cgi?mode=view&mug_id=1987

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-11-05 09:05 ]

In the pic above, the one on the right looks like a copy of the one on the left. It looks like a hobbyist mug, using a mold very similar to the Tepco Trader Vic's mug, painted by an amateur.

[ Edited by: mermaid1111 2014-09-22 23:51 ]

Nope, the one on the right looks like many of the old Trader Vics mugs
I have one, even says Trader Vics on it, I think they just wore out the molds on these
not every one was marked for Trader Vics, referring to the unmarked ones.

On 2014-09-23 00:56, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Nope, the one on the right looks like many of the old Trader Vics mugs
I have one, even says Trader Vics on it, I think they just wore out the molds on these
not every one was marked for Trader Vics, referring to the unmarked ones.

I agree! I just picked up one that seems to be in the midrange between the two. Note how crisp the foliage is but the woman is really sloppy.

On 2016-04-27 10:00, sputnikmoss wrote:
....how crisp the foliage is but the woman is really sloppy...

I hate when that happens :)