Tiki Hut Tarzana?

I had bought this a long time ago, which I believe is a vintage tiki item, It's marked Tiki Hut Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, I'm going to make a mug of this but need the history any info: or is this the Tonga Hut?

Go Go, please sell us # 1.
David and CeCe
Btw, if you don’t We’re telling Dani bout you know what!

Tonga Hut is on Victory in NOHO.

GoGo,

That looks like a great design for a mug! Put me on the list for one.

I was able to track down some history on the Tiki Hut. Here is a photo shot at the Tiki Hut. That Tiki on the right next to the women looks like the same guy as you little statue.

The Tiki Hut was owned by Florian Mack who also owned the Club Tiki in Canoga Park. This article has atypo in that it calls both locations the "Tiki Hut" but the ad underneath the article calls it correctly as the Club Tiki.

Here is a matchbook I have from the Club Tiki in Canoga Park.

DC

Very nice Tiki sleuthing, DC. Since its publication in the BOT, that iconic "Club Tiki" matchbook has appeared on nouveaux Tiki items like this:

Let's do a Tiki line-up here:

The Tiki on the matchbook seems to be based on Mike Gildea's carvings:

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

The Tiki in the news archive photo is actually an Andres Bumatay Tiki:

So we already have works from two classic LA Tiki carvers involved with the two businesses. But what does that make GoTiki's little carving from the Tiki Hut?

What we have here is a Pacific tourist carving, but one that has a fascinating evolution from authentic tradition to souvenir:

What interests me about its case is that I see a parallel to one of MY favorite subjects: I have a theory that my pet "Tahitian Cannibal Carvings" are based on authentic figures that do not exist anymore, also.

But back to the "Monkeyman" or "Tobi figure" (as they are known) at hand. Though not looking Tiki, I have had one of those little guys in my collection for years:

I had always liked its modern simplicity. So I was thrilled to find that here we have the only case I know of where an ethnologist took tourist art seriously and traced it back to its origins and wrote about it:

http://www.friendsoftobi.org/tobithings/monkeymen/wavellsacredsouvenir2002.pdf

There is also a website with more links to Monkeymen collections:

http://www.friendsoftobi.org/tobithings/monkeymen.htm

…and this wonderful Paul Jacoulet print of a Micronesian carver:

Sven, I've got one from the Ulithi Atoll. It was carved by the natives & brought home by a serviceman during WWII.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=42753&forum=5&hilite=ulithi

Another great history lesson from Dusty and Bigbro! Keep'um coming, encore encore!

Another fine example of how the puzzle pieces come together to form a picture. I always learn something new. I have had one of these guys in my collection for years. Thanks and keep up the fine work gentlemen.

A great source of inspiration this thread is!

[ Edited by: cy 2015-03-14 16:43 ]

A little more data on the Tiki Hut in Tarzana. Marie did a search on phone records and found that in 1954 this address was advertised in the Valley News as a supply and rental house:

KIMBROUGH'S TIKI HUT
South Sea Lore
Artistic Planting
Luau Party Rentals
Baskets--Peel and Rattan Furniture

A few more news items from the Tiki Hut. This photo from 1954 was taken outside of the Tiki Hut.

An here is another article that provides the address of the Tik Hut at 19451 Ventura Blvd.

Here is the street view of the current building at 19451 Ventura Blvd.

So, to come full circle, the monkeyman tourist carving that Go Tiki posted was an item sold at the Tiki Hut which specialized in Tiki, Hawaiian and Beachcomber décor. The store was purchased at some point by Florian Mack who became inspired to open a Tiki bar named Club Tiki which had shows featuring clothes from the Tiki Hut.

DC

Excellent! That building still looks kinda beachcombery…the way the shop window has the rocks in front:

Seems to house "Cafe on Location" Catering now...

Should have checked it out yesterday…but then it's 18 minutes from Mel's (by freeway!), Ventura Blvd is so frickin' long!

1954 is early for using the Tiki moniker! Something to ask the elders at O.A. about...

In case folks are not aware of this, the location of "Tarzana" possesses some interesting Pre-Tiki/ Jungle history

• it hails exactly from where one would think it would come from:

"The estate was sold to Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1919 who renamed it Tarzana. This structure, Koonskin Kabin, served as a guest house.
Burroughs rented it out as a set for film companies…"

Apparently Burroughs was not content with his character's world-wide success in movies, books and comics, he loved the area so much, he became a real estate developer:

http://www.erbzine.com/mag13/1354.html

Tiki in Tarzanland! :)

On 2015-03-16 10:50, bigbrotiki wrote:
Ventura Blvd is so frickin' long!

Yes, but it's the scenic route for the vintage lifestyle! Corbin Bowl, Art's Deli, Dupars Restaurant, Antonio's Pizzeria, La Frite, Rive Gauche, Sportsman's Lodge, Monty's, Casa Vega, countless signs and neons ... and Aku Aku Motor Inn (completely wreckovated, but a cool liquor sign is still there across the street).

Anyway, thanks for the Tarzana-monkeyman history lessons, bigbro!

Thanks for all the info. Very cool

Here's the set I found today
9 inches tall and heavy

Thanks for all in info here

Found 1 hiding in Florida

Velly nice find Jon. Did you guys hit the Mai Kai?
Cheers

David- yep
Awesome