Looking for Info on Kahiki Mystery Bowl?

I found a tiki bowl this weekend that is identical to the kahiki mystery bowl made by Hoffman Pottery. (Finally a good find that wasn't on ebay!)

The only difference is that instead of Kahiki on the bottom it says Mai Tai. It seems that the Hoffman Pottery designs have the name of the restaurant they were made for on the bottom. I didn't see any Mai Tai restaurant in Ohio in Tiki Road Trip. Does anyone know what restaurant this bowl could have made for?

Thanks,

vw

I can never seem to get an image on the first try :)

• Updated the topic name in case anyone is doing a search on this

[ Edited by: vwtikigirl on 2004-06-30 11:54 ]

The Hoffman Kahiki bowl has sold for as much as $1000 on Ebay. I don't know why it says Mai Tai, but, I'm assuming it was made for the Kahiki.
Mahalo,
Al

Wow ... my heart just dropped into my stomach! I paid $40. Wow, my first score! Thanks for the info.

I have one of the Kahiki type Headhunter mugs with the name Mai Tai on the bottom. Interesting!

On 2004-06-28 10:41, vwtikigirl wrote:
Wow ... my heart just dropped into my stomach! I paid $40. Wow, my first score! Thanks for the info.

Did you get that in Mesa?

As has been posted I too recall a few Hoffman products marked "Mai Tai", not Kahiki. Even seen some with "Hawaiian" or somesuch inscribed as well.

Great version of that bowl. Congrats...
midnite

Thanks, yes I did find it in Mesa. My husband actually spotted it. We almost missed it because it was filled with beanie babies and stuffed in a corner.

Thanks everyone for all of the info.

vw

Beanie Babies and Tiki don't mix :D

And be realistic Al....I only paid $810 for the Mystery Bowl, not $1,000- that would have been crazy :wink:

Congrats on the find VW!

*I only paid $810 for the Mystery Bowl, not $1,000- that would have been crazy *

Crazy...crazy for loving you. Where'd I leave my Old Fashoined?

I am surprised there's been no mention of this auction. It was sitting there on eBay for days with minimal attention. I actually entertained a fantasy of winning the auction, sort of like my 1980's fantasy involving the Laker Girls. Well, one date with Paula Abdul, pre-fame and most of her plastic work, and that fantasy went South faster than General Sherman. This one went about as quickly.

Holy eleven-hundred bucks, Batman! Someone is gonna have a nice Christmas, errr, a non-denominational exchanging of rational and educational gifts done in a non-threatening, anti-heterocentric, multicultural and otherly capable tolerant, free-range reindeer, non-environmentally damaging, grouping. I can dig that scene, as long as the babes shave their legs (hint Paula, big hint).

"Can't Touch This" by M.C. Koalaman

Paula, I'm forever your midnite

Midnight -

We all got to make-out with Paula Abdul during my 11th-grade home economics class. Were you gone that year? I think I still have a free voucher stored around here somewhere I could give you.

Sab-dul

hoffman pottery made many things other than just tiki mugs. from what I understand their ceramics are collectable in their own (ceramics) market. this bowl may be a prototype for the kahiki bowl. I have an ashtray in mint green that says "tahiki" looks like the same maker of the original ashtray. I believe they experimented with a few things before they came to a decision on the name kahiki. the original kahiki started off down the street as a small food stand called "little grass shack". a friend of mine just got a brown ashtray similar to my green tahiki tray, only marked kahiki. hoffman may have made your bowl for their ceramic loving general public, following the polypop craze (just a thought) thus the mai tai on it.

When photographing the Kahiki for my book, Michael Tsao told me that initially some of the Kahiki pottery was fired by one of the original owners' wives, in the basement of the Kahiki. I always assumed that that is where those ceramic Zombie glass inserts (BOT, P.45) and the hot buttered rum mugs came from.

After that, Tsao said, they turned to Mexico for their ceramics needs, which would explain the Aztec style of the Mystery bowl and Idol's Cast. Maybe Hoffman just copied that design when they took over the supply job? Or maybe it's just hear-say...

No that's not hear-say. I met up with, bill sapp and some of his family this year. ( bill sapp is the one of the two people that created kahiki) He himself told us that his first wife made some of the kahiki pottery. If umeone is out there, maybe she could ask her mom to tell us what peices of pottery she made for the kahiki.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2012-06-29 07:06 ]

And also ask about the Mexico connection. I always wondered about the pre-columbian look of these bowls...

I sent an email to umeone. So what about the mexico thing? Would your mom or dad know? Your moms art is really cool! It's great when a family is so involved in it's business! Also tell everyone about the job you had of blacking out the faces in your flyer. If you think it's ok. that's the kind of stuff every one wants to know!

Bigbro, yes I've always thought the mystery bowls looked very Mexican. Glad to know I'm not just seeing things.

This bowl that was found with the beanie babies in it is in our collection and we sure are happy to have it for all these past years. Wendy

Did go and talk to Eric Hoffman but did not ask about this.
Here is his contact info.
He may know.

http://www.theoldbear.com/photo_workshops.htm