Let's Go Antiquing! - with your tour guide, Tikiwahine! *Update July 19*

Aloha friends!

It's time again for my second tour guide installment, featuring Victoria's bustling Antique Row.

On my way into town we first come across one of Victoria's famous hanging flower baskets. These beauties pop up all over downtown, attracting butterflies and photo snapping tourists alike.

This is the view up Fort Street, the Antique path heavily trampled by locals and tourists alike.

Our first stop is 'Recollections' one of the two large antique shops in town.

Check out this great goblet! From a Shriner's convention in 1911!

Here's an entire case of old tools, very interesting!

I can't say I've ever seen a ceramic eel before

This is a view of half the store. It's very quiet this sunny Saturday afternoon.

Rugby playing letter opener. I swear I've seen this guy somewhere else before.

A couple of Absinthe spoons. I don't see them very often so was first excited, Unfortunately upon further inspection I see they are of the stamped variety, with no makers marks at all. They're probably worth only $10.

Next two shops. The first one had a Maori carving priced at $10, I managed to talk the owner down to $8,(wouldn't take $7) then corrected him by letting him know it was made in New Zealand(pic later in post). He also had an ugly African carving he thought was Polynesian.

The second shop has a resident Old English Sheepdog that hangs about. At least two other shops have dogs.

My favorite local Thai restaurant, Sook jai Thai.

The best spot for breakfast in town, The Blue Fox Cafe is located on the left hand side of this building.

Conveniently located directly across the street from the breakfast spot, is Lunds auctioneers. They have a viewing of their upcoming auction all day Saturdays.

Stepping in to take a closer look, I find a lot of three monkey skull items.


Very, very cool. I'd have to take the afternoon off work to even attempt to put a bid on these beauties.

This is the smaller of two full sized traffic lights.

A 10" fish float. Local antique dealers eat these puppies up. I'd have to pay anywhere from $50-$100 for this one.

An actual tiki, first one I've seen here. At 7" and crudely carved, I don't think I'm going to bother coming down to bid.

Side view

Crocodile head, possibly a Cayman? Very nicely mounted, it would be great tiki room jetsam.

Stuffed cock.

If I ever decide to do a north woods themed room, I know where to go. They also had two bear mounts, the flat rug type with head attached.

A box full of old wood fish floats

A very old woven basket with what look to be moon snail shells dangling from below. This would look fantastic hanging in a tiki room, it could possibly be wired as a lamp.

Walking further up Fort Street you pass this tiny little Tudor style home, nestled among busy shops and street corners. Just inside the gate at the base of the tree there is a waterfall and pond, with a little bridge to cross. It's a most welcoming oasis on a hot day like today.

Right across the street is the Mosaic building. The original structure and mosaic were done in the 1960s, the building was recently rebuilt to provide condo units, with restaurants below. They managed to retain the fantastic giant original piece of artwork.

The last shop I visit today is called Vanity Fair, it's the other larger mall style shop in town. This one case always has a few Hawaiian items.

Unfortunately my reflection is mucking it up, but here is a nice Hawaii tray and flanking each side, 2 large coco joes, the asking price for them is $35 each. It's no wonder they've been sitting here for over a year.

A tiny tourist perfume bottle that comes complete with a miniature lei.

A view of a small part of the store.

I stopped at this thrift store on my way to the bus, it's always crammed full of stuff, but no tiki was to be found this time 'round.

Less than a block from my house lies this thrift store, and next door, a second hand furniture store. I've been fairly successful at finding items, but I don't visit more than once a week at most.

This time round I happened upon this mug for 49¢

Nice skirt for $8. It's made from mulberry bark shreds, and has a tapa cloth band around the top, and a woven shell band over that. Quite the find for a thrift store!

These two little fish floats were cheap, at $6 and $8 each. I found them at the Vanity Fair shop.

This is the Maori tiki I got for $8, he had a chip of the back of one of his feet, but he still stands and displays well. He has no makers mark, and is fairly crudely carved. I love him! That tongue is fantastic!

Hand painted nudie glass, this gal has quite the kitchy charm! I was so happy to bring her home. Vanity Fair also had one of a bride.

A copy of South Pacific, I haven't seen this one before and liked the graphics(49¢)

Gizeh Temple on Parade! This photo was taken here in Victoria on our Legislative Buildings front steps, I can't wait to listen! Everyone's dressed up in their best outfit & fez. I may take a better, closer photograph.(also 49¢) THIS JUST IN Song #3 on side one is the "Hawaiian Wedding Song"

Well that's it!
I hope you enjoyed my tour.
When you come to town for a visit I'll let you in on my secret spots :wink:
If you enjoyed this little slice of town, don't forget to visit my first offering
"Let's Go to the Thrift Store! - with your tour guide, Tikiwahine!"

Mahalo nui loa!

One Sway at a Time

[ Edited by: Tikiwahine 2006-07-20 18:26 ]

Glad to be a passenger on your excellent tour Tikiwahine. I really hope to get out to the island this summer for a visit.

Hey, I think that's a gavial (Gavialis gangeticus), not a narrow snouted croc. It's a crocodilian with very narrow elongated jaws. I wonder if that should be in the country....

-Gman

Cool Gman! Where is he from?
Don't forget, this is Canada. It has probably been hanging in someone's home for at least 50 years.

On 2006-07-09 17:25, rodeotiki wrote:
Glad to be a passenger on your excellent tour Tikiwahine. I really hope to get out to the island this summer for a visit.

I'd love to have you Rodeo! You're welcome here anytime.
Just as long as you'll let me mix you a few beverages.

Tikiwahine!
Great tour! The beauty of thrifting is there is always something new around the corner wherever you go! I have a whole wall at my studio that is crammed with tikis from thriftshops-some at incredible prices! Used to be one could get a Hawaiian shirt at "Stinkythrift" (named after the smell near the back of the store) for $1.50,but now they even have the audacity to try to sell a Reyn Spooner typical unexciting Hawaiian shirt for $8 and the really bitchen vintage shirts for 20-30 clams!Glad to know there are still hunters and collectors out there!BTW, like that Mosaic building! You must see a lot of Potlatch/Inuit-inspired stuff up there! I got a bear and wolverine mask (dark-almost black wood) from some patrons that I'll send you a pic of soon! Keep shopping sister!

Thanks Tikiwahine!

I go to Vancouver very often because almost everyone on my mom's side of the family lives there. When we go there, my parents usually do a day trip to Victoria, which I always turned down to play with my cousins, so I've never been there. After seeing these pictures, it looks like I need to finally go there for myself the next time I find myself in Vancouver!

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

That's what I love so much about the hunt, Little Lost Tiki, there is always something new to be seen. I love your thrift store nickname, and I completely sympathize. One of the antique shops always emits the stench of the most horrid perfume, it's unbearable, so I tend to skip it, or make my visit a quick one.
Up here the thrift store shirts run anywhere from $3.99- $29.99! It's a THRIFT STORE! Everything should be under $5.

The hunt is the best part. I spent almost 6 hours wandering around, and wouldn't have been upset to go home empty-handed.

Victoria is full of cool first nations art, it's so beautifully graphic and precise. I would love to see your masks, someday I hope to own a mask made locally.

Hey Paranoid!
For sure come over and check out the island! It's a great place to explore, shops downtown are all within walking distance.
Don't forget to look me up, I'm always in the mood for a mai tai or a tiki hunt!(or both)

Hey! I thought Canada was the Great White North. Looks very pleasant. We need to come up for a visit. Thanks for sharing your field trip. I felt like I was almost there. Aloha!

Yeah, that was fun! Reminds me that I have to get my flea market fix again soon. If I don't get that on a regular basis, the urban archeologist in me begins to feel unfullfilled.

Thanks for the tour Tikiwahine!

It brings back memories of when I visited a long time ago. Did you take any pictures of the Empress Hotel? Do they still have the double decker buses parked out front? I always thought that was cool. I remember visiting Buchart Gardens as well.

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

[ Edited by: Jeff Central 2006-07-10 11:35 ]

That Don Knotts letter opener is great!

Excellent tour Tikiwahine! Thanks for taking the time to post all the pictures.

On 2006-07-09 23:09, bongofury wrote:
Hey! I thought Canada was the Great White North. Looks very pleasant. We need to come up for a visit. Thanks for sharing your field trip. I felt like I was almost there. Aloha!

Victoria rarely gets snow, and the summers never get too hot. C'mon up! I'm working on 'The Greatest Home Tiki Bar in Canada'

Thanks guys!

BigBro, I think sometimes it's easy to forget how much fun the hunt really is. I compare it to painting. When I get into doing some artwork the time seems to fly by. I get hard at work, look up, and it's a quarter past two in the morning! It's one of those basic things that doesn't cost anything to do, but the rewards are often grand.

Jeff Central, Victoria sounds exactly like it was when you last visited!

The Empress Hotel still has Double Decker buses lined up out front, waiting to take egar tourists to Butchart Gardens

WOW!!!!

It still looks exactly the same. Incredible!!! Boy, does that bring back the memories!!!

Thanks Tikiwahine!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

[ Edited by: Jeff Central 2006-07-10 11:36 ]

Great tour TW, Victoria's so close and we haven't been over in ages. Revealling your secret thrift haunts to us locals could be dangerous! We've got to get over there and have a cocktail in the Bengal Lounge at the Empress with you!!

Ohh Pepe that would be fantastic!
You know, I'm ashamed to admit it, I've never stepped inside the famed Bengal Lounge!
I have a mug shaped like an elephant from there.

Wow! I completely forgot about Butchart Gardens! I guess that's because I was probably 11 years old when we went there. I vaguely remember thinking it was really cool!

Great pics! Makes me want to go exploring our own little antique row in downtown Alameda (home of Forbidden Island).

On 2006-07-10 10:15, Tikiwahine wrote:
The Empress Hotel still has Double Decker buses lined up out front, waiting to take egar tourists to Butchart Gardens

Boy does that look familiar. I've been over to the Canada showplace at Epcot a gazillion times. Its gardens were inspired by the Butchart Gardens. The Epcot one:

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Wow cool Rob! Feels like home :)

Gosh, those Butchart gardens pictures are beautiful.
Looks like you really had a fun trip hunting the shops TW!
One day, I'd love to take a trip up that way.

I had a little luck today too. Walked into my favorite thrift store and found one of those 6ft long 1960 capiz shell hanging lamps for $15. It will keep me busy for months trying to untangle the strings of shells. The place had the lamp dumped on a shelf. It's pretty even in it's messed up current shape.

TikiWahine, what a great town! I love this thread, thank you for sharing your "hunt" with us....It's been a long time, since I had the time to go hunting, your article and picks were just what was needed. Thanks

Amy

It's all about the thrill of the hunt"

[ Edited by: Queen Kamehameha 2006-07-12 00:23 ]

I'm so glad my photos have reminded a few people how much fun the hunt is.

Everyone get out there and go for a hunt! Weather it's checking out your local flea market, garage sale, thrift store, antique shop, auction house, suspected apartment, restaurant or bar; local archives, maybe even Grandma or Auntie's attic!

I placed some absentee bids for some items at the auction and won the monkey skulls, the basket with shells, the box of wood net floats, and the tiki!

On 2006-07-10 13:19, Tikiwahine wrote:
Ohh Pepe that would be fantastic!
You know, I'm ashamed to admit it, I've never stepped inside the famed Bengal Lounge!
I have a mug shaped like an elephant from there.

EEE-gads my dear! We really must remedy the situation soon. We can discuss the Victorian hunt for Tiki over a 'Bengal Tiger Cocktail'. Rule Britannia ... and Tiki too!!

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P.S.
For those who would like to try a Bengal Tiger Cocktail before or after the hunt for Tiki:

1 1/2 oz Brandy
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice. Strain in to cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with Maraschino cherry.

[ Edited by: Pepe le Tiki 2006-07-12 21:02 ]

I checked out another antique mall on my way home from a wedding last weekend. There were many nice items for sale, and I photographed the few that may be on interest to TC members, as well as the items I purchased.

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:up: Inside view of the extensive store, it used to be a barn.

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:up: The owner just e-mailed me this photo of the outside, it's hard to miss right on the side of the highway!

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:up: Paint by number Blue Boy. Quite impressive!

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:up: Unmarked totem salt & peppers. They were asking $22 for these.

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:up: A nice Hip Originals napkin holder I've never seen, with two nice tikis on each side. I would have bought this if they weren't asking $39!

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:up: Cool faux bamboo umbrella stand, I brought this home.

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:up: Also bought this mug, from the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu.

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:up: Bought this nice big Japanese float too. It should wire up nicely as a lamp. I'd say it's about a 12 incher.

[ Edited by: Tikiwahine 2006-07-20 18:24 ]