Need Help Identifying These Door Handles

Sabu, I think that if you give up these handles, you have the right to ask for some assurance from the actual owner that they'll be returned to a fitting place on the property and that they'll STAY there and not be sleazed away again. If the seller stays in their employ, I'd be less than confident in the usefulness of your sacrifice. Its your call, of course, but you've certainly behaved honorably (and furnished a great tale).

Well I think it is more than admirable for Sabu in the first place to say he would give them back. He obviously thought this ebay sale was weird from the start and said so from the very beginning. I think we are all here to help preserve what little original Tiki culture that is left. The owners were unaware that the handles were missing. They were sold without their concent. That makes them stolen property and should be returned to the owner of the hotel. What they decide to with them is their decision not Sabu's. They belong to the owners of the hotel. I think it is great that The Traders is doing a restoration and keeping the place as original as safety issues will allow. I think that this site is fantastic and that this post has helped preserve some original history. Yes, I am sure Sabu would love to keep the handles. I am sure we were all jealous at first that he found them and we didn't. We would all love a set of those handles. But everyone here knows what the right thing to do is and if we were the rightful owners what we would want done with our own property. I am sure most of us feel every time we go back to our favorite vacation spot or places of our youth, that we are disappointed at the ease of destruction of our past that commercial buisness does. We know we won't live forever but we are keepers of memories for future generations. My wife and I have no childern. At some point in my life I will start giving away my collection to the next generation who only could dream of having what some of us have. It then will be their turn to keep the memories alive and preserve the past for the next. Scott

or they can pick up another pair from O.A.......or sabu can pick up a pair...they are not the only ones like it in the world, they made more.......i think.....could be wrong, but it's worth finding out before we make holy, that which may be common....

WOW!!! Great post everyone...
Sabu is a stand up guy. But before returning the handles back home to avoid any "Taboo" I'd go down to Tap Plastics and get some liquid latex and make molds of the handles. At least then you can make some resin copies for your own.
Or maybe check out the art dept. at the local college... They might have some metal casting capabilities and someone might be able to make some new castings for you.
Aloha,
:tiki:

Now I could be mistaken, but to the best of my memory, I have seen these style door handles for sale at Oceanic Arts. I don't know if they are in stock items or special order, but I believe I did see them on a display wall with other brass fixtures. Don't know the price though.

On 2005-11-23 11:12, Digitiki wrote:
Now I could be mistaken, but to the best of my memory, I have seen these style door handles for sale at Oceanic Arts. I don't know if they are in stock items or special order, but I believe I did see them on a display wall with other brass fixtures. Don't know the price though.

...did you not see my post above or are you just F**king with me.....

...and make molds of the handles. At least then you can make some resin copies for your own.

..or make copies and sell them on ebay for a bundle!!!...hey, x-mas is coming, right??

In Sabu's very first post on this thread he wrote:

I took them to Bob and LeRoy at Oceanic Arts. After they told me that I had got a good deal and kindly offered to take them off my hands, their immediate reaction (both of them) was that these looked like Steve Crane Kon Tiki Ports pieces, but they couldn't verify this - just a hunch. They showed me photos of one of the tikis they had carved for a Kon Tiki Ports restaurant and the tiki was definitely in this same form - the kneeling Maori tiki with hands on belly. They were not the suppliers of door handles at the time.

Now if they sell them or had them on the wall wouldn't they have said something?
Scott

Interesting thread--can't wait to see how this all plays out! The verdigris patina on your particular set of handles is quite beautiful, Sabu.

ha ha I'm Italian and an artist--perhaps I can help! I suppose signing the piece would be incriminating... :wink:

I was in the Aku Tiki this past weekend and the door handles are on the door. I dont know if it was the ones Sabu found or not, but the inside door from the lobby to the bar has the door pulls on now.

hi, sorry to reopen this thread, but I just bought a set of handles that look just like these on ebay. the seller said:
This is a wonderful pair or bronze door handles. They came from the Tiki Room, which was a longtime hot spot in Cleveland, Ohio. Each piece weighs slightly over 10 pounds. The height is 11.5 inches, the diameter of the top is 1.75 inches and the metal piece extending from the back is 1.5 inches long. They have a beautiful, aged patina. These were part of the architectural salvage from the building, and they were on the front door of the restaurant. They are gorgeous and would make an eyecatching addition to any collection of Tiki items or as handles to a new or old home, restaurant or bar. Thanks for bidding and please view my other auctions, for additional interesting items.

the auction number is 7761811029 can anyone tell me if this place existed and also had these handles? they are cool, I will take a picture when they arrive. Thanks

Amy

yeah, I'd cough up a few bucks for those...

As far as I know, Cleveland had no "Tiki Room" (Sellers!...that was Disneyland! :) ), but there WAS a Steve Crane Kon-Tiki.

YEP, they are from the KON-TIKI in Cleveland .closed in 1976. i have a whole garage full of stuff from there. but i sometimes get the feeling that "TIKI collector GODS" or "GOD LIKE" figures here on TC do not consider steve cranes KON TIKI artifacts to be much of a find. just my opinion ,i could be wrong TD

Thanks Tiki David, I loved them the second I saw them. I propobly paid too much, but it so rare to see something this cool. I don't get out enough to hunt, so ebay is a favorite of mine.

Thanks again for the info, I have read a lot about Kon Tiki, and thinks these are better for being from there. If you are interested in parting with anything, let me know, I have a lot of space that needs filling :)

Amy

[ Edited by: Queen Kamehameha 2006-04-29 12:27 ]

Yes, thanks David. Well, luckily we all know that it's not all about collectability, rarity and perceived value in the Tiki world, but that some of the outside world's ideas about social grace and decorum are still to be considered. It is not only what you have, but also how you conduct yourself as a fellow being that does come into play, sometimes :)

Was the severed head mug from Steve Cranes Kon Tiki? What about The Steve mug? that was Steve Cranes Kon Tiki. So if Any Tiki guy or gal has any Kon Tiki or Steve Crane artifacts They don't want I will take them off of your hands.

Thanks to Tiki David for his help in identifing these. I received them today and they are terrific, big and heavy and very cool. Here's the picture

Amy

http://www.towertopics.com/images/435_tiki1.JPG

So friggin happy, I snagged these yesterday, $50 for a pick-up truck full of stuff that included these!

The one laying down was painted black, but it's coming off nicely.

I think if they were at a small place in Pittsburgh's suburbs they may have been more common than we think.

[ Edited by: Pittsburgh pauly 2011-07-05 10:30 ]