Thrift Tiki prices?

I got excited the other day when I saw a pair of pmp ceramic bamboo mugs sitting on the shelf at my local thrift store. I turn them over to see $10 EACH?! - whathell?? - what happened to $1 or $2 each? Let em collect dust at those prices.

I am curious as to what others are seeing tikis priced at in the thrifts these days.

in Seattle, the Salvation Army store has a special boutique section now. they sort out anything with manufacturer marks, especially pottery items. thats the only place you'll find a tiki mug.. no more sightings in the wild SA seems to price tiki mugs around 4 bucks.

yet, in oregon, seems there were plenty of mugs mixed in with other household goods. most mugs were 79 cents.

I still come across those $1-$4 tikis but they are not usually anything spectacular (a coconut or a benehana) I've picked up a few that I giggled all the way to the car: Mr. Bali Hai (with lid) "Peanut" tiki mugs. I go to this little chain of thrift stores that don't price anything. They just guess when you come to the counter. I've picked up quite a collection from them.
Last weekend my wife an I went into Hillsboro (just north of Waco) to this antique mall that had tons of TV lamps. I had luck there once with a tiki toothpick/match holder. I was scanning through the mammy and uncle ben items when I pointed out a lamp I almost bought her for x-mas. I looked down and saw a handled tiki mug (it doesn't have a name but it's in the Book of Tiki page 23(second on the bottom, or "middle" if you see it that way) It was priced "Earth ware" $4. I let out a proud "YOINK!" and off to the counter he went.
The reason I mentioned that is when it comes to finding tiki in antique malls / shops, many peple do their research. But sometimes you'll find a deal. As for my thrift store observations. It's becoming rare to see mugs. I found an green R-5 mug (my first find) that has a crack all the way through. I picked him up for 66 cents (it was suppose to be 99) but I wasn't goingto argue.

We are not seeing mugs in thrift stores at $10. We are not seeing them at ANY price. It really seems to have dried up in our area of late. That said, we did see a Quon Quon handled mug (you know, like the Treasure Craft design) that was marked $.60, but it had a big chip on the front. Slim pickings indeed.

Inversely, the popularity of Hawaiian shirts that flooded the department stores last summer (and that are now showing up in the thrifts) have been a blessing. Now they seem to be putting between 3 and 5 bucks on any Hawaiian shirt (as opposed to the $10 and $12 they had begun to mark them when they discovered they were "hot") so when you find vintage shirts, they are priced very reasonably.

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[ Edited by: boutiki on 2004-07-23 22:55 ]

There's been a bit of a tiki drought 'round these parts lately. Still, when something surfaces at the thrift it's usually reasonably priced.
I found a Trader Vic seahorse mug the other day for $2 and some peanut mugs a couple of weeks ago for a couple of bucks apiece.
Most thrifts are in the $2-$5 which ain't too bad.
Aloha,
:tiki:

I've only found 2 Tikis in Poway, both in the same store: one is a flowerpot-sized Chinese knock off of the WDW Polynesian Village two faced Tiki glass in white glass for $20; & the other is an unmarked Moai in a flat black glaze, possibly homemade project, for $10. I haven't bought either & neither has anyone else, I'm trying to work on the owner of the antique store to convince him that I'm the only person in town who'll buy these & that I won't pay that much.

Slim tiki pickin's down here in San Diego's South Bay ... and very odd, considering the huge number of retired Navy personnel.

Best prices tend to be at Goodwill. Salvation Army slightly more expensive. Anything with "veterans'" in the title is usually outrageous. The "independent" stores are usually always unreasonable.

I'm finding that mugs that I used to find in thrift stores for 50 cents are now around $4.00, if not more. I don't think I've paid more than $4.50 for a vintage mug (I'm very frugal).

If and when I come across an errant tiki mug in these parts they are always reasonably priced - but recently things have really dried up...I haven't come across anything as of late - not a mug, a carved wooden bowl, a Hawaiian record, or even a set of those god forsaken forks and spoons. I should have probably called it quits when I found this 18" tall Treasure Craft Moai months ago for $4.00 - it's gonna be hard to top that find in these parts! But generally mugs are priced between $1.00 and $3.00...

in our area, the antique store buyers are too savvy to not pick up any tiki mugs they see. even non-tiki ceramics are ending up in the antique stores (case in point, an identical shriner planter i bought at salvation army for $2 ended up in a local antique store for $18.

how long before they start snapping up the squirrels on acorns and owls on mushrooms?

I'm new to the mug collecting, so I don't remember the "good 'ol days." But, I know the whereabout of three mugs right now, both in antique stores and flea markets, that will not be going home with me. Way overpriced, IMHO. This is the downside to Tiki popularity. Thrift store tiki (or anything mid-century modern) is pretty much non-existant. The only place I've been able to find good prices on stuff like this is yard and garage sales, and you have to hit a LOT of them to find anything worthy.

Tikirari- Glad to see you finally post bro!

Maybe it's inflation!

The thrifts and fleas up north of the stinky river you live on arent much better, as you know.

The popularity in the pop / retro culture thing (as well as the "I-can-sell-it-on-Ebay" boom) has put a real damper on the die hard, seasoned collectors who used to have weeks to debate over that $2.00 Kahiki mug on the shelf at the Goodwill store.

Here's to hoping that it's just a fad to many of those buyers and those artifacts eventually find their way back to the stores for a buck or two.

At any rate, glad to see you posting instead of lurking in the shadows! Welcome aboard!

Since I started this thread with a complaint, maybe I should kill this thread with a contradictory experience.

I recently found a Mai-Kai rum barrel mug for the very reasonable price of $3 at another local thrift.

I also recently found the 1974 Hawaiian golf open decanter for $15 which although is a bit more than what I consider a thrift price, It is a decanter.

Tiki has yet to hit the UK, so prices are as low as they have always been. I invariably get comments about the ugliness of what I'm buying from the person at the counter who hasn't a clue what they are selling.

Unfortunately, it's such a rarity to find anything Tiki that it's hardly a mecca of cheap mugs piled high.

Trader Woody

My local Goodwill Store has a wood mask from Thailand in a glass case for $30. Its really not that good and its been there for months. Their clerks refer to it as the tiki mask. They often get merchandise donated from the Target Store right across the street after Target has failed to sell it for 75% or 90% off. Then, Goodwill marks it back up as high as nearly full price and leaves it that way for weeks. Kinda odd, really; but I guess it must work for them.

Tikijackalope-you're absolutely right-it really depends on who Goodwill has working for them.My girlfriend,a demon shopper,has found things like an authentic Prada handbag for $6.00,but yet the stuff from Target is pricey-they don't recognize Prada,but anything from Target is priced higher.Sounds counterproductive to me....

I recently saw some PMP bamboo mugs at an antique store for $16 each. EACH! It appears that these things are pretty rare (it doesn't even look like there's an Ooga Mooga template yet). Anybody have an idea what a fair price is for one of these? I'd be willing to buy extras for trading if people were interested, assuming of course that $16 isn't a rip off.

A set of four sold on ebay last week for $15.20.

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Vintage-Bamboo-Look-Tiki-Bar-Tropical-Drink-Glass-Set_W0QQitemZ4454669073QQcategoryZ35713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

So I'd say they're worth about $3.80 each :)

On 2006-04-25 14:16, TikiPhil wrote:
A set of four sold on ebay last week for $15.20.

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Vintage-Bamboo-Look-Tiki-Bar-Tropical-Drink-Glass-Set_W0QQitemZ4454669073QQcategoryZ35713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

So I'd say they're worth about $3.80 each :)

Thanks! I didn't have any luck on recent Ebay searches. I was hoping someone had seen them recently. Thanks again.

Funny, I am starting to see the best deals on tiki stuff in antique stores, of all places. I've noticed that Goodwill and SA and those places are getting pricey, while if you hit an antique mall you'll find dealers that don't use ebay. I've met lots that don't own a computer and find that e-bay is a hassle for them. Just an observation!

I've never paid more than $2.99 at a thrift store for any mugs, usually it's just a buck. However, it's not like I have found all that much out here in Maine. I think I have scored a total of 10 mugs at thrift shops.

We're also rather limited with just Salivation Army and Goodwill to choose from. There are a couple other tiny ones floating around, but they tend to be really small.

--SBiM

At thrift stores that I frequent I see prices from between 69 cents to around $4. There is one that is a little out of my way that I consistantly see things at but all of their tiki mugs are $6.99 regardless of what it is. It is funny though to see a Harvey's bucket mug for $6.99.

So... What's everyone's thoughts nearly a decade later? My experience in central Texas with actual thrift stores is on average $1.99. I have paid $4.99 recently but received a discount at the register that knocked off tax and a little some. Estate Sales have been a source for matchbook covers, and swizzle sticks. I would say 99% of my collection is resale finds in the wild. Just have to hot the same spots weekly. There's a lot of us out there looking. I'm surprised at the amount I run across that haven't even heard of TC.

100% of my finds are in the wild. Michigan is still producing good finds now and then even after years of hunting and some long dry spells. The good stuff is still out there though. Here is another related thrifting thread.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=35127&forum=5

I can't find anything tiki in tidewater Virgina after about 6 months of trawling thrift and antique store. :(

I am always looking for anything Tiki here on the north side of Chicago, but I never see anything. My last flea market visit last weekend ended with an awesome Disney find (a framed poster map of Disneyland from 1979 for $10), but I never see any Tiki or Poly pop ever.

Most of my tiki purchases are from thrift shops and I enjoy sifting through these places so here's todays find a Coco Joe's Volcano Mug with price.

aloha, tikicoma

Now that's what I call a score!! Congrats on this one..

Tikicoma you just found my holy grail. I am extremely jealous. :)

Wow. That is an amazing find! Well done.