On 2008-07-05 21:40, Dustycajun wrote:

On 2008-06-08 21:35, bigbrotiki wrote:

In the late 1930s, Art La Shelle opened Christian's Hut, a Tahitian style restaurant and bar on the bay front, now the location of Newport Towers. Christian's Hut was noted for its great oriental style food, and was always being frequented by the Hollywood set. Red Skelton, Johnny Weismuller, Fred Mac Murray, and Howard Hughes to name a few. Joe La Shelle, Art's brother, was an Oscar-winning cinematographer, one of his more well-known movies was "The Birds."

Hi guys! I am writing a book about the LaShelle family dating back to pre-revolutionary war. I have a bit of information about Art and Joseph LaShelle and have met with Joseph's grandson. I wanted to help clear up some of your questions about Christian's Hut. In the book "The History of the Balboa Bay Club Newport Beach, California" by James P. Felton pub. 1984 on page 187 it says:

"One of the Bay Club's most colorful members is ARt Lashelle. Who has lived at the BBC longer than anyone else - 29 years. He as once a double for Clark Gable, and a veteran World War II pilot. He also was a companion to famed flyer Paul mantz in a round-the-world flight. Art LaShelle is a living legend for his exploits and for his Christian's Hut, long a Balboa Peninsula Landmark. His fierce good looks, his lantern jaw, his fast wit and his debonair style made him a favorite in the movie colony, where he began his career with the Paramount Studios in the early 1920's.

"LaShelle was one of the early residents of Catalina, and he helped to establish the Casino in 1929. Later, after becoming a confidant of William Wrigley, Art opened up the Isthmus and ran that for 10 years. It was during this period that Clark Gable came over with the film crew making the first "Mutiny on the bounty" with Charles Laughton. LaShelle and Gable became close friends. When the filming was finished, LaShelle offered to save the studio the expense of dismantling the beach shacks and props.
'I told them that if they would prop up one buildign with another two by four, I'd make it into a bar.' LaShelle recalled years later. 'So we did, and Gable said we woudl have to call it Christian's Hut, because it was there as Fletcher Christian that Gable and I used to end the day with a number of highballs. Gable autographed a picture to me, signing himself as 'the Proprietor' of Christian's Hut."

"In 1940, LaShelle opened his Balboa Christian's Hut, and it stood for 24 years. When he flew over 'The Hump' for the U.S. Air Force in World War II, he opened another Christian's Hut in Bengal, India, now Bangladesh. he eventually had thre other Christian's Huts - in Honolulu, Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar. John Wayne was one of his principal backers.
'He advanced me $120,000 on a handshake,' LaShelle said."

Art was a very interesting man and I've had fun researching him and talking with his family. He was very good friends with Clark Gable, John Wayne and Johnny Weismuller (until Johnny's wife ran off with Art). His great-grandson's are still in the movie business working on animated films.

Very interesting! This Tiki archeologist would be interested in more info about Chrisitian's Hut. One thing that has created countless sleepless nights for me is the question "What is the story behind Christian's Hut logo, the cartoony native chief known as "The Goof"!? :

...who found his final resting place on top of the Bali Hai in San Diego.

Apparently, remnants of the original Christian's Hut on Catalina still exist (see rendering of the Goof):
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=28251&forum=2

And one more question: In the photo below, is that Art LaShelle on the left?:

Whoah!

I just joined this forum today, and as I'm skimming through, I found this post (quoted below) which was just posted today by another member that I don't know.

I'm interested in all things tiki, and have been collecting for a few years (I'll post pics later).
In addition, I'm an aficionado of tall ships, and am currently building a model of one that looks very much like the one pictured in the last image.
Also, my legal first name is Christian.

On 2009-01-05 15:44, bigbrotiki wrote:

[ Edited by: K_I_T 2009-01-05 16:03 ]

[ Edited by: K_I_T 2009-01-05 16:03 ]

[ Edited by: K_I_T 2009-01-05 16:14 ]

Congrats for finding this place, Kit. But it is really not necessary to double up all the images right behind the original post when you want to quote someone, it takes a lot of unnecessary space. How about going back and deleting all the images.

Oh, and I've lived in Florida and California, and visited Hawaii once for a week.

On 2009-01-05 16:12, bigbrotiki wrote:
Congrats for finding this place, Kit. But it is really not necessary to double up all the images right behind the original post when you want to quote someone, it takes a lot of unnecessary space. How about going back and deleting all the images.

OK

I deleted all but the last one.

Mahalo!

It's been a little while, so here are some recent finds and acquisitions...

Good ole' Diver's Helmet Ice Bucket (thrift score)

Duke Kahanamoku Uke (ebay)

"Koa" Hawaiian Warrior Head carved from "lava" in the box! (flea market)

Lurline ashtray and Hawaiian holiday card with a picture of Ala Moana (estate sale)

Pair of cast plaster Tikis with a spiffy gold patina. Mahalo BBTD!

And finally, this little trio of red clay pieces. (flea market)
They measure 4" tall, are rather thin walled and each have a hole in the top about the size of a dime. Vases?
They're stamped in the clay on the bottom "Made in Society Islands (France)"

Aloha,
:tiki:

[ Edited by: Tiki Royale 2009-01-06 18:57 ]

Tiki Royale,

Were you at the Alameda Antique show Sunday? Some of those items look awfully familiar! Great finds!

PTD

On 2009-01-06 17:13, Psycho Tiki D wrote:
Tiki Royale,

Were you at the Alameda Antique show Sunday? Some of those items look awfully familiar! Great finds!

PTD

Yep PTD, I scored the warrior head and Marquesan pieces there.
There was a lot to had this month, I passed up quite a bit (lack of funding).
Aloha,
:tiki:

Aloha Amigos!
I found this at "La lagunilla" flea market in Mexico City.

Does anybody know anything about it? Is it French or American? Is it common?
Mahalo!
Z

Zeta, welcome back! That is a nice piece, not common at all, clearly a tourist item from Tahiti. Since ancient Tahitians did not excel in Tiki carving, the Marquesan Tiki style has become their adopted tourist Tiki style.

...though this piece does have some Rarotongan elements, too.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2009-01-06 23:38 ]

Stopped into the Goodwill today...

My First Tiki, I'm sure it's a dime a dozen tourist tiki but you gotta start somewhere!!!

This is the spread of the 16 page booklet that came in the Ports of Paradise Lp.

You know who these are!!!

[ Edited by: Beach Bum Scott 2009-01-07 16:21 ]

[ Edited by: Beach Bum Scott 2009-01-07 16:22 ]

And one more question: In the photo below, is that Art LaShelle on the left?:

Although he is far away in the picture it sure does look like Art on the left. The "goof" sort of looks like Art or Clark Gable with those big ears. I wonder if it was meant to? I will see if I can talk with Art's grandson and find out what I can. I love the pics you have!

This is the picture of Art LaShelle from the book I quoted earlier.

Jennrs

Jennrs, thanks for going further with the investigation, let me know if you need any of the images for your book. You can find some of them in my "Book of Tiki".

Found these TV coconut mugs at an estate sale, $1 each... The only reason I picked these up was the fact that they didn't have the newer "Since 1934" logo on them. The "Hawaii Iolani Palace" Stein was found at a Goodwill, $1.98...I couldn't pass it up, mainly because the relief sculpture as well as the colors were crisp, and it is stamped "Made in Japan", not China like most of the newer ceramics of today...


It seems to be really dry in Southern Cali, especially in my neighborhood (South Bay) regarding tiki items...Especially seeing some of the other posts here, I'm quite amazed at the migration of "local tiki" making its way back East....:P
I'm still waiting for my holy grail thrift finds, if it ever happens! hehe