Looking for info on the "Jean Pierre de Tahiti" Mug?

I came across this mug and was wondering if anyone had any info on it?

It is the "Jean Pierre de Tahiti" mug of the two Tiki's back to back on page 54 of TQ. All TQ has to say it that it is a "Artisan" mug. Does anyone have any more info about it?

I just found this one. The seller had it from a garage sale in Moorea. The garage sale was from the family of a great surfer, that went often to Hawaii, so lots of hawaiian stuff as well.
Anyway, I'm not sure that's a mug, it doesn't look really like it, and I don't know any mugs from tiki bars from Tahiti or french polynesia. So I don't know the use of it.
Another thing, I'm not sure it's "Jean pierre de Tahiti" but more probably "Jean Pierre Le Tahiti", wich means nothing really...
I'd love to know more about that stuff too.

What an amazing coincidence! Kohalacharms just put one of these up for trade on Ooga-Mooga yesterday. I thought it was quite strange, I'd never seen one like it before, and now I'm seeing it again today.

Tai Tahiti Mug

On his mug, you can see the letters "TAI" more clearly on the side.

Here's another thread on TC about this mug:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1925&forum=5&2

Here's a TAI Tahiti promotional poster from 1970 I found on a Japanese website:

Link to translation of Japanese TAI Tahiti poster page

Here's a TAI Tahiti ashtray up for sale at eBay France:

Link to tranlsation of French TAI Tahiti ashtray auction

Found a number of other links relating to "TAI Tahiti", but they're pretty much all foreign language (to me, but not to you, virani). Looks like TAI Tahiti was an airline that flew to and/or around Tahiti.

Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki

[ Edited by: Humuhumu 2005-11-03 10:45 ]

that explains a lot. Woaw, thanks a lot Humuhumu for that info.
On mine, I tried to determine the meaning of what was in fact "TAI", a flight compagny that went to Tahiti. Cool. Now, we have a clue, I'll try to find out more info, now. thanks

TAI was born in 1948 as an airplane compagny. It became UTA the 1st Octobre of 1963, and then part of Air France in 1990.

the first flight Paris - Tahiti with only 1 stop was the 06/07/1963.

[ Edited by: virani 2005-11-03 11:52 ]

The TAI was created to go to all the french colonies in 1946 (mostly african). It went to Bora bora for the 1st time in 1958 before the opening of the tahitian airport in 1960. It became the 1st french compagny to go to polynesia at that time.
By the way, The PANAM made their first Tahiti to Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Auckland, Pago Pago, Dallas and Vancouver in 1963 for 16 years.

So that mug was probably a gift given between 1960 and 1963 on TAI airlines.

Lots of more cool TAI posters here : http://perso.wanadoo.fr/amicale.uta/affiches_tai.htm

Now check what I found from the compagny:

On 2005-11-03 14:51, virani wrote:
So that mug was probably a gift given between 1960 and 1963 on TAI airlines.

[ Edited by: Phillip Roberts 2009-09-22 17:08 ]

On 2005-11-06 04:20, filslash wrote:
Virani has one, Boutiki must have one cuz it's on page 54. Continentaltiki has one (Cuz I seen it)... Ooh, and Machtiki...Duh...

Who else has this mug?

Actually, I passed on the mug when I saw it because they wanted $35 and I didn't know if that was a fair price or not. When I got home, I posted this thread and didn't hear anything so I let it ride. For all I know, this mug is still sitting behind the counter at an antique shop in downtown Santa Cruz (on Pacific Ave.). I can't remember the name of the place now, but when I returned to San Diego after that trip, I called and asked if I could purchase it over the phone and have it shipped. The owner said no. Too fragile - and he didn't want to be responsible for it breaking.

That being said... Thanks Virani and everyone else who contributed info.

I also have that mug, a greenish color

Mine may be later in production as it also has a stamp (S' Cleuqet Trauce) The crap-cam does not do close ups well......

[ Edited by: Phillip Roberts 2009-09-22 17:08 ]

another great T.A.I poster, thanks to the great Filslash :

If anyone is still reading this post Dr. TikiMojo had to swallow his pride and thank Mrs.Mojo, (in ways I will not detail on this site out respect for common decency!), :o after we went on a local antique store Tiki hunt a couple of weeks ago.

For the most part we struck out that day...only very over priced "common" Tiki mugs and items or nothing at all. My wife had spotted a small mug with a Tiki on either side in a cabinet. Being the "ALL KNOWING BEING" that I am I told her it "wasn't a Tiki item" and I wasn't interested....DON'T BUY IT!
She being Mrs.Mojo and woman said, "Fine, why don't you go next door to the other shop...I'll meet you soon", and bought it anyway for HERSELF!
Today she reminds me again to look it on on Google since it has a very clear signature and stamp on the bottom and I find this post, the background story, the page listing in TIKI QUEST and I eat CROW!

All that and it is a FLAWLESS Vintage piece and she got it on sale and paid $18 bucks for it! :) GOOD GOING HONEY!

nice story Dr tikimojo.

I have this. It was a promotional pencil holder offered by TAI Airlines (Intercontinental Air Transport) in the early 1960's. My parents received one when they traveled to Tahiti on TAI in 1962. The airport in Tahiti (in Faa'a) was first opened to jet propelled aircraft in 1961.