Help Identify a Mystery Tiki

What is this? My parents were given it, along with two matching "wall masks" back in about 1973? 1974? The masks have long since disappeared.

The "totem" is about four feet high.

I've seen another identical one--painted white with black eyes--planted in the courtyard of the "Tiki Apartments" in Seattle, so it's almost certainly a production item of some sort.

The story was friends of my parents went on a south-seas vacation and brought this back for them. More likely, said friends forgot to bring back a souvenier and stopped by the local "Railroad Salvage" to see what was on the shelf! Especially as the masks (as I recall) were mounted on plywood bases covered with a particularly tacky green cloth.

Any clues would be appreciated.

its a Witco just do a search on Witco and you will find lots of info.

[ Edited by: keigs20 on 2005-04-12 22:32 ]

Thanks for the info. I had zero idea where to start. I'll poke around.

I'm not really a collector, just curious what this might be, and why I've been lugging it around for 20 years!

If you are tired of lugging it around, I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands.

that would look good in my WITCO room.there sould be a book of WITCO.

I wouldn't mind it going to an enthusiast...delicate question: I assume it has some value of some sort?

The highest value for it probably would be determined on e-bay.

If you are not kidding about this and the fact that you said "I wouldn't mind it going to an enthusiast":

I brought the manufacturer's name "WITCO", and his carvings, into public awareness with my "Book of Tiki"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/382282433X/ref=lpr_g_1/103-8340384-2667867?v=glance&s=books

and am working on a book on Witco art right now. So YES, I am THE enthusiast, though there are now quite a few other enthusiasts on this board who have amassed considerable collections.

This little guy would get a spot of honor in my house AND in my book, if you'd sell it to me. The price? Hard to say.

Sven, get ahold of yourself!! You’re groveling! :wink:

Did you post this offer? To me it smells suspiciously like some member's idea of a funny joke, hoping to get a kick out of a lot of "groveling" responses.

But you know what? I am genuinely interested in that Tiki, I think I deserve a chance to buy it for pointing out Witco to the rest of the world, but I am pragmatic about it.
If it's just a joke, I am not ashamed to have asked for it, and whoever thought this to be funny...go and get a life.

Sven, I definitely don't have anything to do with this thread... I thought it was a legitimate post until you raised the point that it seemed fishy. If this is real I wholeheartedly believe that you deserve first dibs at this Witco!

So far no response. If this Tiki does not show up on e-bay, or any TCer will claim to have gotten it, we can safely assume that this offer was an oh-so-funny-prank.

Let's hope it was the last of it's kind., prankster humor always eluded me.

My wife is in shock that anyone has any interest in the tiki. I think it's great that it will end up in a loving home.

I'm genuine about it and while I don't expect to fund my retirement (unless it's a very short and modest one) I also would like to get a fair price for it. I have no idea what that is.

Sorry, I moved house over the weekend, which is what prompted this inquiry in the first place. We went from too much space to just enough, and the tiki has lost his dark corner.

Replying to Sven's private message now...

On 2005-04-15 15:47, bigbrotiki wrote:
So YES, I am THE enthusiast

Wrong! I am the enthusiast!

Svens Private message? OH,.. OK,.. WELL! Hmmmmm, never mind.

Yeah...I must admit to having been too paranoid about this, it just seemed to good to be true. That Tiki was always one of my faves in Witco's oeuvre, he is the "God of good fortune".
I will be going up to Seattle next week for Witco book work, and pick up that puppy. Always wanted ONE good Witco Tiki in my collection, and now I have one. Mahalo!

Congrats on scoring that nice Witco, bigbro! It will go in well with the rest of your awesome collection of tikiphernalia!