Savage Renewal Homemade Tiki Mugs

There’s not much history on homemade mug making. I think that most of them were made in weekend ceramic classes poured into a ready made mold and painted with the students discretion. You get a few interesting variations that you wouldn’t find in the classic “buy the drink keep the mug tiki bar. For instance this one which I’ll call “King Tiki” since it shows a tiki in a robe perched on another tiki is in a light brown and the glazer took the liberty to paint the inside of it a bright orange to give it a more elegant feel, the name stylized on the bottom is Hazel.

I don’t know of any “official” Andres Bumatay mugs but I have seen a few homemade ones like this one.

This is a two faced on with a happy face on the back with the initials of “BLS” on the bottom.

This must have been a very popular mold since I have 3 with different glazes and names on the bottom. They have the classic Ku angry face on one side and a simple grin on the reverse, the glazes on these also reflect the painters individuality with a nice green pokadotted with blue with the date of 1969 on it. Here’s a light brown and white mug that was fired on Oct 12, 1973 in Alaska. The last one the painter framed the lip, bottom, and handle of the mug in a deep black with much of the brush strokes visible.

This same design lost it’s handle and made it to several non tiki restaurants as you can see. The red one was from a Chinese Restaurant in Hawaii called Mandarin Palace and the brown one ended up (If my memory serves) in a eatery called The Pottery. This place was famous for serving stew in a precooked pottery container, not where you’d find rumaki. Lastly the ochre mug comes from American Hawaii Cruises in The Town of Kona most likely from a luau.

This barely scratches the surface but it is nice to see the folk art tradition of tiki mugs go a step forward with the individual touches.

[ Edited by: naugatiki 2006-04-30 16:03 ]

Good topic, Naugatiki. I used to look down on homemade mugs at one time as being unworth of collecting, but seeing a bunch of them together in the pages of TikiQuest made me reconsider and now I really like them and love finding them. The design I come across most often is the Moai. Here are the variations I've collected:

My favorite is the metallic copper guy 2nd from the right. The bluenose at the left is just weird.

This is one of those examples of a brilliant thread idea that got buried and deserves to be resurrected.
There must be quite a few "homemade" mug discoveries since 2006?

Here are a few examples that appeared in "Tiki Finds"...

Big Kahuna's

Psycho Tiki D's

Tattoo's

Sweet Daddy Tiki's

Tiki David's

MrBaliHai's

And, here's a specimen we purchased not too long ago that appears to be based on just the head of the Tampa Hawaiian Village's Nui Nui Mug.
The bottom is crudely engraved "Jean."

On 2010-03-17 14:12, JONPAUL wrote:

Big Kahuna's

that Les was pretty prolific. I found these two in San Diego:

[i]On 2008-08-24 21:46, Bay Park Buzzy wrote:[i]
A couple of hobby peanut mugs

Done by Les in '79

Buzzy Out!

Here's a few of the homemade mugs I've found over the years.

Coffee Mugs

Betty Page Hi Balls

On 2010-03-17 14:12, JONPAUL wrote:

Gotta love the Jimmy Durante Kon Tiki mugs...

Time for some historical reference material. These ads are from Babalu's collection of vintage "Popular Ceramics" magazines from the 1960s. (Thanks for letting me scan these, Babalu!) They give you an idea of the range of Duncan molds that were out there and why we keep finding these mugs in the wild.

:down: November 1966. Duncan Ceramics of Fresno, CA.

:down: November 1967. Gare molds, including a tiki lamp base.

:down: August 1968. 2 Duncan molds ads.

:up: I actually own the Tiki Beer Mug mold and the stacking mugs mold. I should really give them a try.

:down: July 1969. Lots of good stuff here.

:down: August 1971. Check out the cool Luau Pig bowl at the bottom.

Swapmeet find... earless variety...

holes for pupu laden tooth picks :o

Freddie

This shows that the whole Party City rainbow explosion tiki look has been around a while.

On 2010-07-02 23:54, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
:down: August 1968. 2 Duncan molds ads.

Sabu,

Those are some great ads. I have the Duncan two-face coffee mug with a nice green glaze.

DC

Thanks for posting those really cool ad's Sabu!!
Here's Sabu's Ad for the Hawaiian Pig:

And here's the actual Duncan Mold:

I saw this on Ebay.
I usually don't like to quote what people say in their descriptions on Ebay but I thought this seller had a few interesting things to say about this mold. Also, the date and model number at the end.

In the description, the seller states:

"CERAMIC MOLD FOR LUAU PIG FOR H'orderve OR COCKTAIL Picks FOR FRUIT SUCH AS PINEAPPLE CHERRIES AND CHEESES AND SUCH, OR FOR KABOBS. RUMAKI - LIVER AND BACON WITH NUTS, YOU MAKE THE HOLES TO FIT THE PRODUCT.. OR CAN HAVE THE LEGS HOLES COVERED AND MADE INTO A BANK. WEIRD LOOKING PIG, BUT THIS ONE I MADE AND SOLD A LOT OF, I THINK MOLDS HAVE LIFE OF 300, I THINK I MADE ABOUT 30. ALSO CAN BE CUTOUT ON SIDE FOR FLAT UTENSILS AND CANDLES, AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU CAN DREAM UP. MAKES A 13" ELONGATED PIG. 1969 BY DUNCAN 37A ALSO HAS SMALL HAT, I DID NOT USE. USUALLY DID HIM IN HAWAIIAN COLORS."

I thought some of you Luau Pig lovers would like this!!

TabooDan

On 2010-07-03 08:03, woofmutt wrote:

This shows that the whole Party City rainbow explosion tiki look has been around a while.

1968: the Hippie influence rears its colorful head! Make Tikis gay and happy, not dark and brooding! ....though they must have had a bad reaction to that concept, their 1969 line up is decidedly dark and brown! ...which I guess was in sync with the coming "Browning of America". :)

Sabu, great finds! Wish I would have had one of these for my pages 28/29 of Tiki Modern where I mention the mid-century craze in home ceramics. Babalu touched on that in another thread, too, it's a fascinating facet of modern primitivism.

These finds go to show that there still are many untapped sources in terms of magazines and other print media that can yield interesting material pertaining to Tiki culture.

omc style parrot mug. I found two of these.

[ Edited by: ka'lenatiki 2010-07-14 07:39 ]

Just saw a set of these on eBay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Vintage-Double-Sided-Tiki-Mugs-1960s-Hand-Painted-/380251108741?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5888bb7585

Yup - ugly. I'm kind-a leaning towards the idea that this cluster f#%k wasn't so much a product of the 'Age of Aquarius', more over, I think the ad might have simply been all about making money. Duncan even supplied (upon request) a paint by numbers pamphlet with this mold...the more colors you use, the more $$ you spend. Maybe, the advertising didn't work? hey, ugly is ugly... :)

who knows...?

One thing I do know is that these old ceramics mags are really fun...lot's to learn in them :)

PS: I like the ones on the eBay auction better than the ones in the ad.

[ Edited by: Babalu 2010-07-16 15:44 ]

On 2010-07-03 17:22, TabooDan wrote:
Thanks for posting those really cool ad's Sabu!!
Here's Sabu's Ad for the Hawaiian Pig:

And here's the actual Duncan Mold:

I saw this on Ebay.
I usually don't like to quote what people say in their descriptions on Ebay but I thought this seller had a few interesting things to say about this mold. Also, the date and model number at the end.

In the description, the seller states:

"CERAMIC MOLD FOR LUAU PIG FOR H'orderve OR COCKTAIL Picks FOR FRUIT SUCH AS PINEAPPLE CHERRIES AND CHEESES AND SUCH, OR FOR KABOBS. RUMAKI - LIVER AND BACON WITH NUTS, YOU MAKE THE HOLES TO FIT THE PRODUCT.. OR CAN HAVE THE LEGS HOLES COVERED AND MADE INTO A BANK. WEIRD LOOKING PIG, BUT THIS ONE I MADE AND SOLD A LOT OF, I THINK MOLDS HAVE LIFE OF 300, I THINK I MADE ABOUT 30. ALSO CAN BE CUTOUT ON SIDE FOR FLAT UTENSILS AND CANDLES, AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU CAN DREAM UP. MAKES A 13" ELONGATED PIG. 1969 BY DUNCAN 37A ALSO HAS SMALL HAT, I DID NOT USE. USUALLY DID HIM IN HAWAIIAN COLORS."

I thought some of you Luau Pig lovers would like this!!

TabooDan

hehe - I don't think that is a hat in the mold as the seller suggests...I think it is a stopper, or cap for the nose of the piggy :)

Trader Tom got the 1963 Duncan Mold that makes these Moais off of ebay.

On 2006-04-30 22:23, Sweet Daddy Tiki wrote:

Here is the first pour that GROG did at Tiki G's chop.

Unfortunately the greenware was a bit too wet to transport back after the chop, and collapsed in on itself, so GROG have to squish it back into shape and did a rock texture on the outside to cover up the blemishes.

GROG have 10 greenware GROG has poured so far, and the mold is in great shape. Now Trader Tom just need to get over here and pick a glaze color and start glazing.

Very cool! How's Monday sound?

GROG will be here.

Here's the only Duncan mold tiki mug I have in my collection:

Here's the first of my self-glazed Duncan Mold Moai mugs that came out of the kiln this last weekend. I have several more over at Ernie's in various stages of being finished, but I'll have to wait till after Oasis to finish them up.

nice one!!!!!

Trader Tom forced to work on floor if he want glaze Duncan Moai Mug.

Actually, GROG and Kirby taking up most of the table working on mold for Tonga Hut mug, so Tom just set up a work area on the floor.

[ Edited by: GROG 2010-11-15 10:47 ]

The truth is that Grog runs a sweatshop...

I'm not paying for those pictures either! You said they would come out really well, just like Glamour Shots!

Okay, here are some more mugs I glazed from the Duncan Mold:

#2, The Molten Moai

#3, The Magma Moai

#4, Albino Alligator Moai

#5, Lava Crackle Moai

#6, Orange Lava Flow Moai

#7, Cake Batter Moai

#8, Marbled Moss Moai

#9, Drippy Moss Moai

I have a 10th one that needs to go in the kiln once again to repair a glaze blemish. It's just plain red but I hand-painted some tropical leaves on the back. Here's a shot of it after a first firing:

#10, Leafy Red Moai

I've put some of these up for sale/trade on my Ooga-Mooga page and have held some back for myself. I plan on making more both for myself and for sale/trade. No big batches, I'm afraid, but as I do a few at a time I'll post new color combinations for you to check out.

Hope you enjoyed my glaze experiments! This really is a lot of fun. Hurrah for Savage Renewal !!!

THOSE ARE AWESOME!!! LOVE EM! YOU GUYS ROCK!

That looks like so much fun! I dig the Magma Moai! And the Lava Flow's cool too.

I was inspired to dig up my professional restaurant ware Moai mugs that, having never worked with the mold, I always had THOUGHT were also Duncans --until I realized the subtle differences, especially in the nostrils and lips! I am aware this thread is about home-made ceramics, so forgive me if I veer off a little into these Otagiri-made Moai mugs, but the similarities are so uncanny:

We all know these and many other "modernist" BLACK versions:

Then there was the wood-glaze Trader Dick's mug, and the wood-carved Oceanic Arts lighter:

...and then there were the ORIGINAL party god lights made by TIKI/tm Inc:

The main difference to the Duncan mold seems to be the nose is more rounded off and has rounder nostrils, and while the Otagiris frown a tad, the Duncans ALMOST crack a smile.

Now back to home ceramics.

I was surfing the internet looking for vintage hobbyist molds and found somebody in Sedona doing some Savage Renewal:

http://www.retroartbyjan.com/HUGE_Tiki_Mugs.html

You can see other hobbyist versions of this "Nubby Headdress Full Body Mug" on Ooga-Mooga at:

http://www.ooga-mooga.com/cgi-bin/all/mug.cgi?mode=view&mug_id=1601

Presumably the ones on Ooga-Mooga are vintage. It's cool that these molds are still out there and getting used, though!

Hope you enjoyed my glaze experiments! This really is a lot of fun. Hurrah for Savage Renewal !!!

The Cake Batter Moai moved to switzerland.... He really looks awesome in person.
thanks Tom

Looking at the comparison between the Duncan Moi and the OMC version I'm reminded of something I've always wondered . . How/why cast them with a concave base? Sure, they fire and glaze easier, and they hold less than they look like they should, but the process seems far more complex. Don't you need at least a three-part mold to do a concave base?

Classic Silver Line Boats

edited for bad spelling

[ Edited by: SilverLine 2010-12-03 05:19 ]

Helvetiki, the Cake batter Moai looks right at home!

Silverline, that's a good point about the concave base. You could press up on a freshly poured molded mug and make a little bit of a concave impression but to get that really nice domed bottom I think that you would need a more complex mold, maybe a three parter, like you were speculating about.

On 2010-11-24 19:15, bigbrotiki wrote:
That looks like so much fun! I dig the Magma Moai! And the Lava Flow's cool too.

I was inspired to dig up my professional restaurant ware Moai mugs that, having never worked with the mold, I always had THOUGHT were also Duncans --until I realized the subtle differences, especially in the nostrils and lips! I am aware this thread is about home-made ceramics, so forgive me if I veer off a little into these Otagiri-made Moai mugs, but the similarities are so uncanny:

We all know these and many other "modernist" BLACK versions:

Fantastic work on the moai mugs guys. one of my all time favorite mug styles. Sven, this old thread has some more info on the moai mugs.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=30013&forum=5

Some hobbyist mugs of mine:

From the Duncan Moai mold:

Notice the slightly larger brown version:

Those are really cool. I especially like the white Duncan Moai with the green drip glaze.

I've always wondered about the Kon Tiki hobbyist mugs (top left first pic) and whether they were truly sculpted and released as hobbyist molds or if someone(s) just cast directly off a Kon Tiki Mug. All the ones I've seen are a bit rough and appear to have lost about half their definition.

Couple more here that just came out of Ernie's kiln:

#11, Crazed Surf Moai

#12, Violet Crackle Moai

Those are cool - looks like someone's having fun!

Got this guy for Xmas

On 2010-07-16 15:59, Babalu wrote:

On 2010-07-03 17:22, TabooDan wrote:
Thanks for posting those really cool ad's Sabu!!
Here's Sabu's Ad for the Hawaiian Pig:

And here's the actual Duncan Mold:

I saw this on Ebay.
I usually don't like to quote what people say in their descriptions on Ebay but I thought this seller had a few interesting things to say about this mold. Also, the date and model number at the end.

In the description, the seller states:

"CERAMIC MOLD FOR LUAU PIG FOR H'orderve OR COCKTAIL Picks FOR FRUIT SUCH AS PINEAPPLE CHERRIES AND CHEESES AND SUCH, OR FOR KABOBS. RUMAKI - LIVER AND BACON WITH NUTS, YOU MAKE THE HOLES TO FIT THE PRODUCT.. OR CAN HAVE THE LEGS HOLES COVERED AND MADE INTO A BANK. WEIRD LOOKING PIG, BUT THIS ONE I MADE AND SOLD A LOT OF, I THINK MOLDS HAVE LIFE OF 300, I THINK I MADE ABOUT 30. ALSO CAN BE CUTOUT ON SIDE FOR FLAT UTENSILS AND CANDLES, AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU CAN DREAM UP. MAKES A 13" ELONGATED PIG. 1969 BY DUNCAN 37A ALSO HAS SMALL HAT, I DID NOT USE. USUALLY DID HIM IN HAWAIIAN COLORS."

I thought some of you Luau Pig lovers would like this!!

TabooDan

hehe - I don't think that is a hat in the mold as the seller suggests...I think it is a stopper, or cap for the nose of the piggy :)

haha! I think you're right.

wonder if that means that he could also be made into a decanter? for RUM, perhaps..... :wink:

why else would you want a stopper?

the uglisest hobby tiki mug ever!

and it weighs like 1 lb of fired clay! it was tiki heavyhands!

I picked up this hobbyist mug in the wild a couple days ago. Its marked "Irene 69" on the bottom. The glaze is a really nice wood grain with a bright lime green interior. This mug is the exact size of my "The Tikis" black Moai. I noticed that the hobbyist mug (left in photo) and the "Tikis" Moai (right in photo) look exactly like the standard "Fireside-Ft. Atkinson" OMC Moai (center in photo), but are actually just a bit smaller in proportion. As any rate, this hobbyist Moai rocks.