Mauna Loa, Detroit mug I've never seen! What is it?

I never ever buy mugs on eBay, but this is one I've never seen and the price was right. The seller said the bottom reads "Design by Mauna Loa Detroit"
Has anyone else ever seen this? Is it for a drink or a candle, or??? Not tiki in any way I know, but it's cool enough for me, being made for the Detroit Mauna Loa. Your thoughts please....

I don't know anything about that mug. It is cool! I do know one thing about that mug,5 seconds after you put it on TC Kohalacharms made an offer to buy it from you.

How cool! Never seen it before! And I would say it is most definitely supposed to be this:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=19338&forum=1&1

What synchronicity that Tang just posted that...

It was not on the Mauna Loa menu I saw that had photos of all the drinks in their mugs, so maybe it was a condiment jar? Or a fondue pot, and you could fry little pieces of chicken that were cut like people in it? :)

sonofabitch... more crap to look for.

my question has always been: How could a place called Mauna Loa not have a volcano bowl???

-Z

My first thought when I saw it was...Hot Buttered Rum?
I'll get more pics of it when it arrives and post them up here.

holy crap dude, I'm drooling over here!

It's definitely a cauldron & hot buttered rum sounds very plausible. how big is it?
That's an incredible item, whatever the hell it is intended for.
I would love to see more pics when you get it.

Congratulations on such finding such a crazy rare vessel!

Thanks BigDaddy, I have no idea how big it is yet. I'll post all the details and pics as soon as it arrives. I can't wait! I thought about just going to pick it up in person, but I just don't have time for the drive right now. Hope it makes it in one piece!

I was thinking last night how interesting it is that the Detroit Mauna Loa went through all the trouble of having all of their mugs custom designed and made. Even their coconut mug was made specifically for them. Not one dime was spared in making that place. I really wish I could have seen it back in the day.

[ Edited by: Chub 2006-05-03 13:59 ]

The thick lip on it, and the metal hanging handle, make it look like it would be cumbersome to drink out of. Though the double-walled construction of the Crane/Mauna Loa pieces did have wide lips; the dimensions just don't look friendly for drinking with a straw. Combined with it never having been seen before either in person or on the menu, it makes me think it might be a votive candle holder (though the handle would get hot from the candle) or a condiment container. Both are items that are not super-common, but do crop up from time to time from tiki bars. Very cool! Can't wait to see more pictures of it.

Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki

[ Edited by: Humuhumu 2006-05-03 14:07 ]

To me, it doesn't make sense as a candle holder for three reasons. #1 Why would you have fire coming out of a cauldron that's already got fire underneath it. #2 Wouldn't a cauldron over a fire have some kind of liquid, or food (people) in it? #3 The handle might get too hot.

Good points! Maybe new pictures will solve the mystery....

Maybe it's a custom made Cannibal/Tiki-esque Soup Mug? The thick walls make sense for hot soup, and a thick lip & handle aren't as cumbersome if you're using a spoon.

I don't think it's a candle holder. It's very bulky. I would think maybe a sterno holder for pupus, but it would depend on the interior if that made sense or not. And I would expect a lid to put it out. The handle says to me it got hot, and the thick walls maybe as well. But it might also mean it was just a service item.

Finally got around to getting pics of the Mauna Loa cauldron mug. You might not be able to tell by the pictures, but this thing is big. Same double wall construction as the drum mug. It will hold the same amount of liquid as a Trader Vic's coconut mug, but the outside dimensions are much bigger. The metal handle moves freely and out of the way.

awesome piece, chub. great score.