Munktiki Mugs...

Did anyone notice that Munktiki has raised his prices on the website? What is up with that? Tikifarm lowers prices and Munktiki does just the opposite...I'm glad I picked up some of their mugs before the price hike...

Gee, I don't know. I can't say about the other items they have, but their tiki mugs have always been $18 each on the web site.

Otto IS on page 10a of todays (Wednesday) SF. Examiner. Thanks for the info.

Can someone post Otto's article for those of us far from S.F.?

MauiTiki

On 2003-01-22 14:38, TikiManiac wrote:
Did anyone notice that Munktiki has raised his prices on the website? What is up with that? Tikifarm lowers prices and Munktiki does just the opposite...I'm glad I picked up some of their mugs before the price hike...

Have you noticed that Tiki Farm mugs now come with a "Made in Mexico" sticker on the bottom. I'd pay double for a quality Munktiki mug any day. Much nicer designs and quality.

Just my opinion... MauiTiki

On 2003-01-22 20:52, MauiTiki wrote:
Have you noticed that Tiki Farm mugs now come with a "Made in Mexico" sticker on the bottom. I'd pay double for a quality Munktiki mug any day. Much nicer designs and quality.

So long as there's no "Made by children in a third-world country under disgustingly dangerous conditions and paid 35 cents per 18-hour work day" sticker on 'em (like your Nike shoes), what's the big deal?

I love my Tiki Farm AND Munktiki mugs, and I hope they BOTH continue producing great stuff.

Frankly, I appreciate the lower prices on some mugs, as I don't want to serve drinks in $20 mugs.

-Mike

On 2003-01-22 20:48, MauiTiki wrote:
Can someone post Otto's article for those of us far from S.F.?

I found it, you can view it here, no photos however.
http://www.examiner.com/sfx/templates/printer.jsp?story=n.qatiki.0122w

Er, not sure how the article topic got grafetd into this one, but 'whatever'...

Yup, I noticed the increase, but you know, I have to say I really don't mind. For my money, Munktiki has the absolute best quality, workmanship, shipping, and designs of any modern mugs I've seen. Plus Paul and Stuckie are really nice guys, and I like to help them keep producing new, excellent mugs and other things. If a price increase means new mugs, I'm all for it.

Maybe somebody can correct me, but the only two increases I saw were on Evil Bastard and Bigshot.

I would have to concur in your assessment of Munktiki's products. My tastes run more to the vintage mug/items, but Munktiki's "Digs" is an all-time classic mug. Their "Chongo" is cool too, but was never able to get one of them, barnacles! Tiki Farm has done well with re-introducing quality mugs to a number of restaurants/bars. Their work with TV's is alone enough for kudos.

I say all this about Munktiki even though they rejected my name for the mug that became "Del-Tiki". No grudge...nope, but I never bought one!

The prices are up a bit on maybe half the mugs at Munktiki. That is my estimation after looking at a couple of pages. With the onslaught of deep-pocket bidders for vintage mugs on Ebay and the difficulty in finding bargains heer in SF, maybe it is time for me to start collecting "new" mugs?

midnite

Ah yes, the amazing Digs. I was lucky enough to be gifted the entire (at the time) Munktiki eBay run of mugs, from King Tubby to Geister, for Xmas of 2001, by my devoted fellow tiki collector wife. As a result I've been hooked on Munktiki ever since.

Munktiki was my intro to mugs, but I've since tracked down quite a few vintage mugs locally (at least the ones I've been able to get to before johntiki - he's also in the same general area as me). I'm a sucker for an excellent glaze, vintage or new.

For the record, my pick of the Munktiki litter is a non-eBay mug, the Bigshot: wonderful, simple lines and either the green/purple glaze or the older red glaze... mmm, nothing like it!

Karasau

So where do youand Johntiki search? I have yet to find a tiki-in-the-wild in the Baltimore Washington area. I assume you have made it to "In Watermelon Sugar," in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood. Their stock is low right now, but the often have a wide variety of TIki Farm items. The proprieter apparently is not the on-line type, because she always makes the same face when ever someone mentions carrying Munktiki to her.

j

Yes, we did a slight increase on some items. Basically these items have been needing a price increase for some time. The mugs that did get increased were increased for the reason that they take a lot longer to process through then the others, or there is an extra cost in making them(evil bastards expensive glaze).
Here is what we increased:
Evil bastard 20 to 25
bigshot 18 to 20
rumba cups 24 to 32
volcano bowl 42 to 44
Also, as I am sure many of you already know, Its just my dad and I making these. We are infact doing everything, sculpting, making molds, production, shipping, you name it. So this price increase was necessary for us to keep going.
Also I want to say thanks to everyone here that is supporting us. I enjoy making these mugs very much, I appreciate your feedback, it only encourages me to do better.

Anyways thanks again

-stuckie

Yeah, you rOcK-oN with yerself stuckie. the price "differences" don't bother me a bit. Just keep pumping out those mugs. Munks are so ZaZZ :wink:

jtiki, I'm mostly a Harford and Baltimore County second-hand store hunter (and eBayer)-- never been to In Watermelon Sugar though I've heard a lot about it. I'm just kidding about johntiki though-- I just always see that he's in Bel Air and figure that's why I don't see more mugs locally. Are you from around MD/DC?

Hey Stuckie, speaking of the glaze on Evil Bastard, is it the same (other than color) as Chongo? Just curious.

No the evil bastard glaze is a hobbyist glaze, comes premixed. The chongo glaze is just a green oxide stain mixed in a white satin glaze, Which is from a comercial/industrial ceramics supplier. But I assure you the chongo glaze got me just as frustrated as the evil bastard glaze gets me at times.

On 2003-01-23 11:58, Karasu 99 wrote:
Munktiki was my intro to mugs, but I've since tracked down quite a few vintage mugs locally (at least the ones I've been able to get to before johntiki - he's also in the same general area as me).

First of all let me preface this comment with a parental advisory...This post contains adult language.....HOLY SHIT! There is actually someone else in Harford County who is into tiki????? So you're the one that's been looting the Goodwill's and antique stores around here!? I knew there were tiki mugs floating around this Godforsaken desert of Polynesian Pop!! :) In all seriousness...that is super cool! You've got to get together with some of the fellow Baltimore, DC and VA tikiphiles next time we get something planned! But in the meantime...you stay away from the Goodwill's on the first and third weeks of the month and I'll stay away the second and fourth weeks of each month - that way we can increase our chances of ever finding anything tiki or even Hawaiian related...:wink:

On 2003-01-23 11:58, Karasu 99 wrote:
Munktiki was my intro to mugs

My first mugs were from Munktiki as well, The Super Tiki Deluxe still sits front and center of my collection.

Hey Stuckie, if we visit your Mom's store are there any one of a kind or "store only" mugs? What about seconds?

Ordered my Shecky this morning, cant wait!

MauiTiki

[ Edited by: MauiTiki on 2003-01-23 21:37 ]

[ Edited by: MauiTiki on 2003-01-23 21:39 ]

I like both of these mug manufacturers, their prices reflect two different approaches. Not better or worse, just different. Something for everyone.

Karasu

Raised in Dundalk, MD, living in Falls Church, VA. Familiar with Honolulu, Politiki, and most of the tikis in Ocean City, have yet to see Vera's White Sands or the Solomon Island Tiki Bar.

Stuckie

Since you have joined the fray, can you comment on the "other" Munktiki's that have shown up in the mcf7777 sell off; the Wameia Mug, or the so-called Bug-eyed Paul Nielsen?

Whew, let me see if I can keep track of all the topics here, sheesh.

Stuckie, that's cool, I just noticed a similar look and feel on E.B. and Chongo, I wasnt sure if there was a connection glaze-wise.

johntiki, I wouldn't exactly call it looting-- even if we split weeks like you suggest we'd probably only find one or two every couple months. Have you ever been to Spenceola Antiques? They seem to have a few every now and then. Yah, let me know the next time you guys get together, my wife and I would love to meet fellow tikiphiles.

jtiki, here's my horrible secret... I've actually never been to a tiki bar! shock, horror My wife, however, hails from Columbus and has fond childhood Kahiki memories, as does her Dad.

Wow, I think I've double my total posts here in the past 24 hours!

MauiTiki, my dad made a new mug awhile back and was only selling it in my moms store. I think it has been cut though, he decided to stop making it. I have been thinking about bringing some seconds over there as they are starting to accumulate from all the test colors.

Jtiki, the Waimea mug was made for a brewery a few years back. Limited to 100 pieces, this was designed and made by my dad. I believe the majority of the mugs went to their mug club. The Bug eye mug was my dads first mug, back in 97. My dad had another line of ceramics that he'd been selling for over 25 years. The mug was taken to one of the many wholesale shows that they so often did, but at that time there was no response. So it was put on the backburner. Then in 2000 he decide to give it another try, with king tubby. In the meantime the bug eyes mug has been lost to the past, but we do still have them to sell.

Karasu, those glazes are similar in the fact that they are both satin glazes but other then that they are totally different.

Well time to got to work.
later
-stuckie

On 2003-01-24 07:39, Karasu 99 wrote:
Have you ever been to Spenceola Antiques? They seem to have a few every now and then.

I've had minimal success with Spenceola...I found a Leilani mug there and an Arthur Lyman LP...I've actually had better luck with the Goodwill...found a Hawaiian Inn Leilani mug and a Polynesian Village mug...Actually best score was at a little antique/junk store in Churchville - found a Mr.Bali Hai mug w/lid and a Harvey's Hula Girl mug on the same trip! I still have dreams of finding a Tiki Bob's mug in a thrift or antique store some day!!

In the meantime the bug eyes mug has been lost to the past, but we do still have them to sell.

Stuckie,
Does this mean you have others for sale, but you aren't planning to make more? The reason I ask is that the bug-eyes is a personal favorite of mine.

On 2003-01-24 10:04, stuckieshaft wrote:
In the meantime the bug eyes mug has been lost to the past, but we do still have them to sell.
-stuckie

Bug Eyes Mug? Where can I see one and how much?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29460&item=2154805573

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29460&item=2155719696

I just received one in white as part of a trade.

j

What other colors of the bugeye mug have you guys seen? I have a blue-green one and I seem to recall seeing an auction on one colored much like a Mark Thomas Outrigger.

Hey johntiki, I've found a Leilani and four monkey pod wood handled mugs (a personal favorite of mine because of the broad variation-- I got all four in one trip!) at Spenceola, and strange narrow Orchids of Hawaii with a tiny, tiny Ku bas-relief on it at the Goodwill, but that's that. This past weekend we hit Havre de Grace, but found nothing but a glued-together Coco Joe's bottle opener. MD is just no good for tiki items. So... any chance I can get you to spill yer guts about where the Churchville shop is? I promise not to buy a Tiki Bob's if they have one!

Hey anybody see Munktiki's site lately. I really like the new look. http://www.munktiki.com

Agreed, it's great! And I guess you've seen that their S & P's are coming on 14 February, eh?

Turbogod, you're in the Baltimore area too? Holy crap, just how many other Tiki Central folks are around here anyway?

Karuso, Jtiki, Johntiki, Turbogod:
I live in Silver Spring, Maryland and now I KNOW why I have had no luck in the local thrift stores.
We have to get together soon.
If you guys are willing to share your secrets, which Goodwills do you have the best luck with?
My favorite mug / tiki finds are from the junk shops. I just don't get the same thrill when I buy mugs on the internet (although I still do it).
p.s. I'm a transplant from Atlanta/Greenville, SC

[ Edited by: Chacha on 2003-02-07 11:28 ]

I haven't had much luck in the Thrift Store area. Most of my stuff is through Ebay. The best thrift find was a westwood Shotglass mug for 25 cents at a Greek Festival's flea market down the street from my house. I did find a Tepco skull mug, but I really didn't like it that much to pay $15 for it.

The vast majority of mine are eBay finds as well. I find that Baltimore-area thrift stores tend toward the crap end of the spectrum, with very little of the old, and Baltimore-area antique stores tend toward the early American or the 70's and 80's, completely bypassing the mid-century. And as for the flea markets of Harford County, well... just don't even bother.

On 2003-02-07 07:11, Karasu 99 wrote:
any chance I can get you to spill yer guts about where the Churchville shop is? I promise not to buy a Tiki Bob's if they have one!

Sure I'll spill about the place in Churchville...It's called Ye Old Curiosity Shop and the place is right off Rt.22...packed from floor to ceiling with junk! My parents also had luck when they stopped by the same shop looking for a birthday present for me in November. They got an Emerson Hotel skull mug which I have been looking for forever! It's worth a try but I think I might have mined the last bit of tiki from the place...it's not really a place you go and browse, you have the ask the guy if he has anything. He actually dug for the Mr. Bali Hai mug for nearly 20 minutes and amazingly came up with it!

Let's hear it for our very own PoweroftheTiki, winner of the Munktiki contest this week. Hooray 4 U!