What is the most popular Tiki mug of all time?

My buddy asked me today and I didn't have an answer for him.

That probably depends on your definition of "popular." Do you mean most expensive, most wanted, most available, in the most collections, most wanted amongst tiki people or the general public? If you're looking for the name of just one mug, you're going to have to be more specific.

Jen ~ I guess I should have broken that down by category. Among Tiki enthusiasts which is the most popular in terms of wanting to own. But I'd love to hear the answers for the other questions as well.

Just say "Leilani" and that should do it.

IMHO
I'm gonna have to say ..
the Oli-Oli/Kakaka/Pupule mugs from Tiki Farm!
:)

Plug Em!!!... I AGREE THOUGH!!
I love Oli-Oli/Kakaka/Pupule... They Rule!!

Check out the statistics on Ooga-Mooga.

This is MY favorite...

On 2010-03-01 16:26, little lost tiki wrote:
IMHO
I'm gonna have to say ..

I agree with bananabobs

I was thinking vintage/classic Don the Beachcomber mug?

On 2010-03-01 16:24, Agent 86 wrote:
Jen ~ I guess I should have broken that down by category. Among Tiki enthusiasts which is the most popular in terms of wanting to own. ...

The correct answer would be the iconic Tiki Bob. In fact, it's quite possibly the very first Tiki mug ever designed.

photo credit: MauiTiki collection on Ooga-Mooga

For better or worse....probably the Surfer Girl mug

While it's not my favortie - I was thinking the same as Hakalugi that Tiki Bob is it.

On 2010-03-01 22:40, Agent 86 wrote:
While it's not my favortie - I was thinking the same as Hakalugi that Tiki Bob is it.

I also 100% concur with Agent 86 agreement of Hakalugis submission.
And before I posted the Don, I also thought about posting Tiki Bob, but something stopped me from choosing "him". lol...Personally, I'm just not dying or vying to own this mug, even as iconic as it is, and I sorta suspect I'm not the only one. It has its provenance, it is technically tiki, but does everyone want or need this in their collection? Hard to tell...I guess same can be said about Don the Beachcomber mug too...

I would guess that whatever is the "Grail" of tiki mugs would be the pick, because really, Who doesn't want a holy grail(or Pièce de Résistance) in their own collections? The grail would be the track-proven, consistant top dollar seller, or a mug that never sells less than a minimum of a few hundred dollars or more, combined with a mass appeal and rarity factor...(looking for Sven, Holden or Bosko to chime in with their knowledge or thoughts on this)

Didn't we have a thread about this before? Anyway, I know the Miehana was a a consistent, much loved seller over the years. Everyone knows the Ren Clark Severed Head is the most desired/hardest to come by. I like the answer "the one you don't have yet".
And Tom, that Asian Don The Beachcomber you are showing is not as nice as the first generation one in the BOT.

The mug that appears on the most wish lists on Ooga-Mooga is the Islander Bumatay mug. It's definitely on mine.

I have to agree with 8ft . . Orchids of Hawaii Japan R91, AKA Tiki Leilani USA pottery, AKA Leilani. If you don't own one you're not collecting yet. Certainly the most popular from a historical standpoint, without a doubt the most populated.

Available at fine flea markets, thrift stores and antique malls everywhere!

(Number two would have to be the clear or frosted two-faced globe mug.)

I've seen Tiki Bob necklaces, Tiki Bob plush toys, Tiki Bob earrings, Tiki Bob on t-shirts. I've seen a line of Bosko mugs influenced by Tiki Bob. I've seen a cartoon Tiki Bob image. I'm sure there is more.

The influence of Tiki Bob is indisputable. Sure, there are other mugs that are more sought after to collectors but that doesn't equate to more popular.

I stand by my claim.

Sven, I forgot(idiot me!) all about the real Ren Clark severed head mug that a few people have duplicated over the years! That certainly is a rare and elusive one, and when it does pop up, it commmands high three digit to low four digit figures.

And I also forgot about my favorite carver mug, the Bumatay Islander, although probably not as known as Tiki Bob or the severed head.
Looking and comparing mugs based on Ooga Mooga, the Bumatay mug is beaten out on price and "wishlist want" by the Ren Clark severed head mug.

I actually retract my original Don the Beachcomber mug choice, and consider a coin toss between Tiki Bob and Ren Clark's head(even though it may be debateable if it is truly a "tiki mug". BUT since it was created for a polynesian themed restaurant/bar, it should remain considered "tiki".

On a personal note, my first tiki mug was actually an OMC Black Moai from The Tiki's. Using the "popular piece" aspect in collections, am I misled to think that everyone thus far already owns a black moai mug from OMC, regardless if it is stamped with a specific location or not? And could the O.O.H. Headhunter/Warrior mug, or Generic Coconut mug be just as popular, since they are seen advertised in and on alot of vintage illustrated drink menus?

I ask this because, I may be the only oddball who still has not picked up a
Leilani or Miehana mug, and because that black moai, headhunter, and coconut mugs were used in almost every facet of the midcentury polynesian restaurant/bar industry.

If you really want to entertain a thought, maybe the Party City/OTC tiki is really another top contender, based on its wide availability, its commercially reproduced style, and garish coloring has been seen everywhere... Coast to coast, even worldwide. It is affordable, and whenever non-collectors want to throw a luau, it is simple for them to buy this style and disposable mugs off the internet or in most party supply/outlet location. Plastic tiki mugs can be seen as a "gateway" drug, opening new doors for those who are intrigued with the weird expressioned plastic vessel they drink from.

Again, because this question can actually tap into at least four different results such as Popularity and Desirability(as actually being in most collections), Provenance, Rarity/Elusivness, and Monetary value(price seems to parallel the popularity aspect)
Is there really a right answer to this?
We need a census bureau for tiki 2010!

I think that no matter how we arrive at our own conclusions, personal preference should not cloud the facts of what is elusive, the most expensive vintage mug like the Severed Head, or an overall top seller such as the Miehana. There are absolute hard facts for these areas.

On 2010-03-02 07:38, Tiki-Kate wrote:
The mug that appears on the most wish lists on Ooga-Mooga is the Islander Bumatay mug. It's definitely on mine.

Hi Kate,
Glade to see you're up to posting again!

In my experience - and I use my parents example circa 1960s - the mug I would choose would be the mid-century hand-carved wooden examples.

These were everywhere back when I was a kid; even today they are still be found on various auction lists as well as your neighborhood thrift or second-hand stores.

If I were to judge popularity of a particular item, I would base a large percentage of my choice upon the sheer amount of examples still extant. I see more wooden mugs in the wild and in homes in general than any of the treasured holy-grail examples that have been mentioned above.

My two-cent opinion :wink:

The OMC black moai mug was the first I found out in the wilds of California so it is close to my heart

Tiki Bob was a mug I was dying to own and was so freaking excited when I found it. I have since bought Bob art from MP, Grog, received a gift of Bob from Joe Banks courtesy of Tobunga and have a few sets of shakers from the restaurant as well. I heart the Bob and he will always continue to be my favorite mug

Most popular mug I see out and about is the Harvey's bucket mug -- but I think this has to be based more on region than on popularity

I could care less about a severed head mug--if I found one I would sell it immediately---but I would love to own one of those Steve Crane bird bowls.

I think in terms of "popular" you have to consider who you are asking and what their tastes are.

I like the kitschy factor of tiki collecting which is why Tiki Bob and Mr. Smiley from the Stockton Islander are among my personal popular favs.

On 2010-03-01 15:37, Agent 86 wrote:
What is the most popular mug of all time?

Unga wins!

It does kinda feel like we've covered this territory before - maybe a little different, like "what's your holy grail?" But it's still fun to think about for a minute, so why not...

For me, definitely Tiki Bob. It's an icon, it's very popular without being dime-a-dozen, it's at least somewhat tiki (definitely more than a severed head), and uh, my wife and I just like it.

A lot of other iconic mugs have similar qualifications, like the Mainlander or Mr. Bali Hai. I think the Mainlander is a beautiful design, with a strong and unique identity, and it's very well-known. But in some indescribable way, Tiki Bob seems just a little more like a king compared to these other members of the royal court.

To me, the black Harvey's Sneaky Tiki is an interesting one. It's so common, but I think it's actually quite beautiful (especially if it still has all the cold paint), and I really like the abstracted tiki design. But even if most people have it, it's probably not the most popular in terms of WANTING to own. Who knows - if it was as rare as the Bumatay Islander, it might be more sought after though.

I still don't understand the appeal of the severed head mug. When I was new to tiki mugs, if I saw one of those on a thrift store shelf, I'd pass right by (not that I ever saw one though). Now that the years have brought lots more knowledge from books and communities, plus a little more firsthand knowledge, I STILL wouldn't want that mug. I understand how it connects with the world of poly-pop, and the fact that it's a rarity, but for me there is nothing about it that appeals visually in the same way that tiki imagery does. I think there are actually a lot of people who don't like the severed head, so it's hard to see how that could be the most popular. But people have different reasons for collecting things, and maybe some people react more negatively to Tiki Bob than the severed head mug. Aside from the fact that they'd be WRONG (just kidding), that's why it'd be hard to ever reach a consensus. But it's still fun to see opinions.

-Randy

[ Edited by: aquarj 2010-03-02 12:31 ]

For me, my favorite mug has always been the Mark Thomas Outrigger Green Moai Mug. I've always thought it had an original look, very modern. I love the color and glaze on it. You don't see them everywhere, but they are not so rare that people pay $500 bucks or whatever for it. Based purely on design, if I was going to own just one mug, this would be it.

The colorful PNG inspired image against the black Luau 400 fogcutter is one of my favorites. And nothing says "Tiki" stronger than the large Frankoma War God, produced for the Trade Winds.

I'm gonna have to say Unkle Fun's Banana Boat! due to is versatility. Not only can you serve an adult beverage, the kiddies luv them to for banana splits.

[ Edited by: unklefun 2010-03-02 14:06 ]

I just got a Suffering Bastard. I think that has to be at the top of the food chain in terms of Tiki mugs.

I don't know, some of those mugs from Harvey's Lake Tahoe is pretty ubiquitous.

I have to echo Tiki Kate (so good to see you posting again, by the way!)... The Stockton Islander Bumatay mug haunts my waking dreams...

But, for sheer popularity, identifiability, and fame, it's got to be Tiki Bob... I mean if any one of us came across a Tiki Bob in the wild, for a buck at a thrift store, or 25 or 50 bucks at an antique store, would they let it go? Heck no! Even if it was purchased to resell... Tiki Bob is such an ubiquitous tiki icon, it has to win that crown!

I haven't bought a new mug in a LONG time...Actually my girlfriend just got me one of Bosko's modern Tiki Bobs...Super cool...But other than that, nothing has really been on my list as a 'must have'.

There is ONE mug that I really do want though and it's the Tiki Bob "Blue Hawaii" cast and crew mug. That is the one mug that has really eluded me...