ebay: Now on ebay - Trader Vic's Hibachi Kit - new in box

I just found this kit at a sale and thought I would ask the experts about it's value.

It is a hibachi kit in the original Trader Vic's box containing: Red cast iron Hibachi with two grates, 6 stainless steel swords (marked Trader Vic's), a recipe sheet, and a package of little bamboo skewers. All are new and unused. I'm thinking of posting it on ebay but don't know anything about the value. Is anything missing from the kit? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

On ebay now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221087298648?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

[ Edited by: mittengirl 2012-08-02 06:10 ]

I think you want this website:

http://www.Iwant2knowwhatsomethingisworthsoIcansellit.com

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2012-07-03 13:16 ]

Wow. Sorry I must have offended you by asking for help.
OK - How about this?
Is the kit complete? If in your vast store of tiki knowledge you have the answer please reply. If not then please don't.

2 bucks

The old-timers don't like people coming on here and asking for help as their first posts. http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=43241&forum=5&20

I know I was blunt, But to be fair, I am really all about helping out a fellow Tikiphile
Someone who has an interest in preserving a particular time and place in our history
It is what this site is all about!

But I have no interest in assisting someone, Out to make a quick buck off that history
I find it completely disrespectful to us, (Whom are passionate about Tiki)
that someone can show no manners what so ever, Post once asking for our help, Never to post again
because they don't give a fuck about "Tiki" just making a maximum profit.

I find this as an indictment against all these "Greed based" Reality TV shows (Like Storage Wars etc.)
And the distasteful behavior exhibited in these shows, And the examples they set
Which in turn gets adopted by society in general, Making it an acceptable way of acting
when I do not.

Now get off my Lawn!

“Disrespectful“ “no manners” wow, really….people have been looking to turn a profit since day one. I see nothing nefarious in this post. I believe this site is about maybe just a wee bit more than some on here like to believe.

Give credit that they were truthful in the question. showed enough respect to not try to play wow look what I have does anyone know the history of this...........

OnlyATikiLad, There is a major "Generational" divide between the concept
of etiquette & manners, Quite simply most people today do not understand the concept.

Call me old man or what ever you like, But I will embrace that ideal until I die
and will continue to point out the lack of such etiquette when it hits me in the face.

Tiki Teach, Yes fair enough

But what no one is asking is does "mittengirl" have just the slightest bit of interest in the world of Tiki?
or did she come here just because she is to lazy to do her own research on what something is worth
& how much to sell it for & yes, That is a rude thing to do, Especially without introduction or even the pleasantries
of saying hello first.

mittengirl if I am wrong about you I will personally offer to buy you a drink & apologize to your face.

Oh I forgot, Get off my Lawn!

Hello ATP, You are ruthless. Passionate, but still ruthless. I agree with all that you said but you didn't compliment her on choosing the proper forum. Keep up the vigilance.
Cheers

If it wasn't for my sense of humor,I guess I would be a complete asshole :lol: :lol: :lol:
Cheers nui 'umi 'umi!

How can anyone harbor ill will towards someone who calls themselves "mittengirl" ??

Mittengirl, hibachis are really not collectible Tiki items so to assess the value is difficult. I would guess $25 might be a fair price.

You should just keep it and use it, after all anything grilled on a Trader Vic's hibachi will meet the criteria for Tiki food.

Cook up some Tiki hot dogs. That's priceless !!

You mean one of the most wanted SS Torturer's of WWII

Ingrid Von Mittengirl!

I tell you what mittengirl, you can pay for an account called worthpoint. Do your research there. Somebody once said to me, even after I had been coming in here for at least 4 years and I asked a question of value on a carved ku from the late 50's and someone said to me "you will get paid what someone is willing to pay you, that's what it's worth. The reason for me was not to sell it but to tell this old guy what it was worth so he would get it out of the sun. He understands value. You will have to do your own research.

again Im putting in my 2 bucks worth, because thats my magic price and I want one of those.

Well I for one would like to see pictures. As a Trader Vic's collector that is one piece I do not own. You can contact me privately and I'll gladly make you and offer or email me.

I fail to see what helping someone with a price regardless of their post count has to do with anything. It's rude and elitist and just about everything you hear about this forum from most collectors.

Paul

[email protected]

I commented on this because I find the replies to these kinds of post mildly interesting and informative and I tire of having to skim past all the holier-than-thou crap. It is easy to spot the ill-intentioned postings, ignore them and move on. News flash, they are never going away.
I am assuming this a very well intentioned person looking for a little information. What kind of research would you like them to do? and don’t tell me “use the search feature” maybe they have.
A google search of “tiki” will consistently come up with a link to tiki central as a top ten result. A layperson doing “their own research” is inevitably going to end up on tiki central and what does it matter their degree of interest in tiki? Is there a minimum standard? Are you the judge? Maybe in coming here, they will have a nice experience, poke around a bit, kick the tires, become more interested in tiki or even make a purchase. Plenty of people here enjoy offering their “expertise” on subjects like this and will happily offer it even when repetitive. If you have “no interest in assisting someone” why not just ignore the post? Why dump on someone and cause them to go away thinking “tiki = assholes”

Might as well go off on a tangent here regarding your wonderful tiki space you have created and I personally like it very much. With your use of skull heads, surfboards, solar tiki torches, African animal print and tiki with the sacrilege pineapple carved forehead are you really “preserving a particular time and place in our history” or adding to it’s dilution? There is a large contingent here that would affirm the latter and I would hope they refrain from dumping on you for that.
Remember this is the web; normal rules do not apply here. People are living very fast paced lives “Introductions” and “Pleasantries” are readily available during high tea at Bellagio. Thank you for playing

I feel like this site is the face of the 'tiki collecting community' for most people out there.

I collect more things than tiki, and when I have a question that I can't answer through a web search, I typically go to a forum & ask a question. I rarely have time to spend an hour trying to figure out the forum's 'etiquette', I just ask. More often than not, people are anxious to answer questions about things they are passionate about, and eager to help someone who could potentially share the same interest. It doesn't seem that way here.

I'm not sure why anyone here would be surprised that collectors want to know how much their treasures are worth. It doesn't make them a flipper, or a money-grubber, or even mean they want to sell anything. It's just part of the fun of collecting, like poring over price guides.

I certainly don't want to offend anyone; I respect everyones right to an opinion, but this site isn't anyones 'lawn'. It's an informational site on the Internet, and belongs to the first-time poster just as much as someone who posts every day. If we chase away all newcomers w/ a genuine interest, then it becomes the same ten people talking about the matchbooks they found at the flea market on sunday. And doesn't that do us all a disservice?

Again, I say all of this in respect to the site that all of us clearly love, regardless of how we defend it.

Amen! and I'm not even religious! Haha! Talk about manners... Why not stay with GOOD manners? Always. I don't know what her intent was, but why not find out before assuming the worst? Like someone stated earlier, maybe she did do a lot of research and didn't find anything out? Is she just supposed to stop searching? This website is here to help tikiphiles. I do agree with doing one's own research, but if one hit's a blockade, why not help? I'm a newbie and I'm VERY THANKFUL for all of the Tiki Central members who have given me priceless information that I wouldn't have found otherwise.

I'm all for good manners, which is the original point of the replies to this thread. Tiki Central is a community, meaning we get to know each other, and then ask questions to enrich our knowledge. In a nutshell, Tiki Central is meant to be more like Tiki Wikipedia, and nothing like Antiques Roadshow.

Great! now we are talking, Disagree with me all you want, I don't make the rules for anyone here
I am glad you are getting engaged now, Happy to see other opinions, Keep it up!

But mittengirl made it quite clear in her first post that she is not a collector
& she just wanted a price so she can sell the item on eBay.

My one main point is "Please have some interest in Tiki" I am all about helping out
someone who wants to learn about it or who collects for themselves.

And speaking of manners, The least mittengirl could of done is offer it to one of you for sale
as TC is where a most likely buyer would be found, But no?

And who do you think is driving up the prices of mugs, ephemera etc.
So many of us "collectors" can no longer afford to collect them?

Honestly I think the best way to deal with these type of posts would be to answer the question as honestly as possible, short and simple. I'd guess that rarely are the people looking for answers thrilled with the accurate answers they receive and I doubt they're looking for insurance appraisals.:lol: Like Tikigreg said this isn't Antiques Roadshow and the last time there was something Tiki on Antiques Roadshow they struggled with pricing it.

However there is no reason why this post should span 2 pages. So what's a Trader Vic's Hibachi Kit worth? Maybe $35.00 to 60.00? I think $40.00 would be as high as I'd go if I were looking for one. Pictures should always be included in these types of posts, it's helpful but even without pictures someone could send you a PM if they're interested.

In the future my answer to these posts will be "Start your ebay auction at $5.00 and hope for the best." It's short, simple, honest and only mildly sarcastic. :wink:

On 2012-07-04 09:08, OnlyATikiLad wrote:
I commented on this because I find the replies to these kinds of post mildly interesting and informative and I tire of having to skim past all the holier-than-thou crap. It is easy to spot the ill-intentioned postings, ignore them and move on. News flash, they are never going away.
I am assuming this a very well intentioned person looking for a little information. What kind of research would you like them to do? and don’t tell me “use the search feature” maybe they have.
A google search of “tiki” will consistently come up with a link to tiki central as a top ten result. A layperson doing “their own research” is inevitably going to end up on tiki central and what does it matter their degree of interest in tiki? Is there a minimum standard? Are you the judge? Maybe in coming here, they will have a nice experience, poke around a bit, kick the tires, become more interested in tiki or even make a purchase. Plenty of people here enjoy offering their “expertise” on subjects like this and will happily offer it even when repetitive. If you have “no interest in assisting someone” why not just ignore the post? Why dump on someone and cause them to go away thinking “tiki = assholes”

Might as well go off on a tangent here regarding your wonderful tiki space you have created and I personally like it very much. With your use of skull heads, surfboards, solar tiki torches, African animal print and tiki with the sacrilege pineapple carved forehead are you really “preserving a particular time and place in our history” or adding to it’s dilution? There is a large contingent here that would affirm the latter and I would hope they refrain from dumping on you for that.
Remember this is the web; normal rules do not apply here. People are living very fast paced lives “Introductions” and “Pleasantries” are readily available during high tea at Bellagio. Thank you for playing

Thanks for this.

I joined TC a few months ago as a complete newbie to tiki - thankfully I dodged a bullet by introducing myself first - but have seen so many people just jumped on and their items insulted. And, yeah, I do love my new collecting hobby and have amassed quite a number of tiki items, but I'll be damned if I'd ever want to have a drink with half of the people on here. The purists, the "real" collectors, the ones "preserving tiki" seem like a bunch of elitists and I don't really tolerate snobs. Tiki is new to me, but as far as collecting is concerned I have been a hardcore collector of '60s punk and freakbeat for 25+ years and I have never seen the snobbery in that collecting area that I do here.

And, yeah, sometimes using the search function doesn't yield the results we want and/or need, so where is the harm in asking?

Good on you KK,

And if you can post some pics, I would appreciate it even if it's not for sale.

I find most of my stuff in the wild and we produce Tiki mugs as well. You have to get out there and beat the bushes, I find ultra rare stuff for pennies on the dollar. Don't sit around bitching about prices if you aren't even willing to look.

The elitist attitude is rampant on this forum and at the tiki shows. Everyone is an expert on what's tiki, if you love tiki it's what you make it!

Paul

http://www.lucasfrancisstudio.com

http://www.ooga-mooga.com/cgi-bin/my/collection.cgi?mode=gallery

[ Edited by: blacklagoon 2012-07-04 13:41 ]

On 2012-07-04 13:40, blacklagoon wrote:
Good on you KK,

And if you can post some pics, I would appreciate it even if it's not for sale.

Will do. I like my little collection; it's coming along and I have a few key pieces. I will upload to Ooga Mooga tonight.

One month ago this was my son's playroom that he outgrew and I decided to take over. What is not visible (or remotely Tiki) is the 50" TV that I now get to watch whilst sipping cocktails in my sanctuary :)

Looks Nice! why not post it on the "Home Tiki Bar" thread
where you can update, As you add to it,I hope you have a name for the lounge?

Dear kittykat65, I really love the decor you have. The furniture is fantastic! What a nice sanctuary to relax in. I think the lamp is soo cool looking.

Thank you very much for your compliments. It really is a cosy little space.

I am glad you like the lamp. It was on eBay for a long time before I made an offer that was accepted. It arrived and half the head had broken off along with the light fixture. I repaired the head myself with an epoxy putty and acrylic paint and had a professional put in a new socket and she is good as new. The furniture was also an eBay find that has a story. The person I bought it from is in Dallas and rather than shipping through a carrier bought the furniture a ticket on a Greyhound bus. It was delivered to the side of the road, where it was discovered by a good samaritan who called me since my phone number was on it. It was also described as "mint", but was far from it. I ended up sanding off all the layers of varnish, dirt and spiders and revarnishing. I think it turned out great in the end.

That IS a CRAZY story! It looks AMAZING!!!

So where is the Trader Vic's Hibachi Kit? I would like to see photographs of it also. I have never even heard of one before, But it sounds interesting.

On 2012-07-04 12:01, Bora Boris wrote:
Honestly I think the best way to deal with these type of posts would be to answer the question as honestly as possible, short and simple. I'd guess that rarely are the people looking for answers thrilled with the accurate answers they receive and I doubt they're looking for insurance appraisals.:lol: Like Tikigreg said this isn't Antiques Roadshow and the last time there was something Tiki on Antiques Roadshow they struggled with pricing it.

However there is no reason why this post should span 2 pages. So what's a Trader Vic's Hibachi Kit worth? Maybe $35.00 to 60.00? I think $40.00 would be as high as I'd go if I were looking for one. Pictures should always be included in these types of posts, it's helpful but even without pictures someone could send you a PM if they're interested.

In the future my answer to these posts will be "Start your ebay auction at $5.00 and hope for the best." It's short, simple, honest and only mildly sarcastic. :wink:

Thank you for being the voice of reason Boris. Answer the questions "honestly as possible, short and simple" is great advice. And end with a "Start at five bucks and hope for the best" instead of the inane "Its worth what someone is willing to pay". I commend you Boris, you are far more tolerant of the constant whining by a very select few about people coming to TC to try to get estimates in dollars. Personally I don't know why on earth you would come to TC if you have a problem with the basics of the capitalistic system. Most of us find trade with dollars to be far more convenient than say paying with wampum or maybe using the barter system to pay for Tiki mugs that might be half way across the country.

For the vast majority of time that TC has been online it has had a forum called the "Tiki Marketplace". Those of you who constantly post "Its worth what someone is willing to pay" might want to check it out. And no you do not have to barter, or prove that you are somehow "worthy" of owning any of the items for sale or prove how serious you are as a collector. You get to buy the items, and once they are your property you can keep or sell them as you please.

TC also has advertisers. Those who complain about commercialization of TC might not see them at the top of the page. Yea those are ads up there. They cost dollars, and they charge dollars. And if you ask those advertisers how much something costs, they always tell you....in dollars.

Well I certainly didn't know that my post would result in such a discussion. So to answer to some of the posts....

Mittengirl refers to my location - nothing else.

I did try to research the item first. I was unable to find anything except references to Trader Vic's menu where hibachi grills are used to finish the food at the table. There is info on hibachis in general but I could not find anything about this particular kit.

I did post my question in the Marketplace where other items are listed for sale and discussion about value was taking place.

Although I have some items that could qualify as tiki related, you are right, I am not a collector of tiki specifically. I saw this item at a sale and thought it was interesting enough to risk a few hard earned dollars on. I'm really more interested in finding out if the kit is complete. Also there are no instructions on how to use it. Does it use some sort of canned fuel?

Now on to some of the other posts.

Dear Atomic Tiki Punk,

If, as you say, I committed some grave error in posting here asking for help perhaps that should be stated on the web site. i.e. "You can only post here if I approve of you and your statements." Yes, that's the kind of internet freedom we are all wanting isn't it? I know there is a way that the owner of the forums can approve of new members. Perhaps you could set up some set of qualifications or a test that must be passed before posting? I also appreciate your comments on my manners while you use foul language and snarky comments to make your point. Good manners indeed!

As for getting off your lawn and your use of Clint Eastwood's picture from the movie Grand Torino, I'm afraid you missed the point of the movie.

I understand you are passionate about your hobby. Many people are passionate about things they love. However, your attitude and comments will never lead to others becoming passionate about this site as well. If your goal is to keep this site limited to a few close friends who can talk about the subject without interference from others, Congratulations!, you are well on your way to achieving your goal.

Thanks to others who had comments of value. I have not yet decided on what to do with the item in question, especially after these posts, but for those who were interested in seeing a picture here you go.

Mittengirl your response was rad and totally made my morning!

Cool hibachi--thanks for posting a pic.

And thanks for the great response!!

mittengirl, (If you are in fact a man? you sure picked a questionable Tiki Central name)
Good for you for standing up, (What took you so long!)
I was hard on you, Because you did not come to the this site with an interest in Tiki
it is what we are all about!

Many of my comments are meant to be "Tongue firmly in twisted cheek"
that it escaped so many of you? well maybe not your sense of humor then.
After all many of my own comments were self debasing.

I had hoped to spark a real dialog about the rash of people using Tiki Central as
a "Tiki Antiques Roadshow" when you conveniently made your post asking how much is this worth?
Sorry about being so mean to you,But glad you heard part of the message.

Now before I take my Robot & depart your planet for good, I leave you all with this message

In is time for you (Everyone here on Tiki Central) to Participate, Discuss & Engage each other
on what ever you want to talk about (Tiki Related is best) or risk the destruction of Tiki Central!

Spend a little less time on facebook talking about how you like your toast
And more time talking about (Hey I can see a Tiki on my Toast!) right here.
You know, Important stuff.

Now enjoy the sounds of my Theremin as I fly away.........

Mittengirl,

Welcome to Tiki Central! I empathize with your reaction to the input you have received, but you could have put a little more effort in introducing yourself to Tiki Central. Your basic message (as a first time poster) has been:

I found this Trader Vic's hibachi which I know nothing about. Is the set complete? How much is it worth? I want to sell it on ebay.

No "Hello"; no "Wow this Tiki stuff is cool"; no "This site is great", no "I want to sell this to you collectors here". This site is Tiki Central, not Tiki Pawn Stars. The forum you posted in is Tiki Marketplace, not Tiki Appraisal.

I hope that you can put all of this in perspective and hang around for a while (after you sell the hibachi on ebay).

With all of that said, that is a really cool Trader Vic's item, I have never seen one before. If it was me, I would keep it and actually use it (for special parties of course). Have you ever been to a Trader Vic's? The one in Palo Alto is closing next month, so if you are in that neck of the woods you should go see it before it goes away. I am planning on going there sometime soon (have not been yet). Maybe we could meet and I'll buy you a drink for Tiki Central!

DC

Dusty Cajun-- What a great idea ..Why not create a tiki appraisal section. That way if someone wants to help a newbie or veteran they can. if someone gets offended by it then they can not go to that part of tc..Maybe this will make people stop crying-- non-stop -- and basically making a fuss over nothing --just so they can babble and tell people how screwed up they are ....These people are the ones that are ruining TC not people asking what their stuff is worth...

[ Edited by: ron-tiki 2012-07-07 19:45 ]

[ Edited by: ron-tiki 2012-07-07 19:59 ]

You mean people who are not afraid to speak their minds, Like myself,That's who is wrecking TC?
you would prefer Mercenary Profiteers who don't care one iota about Tiki?
Really? Ron, Really?

Can't We All Just Get A Bong?
I am not a pot junkie lol I just like this piece based on it's Tikiness! yeah! I just typed Tikiness! I usually like things based on their tikiness and tikibility.

mittengirl, thankyou for posting pictures it is indeed a nice kit!

That's the one and only Trader Vic's Hibachi new and in the box that I have ever seen. It's pretty cool right ?!?! ...so with mugs going for a yard and above, I gotta think this is something that is the "Most Fabulous Object in the World"

On 2012-07-07 21:23, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
You mean people who are not afraid to speak their minds, Like myself,That's who is wrecking TC?
you would prefer Mercenary Profiteers who don't care one iota about Tiki?
Really? Ron, Really?

I'm not Ron but.....yes.

I second Super Eight. Perhaps people are coming on and not introducing themselves, but does anyone really read all the fine print or details when they are looking for a quick answer? If one of our TCers get a chance to purchase a rare item or even a chance to see a picture of an item-who really gains from it?- Tiki Central for
at the very least seeing something that is out there in the wilds.

I don't undrerstand how people will waste their time to repond to nebies if it bothers them. Try skipping over it!

It really is easier to be kind to people than it is to be rude and inconsiderate.

Has anyone noticed that we haven't heard from some of the most knowledgable tiki collectors for a long time?
Midnite, Kingstiedye, Kohalacharms, Edgeoftexas, Yoho, and Many others.

People are sick of the whining,bitching and complaining that is being dished out by several individuals and they know who they are.

For God's sake- STOP!

Years ago I was lurking on this site when I finally made my first post I got an internet kick in the nuts.
This seems to be par for the course on many message boards. I've seen it happen on record collecting and
audiophile boards. Either way, we should toughen up and be most of all be kinder to each other to encourage
people to come here, share, and learn what tiki is really about.

I'd pay you well for that set!

Send me an email if you want to sell it.

[email protected]

Paul

On 2012-07-13 13:59, blacklagoon wrote:
I'd pay you well for that set!

Send me an email if you want to sell it.

[email protected]

Paul

I got a 'buck' that says,it's already sold, and to one of the peps that was bitch'n about the original post.
all though PM's of course.
just my opinion,I could be wrong.

"Pets are welcome,Children 'MUST' be on leash" TD

[ Edited by: TIKI DAVID 2012-07-13 16:03 ]

I have never seen that set before. I have seen the little sword skewers, usually sold as a single piece. Those tend to be priced at about $5 each when sold separately. You have six of them there, so you got $30 just for the skewers. I could see something like this selling at the Tiki Marketplace @ Don the Beachcomber for something like $60 easily.

As for completeness I don't know. It looks like it is complete. Other than fuel or more of the accessories I don't know what else it would include other than fuel. I don't know what kind of fuel was originally used, but hibachis typically use charcoal. It has a vent like most charcoal burning hibachis. I suppose you could also drop a can of sterno in there. What meat would taste like actually cooked on sterno I can only imagine. So, my guess would be charcoal.

[ Edited by: PiPhiRho 2012-07-13 16:35 ]