I'm a newbie with a few questions

Hi,

I'm totally new to collecting and had just a couple of questions to ask before buying a book on the hobby.

1. What does an R71 etc...mean at the bottom of a mug? Is this a reissue?

2. How can you determine if a mug is older (pre-1970ish) as opposed to a newer mug?

3. Are Orchids of Hawaii mugs good to collect? What do you recommend that's affordable (until I learn more) and on the older side (age)?

Thanks a bunch.

Skaz

On 2004-03-06 10:01, skaz wrote:
Hi,

I'm totally new to collecting and had just a couple of questions to ask before buying a book on the hobby.

1. What does an R71 etc...mean at the bottom of a mug? Is this a reissue?

2. How can you determine if a mug is older (pre-1970ish) as opposed to a newer mug?

3. Are Orchids of Hawaii mugs good to collect? What do you recommend that's affordable (until I learn more) and on the older side (age)?

Thanks a bunch.

Skaz

R-71 is the number of an Orchids of Hawaii mug. Each different slye mug has a R- number. Some of the earlier Orchids mug don't have the R engraved in them, they use to have a sticker with an R on it then they would fill in the number. The numbers go up into a hundred somewhere, but not all of their products where tiki related.

There are many different ways to figure if a mug is old or not. I suggest buying Dukes book "Tiki Quest". This will explain a lot about mugs.

I personally like Orchids and I think they are all older. Most of them are easy to find so people don't talk of them as much as some of the other brands. You should just collect what you like.

I've been concentrating on the Orchids stuff too because they are simple, unpretentious tiki mugs, many of which are available cheaply in flea markets. You should be aware that a company called Dynasty Wholesale uses some of the molds now but, currently, most of Dynasty's stuff is either unmarked on the bottom or is marked as being made in China. I think its very possible that Dynasty either inherited a large stock of Orchids mugs, or that they took a few years to eliminate "Orchids of Hawaii" from the molds...more about that later.

Skaz,

I would suggest to you my young man/person, do not pursue the quest of tiki; find something much, much cheaper, say a heroin habit or something.

At least if you OD, you won't have a bunch of tiki mugs to worry about dividing up amongst relatives that don't know what the f(#* they are they are and sell them for $.25 at a yard sale whilst you spin on the coroners table!

Congrats BONG on your ReHab!! You are a true Tiki Grand Member! If you stayed behind like me, you could have ripped this Newbie to shreds!!! Oh well. That Grand Central, Cocktail Lounge, Post Area must be well worth it!!!!
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsville!!!

(p.s. I'm waiting for Hanford to Bar me so I have good excuse to become Grand!!! might come up soon. Feeling a little angst!)

(hey Ben my bruddah, keep this between me and you, but I never been in the Grand Member forum because of my rancid stench)

(I still got indigestion from my breakfast at the Sugar Shack this morning)

Man, I wish I could post a copy of Moritz R's painting "New Guy in the Tiki Bar", it would be the perfect illustration of Bong and Ben, those Tiki ruffians, blowing smoke in the new, uncarved piece of wood's face.
"This guy comes in this bar and asks...."