HELP! What's the label say?

Well it's been way too long that I've been away.
I'm back and with a set of my treasured, mint condition, Tiki glasses. Ceramic with a glaze and purchased at a yard sale many years ago.
Finally found them up in the attic in a trunk I have. :)
I just can't seem to identify the label on the bottom.
So I've taken some pics. Hope someone here can make it out....

[ Edited by: RenTiki on 2004-05-26 12:16 ]

Kelbo's?

Welcome Back, RenTiki!

Those are the enigmatic Kelvin's mugs. They are number two on my list of most-wanted right now. I've never seen them glazed like that - just in the bisque finish like these:

They are associated with the Islander Restaurant in Los Angeles only because they look like the logo tiki on that restaurant's menus and matchbooks:

I don't think anyone's actually connected the two in real life - ie: no Kelvin's mugs with the "Islander" logo on them and no pictures of the interior of the Islander restaurant with Kelvin's mugs sitting on the tables. I do suspect that the Islander used them though, which is one of the reasons they appeal to me - I love studying Los Angeles Tiki. Plus my family and I used to drive by the Islander every Sunday on the way to church. At night I remember seeing the two giant tiki torches flanking the sign sending flames up into the sky.

Boutiki would probably be the person to give you more info on these mugs. They are truly nice finds.

Here are the matching salt & peppers. (I don't have these either. Sigh.)

Let me know if you'd be interested in trading one for an equally obscure/rare mug.

Sabu

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2004-05-26 12:59 ]

Very cool mugs! Nice find!
-Tikiwahine

wow, i have those salt and pepper shakers. they have the kelvin's label as clear as day. weirdly enough, i have them displyed with my STOCKTON islander stuff. (just worked out space wise on the shelf) i never made the connection to the la islander.

NOW, if i could just trade those shakers for STOCKTON islander shakers. sigh

:(

thanks for the info sabu!

Thank you SABU for your input on this. I really appreciate all the help I can get, I am not a tiki collector, just a tiki artist. That make sense?
:)
Anywho, just needed to know who made these as I am planning to auction them on Ebay this weekend.
Don't know for how much, I still have to do a little research now that Im aware of who possible created them.
Oh, thanks to the rest of you guys for the sweet comps! I always love to hear them....
hmmm, perhaps I should keep them...
heheheh
Thanks again!

[ Edited by: RenTiki on 2004-05-26 16:59 ]

Glad I could help, Rentiki. I'm no great mug collector either - and I hope other TC'ers who have more knowledge will correct me if I made errors in describing those.

You should do well selling them on E-bay. I would reccomend selling them one at a time and emphasizing the fact that they are "glazed" instead of "bisque", like most Kelvin's mugs. That should maximize your profits. Good Luck!

Sabu

Sabu, how important is the label? I mean, are these glasses a recognizable style?
You see, out of the four, two have the labels. Two do not. Must have fell off or whatever awhile back. The two that do, well, you seen the one, the other is not ledgible whatsoever. Just a gold sticker w/no markings. Same shape but no idea what it said. Now taking into consideration that fact, should I still sell them seperately?

These mugs are definitely a singular and recognizable style. I think you should have no problems claiming each one as a "Kelvin's", even when missing the label.

I would probably list the one with the recognizable label first. Then, next week, list another and say something like: "Verified manufacture by Kelvin's - This mug was purchased in the same lot as this previously-sold mug with label:" Then provide a link to the first auction.

The mug with the readable label will probably sell for a bit more than the others, but on a mug this sought-after, you will still make more money selling them individually.

Just my opinion. Any other advice from experience E-bay sellers?

Sabu

Well then, that's settled. If that's the case then I'm going to do just that.
Thanks again Sabu, I don't doubt your knowledge whatsoever.
:wink:
Im going to post the first one Sat. on Ebay.
I'll include a link to it here when I do.
But what was that you were asking me about trading one? What did you have in mind?
:)

On 2004-05-26 14:56, tikicleen wrote:

NOW, if i could just trade those shakers for STOCKTON islander shakers. sigh

Someone posted this to my Tiki Gallery- it's one of the only Stockton Islander S&P sets I've seen. Loooove it!
http://www.tikiroom.net/gallery/sp/abs

But, Tikicleen, if you want to trade that Kelvins S&P set for some other Stockton Islander item someday, please let me know. I'd love to have that set in my collection.

*On 2004-05-27 17:25, RenTiki wrote:*I'll sell it on Ebay....
.....I'll include a link to it here when I do.

I had forgotten to post here the link to the auction! Sorry, it's a few days late. There is one day left on it though!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3914741921&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

Pride and patience makes work an ART.

[ Edited by: RenTiki on 2004-06-03 18:48 ]