It was recently pointed out to me the August 2004 issue of Country Home (yes, I said Country Home) has a special section about collecting & Ebay. One page lists the Top 5 up&coming trends to watch; and #3 on that list is, you guessed it, Tiki Mugs & anything Hawaiian. The editors of this lovely magazine have also generously highlighted only #3 on that list, complete with a picture of several mugs so that everyone knows what to look for.

Never mind the fact that you'll have to fight over a thrift store find with even more people now, but many antique shops read that magazine and may start pricing accordingly.

Humph! :(

-Z

It's funny you mentioned Country Home, years ago, when me and the misses tiki/hawaiiana collection fit in a small box, we did the County style (which was kinda odd in Huntington Beach in retrospect).

Well, when we finally amassed enough tiki/hawaiiana to make a significant impact on our interior, we dumped Country like bad stock.

I remember cutting loose a killer (for Country) $1,800 dining room table for, like $200, just to get rid of it.

Luckily, we will never, ever change from Hawaiiana, as 1) we love it, 2) we have a good private college degree's worth of investment in it, and 3) I got too many tiki/polynesian tattoos to change!

This is NOT good.

But, this too shall pass and we will all still be here (minus a few that will join after seeing the article).

The way I see it is, ride the wave and sell a few duplicate mugs.

On 2004-06-23 13:36, MachTiki wrote:
But, this too shall pass and we will all still be here (minus a few that will join after seeing the article).

This is something that a lot of people have been grumbling repetitively for the past couple of years. I don't think this article is saying anything that hasn't already been said. As a matter of fact, I recall watching an episode of Incurable Collector on A&E Channel about 2 years or so ago that said tiki was the next "hot" collectible.

On 2004-06-23 12:00, Feelin' Zombified wrote:
...many antique shops read that magazine and may start pricing accordingly.

IMHO, the days of cheap finds in thriftstores, antique shops and eBay have long passed. Tiki has been "outed" long ago and as many can attest, prices have unfortunately followed accordingly.

You find stuff in Thrift stores in Michigan...good for you! I gave up on those places a couple of years ago...tired of seeing dealer after dealer in them.

Matt

On 2004-06-23 12:00, Feelin' Zombified wrote:
Never mind the fact that you'll have to fight over a thrift store find with even more people now, but many antique shops read that magazine and may start pricing accordingly.

Humph! :(

-Z

I think it is even more funny after reading this that there is now two Gecko mugs on ebay, I know I am new to the TC but at least I bought my first tiki in the 90's while stationed on Oahu. It is just sucks that too many buy to sell em only for a profit, got nothing against someone if they buy it and it is just not there thing, but when people start buying tiki intsead of stocks for the investment we are in trouble.

"May the Tiki Gods bless you and always keep your life Tikifull!"

[ Edited by: Tiki-Toa on 2004-06-23 15:35 ]

On 2004-06-23 15:00, TNTiki wrote:
Hey, Z, I guess the big question now is, why were you reading "Country Home" in the first place?

it was pointed out to me by a co-worker: "Hey, yer inta that teekee thing, ain't ya? well herezn article fer ya"

OK, so maybe without the Dogpatch accent, but you get the idea.

-Z

On 2004-06-23 12:51, Tiki_Bong wrote:
I got too many tiki/polynesian tattoos to change!

guess you're glad you didnt get those geese with bandanas tats!

On 2004-06-23 15:34, Tiki-Toa wrote:
It is just sucks that too many buy to sell em only for a profit,

You mean, like the people that keep re-listing the same Shag "Warrior" mugs because nobody will buy them for $125?

It's what the market will bear... Eventually the prices will have to come down when all the people buying just to resell are stuck with a garage full of mugs they don't want.

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 16:40 ]

Comic books did the same thing in the '90's.
As did action figures. And in New York, Martin Denny albums.
TG

TNTiki, I hear ya about collecting, heaven knows I have a ton of Tim Couch rookie cards from when he was the 1st pick of the draft, funny how now he is in Green Bay as a Packer now. There are so many things that are collectible, whether it is a sports team, or a teapot, a ladybugs and teddy bear (by the way anybody into Teddy's, I have a big collection lookin' to get rid of) but I can not see any others that are like Tiki. I mean it is not just the mugs, which come in so many flavors it is amazing, but the actual Tikis by guys like Gecko, Benzart, Basement or art by Flounder, Tiki Tony and Kooch-e-coo, oh and Swamp Fire. And yes even Shag. And the people, tiki people rock! I have never seen such a group of people so dedicated to what they love, turning there homes (AlnShely), their bodies like Kon. But it is also Ohana, it seems like so many share that through here on the TC or where they live, I mean that is why I am trying to throw a party here in Wisconsin, so I can actually meet the people that I talk too, Hukilau can not get here fast enough for me and my wife. So I do not begrudge anybody collecting Tiki based on some trends published in a magazine, because what may happen is that a person will find something they did not know existed and then who knows. Wow that felt like a soapbox moment.

& TG, I still collect comics, waiting for Hawaiian Dick to arrive as I type. 8)

"May the Tiki Gods bless you and always keep your life Tikifull!"

[ Edited by: Tiki-Toa on 2004-06-24 07:08 ]

On 2004-06-23 18:59, TNTiki wrote:
Tiki Toa,

That reminds me of another collecting fad in the early 90's: baseball cards. It really got absurd.

At least you were able to keep your cards, my mom threw away all of mine.

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 16:41 ]

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 16:41 ]