Tiki Light eBay Auction ...

Here on the Secret Island depite or relatively closeness to all things polynesian there really is little Tiki infuenced design or decoration. Trips to thirft stores, markets offer few rewards, even to a hardened beaccomber like me. I often return home empty handed...

eBay can cough up the odd local gem and reveal a tantilising glimpse of what else is on offer overseas ... oh if we didn't have to pay postage! ;0(

I've been watching this little Tiki Lamp for about a week or so, being offered up by a seller in South Australia. I'm not sure if they knew what they had or if they were offering an item and were interested in what it would go for!

"The most intricate detail on this fantastic 1960’s New Zealand lamp. Features Maori tiki’s galore – all different. Have never seen another like it. It is large and so very heavy. I don’t know what it is made from… it feels like a resin but has the weight of stone – definitely not ceramic. Either way, it is superb and around 50 years old!

The design is all the way round the lamp base… it looks great from any angle. Thoroughly inspected and there is no damage to the lamp base, it is really really nice. The shade is a neutral colour and has a subtle woven pattern. Stunning focal point in any room. Fantastic large size measures : 76cm (tall) x 100cm (circumference). Unpacked it weighs : 4.3kg"

I would have loved this but it was soon out of my price range. It ended up selling for AUS$358 which when converted is slightly more in US dollars. It set me thinking... is the rarity of such items here pushing the price up or would this have reached a similar price in the US.

They don't make them like they used to ...

I had a few minutes spare time this morning so I went thrifting, I'm normally fairly open minded when I enter these places - Australia doesn't offer quite the same odds of stumbling across a real find but it is worth it ... for the thrill of the chase at least!

Whilst trawling through the vinyl (Why is it that every thrift store has the same five records?)I came across an Hawaiian release which captured my imagination...

... they don't package them like that anymore! ;0)

Tiki Finds: Rum Barrel Mugs ...

This week a set of four Rum Barrel mugs washed up here on the beaches of The Secret Island (...via a local thrift store!) They appear to be in quite good condition and a steal at $8 for the lot. I think that they are Japanese and lack some of the quality of similar designs from more recognized mug manufacturers, but heck with some mood lighting and a couple (... or more!) drinks the effect with me the same.

Rum Barrel mugs are one of thirty different categories of Tiki mug! 

I plan to properly photograph my mug collection, upload them to Ooga-Mooga, collect some more and research the origins of Tiki mugs for future posts so stay tuned.

Tiki Treasure Trawl ...

With some rare spare time we took the canoe and paddled from the Secret Island to the mainland! ;0) We returned with quite a haul of goodies, here in Australia we're not as blessed with the number of opportunities that Tikiphiles in the US might have. Still today was a good day...

A couple of resin N.Z Tikis, the little guy on the left has a stumpy foot so he was cheaper! Both have their paua shell eyes intact and came in at $3 for the pair! A coconut monkey ... sold to me by a bemused lady on the register for $4.

A couple of carved mugs these were both marked $5 I paid only $1 for the pair! The  records were an eBay purchase and pick up... a stack of wax for 90c! No classic or rare exotica in amongst it but lots to keep the Island record player spinning for a while.

I fell in love with this four piece, mainly for its clean lines and mix of rattan and modern materials. Came in at $200 hopefully offset by the sale of the existing bar furniture! ;0)

Wall shelf... free! Thrown in by the seller of the four piece!  Finally the N.Z Tiki measuring about 12 inches came in at $10. Its probably the cleanest example that I have.

So as you can see a productive day hunting and gathering.