Topic: Tiki glass... who, when, what?

[Anne]

I saw a pair of these on eBay some weeks ago listed as Tiki glasses, with the seller claiming they were late 50's/early 60's Tiki bar glasses, made by Ravenhead. The following Saturday I found an odd one on a boot fair stall so bought it. I had no idea what Tiki was all about (having googled I'm still not sure I know! :roll:) but as they have a smiley face on one side and a sad one on the other (like the comedy/tragedy masks) I couldn't resist adding one to the collection. They seem awfully big for drinking glasses - if I drank a full one of anything alcoholic I'd be legless! It stands a shade over 4.5 inches tall, and is 4 inches diameter - enormous for a drinking glass!

So, what were these used for? Ice cream or some other dessert... fruit maybe, rather than drinks? Do they date from late 50's/early 60's? Were they made by Ravenhead? Any info about this funny-looking thing welcome.

http://yobunny.org.uk/gallery1/displayimage.php?pos=-935
http://yobunny.org.uk/gallery1/displayimage.php?pos=-936

[Lustrousstone]

Is Tiki a link with Kon Tiki, the famous balsa wood raft Thor Heyerdahl sailed across the Pacific? The film was a hit in 1951, the expedition was in 1947. But  I can certainly remember it being 'dug up' when I was a child (after 1951!!!)

[pamela]

Hi Anne and Christine  
try www.wikipedia.org and search for tiki
Maori and Polynesian word / sculpture, but the author obviously had not seen them made of glass  :wink:

[Pinkspoons]

This is a fairly good site for a brief overview of the American 'Tiki' style architecture and arts craze of the 1950s/60s which your glass is playing on:

Tiki Village

The "Polynesian Pop" trend began in WWII, peaked around the time of Hawaii's admission to the Union (1959), lost momentum in the mid-1960s, and was dead by 1970.
.
Originally, the appeal of the South Seas theme was fueled by World War II GIs who had served in the South Pacific. Reinforcing influences included Thor Heyerdahl's bestselling Kon-Tiki (1950) and James A. Mitchener's Tales of the South Pacific (1947), which later became a popular musical.

[Max]

I've got four of those Tiki glasses...picked up from various places.  Someone told me they were designed for a burger restaurant years ago, but I can't remember which one.  If it's true it's not a particularly glorious provenance!  :lol:

[Frank]

We certainly had Kno-Tiki items at home in the 50's but I think it was a coffee set. I was very fascinated at the time by the Kon-Tiki documentaries and probably remember the connection. In fact I think I may have sold the coffee set or at least the pots last year.

[Glen]

The image on the glasses reminds me of a set of Carnival Glass bottles that were made in Peru. Here's a photo of them.
http://www.geocities.com/carni_glass_uk_2000/incas.html

These bottles (known to collectors as Inca bottles) were made by Hartinger (Peru) in c. 1940s. They were sold as a trio filled with liqueur and the name on the original label called them "Three Fellows" (3 parras).

The images we believe they are based on are the Inca statues with tiny bodies and massive heads.

Original research on the bottles by Bob Smith and Clint Arsenault.

Glen

[Anne]

Thanks all for such interesting replies.

Max, your comment closely ties in with another comment made by the seller of the eBay ones, that her two came from a tiki bar where the seller's aunt worked - somewhere in the London area.  Tiki bar or burger bar - certainly burger bars were very popular in the 60's - the aunt claimed to recall unpacking them from boxes marked Ravenhead (remembered as they had a relative who also worked there). All the eBay info is, of course, unconfirmed hearsay, but a Ravenhead attribution would not be surprising given the timeframe and that they produced commercial barware.

Even if they don't have an exciting provenance I still think they are fun!   :lol:

[lyndhurst44]

Thanks everyone for your imput :hiclp:. It's been great fun finding out and although it's not a great find it will make a good taking point at parties and I will now enjoy drowning my sorrows with a well earned Tiki -la Sunrise. 

Cheers,
Bryn