Identification of bamboo bar set  

Did somebody say Tiki bar?!?

I bet y'all did not know that we have been avid Tiki & Hawaiiana collectors for more than two decades. We even wrote a book in 2003 about collecting vintage Tiki called "Tiki Quest". I could talk endlessly about the mid-century Tiki phenomenon and even connect it in several places with "high" modernist design of the period.

We have a fully appointed Tiki bar in the basement of our home, completely packed with vintage Tikis, rattan furniture, Witco furniture carvings & wall art, and every kind of decor you'd see back in the day at all the best Tiki Bars and restaurants: masks, glass fish floats, all kinds of lamps and lighting, hula girls, black velvet paintings by Leeteg, authentic oceanic art and wild, kitschy mainland creations, much of it from original vintage bars and restaurants. Of course the lights are low and the walls covered in lahala matting and bamboo. It's our sanctuary from the world and the cold midwestern winters.

We went to a Tiki bar on our first date, got married in one 4 years later, honeymooned in Hawaii, and have been back to the islands a few times since. Just recently the Chicago Reader did a little feature on our "Tabu Tiki Room".

Here's a few pics and a link to the reader:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/tiki-collection-polynesian-munster-...

I'll share the video they did, even though it's really embarrassing.

Here are a few more pictures for your amusement.

Oh, and to the OP, there are countless makers of rattan furniture back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Some were prolific, well known, and of better quality. Companies such as Ficks-Reed (which Mark mentioned), Tropi-Cal, Ritts, etc. While some pieces were decorated with bamboo, almost all of the furniture was MADE of rattan, not bamboo. They are two different materials, with different qualities when it comes to flexibility, strength, etc. If you look at both you will quickly be able to discern the difference. Bamboo has very distinct nodes, or knees where rattan has more subtle variations in thickness. Rattan is solid and bamboo is hollow. Heywood-Wakefield even created a line of tropical style furniture called

Wow! Very impressive, Pegboard! It's not my thing at all though 1) I love the big guy in the living room and 2) I got to go to Trader Vic's for my 13th birthday with two friends and my dad and it was breathtakingly amazing, plus the fried won tons were the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted, so I guess I get it on some level!

Oh my god!

That is one sweet collection-o-tiki! Naturally, I have the perfect outfit to model in such a fabulous space. Very impressive, indeed.

Best,

Your Aunt Mark

ps my sister won a hula hoop contest at the Rock Island County Fair in 1969. I was so proud of her.

And dearest spanky,

Could my grandmother have been the model for your Princess Grandma painting? She had a few tiaras...and a few cocktails,too.

Yup,

Aunt Mark

Auntie,

Why yes, I think she could easily have been the model! Or even the actual subject...?? Maybe this local artist met her once and never forgot her.

I just reread your post above about them buying an airplane from Marshall Field Jr.---I read it the first time as they bought a plane at Marshall Field's, which made my eyes pop out.

I just remembered that the little Steiff pink velvet pig that I got at Marshall Field's was from that same birthday trip when I went to Trader Vic's---and I still have it. It's in a toy bathtub from Finland about 4' from where I'm sitting. How's that for bringin' it around?!

Hi.

How can you not love a pig in a bathtub? A Worth Avenue resident (who purchased the stunning 5 story Addison Mizner apartment), has a pet pig named Mona Lisa. Maria (pig walker) and Mona Lisa are lovely. I shall look for a recent picture.

Best,

Aunt Mark

ps The big airplane was purchased from Marshall Field IV. It was old when they bought it in about 1959.

Decided to post a snappy of Mona Lisa pooping. Maria is very good about cleaning up after Mona Lisa. Maria speaks no English. The apartment is to die for. Fully staffed. Mona Lisa wears a "Service Animal" vest on occasion. Petting is free, kissing is extra.

Best,

Aunt Mark

ps my photo is too big to load...let me work on it.

Why, how charming!

Now I'm wondering if Marshall Field's sold pet pigs back in the day---but no, that would have been Sears. They may have sold airplanes too, for all I know. They sold houses, after all! And Shetland ponies. And even French horns.

Pegboard Modern, your tiki room is sooo cool! And thanks for the list of furniture makers - it'll help as I search for matching pieces to add to my room. I love your carved chair! I see the Frankl style seating arrangements so often with this style, but having a carved wooden piece like that is so unusual! Really nice room!

Bet your book is interesting with all the historical information you've gathered over the years! $90 used copies on Amazon are a bit out of my budget but maybe I can find a library copy. I'll keep my eyes open ...

Thanks again all for your help - I think learning about this time period is going to be fun!

a great great thread. It had EVERYTHING.

I used to shop at Marshall Fields for back to school clothes. I was a pretty active little fella and they never lasted. My mother had style, I knew how to wreck it.

brigittelee,

I'm delighted that you like our Tabu Tiki Room. It has given us much joy. There are a lot of resources on line to find out more about tropical furniture design in rattan, bamboo and koa wood, and there is also a terrific book called "Tiki Modern" written by a friend of ours about the heavily carved/ tiki covered furniture in our place. It was made by Witco (as was a lot of the other decor, and the furniture in Elvis' "Jungle Room" at Graceland). If you (or anyone else on the forum) is interested in Tiki and would like a copy of our book, send us a message. It is now out of print (hence the silly prices on Amazon) but we still have copies on hand we can sell at cover price (shameless plug).

There is also a Schiffer book called, surprisingly, "Rattan tropical comfort in the home" that you might enjoy and has more information about bamboo and rattan furniture designs.

Lastly... Mark, this morning when I woke up, the last thing I expected to see today was a picture of a pooping pet pig. Or for that matter, a velvet toy pig in a bathtub spanky. Thanks!

Gosh pegboard, that's not just a pooping pig, that's Mona Lisa Adams, a direct descendant of an American president. She poops a lot. Oh how I wish that I could show interior snappies of this stunning 5 story apartment where Mona Lisa resides. There is a grave next to the front door holding Mizner's pet monkey "Johnnie Brown", and a second grave of "Laddie", a border collie belonging to Rose Sachs (owner and resident of via Mizner for over 40 years. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are the 4th owner (built in 1925). No need for a grave for Mona Lisa, as she's been well fed, and would make a lovely BBQ entree. I would pickle her feet first. There are several historic residences on Worth Ave, mostly upscale rental (and a handful of condo's on either end. Via Mizner is the finest...and largest. I'll take a picture of the front door after lunch, showing the foyer where Mona Lisa rests with all of her toss pillows (dozens) and toys. The Adam's are away for the summer. The apartment also has a 5000sf Portuguese tiled open terrace (3rd floor), and the most beautiful 2 story glass living room window that your Aunt Mark has ever smelled. I could never afford the place. Never. I could go on and on. Hi.

Gosh,

Aunt Mark

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Villa Mizner, as the name would suggest, was the home of Mizner himself. Today it is home to the family of Dee and Nick Adams, a direct descendant of President John Adams, and their pet pig, Mona Lisa.

Sincere thanks to all for stirring vague olfactory memories of cigarette smoke, Sterno, and pig fat fried in peanut oil.

Does the color of Polynesian BBQ sauce occur in nature? And what, exactly, is in "Crab Rangoon", anyway? I guess I must have known, instinctually, at the time that anything on a Pu-Pu platter must be deadly, But I also assumed that, washed down with a scorpion bowl or a few zombies, I'd either be OK or not care.

Hi.

I do know that crab rangoon was instantly cured by Quell (over the counter). It came with a small comb designed by Ray Eames and Raymond Loewi. I learned this on Hollywood Squares. No waiting.

Best,

Aunt Mark