Post #502136 by 8FT Tiki on Sun, Jan 3, 2010 8:17 PM

Yes the family of Ol' 8FT has a "new" member. Last month we welcomed into our home another large vintage tiki. With the help of our great friend Brad "Silverline" Finch, our home is now happier with this new addition.

After learning of this cool old tiki and it's upcoming sale, Silverline and I discussed where it would fit best and due to space concerns he graciously bowed out of the running as the new owner. He was a big help to us by going and visiting with the former owner and taking photos for me so that I could make a determination on the purchase. Then he went with me to make the purchase, load and move it all the way to my house.

We got together early that day to work on a project we have been discussing for some time. Both of us have been wearing our urban archaeologist hats for several years now. We have compiled a list of the former polynesian restaurants and tiki bar haunts of old K.C. both tiki and pre-tiki. We made a list of the addresses and then plotted a course to visit them all and take photos and ask questions of anyone we ran across in the areas we visited. This will all be detailed in another thread sometime down the road.

Our next to last stop that day was to pick up the tiki. The owner said that this tiki was in the basement bar when they purchased the house from the artist in 1983. There were other artworks including paintings still in the home which were all made by this talented artist. Since they were moving out of state, they decided not to take the art pieces and just leave them with the home. The people who sold it to me are downsizing and this was something they were ready to part with. The tiki is not a carving but a paper mache figure that measures 6 feet tall and is 3 feet wide at the top. I was expecting it might look like a bad pinata but when you look closer you can tell that this was a pretty talented artist. They started with a wooden framework and then wrapped chicken wire over it before applying the paper mache. Then it was painted brown and as a final touch, florists peat moss was added to the whole exterior which gives it a more aged appearance. Here are a couple of shots of the back.

Once I had it home I took a flashlight and had a close look at the paper mache on the backside. The papers are from Kansas City, MO and even though they are overlapping one another, I was able to find 4 or 5 places where a date was showing. Guess what? All of them are from 1961. WOW, this thing is nearly 50 years old! That would make it about 13 years older than our Old friend 8FT. It doesn't weigh very much but is fragile and one person couldn't easily handle moving it. Here are some other pictures of the arrival at casa de 8FT.

Out of the van and away we go.

Through the front door...Will it fit?

We're in. Now we've got to make a turn in the hall.

Moving past the kitchen.

Whew, we made it to the great room!

Now we just had to set it upright again. Done. The room is now looking better than ever. I would need to shuffle some things around to fit him into the right spot but that would come later. It was now late in the afternoon and I had to get Silverline back to his place. Thanks Brad for all your help, you're a great friend!!

Later I will add a shot of the new guy in his place of honor.

I once was lost............but now I'm found

[ Edited by: 8FT Tiki 2010-01-04 14:05 ]