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Urban Archeology with BigBro, Sabu & Tangaroa (WARNING: Image heavy! About 4 megs...) |
Aaron's Akua
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Jul 09, 2004
Posts: 1594
From: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
|  Posted: 2004-12-03 11:16 pm Permalink
What an incredible post! Thanks for sharing your field trip with TC. I lived in Santa Monica at the beach one street over from Ocean Park for many years & vaguely knew about Pacific Ocean Park (P.O.P.), the old pier & theme park that was long gone by then. It was a great old venue that has long since vanished from the general public memory, kind of like "The Pike" in Long Beach.
I imagine that Jim had some tales to tell. I hope we hear more about Jim's stories... here on TC... or maybe in a book someday...
A-A
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"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
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Rattiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 03, 2003
Posts: 422
From: Key West, FL
| Posted: 2004-12-04 12:15 am Permalink
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On 2004-12-03 22:46, bigbrotiki wrote:
A 1960 Buick LeSabre. Last year they made it with fins. Great underrated jet design on that car. Known as "Das Boat" among my friends. Had it for 20 years.
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A VERY cool car! Looks like this
And a very cool post! THANX!
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2004-12-04 01:37 am Permalink
Thanks again to Tangaroa for putting together this nice little field trip. Jim in his wheelchair was the nicest man you could care to know and benignly let us wander about his property, touching his precious things, and peppering him with obscure questions about tiki history. I had that same feeling I have around Bob and Leroy at Oceanic Arts - that I was very fortunate to be in the same room with an old tiki master and wished I could have spent a whole day there, asking him questions.
Unfortunately, our trip was far too short, but I came away with a rejuvenated passion for the tiki history that's still out there.
Here are a few more photos of Jim's surreal, jungle-like yard. At night, this place would have given me the creeps, because his non-tiki sculptures are so lifelike.
A giant Babe Ruth, pointing at the wall
Various heads among tongue-like tree roots
A great old sign from, (I believe), a Tijuana Taco restaurant
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virani
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 17, 2003
Posts: 1434
From: Volcanic area of France
| Posted: 2004-12-04 03:47 am Permalink
Thanks a lot for that trip. fantastic pictures and story.
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Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2004-12-04 06:52 am Permalink
Tangaroa, thanks for the extra pic's. Jim Casey is a True Master who carved Beautiful pieces. I wouldn't have time enough left in my life to begin to learn what he forgot about carving. I am truelyin Awe.
Thanks again.
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bongofury
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Oct 15, 2002
Posts: 1473
From: Ventura County
| Posted: 2004-12-04 08:39 am Permalink
Wow! Thanks for the post guys. What a talent Mr. Casey is. Aloha Jhoe's seems facinating to me due to the lack of info/photos (with the exception of BOT). Nice to know who did the carvings. Sabu.....any interiors of AJs in your collection? As a child our family spent more time at Pacific Ocean Park than Knotts or Disneyland. Very Cool.
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PolynesianPop
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2341
From: Corona, Ca
| Posted: 2004-12-04 11:20 am Permalink
Amazing stuff! Thanks for sharing guys -- this Urban Archaeology stuff is what I enjoy the most. I only wish was there with you guys!
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Poly-Pop *
Bartender, make mine a glass of WATAHHH!!!!!
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2004-12-04 6:17 pm Permalink
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On 2004-12-03 18:55, Tangaroa wrote:
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On 2004-12-03 18:25, tikibars wrote:
can you confirm that my Tiki is the same one seen in Jim's scrapbook (in the pictures posted above, it is all the way on the right, seen in profile, on the bottom of the two pics of his scrapbook, the pics with the yellow backgrounds)?
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Can you post a pic of it? I have hi-rez scans of the portfolio, I could compare them...
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Seen in the Aku Hall, it's current home, the tiki can be viewed on Critiki, here (the big one in the center of the first picture):
http://64.81.235.211/cgi-bin/pictures.cgi?loc_id=494
In it's original home, the Luau, it can be viewed in Tiki Road Trip, on page 78.
Mahalos!
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DawnTiki
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 01, 2002
Posts: 1673
From: next stop Hulaville!
| Posted: 2004-12-04 9:07 pm Permalink
tikibars wrote: here (the big one in the center of the first picture)
James, is he the one looking so dignified with the dainty lampshade on his head?
Amazing stuff, thanks for sharing the pictures and story with us!
Sorry about hitting that darned edit button Tiki_Bong, I just can't go cold turkey...baby steps!
[ This Message was edited by: DawnTiki on 2004-12-04 21:29 ]
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2004-12-04 10:42 pm Permalink
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On 2004-12-04 21:07, DawnTiki wrote:
tikibars wrote: here (the big one in the center of the first picture)
James, is he the one looking so dignified with the dainty lampshade on his head?
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Yeah, I guess he had too much to drink.
Things get a little nutty at Aku Hall from time to time...
[ This Message was edited by: tikibars on 2004-12-06 17:29 ]
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Tangaroa
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 1549 | Posted: 2004-12-05 07:04 am Permalink
To me - that sure looks like the same carving! I can send you a higher rez scan of the tiki in question on Monday - but at first glance, that looks the same to me! There is a note on that page of the portfolio that says "Steve Crane's Luaus - Sheraton Hotels - 1959-60"
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Polynesiac
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 29, 2004
Posts: 2020
From: San Pedro, CA
| Posted: 2004-12-05 8:23 pm Permalink
Tanga, sabu, big bro,
did he do any sculpting for disney? Some of those heads remind me of the graveyard sequence in the haunted mansion ride.
Maybe I'm crazy...no...I know I'm crazy, but maybe I'm wrong. Just a thought, and sorry about the non-tiki question.
Thanks for posting more pics sabu! This guy Jim (who has an awesome first name...) Casey sounds like an amazing person!
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Tangaroa
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 1549 | Posted: 2004-12-06 10:15 am Permalink
Yes - he did sculpt for Disney, but it was Jungle Cruise rehab stuf in the 60s , and a lot for Epcot, as well as some for The Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour at Tokyo Disneyland. Sorry - no Haunted Mansion!
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2004-12-06 5:31 pm Permalink
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On 2004-12-05 07:04, Tangaroa wrote:
Quote:
| Seen in the Aku Hall, it's current home, the tiki can be viewed on Critiki, here (the big one in the center of the first picture):
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There is a note on that page of the portfolio that says "Steve Crane's Luaus - Sheraton Hotels - 1959-60"
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This MUST be it then!
Very cool.
Thanks for your excellent work.
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nicktiki
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Jun 05, 2004
Posts: 361
From: San Diego, CA
| Posted: 2004-12-10 2:06 pm Permalink
Tangaroa,
Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed your post. It sounds like it was a very special day for all of you. Very cool!
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