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Tiki swizzle history, discuss |
tikijackalope
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 23, 2003
Posts: 814
From: KS/MO
|  Posted: 2004-10-22 02:42 am Permalink
While researching plastic swizzles as a way of dating a defunct bar, I ran across two interesting articles on the history of swizzles by Stephen Visakay, author of Vintage Barware: http://cocktails.about.com/library/weekly/blswizzle.htm
http://cocktails.about.com/library/weekly/blswizzlegs.htm
This has me wondering about the history of tiki swizzles in particular. Whats your best guess as to the age of the oldest one you have? Does anyone have any bakelite or glass tiki swizzles? (probably not, I am guessing)
Have any of you author-types ever interviewed the powers that be at Spir-it, the still-extant company founded by Jay Sindler, who patented the swizzle in 1934? If they were a supplier of swizzles to tiki bars, their records could be very interesting, IF they'll share anything of them. http://www.spir-it.com.
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foamy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 15, 2004
Posts: 585
From: The Land of Pleasant Living
| Posted: 2004-10-22 10:04 am Permalink
I have just a few older swizzles. My favorite, and I am sure, the oldest, is a see-through, light green oar with GRACE LINE imprinted in plain block letters. It was a passenger line that was sold in '69. I'm guessing it may be from the mid-sixties.
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polynesian posh boy
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 26, 2004
Posts: 85 | Posted: 2004-10-22 10:47 am Permalink
My parents collected swizzle sticks like people collected matchbooks from restaurants, clubs and airlines in the 60's and early 70's. Being serious here; it seems the swizzle sticks started becoming scarce about the same time "The Playboy Clubs" started closing down. They had tiki themed swizzle sticks in their collection so I know they are out there.
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TIKIBOSKO
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 297 | Posted: 2004-10-24 3:39 pm Permalink
Swizzle sticks are a hobby of mine and Tiki sticks are at the top of my list. Since the topic came up I thought I could share a little info and a few from my collection.
The oldest swizzle sticks are as ancient as Polynesian Pop itself, if you look at early Don the Beachcomber bar menus you’ll notice them holding the garnish.
The stick pictured is made of wood with the logo burned into it, I have two different styles of these.
Some of the oldest swizzle sticks had paper inserts, or had the logo etched into the glass, shown a glass stick from Trad’r Sam San Francisco but it’s silk screened so it’s probably not too old.
By the early 60’s plastic sticks had become an art, some of these swizzles are unbelievably amazing in detail. One of the benefits of finding an old stick is you can get some idea of how big an operation the establishment had going. The more money they had the more elaborate the sticks (generally) where.
Although it’s a good idea to do research I don’t recall seeing many Spir-it Tiki sticks, they may be out there but I haven’t seen them. Like classic Tiki bars, the great companies from the 50’s and 60’s that made the best sticks are long gone.
My very best Alohas,
Bosko
[ This Message was edited by: TIKIBOSKO on 2004-10-24 15:48 ]
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hiltiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 10, 2004
Posts: 2775
From: Reseda, calif.
| Posted: 2004-10-24 7:39 pm Permalink
amazing collection, I am jealous. I also collect these but they are not as exciting.
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Humuhumu
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Aug 22, 2002
Posts: 3536
From: San Francisco
| Posted: 2005-06-25 6:51 pm Permalink
We found a box of about 50 or so swizzles in a thrift shop in Bend, OR, for $10 we got the whole lot, which included these three swizzles:
We'd seen the Disneyland one in an antique mall a few weeks earlier for $10, and despite feeling like that was a ridiculous price to pay for a silly little hunk of plastic, it was hard for us to leave it behind... there was much rejoicing at finding this whole set. The others are a Hawaiian Village swizzle, and a Trader Vic's war club swizzle.
There are a bunch of very cool non-tiki ones in the set, too, I'll post about them in Beyond.
_________________
Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki
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Phillip Roberts
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 09, 2003
Posts: 1489
From: OAHU, Hawaii.
| Posted: 2005-06-28 12:35 am Permalink
[ This Message was edited by: filslash 2008-09-13 12:34 ]
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TikiGardener
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2002
Posts: 1359
From: 1st website dedicated to Tiki Gardens
| Posted: 2005-06-28 02:15 am Permalink
http://www.swizzledd.com/
Doris helped immeasurably in gathering info for the Tiki Gardens Memorial.
And she has the largest collection of leilani mugs I've seen in person.
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Primo Kimo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 08, 2003
Posts: 323
From: Vermont
| Posted: 2005-06-28 05:47 am Permalink
DD (as in swizzledd) is superstar. A real sweetie.
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freddiefreelance
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 15, 2003
Posts: 2983
From: San Diego, Ca.
| Posted: 2005-09-15 9:41 pm Permalink
For my Savage Renewal post, here's my Tiki/Hawaiiana Swizzle collection:
on the left from top to bottom: an unmarked palm tree, Don the Beachcomber (I believe from the Waikiki location), the Sheraton Maui Hotel, Maui, Hi, the Golden Cape - Kauai Surf Resort, the Matson Line, and the Hale Koa Hotel "On the Beach at Waikiki."
In the middle from left to right: the Maui Hilton, an modern unmarked Moai, and my TV's Menehune.
On the right from top to bottom are: "Stolen from the Lahaina Broiler - Lahaina - Maui," Kauai Surf - Kona Inn - Manaloa ("Inter-Island Resorts"), 2 TV's Menehune picks, and the Chief's Hut at the Cinerama Reef Hotel - Waikiki.
And my Non-Tiki Swizzle sticks are Here.
_________________
Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S
[ This Message was edited by: freddiefreelance 2005-09-15 21:43 ]
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tikimecula
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 27, 2004
Posts: 404
From: Manhattan, KS
| Posted: 2005-12-30 08:11 am Permalink
[ This Message was edited by: tikimecula 2006-01-16 14:54 ]
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traderfranks
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 39
From: Fresno
| Posted: 2006-01-05 6:36 pm Permalink
If you'd like to start collecting tiki swizzle sticks, or add to your collection, I have a nice grouping for sale on ebay. It ends tomorrow.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Tiki-Swizzle-Sticks-and-Mug-Hawaiian-Isle-Miami_W0QQitemZ6241029936QQcategoryZ10905QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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tikimecula
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 27, 2004
Posts: 404
From: Manhattan, KS
| Posted: 2006-01-05 7:52 pm Permalink
Quote:
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Although it’s a good idea to do research I don’t recall seeing many Spir-it Tiki sticks, they may be out there but I haven’t seen them. Like classic Tiki bars, the great companies from the 50’s and 60’s that made the best sticks are long gone.
Bosko
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Bosko, I just got this a few days ago. It was made by Spir-it. I have been trying to find something on this place (Hawaiian Room Hotel Lexington New York) It's hard to read from the scan. Anyone have anything on this place?
[ This Message was edited by: tikimecula 2006-01-05 19:53 ]
[ This Message was edited by: tikimecula 2006-01-05 19:54 ]
[ This Message was edited by: tikimecula 2006-01-11 19:42 ]
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Humuhumu
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Aug 22, 2002
Posts: 3536
From: San Francisco
| Posted: 2006-01-05 8:03 pm Permalink
That's the Hawaiian Room in New York, here's the entry in Critiki:
http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/location.cgi?loc_id=351
And here's a mug in Ooga-Mooga:
Hawaiian Room Tiki Mug
_________________
Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki
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tikimecula
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 27, 2004
Posts: 404
From: Manhattan, KS
| Posted: 2006-01-05 8:16 pm Permalink
AHHH very cool! Thanks!
[ This Message was edited by: tikimecula 2006-01-05 20:17 ]
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