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Traders / Trader Vic's - Beverly Hills, CA (restaurant) |
Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
|  Posted: 2011-09-27 11:44 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2011-09-22 23:39, christiki295 wrote:
Wow. I don't recall those Moai, which match the one in front.
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They also appear to be by the same carver as the big tiki inside the restaurant. I saw a post on Facebook by a Mid-Century Beverly Hills group that said the tiki at the front entrance, (and I assume these others as well) were carved in, and shipped from Hawaii for the opening of the restaurant. Not sure if this is a true fact or not, but it deserves more research.
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TIKIBOSKO
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 297 | Posted: 2011-09-28 11:40 am Permalink
Beautiful photos, amazing job as usual Sabu,
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2011-09-28 12:23 pm Permalink
Aaaaw, guys, this is killing me: I used to have a Welton Becket P.R. folder about the building of the Beverly Hilton, with a section on the Traders. I lent it to someone and never got it back! (I keep borrowed material for a while too, I know - but I do return it!)
But I remember some hazy facts: the carver being American, and it mentioning five Tikis - which always made me wonder if that was a mistake!!! The first name Albert comes to mind -this might be a Leroy question...I also seem to recall that it said they were carved from telephone poles ..!!? Ah well... I have forgotten more than y'all ever.... (mumble mumble)
What really gets me is that this is the first photo that has surfaced of these four giants in the 20 years of my research! I mean this was the hang out of the rich and famous, in famous Beverly Hills! I think what we have here is a case of Tiki discrimination by the media, yes Sir!
[ This Message was edited by: bigbrotiki 2011-09-28 12:25 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2011-09-28 5:46 pm Permalink
Bigbro,
It is pretty amazing that those 4 huge roadside Tikis have not been documented in photos or postcards before now. Did someone say postcards?
Here are a few from my collection.
One of the best renderings ever.
The inside bar
Back of the card.
And a matchbook from The Traders era.
Hope to hear some more on the carver.
DC
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abstractiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 582
From: Lodi, CA
| Posted: 2011-11-12 08:01 am Permalink
I found this Trader Vics image in the LA Library archives.
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2401
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2011-11-12 10:31 am Permalink
From the UCLA archives.
My caption would be "A VW bus filled with filthy Hippies is about to be turned away from Trader Vic's." 
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-01-05 6:17 pm Permalink
Some amazing old photos in this thread.
Here is and old illustrated ad for the place.
DC
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martian-tiki
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 19, 2009
Posts: 309 | Posted: 2012-09-16 07:56 am Permalink
La Societe de Bacchus et Epicurus reviews Trader Vic's at Beverly Hilton. (This society appears to consist of rich people as seen on the "Beverly Hillbillies")
Pictured are Vic's General Manager Oswaldo Lorenz and Chef Ping Lee
From
Millionaire Magazine
September 1965 V2 N1
http://www.martiantiki.com/millionaire-sept65vics
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8259
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2012-09-17 2:10 pm Permalink
This Vics closing still saddens me deeply.
Jeff(btd)
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martian-tiki
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Sep 19, 2009
Posts: 309 | Posted: 2012-11-23 9:22 pm Permalink
I'm interested in a 27 foot bronze fountain done for the Beverly Hilton circa the early 1950's. Does anyone know anything about it or could help point me in the right direction.
This may have been 1950's style wire rod art. An artist I'm doing a project on mentioned he did this in an interview - so I assume it did exist - though to be literal he said "for the Beverly Hilton" not "is at the Beverly Hilton"
Thanks.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-11-23 11:26 pm Permalink
I am not aware of that fountain, but it sounds intriguing. The way to find out about that is to contact architect Welton Becket's office
http://www.ellerbebecket.com/100/founders.html
(it's current incarnation) who built it.
In fact, I know of the existence of a booklet that describes all the design features and artists involved with the project. I once had a xeroxed version of it, but lent it to someone, who never returned it  - and now I can't remember who it was. I still have one page from it...
....I remember it also talked about the carver of the giant pole Tikis outside, of which only the one by the entrance survived:
I have yet to find a good image of these 4 watchers of Wilshire Blvd, if you do, let me know.
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martian-tiki
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Sep 19, 2009
Posts: 309 | Posted: 2012-11-25 9:30 pm Permalink
http://www.williamrotsler.com/art/hilton/index.php
Regarding that sculpture I was asking about a friend of mine tracked this down and uploaded it to the site I'm helping with.
I hope anyone reading it finds it interesting on its own merits...
Additional information or leads or photos would be very appreciated. (And I apologize for being slightly off topic being about the hotel and not the restaurant but I believed this thread would be most helpful for Beverly Hilton info.)
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