Josh Agle, otherwise known as the painter and illustrator "Shag," spends his days painting in a tiki-filled studio. His tiki treasures have hit the 500 mark, with a pretty even split between carved masks or statues, and ceramics such as mugs and salt and pepper shakers. Shag spent eight years in Hawaii and thinks maybe that's what drew him to the Polynesian restaurant in 1985, where he became mesmerized by tikis and made his first tiki purchase. Now his friends are contributing to the collection. Here are quick tips for starting your own collection:
- Look for Tiki mugs with sharp detail.
- Look for mugs from restaurants that are no longer in business. Stephen Crane mugs from the 1950s can sell from $50 to $250. Trader Vic tiki mugs are worth $150 to $200.
- Rare pre-missionary Tiki carvings can be valued at $100,000 or more.
- Look for manufacturers marks on the bottom of Tiki items.
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