Tiki Quest: Collecting the Exotic Past is the latest book offering for Tiki fanatics. Many discover the mysterious wonders of the world of Tiki through some small cast-off relic. Maybe it’s a Tiki mug with the name of a now-closed restaurant, perhaps a souvenir statue from Hawaii. But whatever the inspiration, Tiki has captivated the imagination once again. There are those who amass only enough to outfit their home bar, there are others who are obsessed with Tiki in every form. Duke Carter is obsessed. His book catalogues the collection of vintage Tiki he has put together through years of scouring thrift stores, flea markets, and junk shops. The largest section categorizes Tiki mugs, the ceramic containers with fanciful renderings of Tiki gods that once were filled with Mai Tais and Navy Grog. Other areas of collecting are also presented: from souvenir statues made of resin and lava, postcards, matchbooks and swizzle sticks from Tiki restaurants of old, to an amazing variety of gee-gawks made into the likeness of Tikis. There are banks and bottles, lighters and lamps, even ashtrays full of aloha.
Far from a quickly outdated price guide, Tiki Quest is a vivid account and loving tribute to the joy of collecting, rendered in a colorful coffee-table book format.
Beautifully designed and lavishly illustrated with over 1000 photos filling nearly 200 pages, Tiki Quest is a must-have for Tiki enthusiasts whether they have been a collector for a long time or if they have just had their first Scorpion.
