The Tiki Tulsa connection and other discoveries

There appears to be a renewed fascination with the Polynesian pop culture craze that gripped the U.S. from approximately the mid-'50s through the mid-'70s. Search "tiki" on eBay, and you're going to find more than 16,000 items, ranging from vintage bar ware to carved wood figurines to thatch umbrellas.

A quick search through my cabinets proves I'm not immune. Behold these little gems from Frankoma Pottery.

The coconuts were manufactured by Frankoma Pottery, a Norman, Okla.-based company that got its start in 1933. According to various Web sites (all of which were loosely sourced, so keep that in mind), the coconuts were part of a line of beverage containers and bar ware manufactured at the request of Club Trade Winds, a Tulsa tiki lounge designed to rival Trader Vic and other similar watering holes.

 Find this for sale here

I found one site that said the coconuts, which came in nine colors and are stamped T7, were part of an initial order of 350 beverage containers. The deal was, patrons would pay exorbitant prices for a cocktail that came in a take-home keepsake. Of course, what they mostly were paying for was ice, but who can argue with smart marketing? Other vessels, including the thrillingly named War God, are also lurking out there, along with serving dishes that follow the Polynesian theme.

What the coconuts are worth really isn't clear. I found one discussion thread that said they weren't worth much. But a quick glance at eBay suggests otherwise. Prices there range from $25 (my guess as to what they might actually be worth) to $129.99 for the ones like mine to $699.99 for one in Flaming Red. Yikes! Keep your eyes peeled for one of those the next time you go junking. By the way, I got really lucky with my duo: My grandma gave them to me. But I'm always on the lookout for mates. Perfect for mai tais, don't you think?

Much farther down the value scale — but no less loved — is my set of mahogany-wrapped highball glasses from Siesta Ware.

I picked up these little beauties at flea markets here and there. Miraculously, I wound up with six different colors. The mahogany on a couple of them is cracked (if you love something, don't put it in a dishwasher), but overall they're in great shape.

Figuring out their provenance required a little work. You can find the glasses all over the Internet, but almost no background information is available. After an eye-glazing search through U.S. trademarks, I discovered they were manufactured by the Benner Glass Co. in Jacksonville, Fla. Apparently, the name Siesta Ware went into use in 1948, but a trademark wasn't issued until 1963, which I suspect is about the time these were manufactured. A whole bunch of other Siesta Ware was manufactured, including beer steins and mugs emblazoned with travel destinations. I stumbled across a 1951 copy of The Billboard (yes, that Billboard) magazine in which Benner asked "premium users" to look over its Siesta beer steins. Novices need not apply?

Guess this lass in a 1947 ad for sale on eBay qualified? You can buy it here.

I digress. I picked the glasses up for about $1.50 apiece. They're selling for just a skosh more than that now. But if I happen to stumble across the caddy available for some sets, I can boost that price up to $100 or so. Worth rooting for.

The tiki craze died out around the mid-'70s. Personally, I think it jumped the shark in 1972, with the three-episode evil-tiki arc on "The Brady Bunch." But eh, who knows? The tiki craze is back now.

Might as well accept it

It began with a single set of dishes. Homer Laughlin's delicious Fiesta ware, to be more precise. And like Clifford the Big Red Dog, it just grew and grew and grew.

One day (when I became concerned my kitchen cabinets might collapse), it occurred to me I needed more storage space. But it might as well be cool. I decided to scout for a china hutch in keeping with the style of the era from whence many of my dishes came. When I stumbled across the beauty above at Charley's Flea Market in Springfield, I gasped. I assumed I couldn't afford it. I slowly turned the price tag over and nearly swooned with delight: $75, people!

A monster was born. My madness for all things midcentury modern today has no boundaries. Table cloths, bar ware, funky little wall hangings — I want it all.

My home is a humble ranch-style home built in 1959 and settled among other similar homes. But rather than renovate, I've chosen to retrovate. Instead of knocking down walls and installing granite countertops, I want to restore this house to its original ideal and deck it in midcentury splendor. My dream finds include an atomic-era George Nelson-designed Herman Miller starburst clock, a Heywood Wakefield dining set, sleek living room furniture and accessories of every stripe.

But let's be real: I'm a writer. This ain't going to happen overnight on my budget. The only path I have for success runs through thrift shops, flea markets, estate sales and the like. We're talking cheap treasure.

Fortunately, my job as a freelancer takes me to some pretty out-of-the-way places in the Ozarks. My plan is to document my journey, post pics of my finds, research my treasures and share them with you. Along the way, I hope you'll offer tips on midcentury design and alert me to cool stuff you find.

Time to get moving.