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Trader Vic’s Postcard List

This is a list of every Trader Vic’s postcard that I know of. Where I own an example, the thumbnail links to a larger view. Otherwise, it usually links to an online reference such as Tiki Central that discusses the card.

Thanks very much to everyone who provided great information on Tiki Central and elsewhere, to anyone whose content I linked to, and to Dustycajun for loads of information and Hamburg and Honolulu pics.

I haven’t yet included hotel postcards that have an incidental mention or show a Trader Vic’s entrance as part of a larger picture, and non-postal cards aren’t intended to be comprehensive. I’d love to hear more about what’s missing. With permission, I’ll post any updates that I receive.

— Tom <tinsel@tinsel.org>

Beverly Hills

The Traders exterior watercolor
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Interior
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Garden Room

Boston

Lanai Room ~ Plastichrome by Colourpicture P69753

Chicago (Palmer House)

The Traders or Trader Vic’s ~ Curteichcolor 7C-K936

According to this guide from The Curt Teich Postcard Archives at the Newberry Library, this card was released in 1957, the same year as the location opened, so not significantly newer than the black and white card below.

B&W The Trader’s Restaurant
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Dallas

Dallas
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Denver (Cosmopolitan Hotel)

Outrigger interior ~ A.B. Hirschfield Press, Photo by Sam McRae

Other Interior
Evidence: Tiki Architecture

Detroit

Interior
Evidence: Chub at Tiki Central

Emeryville

Tiki and Menehune Rooms ~ Mike Roberts SC14057
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Trader Vic’s Classic Fashion Show & Tiki Oasis Pre-Party, July 19, 2012 (non-postal)

Trader Vic’s Cocktail Workshop (non-postal)

Hamburg

“It’s Tiki Time!” (pic: Dustycajun)
(reverse)

Havana

Watercolor interior

Honolulu

B&W exterior
Evidence: worthpoint.com

Exterior ~ Irving Rosen Color Production 84198
Evidence: Dustycajun at tikiroom.com

Houston

Interior ~ Plastichrome by Colourpicture P74688

London

Divided Interiors

Interior
Evidence: worthpoint.com

Interior with sake barrels
Evidence: Tiki Quest page 139

“Come Taste The Islands”

Los Angeles

Have Your Next Business Event… (non-postal)

Munich

Evidence: jassy-50 at flickr

New York (Savoy)

Vertical interior ~ Color Photography by Al Levine
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Interior ~ Dexter Color

Divided entrance/interior ~ P55476
Evidence: worthpoint.com

New York (Plaza)

Interior
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Oakland

“The Deck” ~ Mike Roberts SC2517

Main Dining Room ~ Mike Roberts SC7206
(reverse)

Palo Alto

“Meet Some of Your Friends at Trader Vic’s” (5×7)

“Legendary Cuisine and Exotic Drinks” (5×7)

Portland

Interior ~ Mirro-Krome by H.S. Crocker

St. Louis

Interior ~ Kohler Color Card, Photo by Robert F. Arteaga

Interior 2 ~ Curteichcolor
Evidence: worthpoint.com

San Francisco (Cosmo Place)

Tiki Room looking into the Garden Room ~ Mike Roberts SC2516

Garden Room ~ Mike Roberts SC7204

Hong Kong Room ~ Mike Roberts SC7205

Original oil painting by Peter Hayward (4×6) ~ Mike Roberts SCB16203
Original oil painting by Peter Hayward (4×6) ~ Tal Rice

San Juan (Caribe Hilton)

Vertical entrance ~ Dexter Color 51215-B
Evidence: Humuhumu at Tiki Central

Entrance ~ Dormand Postcards 62412
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central

Back Entrance ~ Dormand Postcards 76940
Evidence: Arkiva Tropika

The caption doesn’t mention Trader Vic’s, but the style matches and I have a used postcard where the writer identifies it as such.

Scottsdale

Interior ~ Douglass Color Card 63046

Evening Exterior ~ Petley S-62945-7
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central and CardCow

Daytime Exterior ~ Douglass Color Card 58713
Evidence: Dustycajun at Tiki Central and CardCow

Daytime Exterior Fifth Avenue
Evidence: worthpoint.com

Seattle

Outrigger Interior ~ Mirro-Krome by H.S.Crocker

Outrigger Interior
Evidence: Arkiva Tropika and Vanishing Seattle.

The Outrigger Neon
Evidence: Arkiva Tropika

Trader Vic’s Neon
Evidence: Arkiva Tropika

Tokyo

Stone (4×6) ~ Printed in Japan 0810

“Photo shows the six-foot stone stele presented by the founder of Trader Vic’s, Victor Bergeron, to The New Otani Hotel and Tower as a token of lasting friendship.”

Tokyo (non-postal)

Vancouver

Interior ~ “Litho in Canada” C-1400

Exterior ~ C826
Evidence: Arkiva Tropika

Waikiki

Woman at Bar ~ Mike Roberts
Evidence: Phillip Roberts at Tiki Central

It’s unclear to me if this is a Trader Vic’s postcard, or just a postcard photographed at Trader Vic’s?

Washington, D.C.

Entrance ~ Prince Lithograph PE-301

Interior ~ McGrew Color Graphics 651379, photography created by Chase Studios of Washington

Menu Cover

Atlanta (ev: Dustycajun)
Beverly Hills
Chicago ~ Tal Rice
Denver ~ “DPH 3/78”
Emeryville ~ Mike Roberts SC18301 (ev: eBay)
Emeryville ~ Tal Rice
Manhattan (Plaza) ~ “DPH 2/79”
Scottsdale ~ “DPH 2/79”
Singapore

75th Anniversary

“Greetings from Paradise”

“South Seas”

“Your Time is Mai Time”

Folding Mailer — Three Color Menu

Oakland and Honolulu (three color) (Evidence: eBay)

Honolulu (three color) ~ Granny Abbot (ev: worthpoint.com, Dustycajun)

Honolulu (three color) ~ Granny Abbot & Fred Mosher (Evidence: Dustycajun)

Folding Mailer — Full Color Menu

Folding Mailer — Other

Outrigger, Seattle
Evidence: Dustycajun at tikiroom.com

Eight-page recipes
Evidence: worthpoint.com and uncle trav at tikiroom.com

The New Denver Outrigger folding mailer
Evidence: eBay

Other

“The enchantment of Hawaii has intrigued travelers for years. The Islands have a magic all their own. The aloha spirit and the tranquil beauty simply fascinates people. United joins in this mystique by serving food selected and prepared by the world famous Trader Vic and served aboard our 747 Friend Ship flight to Hilo and Honolulu.”

References & Links

Carter, Duke. Tiki Quest: Collecting the Exotic Past. Chicago: Pegboard Press, 2003.

“Guide to Dating Curt Teich Postcards.” Curt Teich Postcard Archive. Accessed October 26, 2017. https://www.newberry.org/sites/default/files/researchguide-attachments/Teich_Postcard_Dating_Guide_2016.pdf

Humphrey, Clark. Postcards of America: Vanishing Seattle. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2008.