Like many of us, Grey has encountered the same intriguing question time and again in collector forums, swap meets, and emails: “Is it Witco?” It’s the question that haunts collectors of all experience levels at some point when trying to identify the bold carvings and iconic décor originated from William Westenhaver, Robert Cookson, and Robert Post Jr., dating back to 1958.

Is he a Witco expert? Maybe… maybe not. But he’s definitely the guy friends message when they stumble across a suspicious-looking carving at a flea market, online or at an auction. Grey regularly helps fellow collectors identify potential finds and decode the clues that separate authentic Witco from clever imposters.

In this presentation Grey will dive into several topics, including the history, origins, influence, and iconic designs of Witco - and share tips that might just help you answer the eternal collector’s question:

“Is it Witco?”

And, because no tiki gathering, especially Ohana, is complete without an element of wonder, there may even be a piece of modern Witco raffled off for those fortunate enough to attend.

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Heather Groenstein, better known in the F.O.M. community as Ladybird Rocket, is a freelance fine artist, art educator, and enthusiastic home tiki bar curator (some might say professional tropical drink tester). Her love affair with WITCO began years ago when a friend gifted her and her husband several faux mid-century WITCO-style pieces that had been crafted in a local high school woodshop class during the 1960s.

Those quirky treasures found a permanent home in their mid-century backyard tiki oasis, the Hale "Au' Au,".  What started as a simple gift quickly turned into a full-blown fascination. Before long, Heather found herself diving headfirst into the history, craftsmanship, and wonderfully wild world of WITCO.

Today, Heather and her husband Eric proudly care for and maintain one of the largest private WITCO collections on the East Coast, with more than 70 pieces and counting (because apparently "just one more" is a perfectly reasonable answer every time a new piece appears). Their collection is the result of years of research, road trips, creative negotiations, and occasionally explaining to confused friends why a giant carved wall hanging or yet another bar absolutely needed to come home with them.

Together, they continue to rescue orphaned WITCO treasures from antique shops, estate sales, dusty basements, and unsuspecting marketplace listings whenever possible—often with a helpful tip from their trusted network of "WITCO pushers." Dedicated to preserving this wonderfully quirky chapter of American design history, they remain committed to ensuring that these iconic carvings live on for future generations of collectors, tiki enthusiasts, and people who simply appreciate cool carved wood.

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