That Stinker Fidel
A couple of menus from the long-defunct Trader Vic's in Havana, Cuba appeared recently on eBay. One of them sold for a whopping $75. There's nothing particularly rare about these menus, since the restaurant chain printed thousands of them as souvenirs, but these particular menus all had a note on them, ostensibly written by "Trader" Vic Bergeron himself, that reads:
"No more fine Cuban rum since that stinker Fidel Castro took over - but we've a helluva lot of menus" - Vic
[Link: Trader Vic's Menu][via Swanky]
Comments
Actually, they were all printed with that note in them. I think un-knowledgable bidders thought this was actually personalized by Vic and that's why it hit $75. All the Havana Trader Vic's menus have this little jab at Castro on them.
Posted by: swanky | July 15, 2006 11:35 AM
Duly noted, but isn't it possible that Vic signed a bunch of menus with that same little dig at Castro, then gave them out as souvenirs?
You seem convinced that the writing is forged. Has anyone actually examined it and determined that conclusively?
Posted by: MrBaliHai | July 15, 2006 12:05 PM
I am not sure it's forged, just that they were all printed with this message. Likely is his writing originally though. Here's another one And another one They all have that message. I admit that when I first saw it I thought I had a real treasure. Vic was known to sign his book a lot for people at the restaurant. But this one is printed this way. Trader Vic vs. Fidel Castro!
Posted by: swanky | July 16, 2006 7:34 AM