Once again, a certain person is trying to sell a board on ebay for a lot of money. This time, on the UK ebay site.
A few months ago they had it on the US ebay site and listed at $25k. It came to the attention of Rick Griffin’s daughter and her mom, Ida Griffin.
They contacted the seller and had him remove the listing. Ida and her daughter unequivocally stated that the board never belonged to Rick and the art was not done by his hand.
They gave a timeline of where he was and what he was doing during the period it was supposedly made. What they have said completely contradicts the claims about the board and blows holes in the entire story.
Since no one has come forward to claim they are the original owner there’s no way to tell how the bogus story began. But the facts remain that the board has zero connection to Griffin except for the replicated art that was borrowed from a concert poster.
Here is the current ad. The link may not work for much longer as the Griffin family will probably have it removed again. Pics added, and screenshots
It appears to be the current 10 1/2 inch FU box. In the 1968/69 period, FU was marketing a white Cycolac plastic box, using a bolt and plate at each end of the fin base.
That’s Mike Jipp, who has a huge Greg Noll collection and also sells reprints of art that Griffin did for Noll in the early 60s. He used to have some original Griffin items but sold them all. So now he does reprints. I have never seen him misrepresent other stuff on ebay. I think he was told a tall tale by the previous owner and fell for the BS. Too bad.
I posted pics of this board over a year ago on Swaylocks. I’ll search the archives to see if I can find the thread. The pics were forwarded to me by Mike Jipp. I believe I posted the thread under the title of “Thoughts??”. I’m no expert at the Archives, but I’ll give it a search. At the time I posted that thread and pics there was little or no comment or interest shown by the pee-nut gallery here on Sways. I have heard the story on the board and the Art is comparable to another said to be Griffin board and a belly board. I posted my original thread and pics to see what any self-styled experts might contribute. There was little interest and the thread died. My thoughts on the board were “inconclusive”. Unless Mike has came up with more info I would still be of that opinion. I would say it would be hard for Grif’s own family to know what he was up to with Surf bros every waking minute down at the beach. My family has no idea what I do when it comes to surfing and Surfboards. I don’t call my wife every time I buy, Shape a board or paddle out. Griffin could take forever to do a commissioned piece, but he could have done that board in about five minutes. Also; in 69 & 70 the only finbox I could buy at Mitch’s was the early version of the same Bahne/FU box in common use today. I was riding boards glassed at Channin’s Del Mar factory and they had the same basic box that everybody uses today with hand foiled glass fins. Lowel
A short search found my original post under the title “Thoughts??”. I don’ t link worth a $#!t , so if someone wants to post it up. It might help clarify a few things.
Someone contacted the seller and asked about the fin. They passed the info on to me. Mike Jipp says it’s a first gen FU box and fin.
One thing about the auction is that he provides very few low quality pics. If I was trying to sell a board for five figures the pics would be far more comprehensive and clear.
Who sells a board online without at least one good shot of the fin?
The Griifin family members I exchanged messages with state unequivocally that Rick had no involvement with the board and wasn’t even in that area when it was supposedly made.
The only slight connection it has to RG is that reproduction of the poster art. None of the other decorations bear any semblance of his work. Ida and her daughter are adamant that the story is false and they are going to have the listings removed from ebay. What’s puzzling is that the same thing happened a few months back. He had it listed at $25,000 and when Rick’s daughter saw the ad she made him remove it. I cannot fathom why he’d have the nerve to list it again.
All of the above information is 2nd hand hearsay. I am unconvinced of the history of the board that would authenticate it, I have seen the “handheld torch” and the “Aztec” symbol used before in work attributed to Griffin. The fin box is a no brainer. “Surfboard Builder’s Yearbook” circa 69–70.
2nd Thoughts; Carefully reading Mike Jipp’s rather vague Ebay description, history, background etc.; I Don’t see how anyone could come to the conclusion that Rick Griffin was never in the general vicinity of this board. The art is the only evidence that he might have ever even laid eyes on this board. Other than the mention of Mexico; no dates, times, witnesses etc are ever named in the EBay description. Vague references to a friend of a friend and the Central Coast, close to the Ranch etc. Pretty vague. The only way you could ever authenticate this board would be if someone of good reputation came forward who could absolutely ID the board, establish it’s history and what the connection was to Griffin. I don’t have a serious opinion on whether or not it is the real deal and precisely the reason I posted pics of of it last year right here on Sways. It appears to me that there is as much evidence that it is real as there is it isn’t. Experts would do well to follow their own advice. Lest they be dismissed. Lowel
Could be. That would make it older than 69 or 70. I’ll go by his shop today and ask him. That is provided he is open. The ocean is a mess and there is ice on the ground. He puts in dutiful time most every day at his shop even if it is only on the Net.
I seem to remember that you posted pics on Sways of three boards that were on display at the Griffin Show in Laguna. Still got those pics? I told Mike previously that there were other boards out there with verifiable Griffin art. I don’t know why he would say this one is the only one in existence. Off course the same was said by the owner of the Parrish at Seymour’s auction. Poor Rick. He didn’t want to be known as a Surfboard Airbrusher. When you look at the “Dead” album “Wake of the Flood”; you cannot help but be in awe.
I think legally speaking if the Family says it is not by Ricks hand then that would be the end of the story.
In the world of Art getting a unsigned work certified as an original is not easy. Painting that if found to be an original by a resound master could mean the work jumps from a few thousand in value to multi million dollars in value.
Without a complete insurance that that Board was painted by Griffin then it is only worth maybe a couple of hundred at best. With proof that Griffin did the work then who knows. I have no idea what an original Griffin would sell for. I could see some of his larger works sell for $50,000 or more. Beyond the world of surfing he was a very important artist. For the early poster Artist in Haight Ashbury Movment of Art and music.
If that guy in Oragon is selling reproductions of Griffins art he may have a big legal problem if Noll does not own the copy right the Griffin Family could make a claim on everything he has sold.
