Yep, well spotted …the tape off…new resin V old…nobody is trying to shoot down a real deal here…but for those in the know the stench of something as bit off…is starting to rise.
George’s “real flextails” had more glass overhang, were concaved inward and toward the nose or at least were at semi right angles to the squared off tail, were as this is convex toward the tail with a massive rolled deck allowing very little ‘flex’ compared to the concept and George led ‘concept’ of he day.
No foot depressions or any signs of undulations in the deck???..the curves toward the nose??? it is all vey questionable.
I don't think anybody is saying the board has not been re-worked in an attmpt to clean up and cover up. It's not uncommon for guys to pigment over yellowed foam or exstensive ding repair on old boards that are being readied for resale or public auction. If you have ever been to any of the auctions held over the years in Calif. the East Coast and Hawaii. You have seen putrid examples of quote/unquote "restorations". Having said that there are also some very good restorations done as well. Rarick used to take in boards that required restoration and then ready them for his auction in Hawaii. Sometimes things have to be covered up. That doesn't mean a board was any thing other than what it started out to be. Anybody who worked at Morey/Pope during the late 60's could have shaped this board. It most likly is what it is, with a Re-Do.
Prolly right, so I guess the question still stands then…who did what when why & what is it worth?
If that pulls even $1000 i’m heading for the garage with a few tools a can o pigment a trench coat, dark glasses and some fake ID…make a fricken fortune…geez I think i may even have the Duke’s original slab lying around somewhere…that grey pigment would make that look really like it was even part of Pearl Harbour…sorry got to go…
Rocky…no no no…I mean John Doe, ‘Famous Collector of Valuable Surfboards’… call 555PIGMENT
The classic was the wooden paddle board with the bat painted on it. I think it was said to have been Duke's personal board at one time. It was found in Michigan. Most likly a completly made-up story. If anything there may have been some kind of Blake connection as he was originally from there and continued to spend time there thru out his life. I spoke to the guy in Michigan who had the board and he emailed me pics. I think at the time he wanted $1500 for it. This was back in the late 90's or early 2000's. I didn't like the Duke story so passed on it. Eventually it made it's way to one of the auctions in So. Cal. I think Seymour's. By that time the story had grown to I don't remember what , but it had become a bigger yarn. The board was pictured in one of the mags. I think SJ. It sold for several thousand dollars. I don't remember. I think at least $5K No documentation to validate the story.. The point is; If you are going to phony something up in your garage; Fire up a J, crack open a Corona or two and let your imagination run wild. You've got to have a good story that can't be disputed by even the experts.
Prolly right, so I guess the question still stands then....who did what when why & what is it worth?
If that pulls even $1000 i'm heading for the garage with a few tools a can o pigment a trench coat, dark glasses and some fake ID....make a fricken fortune....geez I think i may even have the Duke's original slab lying around somewhere...that grey pigment would make that look really like it was even part of Pearl Harbour..sorry got to go..
Rocky...no no no..I mean John Doe, 'Famous Collector of Valuable Surfboards'.... call 555PIGMENT
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............your onto somethin there Lobster !....
Yeah i think it would be a buzz to discover that sort of stuff, but as an experienced restorer, how many times have you seen a signature/details of origin done like this board, at right angles to the stringer and not along or beside the stringer??
I have NEVER seen it and especially when all the action re that board is tail orientated and one would think as that would gain the attention, that is were Bob or whoever would put their moniker.
Yeah , it's quite obvious that the writing is new............the volan fin and flex-tail have obviously had little use ?...it also has diagonal weave , if that means anything........
The signature does make it suspect as almost nobody signed boards in those days. having said that; This board would have came out of Ventura. The guys in Ventura/Santa Barbara were more likly to initial or sign a board than just about anywhere else in Calif. Example being R.Yater. I think though that Ike and a couple of others who worked for Rennie (ghost shapers) were pretty good at signing those blanks when he wasn't around.
Dennis Benadum did some like that 70’s Sundance ,Carp. hard to get easy to ding Rincon preleash era tail destroyer,Morey,Yater ,Ryder or McT are phone calls away they could give you the yea or nay or is the fact or fiction better? whats a ghost shaper anyway??? Aloha…
Maybe you can induce Kirk Putnam to take a look (PM or get him at his blog). He was pretty much in the middle of all that stuff and knows all the know-it-alls.