Ebay Watch: August-October 2013

So here we have it, the three-month compendium that gets me up to date! I know I know. You wanted three separate ones. But this is the best I could do! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed though, because this was an incredible three-month span. A span which saw the 6-year old high-price record smashed, and also saw a bunch of other amazing decks go off for equally amazing prices. So let’s get to it.

60s, 70s, very early 80s.

First up in this section is this amazing complete from the 60s. It’s an Ole Custom Surfboards “Hang Ten” model, probably from the mid 60s. It’s in really nice used condition, and features the top graphic of a goofy kid doing gorilla grip not hanging ten at all. So that’s odd. It’s 22” long and 5.5” wide. It’s in good condition: the rubber wheels and single action trucks look almost new! It sold for $600 on 20 bids.

Now here we have an unusual one! It’s a Town & Country Darren Ho “Island Leaf” from 1978, not the 80s as the seller says. It is a very rare board, and it features the Hawaiian flag and a pot leaf, which is a nice touch. The graphic is hidden by all of the vintage stickers, but some of them are pretty classic! I particularly like the Lightning Bolt and the Local Motion ones. It comes complete with what look like first gen Indys and big print Powell Peralta Bones wheels. It’s not in the best shape, but it’s a rare one. This historic specimen sold for $960 on 11 bids.

And going back to the 60s again we have this mint with box Hobie “Super Surfer” skateboard! It is super clean. The deck and trucks look pristine, and the clay wheels look like they’ve seen pavement for about 5 minutes. No major chips or damage of any kind. And look at that beautiful hardwood vertical laminate! Now that is a thing of beauty. It sold for $1,055 on 38 bids.

Here we have another wonderful looking old deck, but this time from about 12 years later. It’s a Dogtown Wes Humpston “Bulldog” model. This is 10” by 30” and has the classic yellow fiberglass bottom layer. Damn that thing looks sharp! Its been gently used but certainly not abused. It’s signed by Wes on the tail. It sold for $810 on 9 bids.

Nice one! Here we have a Sims Bert Lamar “Super Ply Stinger” from 1979. This one is the Concave model so it’s a little later than the original of this graphic. The deck is clean as can be, although I find it odd that the seller claims it’s never been gripped when it has griptape on it! But that came from the factory that way so is to be expected. The pink and blue colorway isn’t the strongest, but the silver dip is awesome. It sold for $3,000.

Here we have another classic! It’s a Santa Cruz Steve Olson “Checkerboard w/ Classic Dot” from 1980. It’s one of my favorite graphics of any era. Simple, understated but very powerful and instantly recognizable. Iconic even. This has been used but is still in great shape. It comes with 3rd gen Indys but no wheels, which is odd! The Indy sticker needs to go, as do the rails and the tailguard. It’s an impressive looking board, and it sold for $1,335 on 12 bids.

Here we have the almost obligatory Z-Flex fiberglass deck from 1977. The unusual thing about this one though is that it is a Jimmy Plumer model, not the Jay Adams as you were probably expecting. Plus it’s undrilled, so it’s minty mint. It sold for $1,100.

And finally from the 70s/early 80s this month we have this Santa Cruz ‘Stinger” from 1978. This one is actually super rare. It was supposed to be the George Orton model, but most were released as generic team decks with no name. Only about 100 actually had Orton’s name on, and this is one of those 100. The board is used, and comes complete with Indy Stage Is and OJ Radial Juice wheels. It’s an impressive looking and very rare complete, but it only sold for $660 which is a real surprise. You might never see another one of these.

Mid 1980s

So first up in the 80s section this month we have this Vision Agent Orange “Pig” team deck from 1984, just like last month! But the colorway isn’t as nice as last months by any means. Not that this one is bad, but the yellow and black is no competition for the black pink and blue of last months beauty. It’s NOS, never mounted or gripped, making this still a very collectible deck, dodgy colorway or not. It sold for $2,100.

And here we have another band deck from 1984, this one being the classic Zorlac Big Boys deck. The deck is NOS, never mounted or gripped, but it does have an array of storage marks and scuffs etc., especially on the tail. Plus it has one vertical scratch all the way down the bottom. Still, it’s very unusual to see a Big Boys that wasn’t gripped or set up. So it sold for $921 on 25 bids.

So here it is, your new high price eBay auction champion! It’s a Rip City Black Flag “No Net Ever!” band deck (yet another!) from 1984. It’s in NOS condition, never gripped or mounted, but has the usual age marks and scuff etc. It has been signed over the years by 8 different members of Black Flag, including all the classic names that you would hope to see on there. It belonged to the owner of the Memphis Cheapskates store who bought it himself and used to take it to punk shows etc. That’s where the marks come from probably! It’s a great colorway and an impressive looking deck, but I never would have thought it would become the new price champion. But there you are! It sold for $6,350 on 41 bids. All hail the king!

Here we have a Sims Buck Smith “Dollar Buck” from 1989. The deck is NOS, never mounted or gripped, with just a few small surface storage scratches. The silver dip is bright and shiny, and works beautifully with the green of the dollar bill. The nose heavy graphic is interesting in its placement, and overall this is a wonderful looking deck. It sold for $640.

Now here we have a Santa Cruz Duane Peters “5 Stripes” from 1981ish. It comes complete with Stage 1 Indys and black Kryptonics double conical wheels. Overall it’s in pretty worn shape, particularly the tail, but the main graphic is still there. Plus it’s in the happening yellow dip instead of the red that you normally see. It’s a classic graphic from a legendary skater, so no surprise that it sold for $666 on 8 bids.

Here we have a Vision Mark Gonzales “Gonz and Roses” deck from 1988. The deck is NOS, never gripped or mounted, and in a unusual colorway. It’s an olive green stain with light blue and background, brown flowers and res suit and hair. It’s odd, but strangely cool all at the same time. There is a pretty large scratch across his face, but from a distance it looks great. It sold for a large $2,200!

Here we have a Santa Cruz Claus Grabke “Exploding Clock” from 1987. It’s unusual because it’s NOS and you never see this deck NOS. I don’t really like the light yellow and pink, bright yellow and red would have looked far better, bit still, beggars can’t be choosers! It sold for $1,909 on 22 bids.

And here we have another Santa Cruz Jeff Grosso model, this one being the “Toybox” from 1987. This deck is mint in shrink, and if money was no object and you were looking for this deck, then you couldn’t find a better specimen. The dark green stain is the perfect base for the bright neon colors of the toys. It’s a fantastic looking deck, although probably ruined a little by the super shitty enormous SC logo on the tail. It sold for $2,900, which is probably a record for this deck. But looking at it are you really surprised?

Now here’s a beauty that you don’t see very often. It’s a Schmitt Stix Andy Howell “Pyramid” from 1989. The deck is NOS, and it’s in a lovely peach stain, and the intricate graphic is in warm blues and greens and gold. It’s an exceptionally beautiful deck that would grace any collection or wall. It’s simple math really: rare deck + amazing colorway = big bucks! It sold for $2,003 on 46 bids.

And here’s another big hitter! In fact I’m not sure if I’ve ever featured 3 decks in a row before that all went over 2g’s! It’s a Santa Cruz Jason Jessee “Neptune” from 1988. It’s got everything you would want if you were looking for this graphic! It’s NOS, in an amazing colorway, and it has the shark tail and crescent moon nose! The purple stain and red and green Neptune is awesome! It sold for $2,035 on 34 bids.

Here we have a Vision Joe Johnson “Hieroglyphic Circle” from 1986. The deck has been set up but never gripped or actually skated. So it was drilled for rails and nose and had trucks applied, but was never gripped for some reason. A shop demo model perhaps? The colorway is exceptional: the dark natural wood is a great canvas for the bright yellow, green and blue. And I really like the yellow to green gradation in the Vision type. It sold for $642 on a BIN after 90 minutes.

So here we go climbing back onto the >2k bandwagon again! Here we have an absolutely amazing Schmitt Stix John Lucero “X2” complete from 1987. The complete was put together but never ridden. It seriously looks like it came from the factory yesterday! It is in a crisp red stain with bright green Gullwing trucks and black Schmitt Stix Radial wheels. Even the graphics on the wheels are super bright! It has clear griptape on top, and that looks virgin. Seriously, this looks like it was set up and then locked in a closet for 26 years. This is amazing, and it sold for $2,100.

Here’s a Uncle Wiggley Tony Magnusson “Honeycomb” from 1985. It’s not NOS: the deck was never gripped but was set up, and has a lot of surface scratches and dings etc. It was never drilled for rails or tail, which is a bonus though! It has the standard factory installed sex bolts in the nose to prevent splitting from nose bonks. It uses the Epoxy-Fiberglass construction that Uncle Wiggley pioneered back then. The decks were super strong but very heavy from what I remember. It sold for $499.

This is another deck that I absolutely love. It’s a SMA/World Industries Jesse Martinez “Handshake” from 1988. The graphic is intricate and nice enough, but it’s the colorway that does it for me. The orange stain and blue, purple and pink graphic is absolutely wonderful. The deck is NOS with very few (if any) blemishes. Look at the blow up and check out the tail. Amazing screening work. It sold for $870 on 6 bids.

Here we have a standard Powell Peralta Rodney Mullen “Mutt” from 1981. It’s in used condition, but the graphic is all there. It’s the colorway that sets this one apart: the black dip with blue, white and yellow graphic is very rare. It has some delam going on, and the regular freestyle bangs and bruises on the rails etc. It sold for $1,413 on 31 bids.

This graphic never gets the respect that it deserves. It’s an SMA Natas Kaupas “Panther II” from 1985. Obviously the original yellow SMA Natas I is one of the most collectible decks of all time, but this one shouldn’t fall too far behind it. It’s the same shape, and Skip just added the leaves etc. and did it in some different colorways. There weren’t many made at all: I’ve seen reports o less than 500. And then he sold the design to NHS who put out their own version of this graphic. But you can tell the original SMA version by the different colored rails, by the wheelwells and the gradation in the leaves. So this one is very rare and should go for big bucks even though it was set up and ridden. But it sold for only $600. I don’t get eBay.

And here we have a Powell Peralta Ray Bones Rodriguez “Skull and Sword” from 1982. The seller claims it’s a Brightlight deck, but I cannot see any evidence of that here. It seems more like the early 6-ply version of the deck to me. It doesn’t say Powell Peralta on the bottom graphic. The deck is very clean, with some tail wear on the tail and nose. It comes complete with Trackers and Kryptonics C70 wheels. It sold for $970 on 18 bids.

Here we have a Town & Country ‘”Primal Urges” team deck from 1987. It’s in near mint condition, never mounted or gripped, and in a cheery red stain colorway. It’s a classic 80s graphic, and one of the few T&C graphics that actually wasn’t just surf-influenced geometric shapes etc. The T&C stuff has its rabid own collector base, as evidenced by the price here: It sold for $1,275 on 26 bids!

And finally from the 80s this month we have this classic Powell-Peralta Mike Vallely “Elephant” from 1988. NOS, never gripped or mounted. Stress racks, the usual routine. But it displays beautifully. It’s a wonderful red dip colorway with yellow and blue elephant. It’s a staple for any PP collection. It sold for $1,675 on 13 bids.

90s-present day

It was another banner month for the 90s. 90s stuff is blowing up like crazy! First up in the 90s section this month we have this New Deal Armando Barajas “Lowrider Horse” deck from 1992. It’s a slick that was set up but never ridden. There is evidence of griptape but that’s about it. That graphic is from the famous comic “The Far Side” from artist Gary Larson, without permission I assume. If you didn’t see it it’s because it lasted 20 minutes for a Buy It Now of $800.

Also from 1990 we have this SMA/World Industries Steve Rocco “Rocco 2” deck. This is the Pygmy (mini) size model: it also came in the Jumbo size. The deck is NOS, and in a very nice grey stain that recedes and allows the bright green, yellow and purple and pink graphics to leap off the deck. That is one sharp colorway! It sold for $1,000.

Here we have a Santa Cruz Jeff Grosso “Heaven and Hell” again from 1990. It’s NOS, never gripped or mounted, and is in a most unusual rose-colored stain. Santa Cruz was at least trying to keep up with times; the top graphic is not the traditional SC look, it’s sideways like a lot of the smaller companies were doing. It was also his last graphic on Santa Cruz at hat point in his career. It sold for $1,400 on a mammoth 46 bids!

Next we have this World Industries Ron Chatman “Masks” deck from 1992. The deck is NOS, and apparently has a flocked finish, which is highly unusual. Only 2 were made, both for Ron himself, and this is one of those. It sold for $1,002 on 15 bids.

Here we have a Powell Peralta Lance Conklin “Love & Rockets” deck from 1993. The deck is mint in shrink, from the collection of Lance Conklin himself. I guess the characters in the graphic are from the “Love and Rockets” series of comic books, hence the name of the deck. It sold for $1.691 on 13 bids.

Next we have a Plan B Matt Hensley “Retirement” model from 1993. The deck is NOS, never gripped or mounted, but it does have some storage marks. It’s an interesting life that tells the story of Matt’s skate career up to that point. Interesting idea. It sold for $1,285 on 18 bids.

Now here’s a Blockhead Rick Howard “skunk” deck from 1991. The deck is NOS, never gripped or mounted, and it’s a real beauty. Simple, humorous; typical Blockhead! It sold for $650 on 7 bids.

Here we have Blind Rudy Johnson “Claudia Schiffer” deck from 1992. It’s NOS, never mounted or gripped. This is the famous graphic that Sean Cliver “appropriated” from Powell when he was fired. It was going to be used for Adam McNatt, but instead he took it to Blind and it was used for all of the Blind pros. It sold for $910 on 16 bids.

And here we have another Rudy Johnson deck, but this time it’s the Blind Rudy Johnson “Sparkplug” from 1993. The deck s NOS, never mounted or ridden, but it does have some storage marks. Personally I’ve always found this deck to be really poorly rendered: the girl looks out of proportion and the face is fugly. But that hasn’t stopped it from becoming super popular and highly sought after. This one went for $1,367 on 15 bids. Also, does anybody know why they ripped off the Santa Cruz logo with his name?

Now this deck is freaking awesome. It’s one of my favorite graphic of all time actually. It’s the Planet Erath Chris Miller “Sleeping Cat” from 1990. It’s mint but not in shrink. It really is an absolutely stunning graphic. I mean, just look at it! It could just as easily be on canvas instead of a skateboard deck. The colorway is great too. It sold for $993 on 4 bids.

And here we have a Zorlac (San Diego years) Donny Myhre ‘Viking” from 1991. It’s NOS, never gripped or mounted. The rich purple stain is nice, but I’ve always though that this graphic needed to have more space to breathe. It’s too contained going between the truck holes. It sold for $1,000.

And here we have the overplayed 101 Natas Kaupas “Devil Worship” deck from 1991. “Controversial”, “Shocking” blah blah blah. Obvious and silly more like. But rightly or wrongly it has become part of skateboarding lore and is very collectible. How collectible? Well this used model with the top graphic covered up sold for $2,000.

And here we have another 101 deck, but this one is the Gabriel Rodriguez “Hero Demon” model from 1991. It’s very similar to the 101 Natas “Flag Demon” model from the same year, with a similar political statement. This one is against the rampant American gun culture, with the demon waist deep in a sea of blood. The top logo is 101 comprised of two bullets and a bullet hole. It’s actually a very powerful statement, but most skaters probably didn’t even see that. It sold for $1,000 on a BIN and lasted about 20 minutes.

And finally from the 90s this month we have this G&S “Warhol Marilyn” team model from 1991. It’s NOS, never mounted or gripped, and is in a really attractive grey/olive woodstain. The graphic is wonderful, and it’s a really eye-catching deck. It sold for $820.

Assorted Crap

Neil, why are you showing me an old beaten up Powel Peralta Steve Caballero “Dragon and Bats” deck from 1987? Well this is one of Steve’s old personal riders, and was ridden hard on the Bones Brigade Australian tour on 1989. The dragon is hand airbrushed by Mike Miller, artist for Steve’s band Odd Man Out, and this deck is featured on page 356 of the Disposable Skateboard bible. Personal riders like this are difficult to price sometimes, and unlike other sports, non-production models can actually be worth less than the normal mint deck. But not this time. This sold for $2,800 on 22 bids.

Here we have a Powell Peralta Bones jacket from all the way from 1986. The deck was basically never worn and still looks like it did when it was purchased off the shelf. It’s a size Large, and is simple and classic. It sold for $900.

Well I guess this auction is either the case of shoe collectors being nuts, or these were the best skate shoes of all time! They are E’s Eric Koston 01s from what, 2002? The shoes are unworn and come in the original box, but they have yellowed with age. They are very ordinary looking, nothing special here. But they sold for $910 on 17 bids. Does anybody have any idea as to why?

Now here’s a true piece of skateboarding history. It’s an original OJ wheels skateboard mold. It’s made of sold aluminum and was used to make eighteen 60mm wheels. It is an amazing, historic collectible, and I would love to know who was selling this. You never see a piece like this come up for sale. It sold for $1,200.

Here we have one of the Powell Peralta “Skull and Sword” reissues that came out as one of the instant collectables they sold to accompany the Bones Brigade movie. It’s been signed by all six members of the original BB, as well as Stacy and George. It’s a nice looking piece, but such blatant cash in annoys me. It sold for $1,625 on 3 bids.

Here we have a collection of every issue of Skateboarder/Action Now Magazine, from it’s first issue in 1975 right through the death of Action Now in 1982. There are 68 issues total, the vast majority of which are in very good or mint condition. Only 6 issues have damage. This is an amazing collection that could take literally years to complete, and here it is for you, all in one place. Fantastic! It sold for $1,500.

And finally in this period we have this insane T-shirt auction. It’s for the Thrasher “Skate Outlaw” t-shirt from 1987ish. It’s been worn plenty and is discolored. It also has at least 2 old autographs on it, one being from Adrian Demain. It’s a Hanes shirt, size L. Nice colorway, rare shirt, but you can still buy this design from Thrasher. So for this to sell for $1,450? Well, you draw your own conclusions.

Quick Hitters

1978 Dogtown Jim Muir “Dragon” deck. Nicely Used. Trackers and Yoyos. $1,500 on 1 bid.

1987 Alva Dave Duncan “Claw” deck. NOS. $525 on 6 bids.

1988 Vision Mark Gonzales “Gonz & Roses” NOS deck. $1,208 on 13 bids.

1988 Santa Cruz Claus Grabke “Holding back Time”. Mint in shrink. $916 on 27 bids.

1984 Zorlac Craig Johnson “Voodoo Doll” deck. Gripped and used. $735 on 19 bids.

1984 Sims Lester Kasai “Splat”. Used complete. Indys and Powell Peralta Bones IIIs wheels. $677 on 32 bids.

1988 Sims Kevin Staab “Pirate Ship” mini. NOS. $1,395 on a Buy It Now after 9 hrs.

1992 Plan B Rodney Mullen “Summer of 92”. NOS. $1,294 on 16 bids.

1992 Milk Christian Hosoi “Oil on Wood”. NOS. $715 on 18 bids.

1991 World Industries Randy Colvin “Velvet Safari” deck. NOS. $1,225 on 16 bids.

Seeya next month.

-Neil