Old News really, but there’s Wired story on a guy who replicates old skateboard graphics whith shapes he has custom made from our friends at Factory 13. Most of those featured in the photos of John Greeley’s collection have been available as rereleases at some point or another. Others like the Mutt and Hawk’s first model that haven’t. Greeley’s reproductions look excellent, and that’s awesome… Until some show up on eBay five years from now in through a chain of events that ultimately ends up with them being passed off as originals. “I may have the largest archive of original deck graphics anywhere.” Either that or you’re the guy who stole Sean Cliver’s laptop full of all the photos and outtakes form Disposable. For the record, I’m not accusing John. I’m just promoting open discussion on reproductions… and being a smartass.
– Thanks to Andrew Wahl for the tip.
16 comments
old collector
Yes, John Greeley was one of the old and first wave of new online old school skateboard collectors that sprang up around 25 years ago, 1998-2002. Back when email was only years old, Ebay was literally a year old, etc. and when you searched “zorlac” on ebay nothing would come up and sometimes only 10-20 things for “powell peralta.” There were literally 20 or so guys distributed globally but mostly in the U.S., John Greeley (NJ), Steve Shook, Grimes (Cal), Henrik (EU), Tony Hallam (Australia), Tim Steenstra (Spyhill Skates), Skate Pimp, Dave “Skateboardcollector.com,” etc. There was no such thing as “reissues” back then and we were finding original 1970s and 80s pigs for $100-$400. In fact, these guys helped make collecting and bring a market for “reissues.” John started working on making some reproductions in the early 2000s and I think most of them went to these older collectors. As offered above, he didn’t do it for money- he did it because he wanted some of the decks and many were near impossible to find. The comments here represent much of the worst of old skateboard collecting, exclusiveness, conspicuous consumption like all collecting,” “mine is bigger than yours,” “I have the rarest boards,” possessing and owning things, etc. etc. Meanwhile, John labored away at a love and passion that sprang from our golden years skateboarding in the early0mid 80s. As Grimes is quoted in Sean Cliver’s book, “I hate collecting….but I love it more.”
Also, I believe John and his work is mentioned by Sean Cliver in a few places.
Also Also, if you really know old boards, it’s fairly easy to spot John’s work from the Real McCoy.
Happy pappy
Wow you are all
Clueless …why is his name in Disposable next to hawks?
houseofneil
?? Please to explain? What page in Disposable are you talking about?
houseofneil
You know that we’re not talking about John Grigley right?
talentlessquitter
In the meantime, we still don’t know what exactly he’s kickflipping right there.
hungry burgler
you guys are a bunch of fags….i know john….these are just for his own personal enjoyment with absolutely no profit for himself….one maybe two….trust me, not enough to burn a hole in anyones wallet like hawk or mullens…he made these out of love for skating because there is no availability of these decks and the ones that are out there are ate up……….hey live at moms homosexuals….get a life and quit raging on old school dudes who actually did something with their lives….
mike d
total (and homophobic) bullshit.
many if us have done things with our lives and manage to find/afford these exact original boards in mint condition.
that dude is just cheap. and yes his repros have been sold on the open market, sometimes “accidentally” misrepresented as originals, confusing the market for us actual skateboard collectors.
Scotty T
I’ve only been watching this stuff for four years and I’ve seen every deck there OG NOS or near NOS sold over that time. Hang around Burglar, you might find out something about skateboard collecting on this site. Start here: https://skateandannoy.com/features/ebaywatch/
kilwag
@hungry burglar – Your homophobia negates anything positive you might have said. Way to express yourself.
pee blanket
right on
houseofneil
And you’re a complete buffoon. If he wants the real decks he can find them. And if his life is as great as you imply then he can afford them too. And yes, there’s plenty of “availability of these decks”. You just have to know where to look. It’s not rocket science.
But it’s not even that. It’s the claim that he has “the largest collection of original deck graphics around.” That’s what frosts my ass.
And btw, I think you mean burglar. Not burgler.
houseofneil
and that’s not an animal kingdom. I’m looking at one right now. And it doesn’t look like that.
talentlessquitter
Biggest dickweed of the year? At least mark your decks as reproductions. And I believe the Jet Fighter was re-issued by PP.
“… kickflips his original Planet Earth Animal Kingdom deck from the early ’90s.
Also a coveted board. Why don’t you stop razortailing it and put THAT one on ebay? ARGH!!
germchild
Burn that shit…
houseofneil
he’s made 30 replicas? Big effing deal. I know collectors with literally hundreds of ORIGINAL NOS decks. How did this doof even get in that magazine? He couldn’t find an original McGill? Well he clearly wasn’t looking hard enough. I’ve never trusted Wired. Now I remember why.
houseofneil
exactly right Randy. And “largest archive of original desk graphics”? WTF does that even mean? Dude, get over yourself already.