Duke Kahanamoku Photos, ca. 1924
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GUEST:
This was my grandmother's and grandfather's. They went to Hawaii in 1922. During that time, they met the Duke Kahanamoku and all of his brothers, and they went surfing with him, and... My grandmother didn't want to leave...
APPRAISER:
(laughs)
GUEST:
...so my grandfather married her there. (laughs)
APPRAISER:
Wow-- first of all, you just got to love the cover. Hawaiian tapa cloth. And then let's take a peek at some of these. Here's Duke standing by his board. Show me your grandmother.
GUEST:
My grandmother is this one, and I believe she's surfing, I don't know if it's with Duke or one of his brothers.
APPRAISER:
Got it. And then here's Duke himself.
GUEST:
Correct.
APPRAISER:
And then we have... ...her s, here standing with Duke?
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And then we have, Duke actually signed a photo. Rita would be your grandmother?
GUEST:
Correct.
APPRAISER:
And to Al, your grandfather.
GUEST:
My grandfather.
APPRAISER:
Duke Kahanamoku was really kind of initially discovered as a swimmer. He was a five-time medalist in the Olympics, but he's known throughout the world as the father or maybe even grandfather of modern surfing. He introduced it to America, but also New Zealand and Australia, and from all accounts, a pretty great guy. (chuckling)
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
This book is at, at an early stage in his career, and right around this time, he moved to California. It offers an insight not only to Duke early in his career, but also to your grandparents.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Collectors like this because maybe some of these larger photos may have been seen by other folks or may have been published, but for sure, the snapshots...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...with your grandmother and kind of the candids that are out there have never been seen before.
GUEST:
True.
APPRAISER:
And with the rise of surfing as a sport in this country and all over the world, it has created huge fans of the Duke and of the early days of surfing.
GUEST:
Whenever I'd go to my grandmother's and I'd ask her tales of Hawaii-- she went often-- she would always bring out this book, as she...
APPRAISER:
So you remember seeing it as a child?
GUEST:
Definitely.
APPRAISER:
If you ever were to sell it-- you probably won't-- but conservatively, at auction, such a book, with all the pictures of him, your grandmother, and his family members could easily bring $10,000 to $15,000.
GUEST:
(gasps) Whoa.
APPRAISER:
It's pretty amazing.
GUEST:
Unexpected! Wow, wow.
APPRAISER:
(laughs)
GUEST:
That's excellent.
APPRAISER:
It's amazing.
GUEST:
Hm.
APPRAISER:
And I was just, uh, floored to see it.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And it really is a special book.
GUEST:
Mm. It is, it is very special. (breathes deeply) Mm. That's wonderful. My grandmother'd be proud.
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