If you have been following my blogs about Duke Kahanamoku, you will not feel lost regarding the continuity of certain subjects I have previously discussed, as I often revisit them. The more I delve into this topic, the more unexpected discoveries I unearth.
In a previous entry titled “Not Duke but It Is…,” I featured a life-sized postcard sculpture created by the renowned Malvina Hoffman in the 1930s. Initially, I believed the sculpture depicted Duke Kahanamoku, but it actually represents his younger brother, Sargent Kahanamoku.
In that same post, I mentioned discovering another bronze sculpture that I initially thought was Duke, but I lacked sufficient information at the time. Nonetheless, I am determined to explore further, and my efforts have not been in vain, even though references remain scarce.
I recently found another remarkable piece, also created by Malvina Hoffman, which is indeed a sculpture of Duke Kahanamoku’s upper body.
According to Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers, this piece is titled “Hawaiian” (Duke Kahanamoku) and is described as follows: “MALVINA HOFFMAN, American (1885-1966), bronze, signed and dated ’31, Alexis Rudier Fondeur, Paris.”
This sculpture sold for $9,000.00 in an auction on October 28, 2010 and in my opinion, that is quite remarkable.
I searched various online platforms, including eBay, but could not find this specific image in postcard format, which is disappointing, as I would love to own one.
This raises an intriguing question: Did Malvina create Duke’s statue from a photograph, an image derived from her imagination, or was Duke himself present during the sculpting process? Alternatively, was Sargent aware of the situation but chose to remain silent, or was it a closely guarded secret?
While browsing more of Malvina’s works on Shannon’s website, I noted that Duke’s sculpture ranks second among the highest purchases, with the top piece being “Boy with Panther Cub,” which sold for $9,600 on October 29, 2015.
It is truly fascinating how one item can lead to another, opening doors to opportunities I had not previously considered. I wonder if Duke’s upper body sculpture is mentioned in Malvina’s 1943 book, “Heads and Tales.” Perhaps if I inquire with one of the sellers, they might be able to locate a page featuring it.
This idea has piqued my curiosity.
Since I do not have much more information to share in this particular blog, I will take a break for now.
I look forward to reconnecting with you in my next blog.
