Whenever I refrain from blogging about Duke, I feel an inner urge, akin to a doorbell ringing, compelling me to express something—anything—to maintain consistency in my writing. This was my intention from the outset; however, I have noticed a decline in my output since last month as my priorities have shifted, often placing other tasks ahead of blogging.
Not only have I added more responsibilities to my already busy schedule, but I am also in a transition period where daily priorities must be established, though I have yet to finalize a routine. Nevertheless, I am determined to adapt and go with the flow until I find my footing.
Recently, I have been inspired by an abundance of potential blogging topics, and I would like to share one of them. While searching for Duke-related ephemera on February 4th, I stumbled upon a postcard listed on eBay that read, “1925 Duke Kahanamoku as Indian Warrior Pony Express Firm RARE.” My eyes widened with excitement, and I found myself zooming in on the image, captivated by its uniqueness.
Motivated by my discovery, I promptly emailed the seller with the following message:
“Before this item disappears, as I noticed there is one bid, I want to express my gratitude for showcasing this truly rare piece. The Bishop Museum in Hawaii is quite stringent about items associated with Duke. I have been blogging about him for almost a year and have accumulated a binder filled with his memorabilia, so I can appreciate the uniqueness of your postcard.”
The seller, Ron, responded graciously: “Hello [my name], thank you for your thoughtful message. We take pride in offering unique and rare items in our store, and we are delighted when customers appreciate them. Thank you again, and I wish you all the best.”
I closely monitored the auction, and as time passed, the bids escalated. On February 8th, after the auction concluded, I emailed Ron again to learn that the winning bid had reached an impressive $342.77. Here is my message to him:
“Thank you, (my name again mentioned here) It was kind of you to write. We are thrilled about this item and the sale. We encounter many antique items at various sales and auctions. I hope that makes sense, and I trust you are enjoying your Duke items as well. Thank you!”
Curiosity prompted me to reach out once more:
“Your message makes perfect sense. I decided to browse your store and realized that I have a binder filled with press photos from 1960 that has been sitting untouched. My collection includes images from 1990, taken during Duke’s time on the mainland and in Hawaii, which was given to me by the Associated Press. I plan to donate my collection someday to the Outrigger Canoe Club, where Duke began his journey. Thank you for your time; I truly appreciate it, Ron, and I wish you success with your store.”
Ron replied, “Thank you, and take care.”
The featured photograph showcases a postcard from a seller’s collection.
At this point, my search has expanded beyond Duke’s stamped postcards, which I initially acquired in 1990 upon the public unveiling of his 9-foot bronze statue at Kūhiō Beach in Waikiki. I am now also seeking genuine vintage postcards and black-and-white gelatin prints featuring Duke. Such finds are quite rare and carry significant value; for example, one of his 1920s photographs, adorned with a lei, fetched $765 in 2020.
I may focus on Duke’s stamped postcards in my next blog post—time will tell.
Till next time.