Art & Inspiration Von Dutch for Sale: The Brucker Auction.

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Von Dutch for Sale: The Brucker Auction.

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As I recall (although this old brain often fails me ) the Von Dutch artist box went to the Witworth collection. When that collection was sold the box was not. I think it still remains with the Witworth estate.

 

In 20 or even 10 years from now who will be the subject of a massive auction to equal that epic one?
Barris? Ganahal? Ryan? Tardel? Weeisner?
Or will it all just be dust in the wind?

 

he'd just be another pinstriper living in a bus today.

 

Von Dutch OWNS the hand lettering and pinstriping legacy. There have been others probably as good but the combination of his work and lifestyle secure his fame. One thing nearly lost is the story of the "Dubble Trubble" twin-engine Triumph he lettered and pinstriped in 1953. Bud Hare was the first to believe two engines were better than one in a drag bike and built the first. After it was finished he decided to call it "Double Trouble" and asked his good friend Von Dutch to letter and pinstripe it. When he picked it up it was spelled the way Von Dutch felt like spelling it that day with two dots above each "U". My good friend Glen Kerr purchased it in 1961 and raced it for several years before building a new more up to date twin-engine drag bike. But he didn't sell the other. He called me about 10 years ago and told me he was restoring it.

5 years ago we were invited to the Concours d'Elegance of America to display in a special class for historical drag bikes. Glen entered Dubble Trubble, Clyde Hensley entered the E.J. Potter "Widow Maker 7", probably the most famous drag bike ever, Ray Price entered his last Funny Bike, John Stein entered his "Barn Job and "Stagefright" twin-engine Triumph drag bikes, Larry Welch entered his drag bike, powered by twin rocket engines, Pete Hill entered his Supercharged Harley, and I entered "Freight Train", the twin-engine Harley Top Fuel drag bike I purchased from Elmer Trett in 1983 and raced for a couple years. It was quite a gathering but Dubble Trubble stole the show, probably because of the Von Dutch association. Glen told me knowing what he knows now he would have made another fuel tank and saved the original with the lettering.

 

One more thing I had never heard about Von Dutch. I knew he was into guns and knives but didn't know he designed and built the custom shortened Winchester lever action rifle used by Steve McQueen in the "Wanted Dead or Alive" television series.

 

I would have been there, but I was getting married on that very day.

 

Stupid question
I know the Vondutch history.

What I could never understand was the “ vondutch” hipster movement 10-15 years ago when everyone’s little sister was wearing a vondutch hat drinking an energy drink amongst about 100 other hipster yuppie bullshit things!

I remember asking my kid cousin who was about 12 at the time and she thought she was “ all that and a bag of chips” with her straight brim vondutch hat is she knew what or who that was and I got the blank “ deer in the headlights look” idunno but it’s cool!

Went on to explain vondutch, pinstriping , living in s van in a junkyard with his dog etc, etc.

I just got a “ cool what evs”


Anyways how did it all come about ?

It’s not like cat guys were jumping on that bandwagon

 

Believe he was also responsible for designing and building the fictitious Winton Flyer automobile used in the movie The Rievers, also starring Steve McQueen.

 

The "Mares Leg". Looks kool but a poor excuse for a fighting gun...

 

The Von Dutch Home/Shop

 

I have no desire to slight anyone, and I hope I'm wrong - but I fear we will not see again the likes of Watson, Roth and Von Dutch. These guys not only had great talent, but had ready-made press in all of the LA hot rod mags of the day, in a time when popular culture embraced hot rodding and everything automotive....

 

Von Dutch's daughters sold the name to a clothing/surf company after his death. The company then got designer Christian Audigier involved who got some celebrities to wear the cloths which then made it popular. Pretty much how most fashion trends start these days.

 

Agreed... With having to figure out which bathroom to use.. (sell out V.D. "brand" crowd)The capacity to innovate a "Trend" has New meaning

 

It's pretty hard if not impossible to compare anyone who comes along afterwards in any field with those that were there at the beginning and were making the history.

 

I totally agree. The individuals who pioneer and excel in any movement are the ones who will be remembered. That is, if the movement is worth remembering. Don Garlits is a good example and fortunately he is still around to enjoy the love bestowed on him.

 

As far as the "hipsters" are concerned.... they remind me of a guy I know. He's got a '38 Chevy sedan that he's slowly killing because all he wants to do is be "cool". He won't do any research on building Hot Rods and has his own blind wisdom about what he wants to accomplish. He hangs around guys who own and build cars because he likes the attention a nice car gets.

Hot Rodding and everything about it was great... when the average person didn't have a clue and stayed away.

 

Yes, and all of our heroes were pioneers in their respective fields during the birth of the hot rod/custom explosion of the 50's and 60's. So no, none of the Weesners, Troy Ladds, Ganahl's, etc. etc. etc. will ever reach the adulation of the pioneers of our hobby. I hope like hell that the efforts of our own Ryan and many others like AHRF will at least lead to a reflection in the future upon this era as a very important time in human history. ​

Agreed, just like Mozart, Beethoven, Glenn Miller, Elvis, and Beatles in music, Babe Ruth, Vince Lombardi, Johnny Unitas, and Gordie Howe in sports, and Picasso, Van Gogh, and da Vinci in art, Dutch, Roth, the Barris and Alexander bros, Watson, and Westergaard (and many others) are the standard bearers in the field of rods n customs as art.

 

I was at a farm auction and saw a girl wearing a Von Dutch shirt. Remember, this happened before the internet started.

 

Why do I hear “Magic Bus “ by The Who when I look at that picture.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Remember a couple years ago a thread appeared here about a T bucket that Von Dutch painted, had been sitting for years? Brown I think it was, and he painted it while living at the guy's place or something like that? Might of had a BBC, can't remember. In Texas maybe? Wonder what happened with that..

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/von-dutch-pinstriped-t-found.1040660/

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/found-1923-t-bucket-striped-von-dutch/

Credit to Photographer, Owner
​

 

He was a Rockstar of sorts...thats not being negative either...Alot of the fellas here are Rockstars/Icons to me...not only because you're a Hamber but because of what you have lived and are living.

Around here we chat it up with each other and share this phenomenon that brings us together and its all good.

Von Dutch was no doubt a very pleasant Man like most here but yeah he lived what we celebrate here and that's pretty special.

@Jive-Bomber thanks for sharing this part of this important icons personal collection of items adorned with his artistic hand. It is interesting as the very substance of this mans work is being debated within our Forum as we speak...I have been looking at alot of flames and pinstriping in recent days sharing it in defence of the art as what it is...art...Bold or Subtle embellishments...part of the cool that is the Hamb...

 

Yes, and the car was featured in Rod & Custom I believe. Bob

 

^^^^That stuff is outrageous, Mark^^^...........Glad it's in good hands for perpetuity.

 

Mark, you can`t post pic`s without a video of the machine in action. Here`s the Win ton Flyer.

 

Always liked that ersatz Winton, being as that is my name. Someday I hope to establish that I'm related to Alexander Winton, or not.

Von Dutch was his own man, and built hot rods, motorcycles, guns, knives and assorted kool shit to a high standard.

Be Like Von Dutch!

.

 

That Stogy. I had forgotten there was some debate as to the authenticity. Still a killer car, wonder what happened next.