A VonDutch rant

[DanielJones]

Today it has gone way too far! A VonDutch Energy drink!?!? For Petes sake!!!
I got to know the real VonDutch (Ken Howard) bach when I was a kid before he died in 1992). One heck of a character, a bit of an odd duck, but a real nice and down to earth guy. A regular Joe. All of this marketing would have him spinning in his greave right now. Ken detested money. He would earn enough to keep afloat and that was it. He had no need for more than he wanted. My pop used to ride with him back n the late 50's early 60's, and I thought it was a real treat to know a Kustom Culture Icon like Ken. He had painted a helmet for my Pop because he thought it was a boring image. So he just took it from my dad one day and painted it. Brought it bach with a nice basic black, white and silver design. And it still looks great to this day. Now, I'll admit I have a few of the early VonDutch shirts, but they were made before the fad took over and were slathered all over the place on people that think it's just a product name and have no idea that the man ever existed. I wear mine in honor of an artistic legend.
I swear, I hope that this doesn't become the fate of the late great Big Daddy Ed Roth. I'd hate to think of the Rat Fink Image on anything else but the Kustom Culture croud. But, that's just my two cents. If you care to know a little more about the man Ken Howard check this link out.
http://www.letterhead.com/articles/bob_burns/vondutch/

Cheers!

Dan

 

[The Wingnut]

I can't agree more. I love my VonDutch shirt, but seldom wear it for fear of looking like another clueless trend follower.

Ed Roth used to work at Knotts Berry Farm, painting all of their signage. Only in the last few years before his death - after he'd raised his kids - did he come out of 'retirement' and pick up the Rat Fink 'life' again. Rat Fink has already transcended the niche it once was and is heading the way of VonDutch, unfortunately. Whether or not Ed's name will be attached to it remains to be seen.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Have to admit, I've never heard of the guy. I remember Rat Fink bubble gum cards when I was a kid, though. I had friends that collected them, but I never saw the attraction.

That does explain the Von Dutch ballcaps I've seen on eBay in the hats section!

Brad

 

[Mycroft]

I didn't know Van Dutch was old, I thought is was a new pop culture crap of a thing.

 

[The Wingnut]

I didn't know Van Dutch was old, I thought is was a new pop culture crap of a thing.

Most of the people wearing the clothes are probably of the same mind...they have no idea who VonDutch was.

 

[Senator Jack]

When I saw the name/logo around on hats and shirts a few years ago, I didn't even think to put the two together. I thought some company had just lifted the name, especially since the people wearing them were people who didn't come across as the car culture type. How did this all come about anyway?

 

[DanielJones]

Family members cashing in on his signature. It's sick and wrong. That's how it came about. Then morphed into the monster it is. Very few folks under the age of 35 know that VonDutch was a real person. Heck, many other don't realize he created the fancy hand gun for 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' He was a great talent of his time.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Mycroft]

Family members cashing in on his signature. It's sick and wrong. That's how it came about. Then morphed into the monster it is. Very few folks under the age of 35 know that VonDutch was a real person. Heck, many other don't realize he created the fancy hand gun for 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' He was a great talent of his time.

Cheers!

Dan

Really, I love that gun, what other guns and props did he do.

 

[DanielJones]

That particular gun was his claim to fame there. All it really was, was a modified Walther P-38.

Not too many other high profile items. Mostly private collectors of custom hand guns. He made a bunch of custom hand made knives as well. One of his more famous creations was his Kenford. It was a hybred truck crossing a Kenworth with a (you guessed it) Ford. A bit of an odd creation.

But mostly he was famous in the Kustom Culture circkes for his pinstriping. Some very elaborate work to behold. The flying eyeball, that's his creation. My Pop was present when he was at some biker gig and Ken ws painting objects an motorcycles for folks. There was one guy that wouldn't leave Ken alone and wanted him to paint his gas cap. So Ken snatched the cap from the guy, growled something about coming back later. Well the guy did, and was initially very pleased with the ornate painted stripe & scrollwork. Upon closer inspection Ken hadn't done that at all, instead he painted every cuss word he could think of and probably created a few for good measure.
Those were just some of the stories I had heard about VonDutch from my Pop and the man himself. Needless to say I was pretty impressed and still am.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[matei]

I didn't know he was a real person either... I just see lots of poseurs and Eurotrash types wearing VonDutch caps and t-shirts. I just figured it was another fad creation. Interesting...

It is a shame when something you cherish suddenly becomes hijacked by the "mainstream". Grrrrr....

 

[DanielJones]

Yep, a real man in a real time. Shame his moniker is so twisted now that nobody know the real history. Most folks under the age of 40 that haven't been in the Kustom Culture have no idea that he ever existed. So I guess that in some small way all this commercialism is good for keeping his name & art alive.

Cheers!

Dan