the story goes this set of keys were found in a car ina south cal junk yard in the 50-60 era.the keys on the fob are the original keys(so i am told).to me it looks a little crude,but if it was for hisself?can anyone check the work?
It would be cool, if it turns out to be real. It's in GREAT shape. Almost too great. I hope you got something there.
If the keys are original to the keyring, it might be a good start to try and figure out what they went to. Any identifying marks? Numbers? Close-up pic of the keys would be great.
Thats a Model T Ford key, later T and A keys had a lock groove in them. Check out keys in pic links below http://www.findmall.com/addon.php?63,module=embed_images,file_id=219155 http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/112540.jpg
That was a one of one car built for the movie, and driven by Steve McQueen. It's still in existence. I'd say there would be a better chance of the artwork being the real deal only if you could find a pic of Dutch with a personally owned T. Unfortunately, you might not ever be able to authenticate it. It could have been done by some kid with a Sharpie who got bored in study hall. Or maybe not! But the hard part is going to be proving it. I would look for a pen and ink drawing of his flying eyeball that is undeniably his, and then compare the pen-strokes in places like the shading under the wing. Something he would have done the same, every time.
Bring it to the Pawn Stars. They will bring in a handwritting expert and they will be able to tell you.
Without authentification I would say it is worth $100, Retail. Watching American Pickers, I'd say you have to leave some meat on the bone, so I will offer $50. Get it authenticated and you may be able to take it to BJ and then retire.
Franco Costanza, aka "Von Franco" was a student and a friend of Kenny Howard, aka "Von Dutch". Why don't you contact him -- via the HAMB -- and see if he might have any insights?? He may even have first hand knowledge of this item. I have an old cell phone # for Franco and Katie, before they left Austin and moved back to the Riverside CA area. Don't think it's good any more.
Don't think so, look at the top of the T and H. You might find something that he engraved and compare them. The key chain looks like someone worked pretty hard at doing it. Von Dutch stuff just kind of flows naturally. If that makes any sense.
Sell it to the next dip**** you see at the mall with a Von Dutch T-shirt. They are ALL Kenny Howard experts.
Just saw this post , sorry not real, he wouldn't do anything that crude , and that style of signature was used only on a few things..... Hope that helps ,the keys are cool ..... Franco......
T keys have a neat sort of Scimitar look to them...good visual flow. Well, keep your eyes open at shows. If you see a T with "55" stamped on the switch lock...
On the flying eyeball .... Von Dutch himself said it goes back to the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians and represents the eye in the sky that sees all and knows all. In a recent book about the sun, The Sun's Heartbeat by Bob Burman, he said that during a solar eclipse you get flames shooting out from the sides of the lunar disc and this motif of the flaming disc was much used by the ancients in their religious art.
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