This photo was taken at the final moments of a paddle-board competition in Long Beach California circa 1930. We love seeing the surfers balancing, arms outstretched and virtually willing themselves to the shore. Surfing was a very different sport back then. One didn't use a paddle with their board nor did they have a fin. This was surfing the old fashioned way. A foot in the water to steer, body movement to guide the giant hollow wood board and a prayer for just the right wave.

People often ask us how the surfers managed to get these boards down to the beachfront. Back then they actually kept their boards at the beach and several friends would share in using them. Once water-logged, after years of use the boards would be trashed or burned. Which is why having an original vintage one is so exciting. Foam boards later became all the rage and these old wood boards went by the wayside.

This is a new print remastered from a vintage original. Printed on archival paper in a wood archival frame with UV glass.

Estimated shipping and packing fee is $35. within the USA.



Vintage Surf Photographs

Shortly after we first opened our doors we sold off an extensive collection of vintage surf memorabilia: boards, books, swimwear, photos... it put our shop on the map and created a challenge... how to satisfy the many following requests that we received for more. Boards we could handle as we have many more boards available then we show on the website or display in the store you need only ask. Each one tells its own tale and shines in its own glory. Photos are an entirely different story.

Occasionally we were able to bring in high quality, original vintage photographic prints and we just sold them... never to see them again. All we had at our disposal to bring in en mass were images already out in the marketplace. We were concerned that it might hurt our rep to offer images that could be easily found in the marketplace... so we stalled. We wanted images that not everyone had... images that told a fresh story, we wanted to offer great prints and we didn't want to feel as if we were selling out by selling shoddy reproductions.

Finally the time has arrived and we can fulfill your requests for high quality vintage surf images that your friends won't all have.

Our first release consists of seven images to choose from. Each one has been remastered from the original to produce this final result. Printed on high quality photographic paper, sold in archival wooden frames with archival mat and UV glass these images are ones we can stand behind, and they will stand the test of time.