In 1987, I went to work for Powell-Peralta in Santa Barbara. I tell the whole long story in my book Anti Gravity Device Company. To make it short, I worked there for 4 years. Now, 35 years later, I'm looking at my storage and sorting out the tee-shirts I ended up from that era. I had an actual garage sale last Summer, and I had some cool things I had collected in storage; exotic pieces of wood, tools I had no more use for, footlockers, T-shirts from Hawaii and Petaluma's Butter and Egg Day shirts from years past, a bunch of other stuff, and of course, my four books. One fellow who lives in the neighborhood, Victor, bought a copy of my Anti Gravity Device Company book.

     He came back the next day while I was closing up the sale, and in that time, he had read the book, and was telling me how much he liked it. He had realized who I was, and thought that I might have some vintage Powell tee shirts tucked away. Well, I did, but I hadn't thought of selling them, I wasn't sure how many I had. I pulled a big box down from the high shelving in the garage and started digging through them. He was particularly interested in one of the shirts from the 1988 Powell Company Picnic, and he talked me into selling it to him.

     I would see him from time to time around the neighborhood; and one day, about six months later, we were returning from our morning hike and encountered him coming across the bridge the other way. He was wearing that shirt. He told me in our brief conversation that he would pay $800 for the shirts in that box. I told him I would think about it.

     The next weekend, I got down the box to see what was there and if I wanted to let them go. I counted them up, there were 32 of them. I took Iphone pictures of each of them. It seemed like a reasonable deal. At $800 they would be $25 each. The ones that were in new condition and could have been purchased retail were worth about that, and there were many that were worth much, much more. If he went to the trouble of selling some on E-bay, he could easily get his money back and make a profit.

     Next time I saw him I said, "Okay, you got a deal." I was driving the next time I saw him a week later, I saw him walking down the sidewalk and made a u-turn and pulled up next to him, and asked him if he was still interested in the shirts. He said he was.

     When he hadn't shown up still another week later, I decided to take the pictures and make a web page for this unfinished book, "Uncle John's Garage Sale". It took me almost all the day Sunday, and by the time I got finished, I was glad he hadn't taken advantage of the offer I accepted. Still another week later, he showed up with $100 cash in his hand to try to hold on to the deal until his tax return came through. I had to disappoint him, but I will definitely contact him whenever I do start to sell stuff. He's first on the list.

     I've got to admire Victor's persistence. The following year, 2023, he popped in when I was repairing a water leak in our drip irrigation system, and he had come with a new offer: For $1000, he would take the shirts, and 10 copies of "Anti-Gravity Device Company", that I would autograph. He would offer them with the shirts he sold on E-Bay. He had a big roll of bills in his hand; $1000 cash. I've taken note of his offer, but sticking to my game plan, I declined for the time being. Good thing I did. I got a whole lot more the following year.

     Here's the collection: A few of them are t-shirts you could have bought retail at the time. A few of them are from company picnics. A few of them are from company events, trade shows and contests. And some of them are screenprinters' one-offs and gags.

# 1

This beauty for instance, was given to Powell employees
at the 1988 company picnic. Never sold to the public.
Blue, Size Large.
Quality = New

# 2

A 1990 gag shirt for fictitious Torchy's Pool Service.
Red, Size Large, with Powell-Peralta Label.
Quality = New

# 3

A shirt printed up for the security team at a skate event,
I forget which one, with Powell-Peralta Label.
Yellow, Size Large.
Quality = New

# 4

This is a screen printer's one-off. This kind of shirt is
created by screenprinters goofing around and
making print combinations of their own.
They are one of a kind, never sold to the public.
Black, Size Large
Quality = Lightly worn, lightly faded in good condition

# 5

This is the shirt I had the printers make for me for a special
occasion in 1987. White puff ink bats on long sleeve.
There is no other shirt like this in existence.
Black, Size Large
Quality = Lightly worn (by me), lightly faded in good condition

# 6

These shirts were for Roadies on the 1988 Summer Tour.
Black, Size Large.
Quality = Lightly worn (by me, as head roadie on the
first leg of the tour), lightly faded in good condition

# 7

These shirts were for Roadies on the 1988 Summer Tour.
White, Size Large.
Quality = New

# 8

These shirts were for Roadies on the 1988 Summer Tour.
White, Size Large.
Quality = nearly new. this one has some stains;
might be coffee stains on front, yellowing around collar.

# 9

This is a printer's one-off, Bones Brigade Bomber.
Black, Size Large
Quality = Faded, specks of ink below waistline in front.

# 10

The original "Skate Zone" was an event held in Mackenzie Park,
Santa Barbara, California October 15, 1988. These shirts
were originally only for the staff at the event,
but later produced and sold to the public.
Black, Size X-Large.
Quality = Faded with some paint staining.

# 11

The original "Skate Zone" was an event held in Mackenzie Park,
Santa Barbara, California October 15, 1988. These shirts
were originally only for the staff at the event,
but later produced and sold to the public.
Navy Blue, Size Large
Quality = New

# 12

A shirt for the staff at the "Quartermaster Cup"
White, Size X-Large.
Quality = Nearly new. Small coffee stain below waistline

# 13

A printer's one-off using graphics from Quartermaster Cup 3
Black, Size XX-Large.
Quality = Good, washed once

# 14

Printed for staff at The FunZone Trade show.
Red, Size Large.
Quality = New

# 15

Printed to mark the purchase of Powell Headquarters, PCHQ.
The graphic is a blueprint floor plan of the building.
Blue Size X-Large.
Quality = New

# 16

A printer's one-off, with the skating Ripper on both sides.
Navy Blue, Size Large.
Quality = faded, well used. Specks of paint and small burns

# 17

This one is the "Birdseye SkateZone" shirt, commemorating
the classic skatepark built at the Powell factory in 1989.
White, Size X Large
Quality = New

# 18

For Powell employees at the 1989 picnic. Never sold to the public.
Black, Size X-Large.
Quality = faded, well used. Specks of paint and small burns

# 19

For Powell employees at the 1989 picnic. Never sold to the public.
Black, Size X-Large.
Quality = faded, well used. Spots of black ink.

# 20

This one's a printer's one-off with the sleeves cut off
and neck snipped in a common style for hot weather.
Black Size X-Large.
Quality = faded, well used. burns

# 21

1990 Quartermaster Cup "Ruler" Shirt.
White, Size X Large
Quality = New

# 22

Barfoot Snowboard Team, "Keep on 'Truckin" 1992 Tour,
on Powell tagged shirt.
Green, Size X-Large.
Quality = New

# 23

CASL California Amateur Skateboard League.
Natural, Size Large.
Quality = Well used. Small stains

# 24

Powell-Peralta Logo.
Grey, X-Large.
Quality = New

# 25

Nicky Guerrero Logo
Blue-Grey Size XX-Large.
Quality = Good, washed once

# 26

Commemorating Caballero's record 11 foot air.
Red, Size Large.
Quality = faded, well used. Specks of paint and small burns

# 27

Bones Wheels logos.
White, Size X-Large.
Quality = New, except for small tear and ink smudges
from screenprinting press on lower left hem below waistline.

# 28

Hawk Logo.
Pink, Size X-Large.
Quality = New

# 29

Lance Mountain Logo.
Dark blue, Size X-Large.
Quality = New

# 30

Promoting the "Propaganda" Video in 1990.
White, Size Large
Quality = New

# 31

Promoting the 1988 "Public Domain" video
Light blue, Size X-Large.
Quality = New

# 32

Promoting the 1988 "Public Domain" video.
Pink, Size Large.
Quality = New

# 33

Skatezone "ID Card" with drawing of SkateZone on the back.
"Skatethon Til Dawn"
White, Size Large.
Quality = New

# 34

Skatezone "ID Card" with drawing of SkateZone on the back.
"Skatethon Til Dawn"
Black, Size Large.
Quality = Faded

# 35

Quartermaster cup golf themed gag shirt,
Printed for staff at the event.
Red, Size Large.
Quality = New

# 36

Mike McGill Stinger Logo, very rare.
Navy Blue, Size Medium.
Quality = New

# 37

McGill Stinger Logo, very rare.
Black, Size Large.
Quality = Faded

# 38

1990 Powell company picnic. Never sold to public.
Light blue, Size Small.
Quality = Faded, worn frayed collar

     So, that was the catalog at the end of 2023. I expected that Victor would show up again this year when his tax return came in and he would make me an offer of $1200.

     Unexpectedly, at 7:16 am, January 1, 2024, I received a text message from someone who had heard about the stash of Powell-Peralta t-shirts I might have squirreled away, and of course, I directed him to this page, cautioning him that they weren't for sale, really, and "...that's just the name of the book."

     But when he saw this page, he got very excited. It was exactly what he had been looking for. Then he texted a sudden and huge offer; "What about $12,000?", many times what I had been offered in the past. So substantial was this offer that I had to apply a "too good to be true" analysis to this proposal.

     Since I would ship the shirts to Japan and he would reimburse me by PayPal, I needed to know the details and timing of that, and just to make sure his offer wasn't some mistake, I asked, "...Are you sure you didn't get mixed up about the exchange rate?". He said he re-checked his math and would go through with the offer.

     One of the things he did to gain my trust was to lead me to his Instagram account, which showed mostly skateboard graphics, both t-shirts and decks. The one mutual friend we had was Jim Fitzpatrick. Jim was/is a key figure in the skateboard world who I've known since 1987, so it was easy for me to contact him and see what he knew about my new friend.

     Well, Jim did know about him. He was a serious collector who sought Fitz out to verify and certify different items in his collection of skateboard memorabilia, of which Jim would have encyclopedic knowledge.

     I pulled the t-shirts down from their storage spot, and went through them one more time, numbered them, and took notes on the condition of each one, which I added to this webpage.

     With Jim's insights, I agreed to the offer and suggested to send it in two segments. There was a certain 13 of these designs that he was keen on, and I offered to send him 7 of those, and another nine. He would send me half the money. Money appeared in my PayPal account, and I shipped off a package to Japan. In another week, when the first box appeared, we did it again.

     Between the sending of the first box, and the sending of the second a week later, I found another 4 great t-shirts that fit right in with the collection, which I also added to the web page, and also to the shipment headed to Japan.

     July 1. 2024: I've rewritten this chapter to include new facts, and to confess that, contrary to the disclaimer on every page, "Not For Sale. Uncle John's Garage Sale is just the name of the book".... extravagant offers will be entertained.

     There will be a new chapter of t-shirts: I'll call it the T-Shirt Museum. There will be some with skateboard graphics from the past, though most of the Powell-Peralta stuff is gone; some with Grateful Dead significance; some relating to the time we lived in Hawaii; shirts from our annual "Butter and Egg Day" celebration here in Petaluma California; random logos and experimental prints from my garage; and the shirts that I have the screens for, and of which I can produce endless copies.

The ignored disclaimer:
Uncle John's Garage Sale is just the name of the book.
It wasn't for sale, then a buyer set the price.



     

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