Bunker Spreckels: Surfing’s Divine Prince of Decadence
Biography Photography Art Book Surfing Collector's Item Counter-culture 1970s Pop Culture
Bunker Spreckels: Surfing’s Divine Prince of Decadence is the ultimate collector-grade photo-biography of the forgotten heir who lived faster, spent bigger and surfed harder than anyone before him. Shot almost entirely by legendary lens-man Art Brewer—who had front-row access to Bunker’s globe-trotting, drug-fuelled hey-day—the book delivers 215 oversized pages of never-before-seen images, contact sheets and handwritten notes that document the brief, brilliant flare of a man who went from beach rat to millionaire playboy to tragic legend in less than a decade. Printed by Taschen on heavy art-stock and wrapped in a striking hardcover dust jacket, the volume feels more like a private portfolio than a mass-market title, making it a centerpiece for surf, photography and pop-culture shelves alike.
What sets this edition apart is Brewer’s insider storytelling paired with C.R. Stecyk’s razor-sharp essays, together capturing the raw 1970s surf scene from Hawaii to South Africa with the same gritty glamour that defined the era. Readers come away with a behind-the-scenes look at custom board innovation, wildcat charter boats, and the birth of surf branding—plus the cautionary tale of how unlimited money and freedom can burn even the brightest talent. Because the first run is long out of print, clean, jacketed copies like this one trade briskly among collectors who value both the historical narrative and the museum-quality photography.
For buyers, the appeal is threefold: a gripping true-life rise-and-fall story, a treasure trove of iconic surf imagery, and a high-production Taschen art book that is appreciating in scarcity and value. Condition notes show only light dust-jacket scuffing—common for a title this large and glossy—while the interior pages remain crisp and unmarked, ready for display or careful reading. Whether you’re a surfer, a photography buff, or a collector of modern counter-culture ephemera, securing this copy now means owning the definitive visual record of surfing’s most flamboyant lost prince before prices climb even higher.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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