hawaiian days

Scammed!

Of course, life is not all about selling and buying things that in many cases we may not even really need, but often will enhance and maybe even improve our life. The business of selling often brings me in touch with you, my (prospective?) customer. I learn of your life, hopes, dreams, wishes, and opinions about many things that you choose to share without being prompted. You're looking for a bamboo curtain to hang in your kid's room that he inherited from his big sister who's off to college, and he really likes parrots. Or you have a closet you'd like to cover up because your husband's too left handed to put in the venetian doors he's promised to install. You bought a second hand car for your son who's into surfing and you want to give it a thoughtful touch with one of our surfing license plate frames. You moved to a bigger place or you moved to a smaller one after the kids moved out. This is our business, taking into account that every product ends up with someone for whom it is a solution to a problem, big or small.

Most of you are really nice folks, communicating politely, creating a feel-good exchange for both parties. But then, just when your faith in humanity is at its highest, along comes a scammer, someone who doesn't even hide his name, that when you Google it, is linked to the outcry of multiple outraged victims. A true sociopath, that first creates trust with many questions about your product, then pounces with a credit card that isn't his, cheating us out of merchandise and a chargeback with penalty from the credit card issuing bank. Yes, a small business, such as ours, where we know everyone's dreams for a better life and hope to contribute to it in some small way is just as vulnerable to fraud as Target, or Neiman Marcus, Adobe, or Facebook. Even more so, because those giants will go on by just writing it off the books and pass the loss on to their stockholders, but a small business such as ours which has to compete with the likes of Amazon, Target, Ebay, and other big-box retailers with increasingly smaller margins and no fat bank account to fall back on, may have a hard time to recover. So, while this scammer goes on to hurt other small business owners by using credit cards likely obtained in the Target-kind of scams, for us it meant no Christmas gifts for our loved ones. Literally. So, while your purchase may not go toward some lofty goal like shoes for the poor in Guatemala, it will go towards the survival of America's middle class that's just trying to eke out a living.

Oh, and if you wonder who this scammer is, you'll find plenty of information on him by Googling Cole Anthony Bartiromo. Of course, we normally don't expose personal information (in fact, we don't even have or retain any, other than your delivery address), but in this case we have all the evidence linking this individual to a fraudulent transaction, so this is how we can fight back, in the hope that there's at some point enough accounts from victims of this scammer's despicable and destructive mindset to hopefully make him stop hurting others.

Alright, enough already. An email just arrived (is it from you?) asking us about our vintage Hawaiian art prints. Yes, they are the same ones we've been selling through Macy's, Hilo Hattie's, and other premier retailers here in Hawaii and on the mainland. Get one or a few and use this discount code in all CAPS, just for reading this far: THANKS4RETURNING. Just use your own credit card, or better, use Paypal, okay? We really, really appreciate it. Be safe, dear customer. Aloha.

Written by Rudolf Helder — February 10, 2014

New: Contemporary Art Prints

New section and new product: Contemporary Art Prints, with or without a Hawaiian theme, by leading artists, beginning with the works of Hawaii-based photographer and painter Rudolf Helder.

Written by Rudolf Helder — February 10, 2014

Add Some Color and Warmth to Your Home or Office

If you are the kind of person who likes to collect coins, vintage postcards, memorabilia, or maybe old record album covers, then you know how it feels when you stumble on something made with old-fashioned care and materials that trigger a strong feeling of nostalgia in you. Time-honored traditions and old-world craftsmanship still persist to this day, but it's getting more expensive to acquire it. Maybe you collect posters and prints, the old, vintage kind. If so, we offer a wide range of vintage, old-fashioned Hawaian prints and posters, and now also a range of contemporary prints that are all made, one by one, just for you, just like in the old days, except with the latest state of the art equipment (except our handmade items, which, you guess it, are made by hand).

Maybe, if you came here not by accident, chances are that you have an interest in Hawaii, or maybe in nostalgic posters and prints of Hawaii's past, such as vintage surfing pictures, hula-dancing girls, and Hawaii's beautiful landscapes. And then there's the way the these vintage prints and posters look in your home. They bring art, warmth, and a yearning for the quality of life in paradise. And a bit of paradise in your home? Come on, who can resist that idea? Our vintage Hawaii posters add some of that with their nostalgic art and subject matter.


And of course, Hawaiian nostalgia doesn't scream on your wall with bright, over-saturated colors. Yellows are warmer. Blues are rich rather than bright. Reds are muted rather than firey. Then, there are the art deco style figures in some of the Hawaiian prints, giving them a feeling of times when people were more graceful, elegant, and apparently still had time to reflect. If your home could benefit from a touch of warmth and color, our retro Hawaiian posters and prints are perfect accents to make every room come alive.

Written by Rudolf Helder — February 10, 2014

A Customer Asks About Our Bamboo Curtains:

Naples, FL had some questions and we thought let's put the exchange between customer and customer service online.

"How big of a difference is there between the 96 and 135 strands bamboo curtains? (I don’t mind transparency…but I will be passing thru them often—is one “stronger” or “thicker/more durable” than the other?) Thank you so much in advance…great website." ~ Naples, FL

 

"Aloha Naples, FL, We carry both 96 and 135 strands and we pay much more for 135 because they are denser, which takes longer to manufacture (bamboo beaded curtains are produced entirely by hand) and therefore offer better coverage, but, as the strands are loose hanging there's always some transparency, except when hung in front of a dark space, such as a closet or unlit room.

As for longevity, we have over the years had bamboo curtains from different manufacturers in our homes and office and we deliberately "abuse" them more than can be expected in normal usage. In general there's little difference, as the people in Vietnam that make them have been doing it for hundreds of years. Do you know of any other product that is that consistent in popularity? Of course, over time we have settled on those manufacturers that deliver constant quality. Depending on your care or lack thereof they may over time suffer from normal wear and tear and we know of people that have ordered a backup curtain to source a strand or two from to replace those that may have become damaged. Or you could just live with it until it's time to reorder, again depending on how and where you use them. If just between rooms, kitchen, or closet, and they're not getting abused they will last surprisingly long. We had reports from anywhere between 5-10 years, during which some hung on patios, exposed to humidity, sun, and bad weather. As for good and safe usage we tell people to not just let the strands drag over them as they walk through, but rather use a hand or elbow or shoulder ( in case you have both hands full) to part the strands first, after which you can "glide" through them. If carrying things you may want to practice the "backward" approach, so as not to entangle yourself, your hand, or the items you're carrying. Common sense always prevails. Well, that's about all I can tell you.

I hope you'll soon be among our thousands of satisfied customers :)" ~ Customer Service

 

"Thank you SO much! Exceptionally informative (a rarity anymore on the internet/businesses) Bravo to you. I purchased today the 135 strand. Thanks again…kudos to your operation." ~ Naples, FL

"You're welcome, and mahalo for your patronage! Enjoy your bamboo beaded curtain!" ~ Customer Service

Written by Rudolf Helder — February 06, 2014

Vintage Hawaiian Art Prints & Posters, Charming Reminders of Paradise

Vintage Hawaiian Art Prints Posters, Charming Reminders of Paradise

If you have not yet discovered our Hawaiian Days Collection of vintage Hawaiian prints section you owe it to yourself to check it out and be entertained by our collection of vintage hawaiian art prints posters images spanning the first half of last century in nostalgic terms. You can find a selection here.

 Our vintage Hawaiian prints have stood the test of time by becoming more interesting over the years by offering us a glimpse in a time less rushed, one in which the mystery surrounding our islands was intact, as reflected in travel brochures, books, movies, music, and postcards. We have over the years collected many of such vintage Hawaiian art images and turned into interesting and colorful conversation pieces that charm us with their naïveté and romantic approach. 

 We have sold our Hawaiian Days Collection of vintage Hawaiian art prints posters to cruise ships, hotels, home owners and businesses, from clinics to law offices, looking to establish a link to the past and Hawaii. If you're buying or selling a home in Hawaii the transaction is often completed right next to our vintage Hawaiian art prints adorning the walls. Indeed, no home with Hawaii lovers is complete without at least one of our fun and informative, elegant or decorative vintage Hawaiian art prints posters. See the complete collection of Hawaiian prints here.

Some of the categories of vintage Hawaiian prints include Hawaiian travel ads, Hawaiian travel-related prints, which always give us awesome feedback, as they are true ambassadors of Hawaii illustrious past.

Our Hawaiian Days Collection of Hawaiian prints are manufactured on high grade paper or canvas, printed with archival inks, and come with a double shot of aloha.

To be fair, Hawaiian Days is not the only company producing prints of vintage Hawaiian art, so why would you choose us over our competition? Below, we offer you some comparisons without falsely accusing our 'competitors' or intending to bring damage to their business, not even the ones that have painstakingly copied our prints! We believe that just like us they want to impress you with their best images. We simply explain why our vintage Hawaiian art images look as good as they do. Ultimately, the choice is yours and while some of our 'competitors' are more expensive, others may save you a nickel. However, if it comes to quality there's simply no comparison. That said, let's compare!

First, all our vintage Hawaiian art prints are Giclée Art Prints, not posters (even if we use the shorter word 'poster' as we do throughout the website), so what's the difference? Our Hawaiian Days Collection Giclée Art Prints are of the same quality or better as Limited Edition Fine Art Prints you may find at a gallery. They are printed using 8-color Archival-Quality Pigmented Inks on heavyweight papers or mudeum quality canvas, while posters are printed using the same 4-color process inks as used for magazines on flimsy 20 Lbs. paper. Posters will soon fade and turn blueish, while our prints are guaranteed not to fade for at least 80 years when kept behind UV-glass or UV-Plexiglass and away from direct sunlight.

 

 

Written by Rudolf Helder — September 26, 2013

Aloha!

Products designed and/or produced in Hawaii is what interests us, and hopefully you too. Check 'em out!