I've been having fun lately running some of my old bows through an online inflation calculator, to see what they "ought to cost" if they were being sold new today.

Basically, it's a one-step calculator where you enter the following values: "If in (year X) you paid (Y dollars) for an item, then in 2014 it would be worth (Z dollars)." You just plug in X and Y, hit the "Calculate" button, and it gives you Z.

Here are a few examples: a 1962 Howatt Hunter costing $70 then should cost $547 now; a 1955 White Custom costing $65 then would cost $573 now.

The 1967 Wing Slim Lines are pretty interesting, too-- $55 for the Red Wing Pro ($389 today); 85 for the Vantage Pro ($601 today); and $175 for the International, their takedown target model ($1,237 today).

If you have some vintage ads for bows, or know what your old bow sold for when it was new, I'd welcome hearing some more results like these. Here's the link: http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

Here's just a few more:

Model original price 2014 equivalent 1960 Staghorns $60-$85 $479- $678 1960 FASCO Phantoms $70-$90 $558-$718 1961 Bear Kodiak Special $70 $552 1962 Bear Kodiak $60 $469

Cool.

A bow I missed a while back on ebay, sold for about $150, a lefty as well.

$781.96 in todays dollar.

In 1990 I was 24 years old and I was making about $12/hour as an appliance repair man, take-home about $365/week. $400 would represent a little bit more than my weekly take-home.

Looking on-line, the average salary TODAY of an appliance repair man is $37,500, or about $721/week gross. After taxes, figure a take-home of $504/week? Now the Bear take-down is quite a bit more than my weekly salary (if I had remained an appliance repairman and had not become a civil engineer!).

Agreed that the cost of a Bear take-down has increased beyond the rate of inflation. But, it's not like Bear has any competition, nobody else is making the Bear take-down system and the originals will go for far more than $849.

I've made the observation before; the 59 Kodiak re-issue does not look to be any more costly to build than a modern Howatt Hunter, yet the 59 re-issue has a street price $150 more than a Hunter. Supply and demand I guess...

Kerry, I saw the title and figured it was you who posted. Seems to be just as you and I did discussed... top-shelf equipment of yesteryear tends to cost less than it does today. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

If you were buying them new, then you have a point for sure, but it's still all relative. I was making $50.00 a week in 1965...yes that was right...$50.00 a week in 1965. The average teacher salary about that time was less than $5000.00 a year. I was working for a trucking company where union drivers made about $2.50 an hour on average. You could buy a ranch house ready to go for $24,000. But relatively speaking, not much has changed.

Super Kodiak in 1967 was app. $80.00 in Pittsburgh Super Kodiak in 2014 is about $600.00.

That's a multiplier of about 7.5, and would require a weekly salary of $375.00 to have the same relative cost versus income for my particular situation. I think most things average out pretty close to what we faced back in the 60's...income vs cost if you do the cypherin' as Jethro Bodine would say.

Kerry, interesting thread. My first recurve bow cost $69.50 forty four years ago. Would be $423 now. That’s about 500% due to inflation. Doesn ‘t always hold true for longer periods though. I had some reproductions made from the 1926 catalog/pamphlet by The Archer’s Company. At that time you could buy either a lemonwood target bow or a Wyche Elm for $7.50(now $100.06). Or their top of the line Sherwood Forest lemonwood hunting bow for $15.00($200 now). That’s a 1234% increase, according to the calculator. Seems like it should be more. Of course, that 88 years spans several wars and a fairly serious depression! Broadhead hunting arrows were $12/dozen(how about that, broadhead collectors!) This fascinating pamphlet puts a lot of info in a small space. Besides being a catalog for their products, it tells how to make and care for bows, how to shoot, how to string a bow, straighten an arrow, etc. I found an original tucked inside a 1928 edition of The Witchery of Archery. PM me with your address for copies. The cost of mailing means I have to ask $2 for 3 repro pamphlets.

What is the price compared to your pay? That tells you purchasing power and whether it's changed for those same bows.

I have a bow here I picked up this year and it came with the origonal bill of sale from Sept 13, 1974 It's a Ben Pearson Cougar 7050. Sold new for $54 and in todays value according to the calculator it's would sell for $258.66

In 1973, I paid $25 for my 76er. I've seen them sell for $80 to $250 at auction.

Joe

The Eldorado Diablo was $59.50. I can't confirm the year of this advertisement but Larry Hatfielf said mine was mid fifties.

So using 1956 this bow would cost $516.58 to purchase. What does a Martin Hunter cost now?

Money can't buy the karma this little stick has!

Here it is, 58 years later.

"In 1973, I paid $25 for my 76er." Joe

Hmmm....

The 76er, like Frisky, was a little ahead of it's time apparently.

Actually I looked it up and they were indeed making 76ers in 1973...lol.

Never woulda thunk it.

Yep. Came out in 73'. I got one of the first bows.

longbowdave- used you arrow holder tonight. They would work very well with a feather rest.

Joe

Never thought about a rest, I always shoot off the shelf. I think you'll like it

I paid $197 shipped for my Tamerlane in 2010, I found the ad in the Bear '67 catalog and the MSRP was $197. Another note to the inflation calculator is that some goods are considerably cheaper today in relation to the portion of ones income it consumes. Food easily consumed 25% of income versus around 12% today not to mention cost of housing based on interest rates at the time.

Two things strike me about this little exercise. First off, when I look at my 1962 Howatt Hunter ($70 new; "worth" $547 now), I feel pretty happy that I got it at auction for $150. Old bows like this that have been well cared for have virtually no drop-off in looks or performance even fifty years down the road, so I really feel like it's significantly under-valued. In fact, based on current auction prices, I'd even go so far as to say that virtually all of the classic bows from the late 50's to mid-60's are under-valued.

Consider George's 1967 Super Kodiak that cost $80. Imagine one of those first model-year Black Beauties in mint condition on the big auction-- it's a Bear, and it's really an iconic bow of that era to boot, so you won't be getting it cheap-- maybe $400-$450 to win the auction? But according to the straight-line inflation calculator, a 1967 item costing $80 then is "worth" $566 now-- so even if it costs $50 at auction, it's STILL under-valued. (A good argument to make when defending your hobby to family members!)

The second thing that jumps out at me is that custom bows today aren't over-priced (other than the ones with goofy engravings and such). If you paid $100 for a top-end bow in 1960, it "should" cost $800 today; if you paid $150 for one in $1967, it "should" cost $1,060 today. As others have said before, today's bowyers aren't getting rich, and some aren't even getting by.

Of course, bear in mind that this is all the opinion of someone so cheap that he still expects to pay $5 for a haircut.

Curse the typos-- that should have said:

"...even if it (a 1967 Super Kodiak costs $450 (not $50!!) at auction, it's STILL under-valued."

Kerry (crookedstix)makes some good points in terms of bow values...

One of the reasons I have a bunch of bows (other than I love shooting them, looking at them, learning about their history and tuning them) is that they represent a good investment.

A look back on the Leatherwall and other message boards and a review of what used bows cost even a few years ago shows that the prices for these treasures are only going one way and not slowly.

If I can pick them up for a price that's under the present value I've already got money in the bank that I can increase quickly with a good trade...even if I pay current fair value they're going to hang on my bow racks and increase in value faster than money in any safe investment.

You can't shoot arrows out of a GIC...

Yep. We understand the typo. I paid $133.50 for my 95' purpleheart Howatt Hunter. That was in 2002. There are still deals to be found out there, but it is getting harder.

I just ran Archergreg's 1967 Tamerlane through the calculator; if it cost $197 new back then, it "ought to cost" $1,393 in 2014-- eat your heart out, Warren Buffett!

Clearly we archery buffs are very savvy, and our wives need to be informed of these wonderful investments. Keep buying those old bows; it would be a costly mistake to stop.

I'll tell you two sleepers in the price department. The Pearson Renegade and the Necedah.

Joe

I paid $6 for my first new "good" bow in 1951, a glass backed longbow with mucho handshock. I wouldn´t give you $6 for it today.

True about Necedahs...picked up an early production 58" 50# for $60 in late summer...and there have been more available...they are an excellent bow. I already had a "green glass" X-26 with the Super Necedah style riser. Just checked...there's a 55" 40# lefty that just got listed on fleabay for $59 buy it now...scuffs but good shape.

I have a 58" 55# Necedah that I picked up for $70.

I like it, but can't seem to work into the weight... funny I have no problem with my 50# longbow, but the 55# seems to be too much for me.

Here's the newest bow in the house-- a sweet little 62", 38# Hoyt Pro Medalist that somebody paid $124.50 for in 1962. The Inflation Calculator sez....ka-ching, $973.50 in 2014 dollars!

That leather bow saddle on the Hoyt looks exactly like the one on my Deathmaster.

My 1960 Howatt Catalina was $85.

Today, $678.14

Bows are cheap then. Good I'll tell the wife not to worry lol

Interesting thing about the 'vintage' bows from 40,50, 60 70's is that very few newly designed bows excell above their original performance..ESP with some of the newer string materials..

Groves, Herters, Damon Howatt, Bear, Pearson, Root, Wing, White, Eicholz..the list of quality vintage bows is long..

They have a history and an allure that most of the newer bows cannot provide..Particulalrly IF someone you knew or know used them 'back when'..:) I've posted pics of this 70's Doug Duncan ( Louie Armbruster's protege) Zebra Safari longbow a time or two..62" ntn..72#@30" draw and made from osage, clear glas with purpleheart riser..Jim

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