Any help identifying this 62” static Osage bow would be appreciated. The handle is stamped 54 and 4584. It is backed with a thin fiber or wood which is delaminating. Thanks.

The ones who will know will want to see more pics. Like the tips, and the whole bow. Good luck.

Here are a few more. Thanks

Back

Tips

Grumley style brush nocks, but several made them just like him. Hard to say if its real or a knock off. I don't know anything about serial numbers. I will say its probably 65-70 years old.

Doesn't look like Grumley tips, and I don't ever recall he impressed any numbers into the handle either. Looks pretty well done and likely as a little age to it. Not saying it's a 30 or 40's bow however, could be much newer. What kind of wood is used for backing. Your photo doesn't really show anything. Hickory?

Nice bow, can you save it where it's delaminating? Could be that the 4584 could mean April 5,1984. Only the bowyer knows though. I would say the 54 is the draw wt. Let's see a photo of the delamination and I bet Pearlie can weigh in on a repair or not. Lance

I wouldn't repair it. That limb to the left has a hinge in it just off the fade, that wood is already tired. I would hang it up and appreciate the effort somebody put into it. No doubt a mimic of Nels' brush tips.

Looks like it is rawhide backed, it probably doesn't have one ring chased on the back.

I don't think it is a shooter but is a very nicely made bow.

I would guess late 40s or early 50s for its manufacture.

It could probably be revived with new rawhide and some TLC. As a bowmaker I would bring it back but that is because I don't keep wall hangers in my house

Thanks for the advice gentleman, this is my first ever posting and appreciate the knowledge shared. This bow looks to be very well made even though I don’t know why it was stamped, the back appears to be very flat and not following a ring I had a Grumley once and sold it due to the fact that most experienced bowyers I spoke to didn’t advise shooting it. It is definitely Osage and the backing seems to be some type of fiber. Eric I think i’ll try to revive it.

That back could very well be baleen. It was popular before fiberglass was used on bows.

Or fortisan?

That's what I meant, thanks Mike. Baleen isn't nearly as practical, or legal :)

I wish we had a close-up of the back, my first guess would be either sinew or fortisan which was used before fiberglass. The old flight bow looked a lot like this bow without the Grumley tips.

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