What vintage bows are the hardest to find? What’s your thought on this?

What vintage bows are the hardest to find? What’s your thought on this?

Some bows seem scarce because they don't make many of them. I don't know how many bows one man can make a year but it's way less than Bear, Martin, or Black Widow make in one year.

Darton Fury sl

Not sure the definition of vintage, but I never see a Shrew for sale.

There are a lot of nice small-shop bows that are hard to find. Hard to say whether that’s because nobody will part with them or just that there are so few out there to begin with.

The bitter irony of it is that the small shop bows are probably more likely to be tossed when they are inherited by someone who doesn’t know what they’re looking at. Everybody knows Bear; a lot of people know Browning and Pearson or maybe Wing, and would want to cash in on the big auction site.

Not vintage to me but you very rarely if ever see a 2007 to 2010 Bear Kodiak Takedown Supreme with the zebrawood riser come up for sale.

The Bear Grizzlies 1968 thru 1970 . Those three years they were 58 inches long. I owned some of them , not really my favorites so I flipped them for good pesos . The guys that bought them " happy " .

56"amo long.

Quillian bows, looked a long tome for a Patriot. Bamboo long hunter is a rare one. Martin Night Hawk, Martin Serengeti, 73-74 Super Kodiak red stripe w/black riser seems to be a tough one. Ben Pearson Renegade.

Fedora bows made by Mike Sr.

WMM

Big River, but John didn't make more than @30-40 per year. MOAB, don't believe I've seen more than one for sale. There is a reason for that!!!

Old widows

Old widows

I'm always on the lookout for Appalachian Archery bows by WV bowyer Dave Guthrie. Every now and then one shows up but not very often. I have always liked the style of his bows both recurve and longbow. Usually they were made from red elm. Maybe it's partly because they were made in WV which is where I live. Nothing too fancy which is what I like but well made and beautiful bows.

I doubt anyone but me has one of these.

56" Bear Kodiaks.

Howatt Saber's and Howard Gamemaster's.

Quillian Canebrakes with the laminated riser, Big Jim Desert Bighorn recurves, people with those bows are keeping them.

Stemmler TD's. Wish I could find more.

Savage Deathmaster

Tice & Watts

West Bow

Wes Wallace bows are rare for sale. Left and right hand bows.

Dale Dye bows

RICK WELSE and Fedora bows

Fasco Sonic

Savage Deathmaster

Sunset Hill

Wing PII, Hitt, Armbruster.

Fox High Sierra. Not really vintage but I never see any for sale.

Original Schafer recurves that are in the 50lb range that I can shoot,

Trailsend seen a WALLACE Lefty for sale on FB in the swFla recurve adds a week ago for 500 bucks , it looked nice.

57 Kodiak Specials

Think about it Don. The hardest to find were the least ones made and least ones promoted Nationally. If you want to really know what the hard-to-find bows are, they won't have Bear printed on them, or Wing, or Shakespeare..or Pearson for the most part. Sanders, Eddings, Brahma, Dick Green, Savora, Smithwick, etc., including dozens of others that few people have really seen or handled.

Holm-Made. You made great bows Chad.>>~~> RIP

Holm-Made. You made great bows Chad.>>~~> RIP

Makes sense George. :)

Here is a rare one you will properly have a very slim chance of ever seeing for sale. Not because of it being a Bear Kodiak Takedown, there are plenty of them around. The finish on it makes it very rare.

Here is a rare one (the finish anyway). It's my 1996 Bear Kodiak Takedown in traditional camo according to Bear Archery. When I would go to 3D shoots or ETAR someone would always offer to buy it. After numerous offers I wondered why there was so much interest since it was just a Bear Kodiak Takedown. I called Bear Archery and ask the employee who answered the phone. He said he didn't know but he would transfer my call to someone who would. He transferred my call to Frank Scott. Frank Scott told me less than twenty-five 1996 Bear Kodiak Takedowns were made in the traditional camo finish then Bear Archery decided to stop offering it in the traditional camo.

It's not only the brand or name of a bow that could make it rare to see for sell but also the finish. I also own a 1999 Bear Grizzly that is advantage factory camoed. There are many thousands of Bear Grizzlies out there but the factory advantage camoed ones were only made in 1999. I don't know how many were made in the advantage factory camo but I have never seen any for sale since they were made by Bear Archery in 1999.

norm richards fantastic

Anything with a dual shelf!

American Archery Pro Supreme

Jerry Pierce " Choctaw" they were never sold they were given. When they come up for sale they're not cheap.

Bob Lee Thunderbolt 1pc recurve

Glenn Parker longbow

Sley 1pc recurve

lefties are really hard to come by.

Ben Pearson Mercury Marauder, Phil Grable SST 2000, Both were really fine bows.

Black Swan wooden riser Longbow .

Jack Howard

Savage Deathmaster

Scorpion Longbows, Rocky Miller T/D bows and Tice & Watts.

Lefty Checkmates or Predators in the mid 40's weight

Firestyx Longbows by Dean Torges

George mentioned Brahma and he is right.

I have only ever seen one for sale and I bought it, but did not know what it was when I did. It was a very interesting design that looked like it could fling an arrow and would be really smooth.

I had it for five years before Steve Smith told me what it was…had never heard of them.

Westbow is another that was mentioned that don’t come up often…

How about Don Brown longbows

How about Don Brown longbows

Left hand sky hawk take downs Buy Earl Hoyt

How about Don Brown recurves

Howatt Del Rey

Morris, Delo, Corky Custom, Aloa

1963 Bear Doglegs.

Bill Stewart Multi-Cam bows Owl bows

rose oak bows

Elburg Archery

Green Mountain Longbows

Susquehanna Longbows.

St Charles Thunderbird made by Glenn.

Agree Billy Shipp.

A lefty as well.

Dick Green, White, Carroll's, Shakespeare QT.

Browning Explorer II from the late 60's. This was their premier hunter at the time, and I'm pretty sure they made quite a few of them. The fact that they almost never come up for sale anymore should probably tell you something...and I don't think it's because they all broke.

I love the Bear cami Nemo

I am on the lookout for a Leon Stewart 60” 1 pc recurve. I saw one a few years ago but not lately

Always wanted to find a nice Staghorn by Bill Pyle.

Browning Safari 2 LH

Light weight Schafer recurve.

Dick Palmer bows.

Murray

Black Canyon bows

Ric Anderson, Mariah bows, Thermal, Willawa, Chinook.

I haven't seen a Don Doan bow on the market since he died. Don would offer his bows and bow's he refinished on eBay. His work was extraordinary.

I readily admit to being part of the problem, but I believe one reason why you dont see some of these bows coming available is that so many of us old coots have 20,30, 50, 100, 200 bows sitting on racks. It's a lot easier to accumulate them than sell them. With a bit of gumption, I could put a dozen bows on the market tomorrow, and I'd never miss them after they were gone.

For me 7 is a good number, 4 of which will never to made again!

Original Brackenbury bows made by Jim Brackenbury are rarely for sale. Glad I have one!

Black Widow XLA

John Mcullough Griffen long bows.I have one,and no its not for sale.Lol

You rarely see a Assenhiemer bow for sale.

Also Bow river archery,Rick Lepp.

Hollenbeck. Roger made a great bow! Nimrod

Dream catchers don’t pop up very often or Savannahas.

Brackenbury!

Kingfisher hummingbird recuves by Mr. Ben Graham

21st century lonbows

1967 Zebrawood Kodiak Hunter

Jim brackenbury, Lyle Shannon, Jean Lourhan, Doug Duncan

A few come to mind; American Archery All-Pro Custom, AA Super Nitro, Ben Pearson Silencer T/D, Damon Howatt(Martin) Saber, Dickey Fireball-Hunting model.

One more, Saluki All Bamboo Longbows.

Westbow, Fasco targets, Drake Targets, Howards, Staghorn Targets

BigEast

Apparently not the old plane jane Bear Black bear...i cant find one,rt hand,,

I have only ever managed to buy one Staghorn...those that own them , keep them.

This is a 60" Tempest...one of my favourite hunters.

Here's a picture of the Brahma...only one I have ever seen.

Some folks mentioned Tice and Watts...here's a beautiful Spartan Hunter with a top drawer refinish by Phil Magistro!

1960 Howatt Monterey 62”, 35@28 with original strike plate.

Can't have that beautiful Monterey of Suedog's laying down!

That is a rare beauty!

Not vintage but Rose Oaks.

Thanks Peter.

I just received this bow today. I had been looking for one of these since I first saw one here years ago. I was drawn to the workmanship and beauty. It shoots better than it looks.

Shakespeare cascade

Lewis Hollow Archery "Dead End"

Original Bob Thompson Zippers. Beautiful works of art and really smooth, quiet shooters!

Any of the vintage hunting style bows in very light weights are super hard to find. I get as many of them in the models I love as I can. Not only are they really fun to shoot, but someday they may be the only bows I can shoot. By then it will be too late to find them.

I was looking for 7 years for a 30# or so 64" 1960 Kodiak. I finally got one not long ago. Also been looking for a 30# 64" Kodiak Deluxe. Or any length! So far nada. I know where one is. In Australia. But the owner, even though he's a nice guy, won't sell it for any price. Or trade it. This is that bow. Sometimes I just look at the pic and dream.

Groves

The Holy Grail

SKY Archery Skyhawk TD

Wing take down Hunter, awsome bow!!

1. Crow Creek Mag

2. Scorcher

None of my Wings or Bob Lee's let alone my Couch bows

Eaglewing, I have one and I know firsthand why there never up for sale

Mark Kimber "Huntsman" from Australia

Bruin Bows by Mike Steliga.

I didn't see those mentioned above. I have two, a one piece and take down and always found them to be well-made, easy to shoot and good performers.

Mike Foresters Iron Mountain longbows, and pre-coin 1959 Kodiaks...LOL! i've only seen one in my life...should have bought it.

It is kinda weird that one can pretty much find anything when one's heart turns to it. I often find that the first time I want something badly, if I look for it on Ebay, there it is. If I don't buy it, I never get another chance. I don't believe in magic... But it is almost as if.

Th exception would be high dollar collectibles where people who don't really care, but want valuable stuff are vacuuming everything up. Martin guitars, or certain Bear bows.

But here are the 4 things that are a little weird and were made in small numbers that over time I was able to hit all of them:

1) The single most collectible bow of all time is the OL Hill rip off. Or so I thought at the time. I won't go into why here, and it is more the kind of thing that would sort itself out in one hundred years, If bows were seriously collected like art. (But I think bows are collected like coke bottles, or Red Ryder BB guns: We all had one, but threw them out. Ironic that so much American made stuff is popular because it was thrown out.)

I found 2 of these bows, one for 200 for a friend who is a lefty, and I eventually found a right hand.

2) My favourite longbow is the Zack version of the Ferguson version of a Hill. I got one custom, and in a period when I figured that bow was it for me, and I should have a backup, but didn't realize I would soon age out on the draw weight... I found one on ebay for 150. I also found a 40 pound version, but didn't chase it hard enough.

3) I am a repeat offender, same as 2 above, on Elburg actual LBs, not the shorties. They just keep turning up. I finally had to draw the line.

4) Clean sweep on TAC ILFs, and that only took about 6 months. I think these are a bit like 1 above. Should be famous and collectible, but not enough were made so that a lot could be thrown out, so that they could be valuable. (When I say valuable, I have never bought a bow because I thought it would be worth something. If for no other reason that the moment the cross the US/Can border, they loose most of their value).

Jeff Massie bows is another!

And these don’t come up for sale often either.;)

Saxon American Recurve

I don't see Jack Harrison Black wolf T/D longbows for sale very often. I wish I would kept mine.

How about a SABO PAC KING when is the last time you saw one of these?

Agree Shb. The SKY Skyhawk may be the holy grail. It is one to search for.

Little Suckling recureve by Kiko Tovar. Ive wanted to pay aorund with one for years. Cant find one....

I have always wanted to try a Little Suckling too. I love the idea of a short bow but never found one that worked for me. >>>----> Ken

You never see any of mine come up for sale since I can’t post a add :) >—————>

Thunderhorn, 2-piece Heartstopper Takedown

Thunderhorn, 2-piece Heartstopper Takedown

"GentlemanJim" T/D by Carroll Archery...4finger

FYI, Little Suckling recurves we’re not made by Kiko Tovar. Rather they were and now still are being made by John Tulusz(? Spelling) Kiko’s were called KT44’s and after he passed away now being made by John Tulusz.

OL Adcocks ACS

Thanks Kelly. I would like to try either one. Never seen either in person. >>>----> Ken

Tri-state Jaguar, Chek-mate raven, Pearson Mercury marauder t/d, jack kempf kwyk styk...just to name a few

Hey Jedi, is that a Don Brown "Spitfire" bow.....you got me drooling bro........

It's funny but when I had this up for sale or trade, no one was interested.

It's funny but when I had this up for sale or trade, no one was interested.

Here's a few suggestions of bows made by bowyers that I suspect non or very few of the members here have ever heard of ... and yet quite possibly some of the finest and most important bowyers of the last 300 years

Thomas Waring

William Ainsworth

Joseph Wrigley

James Hughes

John Spreat

David Muir

Peter Muir

... and last but not least James Buchanan

Crittergetter62, how many pounds is your Gamemaster Jet?

Kelly it is 49lbs. It was a bow that Steve Tallant refinished and I won at a contest. Great bow and if you can dare say improved, this is it.

Ooops. Sorry Kelly. I have always liked em even though I don’t know who made em.

The original OL Alcock ACS. There was a time that there was a 2 year waiting list for one and you could by a used one that cost more than a new one.

I only know of one of my bows that came up for sale, it was a bamboo backed osage I made from a bunch of glued up parts in the handle just to see if I could get away with it, an experiment of sorts. I sold it for $80 to a guy in Connecticut with no warranty to raise money for a cash strapped friend who wanted to get into cowboy action shooting and need a little more money for his rig.

Years later this same bow showed up in an archery shop in Chattanooga, the guy who bought it contacted me to learn a little more about the bow which in spite of is dubious glued up beginning was still shooting just fine many years down the road.

This is the initial glue up with all the added parts, the old no longer available urac 185 glue was bomb proof.

The same bow as found in the archery shop in Chattanooga many years down the road.

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