"Old" Longbow

[Jim Hendee]

I have a bow which has Grizzly written in cursive on an angle on the outside.  On the inside it has a "label" which says PAT.APPLIED FOR.  There is a number on the side just below the hand grip  21600 B   Below that is 69#.  These appear to be hand written. It is aproximately 58" long.  I'm not sure how to measure it.  Mike from Grizzlybows.com said to measure from string notch to string notch.  There is a string on this bow.  The hand grip is thin leather wrapped around the bow and appears to be glued.  The "shelf" appears to be wood held in by the leather grip and probably glued.
There is about a 5" "reinforement" of (probably) fiberglass, at the curve of each tip. The orangish-brownish outside and inside layers of laminate could be osage orange wood. This might be a rather unique longbow.  Does anyone know any specifics for actual identification and value?

[ckruse]

Your bow is a static-tipped Bear Archery Grizzly. It was made in the early fifties. Check it to see if it has an aluminum lamination. If it does, don't even string it, much less shoot it. If it doesn't it may be safe to shoot. It should also have a "Bear" decal on the upper limb. If it has the aluminum lamination, it is mid year 1951 or earlier. If not, it is 1952 or 1953. In 1954 they were ambidextrous or double shelfed bows. Pretty collectible, but not extremely valuable or rare. It's toward the heavy side of what they built at 69#"s. Take Care, CKruse

[Jim Hendee]

Thanks, ckruse.

Jim H