Ne Plus Ultra?

[Danny Rowan]

What can you tell me about Howatt Ne Plus Ultra Hunter recurves? I have seen Howatt Hunters and Howatt Hunter Ne Plus Ultras. What is the difference?

Thanks,

Danny

[PAPALAPIN]

Some fine beautiful bows...pretty sought after by collectors.  

Howacxtt made the Howatt Hunter.  Every once in a while they made one with a solid rosewood risers.  These wer called the "NE PLUS UNTRA".  Just as good a shooter as a Howatt Hunter, but a lot more beautiful.  To the best of my knowledge these were all Howatt Hunters, and I think only done in the early '60's.

HOWATTMAN is the one that should really be addressing this...he da man when it comes to any Howatts.

Although I am pretty cetain that I am right on, I would like to see his comments.

[ckruse]

I'm no expert by any means, and this should be clarified by Howattman. I think Rich has a lot of it right, but the Ne Plus Ultra appeared on some other bows in the Howatt line also. I think it was just how they were labeling them at a particular point in time. It's funny this should come up tonight as I just finished cleaning some nasty camo paint off of a 1962 Hunter that bears this emblem. It's beautiful Brazilian Rosewood with a strip of sapwood below the grip. Gorgeous and a great shooter as most Howatt's are. CKruse

[ckruse]

I hope you guys don't mind, but I'd like to do a little before and after on this topic. I don't ever do enough of that! I always get in a hurry and no one sees the "before"! Keep in mind my indoor pictures suck and do this little darling no justice! CKruse

Before: You can see the promise of things to come!
 
 

[ckruse]

And even with crappy, hurried pictures you can see the promise is fulfilled! She will get a little more TLC in the form of a TRAP feather rest, etc. Really spits an arrow, too! CKruse
 
 
 

[Danny Rowan]

Now that cleaned up real nice. Did you refinish or just clean it up, either way real pretty bow.

Danny

[ckruse]

I just cleaned the paint off and polished her up a bit. I'm amazed at the subtle differences in a lot of the Howatt Hunter risers. Seems they changed a lot. I have a near-mint 1963 that's also Brazilian Rosewood. The sight window is curved the same as this one, but the belly side of the window is flat and square where this one is radiused beautifully. The glass color varied quite a bit for several years on the Hunter also. CKruse

[PAPALAPIN]

It is amazing what you can find under a coat of camo paint.  Guys would buy a beautiful bow and paint it camo for hunting.  In reality they were preserving that beautifyl finish for future years.  Even a factory camo Bear bow has a brand new finish under the paint.

Now the Jack Howard Camo Jet is another story.  If you remove the paint you will not find a beautiful rosewood riser like you are expecting.  What you find is plain Jane hardrock maple..  Jacks feeling was why waste beautiful rosewood on a riser if you are gonna cover it up with paint.

[PAPALAPIN]

I saw the pictures of Danny Rowans Jet, and that is not Jack's CAMO job.  I think I stated that when he first posted it on line,

So...Yes, someone bought a rosewood jet and camoed it after the fact.  I don't  know that he bought the stencil's that Jack sold, but that camo job was definitely not done by Jack Howard.  

Get Danny to post the picutes here again and get the opinion of anyone that knows a Jack Howard Camo job when they see one.

In any case, I bet I still make my point.  If they put the camo job on it right after they bought it, I'll bet there was a beautiful finish underneath.

We need to see before and after picutres on that one.

[Danny Rowan]

Rosewood, YES. I was hoping that was the case.

Danny

[MJB]

Cam SWEET bow and I mean SWEET , CONGRATS  

[PAPALAPIN]

If there is rosewood under the paint...it ain't a Howard camo model