57 vs 58 ID Question

[Migra Bill]

Well I am working a midnight to 10AM shift in support of the Inauguration. I am bored. Figured I'd ask you guys a question that has been on my mind.

How can you tell the difference between a white glassed '57 and a white glassed (non-sowbelly) '58? I am under the impression that the '57 Kodiak had brown glass, but there are some 57's with white glass. Then, supposedly there are early 58's out there with white glass. There are also 58 sowbellys with white glass. The sowbelly is pretty distinguishable, but how can you tell the difference in the other 2?

[Wade Phillips]

Hello Bill - When you see Obama tomorrow, say hello from Wade.

The brown glass 1957 Kodiak was shown in the 1957 Bear Catalog. In late 1957, the identical bow, built on the same frame, was made but using white glass. The White Glass 1957 is exactly what its name suggests, a 1957 Kodiak with White Glass. The 1957 bows have an indented belly.

The sow belly or protruding belly white glass bow was made with two different sight windows. The first one was scalloped at the point were the edge of the limb dips down into the sight window, the later one was noticeably rounded on the edge, somewhat like a 1959 Kodiak. The most common 1958 Kodiak is the rounded sight window.

Unfortunately, the 1958 Catalog, does not show the most common 1958 Kodiak with the rounded sight window. The 1958 Catalog shows two different white glass bows as the 1958. However, the one that is unstrung is the white glass 1957, and the other one that is strung is the 1958 with its sow belly and scalloped sight window.

Over the years, I have pointed this out to numerous experienced collectors, and none of them was aware of these facts.

To answer your question specifically, the white glass 1957 and the non-sowbelly 1958 are the identical bows, just called something different by collectors. Take your pick...

Remember, now, there are still two different sow belly 1958 Kodiaks, scalloped sight window and rounded sight window.

Hope this helps, or at least gives you an additional category of Kodiaks to look for... Wade

[Novaln1975]

Here is what I believe a LH 1958 white glass 1958 Kodiak. Is this the sowbelly 58? I do not quite understand the word «scalloped». The word makes me hungry...

 

-Simon

[Wade Phillips]

Hello Bill,

This old image shows the brown glass and white glass 1957 Kodiaks as well as the two 1958s, scalloped and rounded sight windows. Let me know if you have any additional questions. If you print this image and turn it 90 degrees to the left, it may be easier to see and read...

 

[Cody Roiter]

Nice bows.

[alaskabowhunter]

Looks like a '58 to me. nice bow guys.

[Wade Phillips]

Chuck is correct. It is a 58. It has the rounded sight window corner which is the most common of the white glass Kodiaks, but ironically, not shown in the 1958 Catalog. The strung and unstrug Kodiaks shown in the 58 catalog are the white glass 1957 and the scalloped sight window corner 1958.

I've got an extra 64" 45# refinised 1958 Kodiak. Let me know if you guys are interest in one.

[Tom I.]

If I'm interpreting Wade's picture correctly, the "sowbelly" frame involves the belly side of the riser only. Note the slight rounded bulge of the belly side  compared to the more straight line of the first 2 bows shown. If I'm correct.....then Bill's bow is a "Sowbelly" frame.  ????
Tom I.

[TRAP]

Jim, here's a couple different views of White Glass Kodiaks.

The bow on the left is a 57 and the bow on the right is a 58.

The sowbelly on the 58 Kodiak is not as pronounced as it is on Kodiak Specials of the same era.
 

The scalloped sight window
 

Sorry about the flashy photo.

Trap

[Wade Phillips]

Trap - Good photographs, your two are much better than my one. My old photograph is good if you know what you are looking for, but I tried to include too much in a single view.