EICHOLTZ SATURN

[SELFBOW19953]

Here are some photos of my Eicholtz Saturn.  It has what I've seen referred to as Eicholtz  (bidirectional) glass on the back and has some type of white plastic on the belly.

The only problem I see is one of the nocks has some wood missing (last photo).  I found a post on another site that says Wilson White,a bowyer for Eicholtz, purchased the company in the late '50s and simply added Whote to the Eicholtz name, as White Saturn, so I am thinking late '40s to early '50s. I haven't strung it, not sure I should. This brings me to my 2 questions, any ideas as to the age and is it shootable?  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks.

Phil

[Cody Roiter]

Nice bow u have there Phil have u shot it at all....
Cody

[SELFBOW19953]

Cody,

I have been hesitant to even string it-the dreaded crack!!  It may be just a wall hanger, that's why I was asking for moral support.

Phil

[wadde]

Phil I had some of those old Eicholtz bows and sold them. I believe early 50's and I want to say they were from Iowa. Not 100% sure, loosing my memory. They were still shooters and I believe the buyers are shooting them today. For some reason I want to say Mcgregor Iowa was marked on them. Hope my memory is corrcect.

[Wade Phillips]

Steve - Frank Eicholtz was from California.

Eicholtz was one of the best known bowmen and bowyers in the country from the 1940s to the 1960s. A real innovator. Spindly little guy with a unique release for the for era. His photograph and advertisements appear dozens of times in the NFAA "Archery" magazine during the first 25 years of its existence.

Frank was probably the first to offer fiberglass to the public for bow making. "Eicholtz Glass" was the buzz word for anyone who made bows on a non mass production level. California Archery Hall of Fame Inductee. Well respected man in the industry. Never heard a negative word mentioned in sentence with his name.

I've owned several of Franks Bows. Generally not regarded as eye-catchers but they are real shooters.

[kurtbel5]

Would the Eicholtz bows all have that E glass on one side and white glass on the other?

Where many other boyers using that combo?

I have a Hill style long bow with that combo, from a Pasadena roving archers estate,
odd thing is for the arrow plate it has a 1942 Australian shilling inset into the site window.

[kurtbel5]

Only picture I could find of it.

 

[wadde]

Wade is correct, Eddings was McGregor Iowa. I have one of franks bows here and is has a real forward handle. Have not tried shooting it.

[SELFBOW19953]

In Fred Anderson's book "The Traditional Way" starting on page 209, he wrote about Frank Eicholtz.  He has included several pictures of Eicholtz's shooting form.  Anderson says that Echolyz used fibergalss on the backs and Lamicoid plastic on the belly. there is a short bio on Eicholtz and a list of his innovations.