Joe Fries - Multi - Laminated Risers

[Wade Phillips]

During the 1950s Joe Fries made some unique recurves, some with over 2 dozen laminations in the risers. Here are two...

RH 69-1/2", April 27, 1957, 43 lbs @ 28", blond glass
LH 69-1/2", Aug 25, 1956, 46 lbs @ 30", brown glass
 
I have never seen a shorter hunting model bow of Fries. Has anybody ever seen or head of one?

 

[Cody Roiter]

Wade, Thanks for posting I was just trying to find some info on Joe after I was looking in 44 years behind the bow.. Great photo's.......


Cody

[Cody Roiter]

Wade, I hope you don't mind me posting this photo of Joe...

 

[Wade Phillips]

That photograph was on the cover of Archery Magazine. Note the brown glass and the laminations on the riser are like the left hand bow shown in the photograph of the RH and LH bows.

[ckruse]

Didn't he also win a big championship back in the late 50's early 60's shooting a Smithwick bow? CKruse

[Wade Phillips]

CKruse - Yes, Joe was the NFAA Free Style National Champion in 1958. That tournament was held at Grayling, Michigan. Joe was one of the better known names among the many great old time Champions from the first 13 NFAA National Tournaments held from 1946 to 1958. These were the golden years of the NFAA National Tournaments.

These are my personal Top 10 Favorite Champions from that period. I have various items signed by each of them which might include a bow, arrow, kill arrow, leather quiver, target, book, letter, tournament program, etc...

Erwin Pletcher, BB, 1946, 1947, 1949
Babe Bitzenburger, BB, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949
Roy Dill, BB, 1948
Erwin Ketzler, BB, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954
Ruben Powell, FS, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956
Harold Doan, FS, 1952
Ann Marston, FS, (1952, 1953-youth), 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958
Lowell Roper, BH, 1956
Bob Rhode, FS, 1957
Joe Fries, FS, 1958

These were all truly great bowmen. Unfortunately, some are completely unknown to many of today's younger collectors.

[TimberlineX]

Wade,

Great list of archery champions! I remember reading about most of them and had the pleasure of meeting a few. I worked with Bob Rhode at Hoyt in the late 1980s. What a character and what a source of archery-history trivia. I also had the great, good fortune to become acquainted with Rube Powel in his later years. That man could talk, and he gave me this fancy tournament quiver because he said the one I was using was boring. That was Rube.

 

I never did meet Fries, but I recall marveling at magazine photos of him shooting. His shooting style always appeared strong and yet effortless to me.  

Bill Krenz
Colorado

[Cody Roiter]

Bill that is a very nice looking tournament quiver you have there... Great photo like allways Bill............

I am the same way Bill I have all ways liked Mr. Powel shooting style... I have a few archery books.. That shows Mr.Powel shooting style..Also I own a signed copy of Mr.Rhode Target archery champion book..Which is signed by a few people who are in the book... I foregt the year it came out...


Cody

[JavelinaHink]

Bill, That is a nice piece of history there    Roper made some nice ones also but don't know if he marked them....Hink

[Lucas K]

Does anyone know what happened to Joe Fries? I haven't been able to find much about him after the early 60's

[Lucas K]

Nice, always thinking with your belly! ; )