1968 Hit Black Ace - CHERRY!!!

[Migra Bill]

.
I was able to snag this one.
I contacted the owner. HIs name is Dave and he redies in Ohio, the same state where Bud Hitt was out of. Dave was the original owner of the bow and was a personal friend of the Hitt's. Bud made Dave this bow in 1968. Dave, who is older now, said he cannot remember for sure- but he thinks "Gerty" may have made the bow case for him by hand. "Gerty" of course would be Bud's wife "Gertrude." Bud also made him a custom site on a black of Rosewood that is contoured perfectly to fit on the curved Mother of Pearl overlay on the front side of the riser.

The strike plate on the bow has one little horizontal mark where it appears that the bow fired 1 arrow. Other than that the bow is entirely flawless. It is all original to 1968 (including the Flipper Rest). The finish makes it look like a 2011 model.
This bow is gorgeous.

 

 

 

[Lucas K]

One of my top three dream bows! Nice find, can't wait to hear how it shoots.

[jcar315]

Beautiful!

That mother of pearl is kicking and the ace of spades is a super touch.

Great find!!

[Larry m]

WOW!!! I have never seen anything like it. I guess you could call it a feast for the eyes. Nice collector with History.
Thanks Bill

[Trad-Man]

I don't think that there were all that many made.  My father left me his. Serial number 306.  It dosen't look at all like the one pictured but I can tell you it is the smootest drawing bow I have EVER pulled back.  It ought to be for a 72" 35#@28" recurve!

Gertrude tells me mine was made in '60, '61, or '62 as after that the year was included after the serial number.

She also said they sold for $100 back then.

congratulations on a very nice find!

-TM

[Migra Bill]

Trad-Man - yep the year ended up being at the end of the serial number. Here is mine - showing it is a '68. With some other shots.

 

 

 

 

[Xavier]

That is an amazing looking bow! Nice find!

[Stumpkiller]

I'm happy for you that you found the bow you were looking for.  And I understand the Hitt design is a dream to shoot, and that one is in outstanding shape.  I appreciate all of those points.

But, damn, that bow looks like it would be something Sigfried and Roy would have used in their Vegas Show.      

Great catch, none the less.    

[Migra Bill]

Stumpy-

I understand where you are coming from and appreciate your candor. It definately is not a bow to take into the woods and hunt with. You have to understand what it is and when it was made. In the 60's "Tournament Archery" was a big deal. People would show up at competitions with these things. They were meant to be gaudy and showy. Not meant to hunt with. Bear had the Tamerlane, Pearson had the X10 etc. Hell - Pearson even had a bow with mercury inside it (the stuff that now we think kills ya). I can just imagine somebody at a tourney in the Mid-West "pulling this Ace" out of it's bag and the ooh's and aah's that it must have drawn.

Have you seen the clothes that we wore back then??

[Stumpkiller]

LOL!  You mean the plaid knit bell bottoms and wing collar Peter Max print shirts.  Hell, I was there!  'Course, I was more Buddy Holly than John Lennon.

'twas a time of flash cars and stylish dress!

   

I do understand.  In college I had a "conservative" Howatt Catalina (wish I still had that, too).

My field/target bow now is a 52# Browning Explorer (62" AMO).  Shaped kind of uniquely and the glare off the gloss finish can be seen from the space station but the wood is "plain".

   

You grab that dream and hang onto it.    

[Migra Bill]

LOVE the deer on the volkswagon with the I Love NY bumper sticker. Classic.

That guy in the pic looks like he would have loved to pull that '68 Black Ace out of the bag.

[Stumpkiller]

None other than meself back when I was innocent and cheerful.  Now I'm bitter and dispirited.      

Yeah, you'd better send me that bow so I can appreciate it first hand.      

Heck - that was when these dumb smiley icons all looked like    and were non-pixilated!

[Stumpkiller]

LOL!  Archery was my "cop out" PE class.  Lots of pretty, white recurves.  (Some good looking curves, as well).  I'm hell on wheels (or was) with a 30# bow and a single-pin sight.  But then I had to take another PE and chose Karate.  Big mistake.  I was tall and skinny and the Okinawan Sensi kept choosing me as the crash-test dummy.

"You, P-saw, come here try grab wrist."  BANG!

I did get my "yeh-row" belt in Tai Kwan Do.  And actually still use what I learned there (breathing, stretching, mental prep, focus) more than most of my courses.

[Trad-Man]

I remember my dad taking me to the range and watching he and his buddies shoot thier "aces" at the long yardages.  That had to be ~`66-`68

[PAPALAPIN]

When it comes to his hunting bows and other target bows, Bud Hitt was a great bowyer.

When it comes to the "Black Ace",  he was a true Master Artist.  The Black Ace is about the most beautifu bow ever made.  Although they are great shooting bow, it is almost a shame to shoot them.  They should be framed and hung on the wall.  GORGEOUS!!

I have an earlier model than yours and it is not nearly as strikingly beautiful.

I did not see in the pictures.  Does yours have the cam limbs.

AWSOME BOW!!!

[Migra Bill]

Yes it does Jack. Thank you for the compliments.

[LPN]

Had a chance to hold a Black ace this past weekend,,very nice,,a friend of mine had gotten it as a gift,was told it was made in '62,,ss B-235-A 64" @29#'s,,,had the mother of pearl as well and Rosewood riser,, weighty bow,,I was told that Bud drilled at the bottom of the grip and poured lead to act as the stablizer.

[Wary Buck]

"more Buddy Holly than John Lennon..."  

Very good.  And while I'm not a collector of bows, I really love these stories of you fellows finding these gems out there.  And as a history teacher, I love the history behind it too.