Robert -
Enjoyed browsing the link that you provided of the 1968 Super Kodiak, with no riser overlays, and non-factory serial number R1968R, which presented a mystery to the present owner and prompted him to create the thread as to the bow's origin.
Especially enjoyed Lonnie's late post on that thread stating that the bow was a former "rescue mission" of his and that the two "R"s in the serial number represented his handle "Recycled Recurves".
Gun -
Robert's example is clearly one of many false examples that have been purported to be "Lunch Box Specials", that later prove to be factory bows that have after market non-factory alterations.
Knowing the actual history of the individual bow and its ownership lineage are the only ways to conclusively prove that a bow is in fact a legitimate "Lunch Box Special".
Many of us who worked in a large factory environment for years during the middle of the 20th century, know first hand that a lot items make it out of company buildings that are non-standard production items.
The finest examples of such items that I have witnessed were incredible custom made hunting knives that were produced by toolmakers on company time. Knife Making had nothing to do with the company business and most of the items produced were made without the knowledge of any management personnel. Unfortunately, I never owned any of those knives, but do have a couple of broadheads that originated in the tool maker's area.
While most knives and broadheads will fit in most lunch boxes, most bows will not, including most Bear Take Down Handles...
This photograph clearly shows, a truly legitimate "Lunch Box Special" (the bottom bow in the image). It is a 1969 Pre-Production Walnut/Black Stripe Bear Take Down Handle (1 of 5), and does not even come close to fitting in my "Davey Crockett" lunch box, that I still have from my grade school days... (granted much larger lunch boxes are in existence)
Yes, the photographs of Fred, just above my "Davey Crockett" lunch box, shows Fred with his left hand Pre-Production Walnut Black Stripe Handle... While Fred's wasn't a "Lunch Box Special", the one in the display case is one...
If one defines "Lunch Box Special" as being a Bear Take Down Handle, the one in the case is quite possibly the first ever Bear "Lunch Box Special" as its 1969 date precedes the production of Bear's well known Take Downs.
While I personally don't put much store in the term "Lunch Box Special", (for a number of reasons), it is obvious that the term means different things to many collectors at all levels of interest from the neophyte to the most serious.
Topic: Bear Lunchbox specials (Read 1574 times)
