What do you collect and why?

[BadKarma]

I was just a little curious as to what everyone collects and what draws you to that model or maker.

I have found myself looking more and more at the Pearson bows. I have one already and may be looking into getting another 1 or 2 here pretty soon. I cant afford the nice Bears, but the prices on the Pearsons are reasonable and I am finding that I really like the lines of these workhorses.

Anyone else?    

[johnnyrazorhead]

I collect,like many people,the old Bear Archery stuff.It can get a little pricy for some of the rarer items,but Fred Bear and Bear Archery have so much history here in Michigan,I feel a sort of hometown connection to Fred and his equipment since I was born in Detroit where Bear Archery was born and have lived in Michigan all of my life.I get up to Grayling every so often for some archery events or just visiting old friends and it's great to go by the old factory,and Fred's old house next door,and to see the original Bear museum.And it's still fun to read articles from the old "Archery" magazines about Fred Bear,Nels Grumley,and some of the other Michigan boys from the past,hunting in various parts of Michigan,like Allegan,White Cloud,Newaygo,St. Helen,Blaney Park,and of course Grousehaven,and I can still to this day almost feel their presence when I'm there.To run your hands over the graceful lines of a beautiful osage longbow that Nels Grumley made some sixty or seventy years ago leaves me awestruck at his talent as a bowyer.These are some of the reasons I collect Bear Archery stuff.

[alaskabowhunter]

I like the Bear Kodiaks to collect and shoot. I think the 1959-1962 Kodiaks are some of the best production recurves ever built both in both function and beauty.  I enjoy trying to collect all the different variations of the Kodiaks that exist. I grew up watching Fred Bear on tv. He was "the" bowhunting icon for my brothers and me.  Ebay has made vintage archery collectibles more available to everyone.You get to meet some great guys who share the same interests. The friends you make are really the true benefit from collecting! Good luck.

[Dan Worden]

Like Johnny being from MI means I have Bears in my heart. I'm not a big time collector, but I do try to keep a few Bears around and I'm always looking for good deals at any kind of sale. I like to trade beauties for shooters.

My collecting has been mostly out of nostalgia.
At one time I had a pretty good stable of Super Mags since that was what I carried around in my youth. I still like those shorties a bunch.

Now I'm thinking about working on two small collections. One, just a decent assortment of Kodiaks of the 59-62 era. The second, I'm thinking I may want to get a good set of across the board 61's just because then I'll have a bunch of bows as old as I am.  :D

[ckruse]

Much of the above applies to me, except for the Michigan part. I live and grew up in Missouri, and was (thankfully) taken to lots of sporting goods and hardware stores as a kid. I remember marveling at the rack of Bear recurves, arrows, and all the accessories. I still have my first bow, a Bear Green Fox fiberglass bow. I laugh now when I remember my dad saying "Cameron, the Indians got guns just as soon as they could!"

Like Dan I've been enamored with the bows that were born when I was, 1962. Anything that falls within a year or two has a tendency to appeal to me. That said, my collection pretty much falls within the "Golden Decade" of 59-69. Not too specific as of yet. Arrows, some broadheads, books, pictures, a few quivers, and about 30 bows. All but one or two are shot from time to time. I also hunt with them some, although my go-to bows are Black Widows.

You just can't deny feeling a basic connection to Fred Bear and our forefathers when you nock an arrow and fire a shot through these great old bows. It's something that is in my heart and I pray always will be. Thanks for listening- CKruse

[Frank V]

I am not a big collecter, I have a couple of Bears. When I pick one up or shoot it, brings me back to when I started. Good memories & friends I guess. Nostalgia? Things were quieter & simpler.

[Recurvetd]

Collect those Bear bows and leave the Pearson bows alone. I am having a hard time lately, prices are going up on Pearson bows.

[BadKarma]

Thanks everyone for the insight.

Yeah, Recurvetd, I've noticed the same thing on the prices. I got a pretty nice Rogue, just needs refinishing. I just hope that we are'nt bidding against each other!!!  

[PAPALAPIN]

Like Dan and Frank, my choice of collectibles is pretty much based on nostalgia.  I agree with Cameron that the golden decade of bows was 59-69.

My collection consists of about 80 bows from Bear, Pearson Howatt, Hoyt, Wing, Browning, and Howard.  I do have one or two Staghorns, Telums, Groves, Tice & Watts, etc...

Everyone collects based on what appeals to him.  Don't discount the old Pearson bows.  They are about the most under rated bows out there.  When Bear and others were considered to be the best, but more expensicve, Pearson was making sound shooters at a more affordable price.  They were massed produced about the same as Bears were.  At that time, Fred Bear was more visible in his exploits.  He probably did more to promote archery and bowhunting that any other single individual.  In promoting the sport, he created a market for his company, and others.

When I was a teenager, I would drool over Archery Magazine and others, especially when I read the stories about Jack Howard, and seeing his ads for his GAMEMASTER.  I never thought I would own one.  Back in 1999 I learned that Jack was still making bows.  I contacted him and bought a brand new GAMEMASTER JET.  Over the next few years I became friends with him and managed to collect 8 of his bows, new and used. Sadly, he passed away about a month ago, so his bows will continue to be prized by me.

The real key to collecting is to figure out what YOU like, not other collectors, and go for it.  The size of your collection, and what makes it up is up to you.

In my opinion, if you have two or more bows, you have a collection.  Enjoy it.

[PAPALAPIN]

OH, I forgot that I have a couple of Widows, but Dan is ahead of me on Palmers.  I got none of those.

If you can, never ever get rid of your first bow.  That is where you started.  My first bow was a solid glass Ben Pearson Super Jet 50#.  I still got it.  My favorite bow is one of my JACK HOWARD GAMEMASTER JETS.  So from start to finish, I guess I have been a JET SETTER.

[AkDan]

I prefer old books and magazines along with some photo's.

Guess I just love to read and see where we've come from.  But also I can afford most of them although I do have some books that will rival any new custom made bow on the market today minus maybe a Widow or similary priced hunk of wood (did I say that out loud  :D ). Ironically not much has changed over the past 100 years or so, kind of humbling if ya ask me.

[PAPALAPIN]

AkDan

  "Ironically not much has changed over the past
   100 years or so"

I disagree with you.  Something very different and important has happened within the last 100 years.  

YOU came along!!

[YewArcher]

Great Thred,

I collect St. Charles bows. My collection is small right now. Yew is my favorite bow wood as is osage so I have always really liked the St. Charles Longbows. To me they are everything that A longbow should be and more. I also apriciate the history of the family. My current colections is as follows:

68" 68@28" Classic english yew LB

66" 56@28" Osage self bow harvested wood in 1944 and made in 1994. Snakey limbs very cool

64" 50@28"  Classic english yew LB T/D

So my collection is small but nice I think. I plan on continuing collecting and shooting these. I plan to add another selfbow but yew this time as well as a reproduction Thunderbird in the near future.

Junior

[Moooseran]

Part of my collection is on my web site..

 www.mooseran.com

[ckruse]

Simply Awesome. I've really enjoyed your pages and those of Eugene Maslar over the last couple of years. Thanks for taking the time and bandwidth to share them with us. Sincerely, CKruse

[raghorn]

Broadheads, old arrows, catalogs, signed books, patches,some buckles, a couple dozen knifes ended up in a display case.
Bows tend to be more money and I'm not interested in them as collectors,I like to get older bows and shoothunt with them.

[Moooseran]

CKruse, The web site was the only way I could display my collectables to a large group of people.  Gene put everything together for me. We help each other out. He's wiz at web site construction. Glad the sites are being enjoyed..........moose

[yleecoyote23]

Originally posted by Moooseran:
CKruse, The web site was the only way I could display my collectables to a large group of people.  Gene put everything together for me. We help each other out. He's wiz at web site construction. Glad the sites are being enjoyed..........moose

Wow that is an awesome collection!!! To be able to see personal items like that pistol and licenses is simply amazing! Thanks for sharing!

I am pretty new to Traditional archery, but have managed to pick up 3 Bear recurves (Grizzly, Kodiak Magnum and Kodiak Hunter - all are 70's models)

Not really collecting anything in particular just yet. Still just trying to get better at shooting and learning!!!

Danny