GRUMLEYS at an estate auction. Did I miss a good chance?

[smalson]

I was at an auction today and they sold two Grumleys.  One had a slight turn to the tips as a static recurve and the other hand about 3-4" tips.  The first that looked older was in okay shape but the second was in very good condition.  The first said Grumley and the second said Grumley for Bear or Bear by Grumley or something along that line.  Neither bow had any weight markings on them.  

I'm preparing for a good kicking, but I bid each of them up to $200 before throwing in the towel.  

Now the question I may cry about.  how much are those bows worth?  The first was 6-7 out of 10 and the other 8 of 10.  

Now I watch to see whether I was wise or an idiot.

Incidentally.  There was the metal portion of an old quiver with leather grippers.  It was missing its hood, but was obviously designed for the screw that was in the side of the newer Grumley.  

Okay . . .    what are these things worth now that they're gone from my grasp?  And no, I didn't have my camera to take pics.

Steve

[TRAP]

Hard to tell what they would have brought if you had kept bidding, but I think you could have safely gone quite a bit higher. The Grumley collectors will weigh in I'm sure.

There's a very nice one on the auction site, how did the ones you saw compare to that one?  It's been started twice now at $850.00+ with no bids.

280251666229

Trap

[d. ward]

I hate that too...this one has a price tag of around 1,500.00....very good condition Grum take down with factory installed quiver bushing....bowdoc

[d. ward]

tips.....bd

[d. ward]

Pat.take down system and quiver bushing..bd

[MJB]

Doc SWEET thanks for sharing  

[Horney Toad]

You only lost out on about $2000.

[alaskabowhunter]

I would have kept bidding...

[smalson]

The newer bow was not quite as nice as the one on the auction site, but seemed to be either a newer or better level of bow.

The older bow was just as solid, but the finish was not as good.  It also had laminations in the grip area that gave a dark/light striped look lengthwise through under the leather and to each fade.  

The tips bowdoc showed are just like the newer bow.  

I appreciate the input . . .   and the kicking has begun.  

*sigh*  I was almost afraid to start this thread.

[d. ward]

*sigh* who's gonna start the kidding ?????? bowdoc

[TRAP]

It would have happened to me as well Steve.  I would have gone higher than $200.00, but not much. Grumley's are not something I know and collect and I probably would not have bid high enough on them either.  

The one on the auction site looks pretty nice to me and the seller can't get a starting bid. So, what are they really worth in todays market?

Before I take that kind of risk, it's gotta be something I wouldnt mind getting stuck with for a while.  

A couple years ago I pulled a 62 Kodiak and a 69 Kodiak Magnum out of a pile of about 50 recurves, (alot of them Bears) all priced at $75.00 or less.  Looking back, I realize I should have bought the entire pile, but I didnt.  

We live and learn, no reason to beat yourself up over it.

Trap

[d. ward]

Ok ok I gonna come clean.That ai'nt my Grum,well I never really said it was.I sure wish it was.It kind of needed some attition so it ended up at my place for a little latch repair.Anyhow....food for thought is,I've shot several Grum's and to me they shot like crap.They got some hand shock...but laying out 895.00 or 1,500.00 is nuts right now for one.You kind of can't really shoot them,well you ai'nt gonna to much anyhow.And where is this market headed.....down,down,down.Thats why Len and several other heavy duty collecters have been unloading them...Hopeing to get as much of thier money back as possible.Beautiful bows and still very collectable,but prices are low right now.........bowdoc

[alaskabowhunter]

for my Kodiak collection I always wanted only one Grumley Deerslayer as an example of the "grandfather" to the Kodiaks.... I consider the 1949  alum lam Grizzly as the "father" of the Kodiaks... it was the first production bow that Bear Archery offered after changing to the idea of mass produced bows instead of making the bows one at a time ala Nels Grumley.

[TRAP]

I may be inclined to pay a little more for one without the hair    

Trap

[GameMaster]

I sold one on E-bay to a collector in Florida for 1,375 and I still have one that is in very good shape, want 2,000 for it. Collectors have the coin, they will spend.

[Jmatt1957]

Steve forgive me if I missed it. But what did the bows sell for?

[Wade Phillips]

Values of the Grumley era bows vary greatly to serious Grumley collectors.

Talking about the value of Grumley bows being X number of dollars, is as foolish as talking about the value of all Bear Kodiaks being X number of dollars.

The value of each bow can vary greatly to a Grumley collector depending on the individual bow.

Everything that has been written to date about Grumley bows, has not even come close to documenting all the different categories of bows that Nels Grumley produced from the early 1930s to the early 1950s.

The Deerslayer in the auction with the decal was the last Deerslayer model made before the 1949 Alum Lam Grizzly. To Kodiak Collectors, you might call the Decal Deerslayer the 1966 Kodiak of the Grumley era bows. Not the rarest nor most eye appealing Grumley era bow ever made.

The 1959 Maple Sight Window Kodiak of the Grumley era bows arguably might be the Solid Wood Deerslayer branded "BEAR PRODUCTS BY GRUMLEY".

If we are talking about only bows in excellent condition, the value of Decal Deerslayer would be a fraction of the value of the Solid Wood Deerslayer branded "BEAR PRODUCTS BY GRUMLEY".

Likewise the value of a standard 1966 Kodiak would be a fraction of the value of a standard 1959 Maple Sight Window Kodiak.

And if the Solid Wood Deerslayer had an original Snakeskin Back, the value could double or tripple depending on other options on the bow.

There aren't many collectors who are really seriously pursuing Grumley era bows. Few even understand the many different categories of Grumley era bows that exist and the relative rarity of all these different bows.

There is a vast difference between the amount of information available about the Kodiaks verses the Grumley era bows...

Let's see, we need a comprehensive book titled....

"Nels Grumley and His Bows"

Anyone heard a better title ???

[Tom I.]

If the book is to be about the bows, and not a bio of Nels....then perhaps....The Bows of Nels Grumley.
Tom I.