1920s California By-Products Company Archery Tackle

[Wade Phillips]

Some 1920s California By-Products Arrows and one of their early cardboard arrow boxes...

Six arrows immediately above box are not California By-Products arrows.

 

[Wade Phillips]

Tox Collector –

I agree printed material from 1920s archery companies has become increasingly difficult to find today. And while it does capture an important part of the history of American archery, I am a bit skeptical of the demand for books of reprints of their literature.

If offered only as a pre-subscribed printing, I would be very surprised to see more that a dozen pre-subscribers in addition to those few who have posted on this thread and similar recent threads. Perhaps pre-subscription would be the ideal form of distribution. Many things to consider in such an endeavor. Foremost is creating a quality publication deserving of its content.

Besides the first and second editions of the California By-Products Handbooks [1925 & 1926], I do have a few other advertising items from the company that are not recorded on page 75 in “A Bibliography of Archery”...

Perhaps the picture in your mind of a handbook on archery from another company from California is item 6 below. It is nearly the same size as the handbooks but its covers are orange rather than red.

Undoubtedly California By-Products printed many other items not listed here. I know of one other catalog for certain that is not on this list.

Do you have any additional California By-Products items not listed here?

1 -  California Archery Equipment, California By-Products Co., undated (circa 1923).
Two-hole punched, ribbon tied pamphlet, 6 internal pages, illustrated, 3-1/2” x 6-1/4”. Double sided covers black on gray card stock, internal pages black on white paper.

2 -  Price List of Archery Findings and Miscellaneous, California By-Products Co., undated.
Single sheet, 3-1/2” x 7-1/4”. Single sided brown on tan card stock.

3 -  California Archery Tackle, Archery Score Card, California By-Products Co., undated.
Single sheet, illustrated one side, 4-1/16” x 5-7/8”. Double sided, green on tan card stock.

4 -  “California” Archery Equipment (Retail Price List), California By-Products Co., 1924, 1925.
Stapled pamphlet, 12 pages, illustrated, 7-1/8” x 3-3/4”. Black on tan paper.

5 -  California Athletic Goods (‘Dealers’ Confidential Price List), California By-Products Co. 1924, 1925.
Stapled pamphlet, 12 pages, illustrated, 7-1/8” x 3-3/4”. Black on tan paper. Includes Tennis and Archery Equipment.

6 -  California Athletic Goods, California By-Products Co., undated.
Stapled pamphlet, 24 internal pages, illustrated, 6-7/8” x 5”. Double sided covers black and green on orange card stock, internal pages black on white paper. Includes Tennis and Archery items, pages 13-24 are archery. Stapled into inside back cover is letter dated March 30, 1931 from new owner of company.

7 -  A Hand Book on Archery, California By-Products Co., 1925.
Stapled booklet, 32 pages, illustrated, 6-7/8” x 5”. Double sided covers orange and green on tan card stock, internal pages black on white paper.

8 -  A Hand Book on Archery, California By-Products Co., Second Edition, 1926.
Stapled booklet, 32 pages, illustrated, 6-7/8” x 5”. Double sided covers orange and green on tan card stock, internal pages black on white paper.

9 - California Athletic Goods News, California By-Products Co., Vol 1, No. 1, October 1925.
Single sheet folded, 4 pages, illustrated with photographs, 7-1/4” x 10-1/2”. Black on tan paper. Announces recent issue of "Hand Book on Archery" for 50 cents. Articles include, "Archery in Africa", "Are there any Profits in Archery?", "Bonarrow Offers Big Opportunity for Small Comnunity", Cardboard Archery Target Good Eye-Catcher for Display".

[Big Riser]

Thats a great picture of the arrows and a very nice box. wade would take $5.00 FOR THAT BOX or maybe lunch at king kongs.

[D.Sheppard]

I'll take both of you to lunch ! !

[Tox Collector]

Nice display!  I have items 7 & 8 but am not sure whether I have any of the advertising pieces.  From my experience, item 8 is the more difficult to obtain.

The idea of a pre-publication list of subscribers would be a smart way to go.  I believe that there are also members of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries and the Archery Collectors Guild who would be interested.

[Cody Roiter]

Wade very cool man....

[Wade Phillips]

Frank & Don - The box is not for trade, but if you guys stop over to take me to lunch you can see the box.        

Tox Collector - Yes, like you, in my experience, item 8 is more difficult to locate than item 7.

Just found some more California By-Products related items in old displays stashed under some display tables.

One additional item to add to above list that I do not see in "A Bibliography of Archery" in the General List or Periodicals...

We can name it item 9...

9 - California Athletic Goods News, California By-Products Co., Vol 1, No. 1, October 1925.
Single sheet folded, 4 pages, illustrated with photographs, 7-1/4” x 10-1/2”. Black on tan paper. Announces recent issue of "Hand Book on Archery" for 50 cents. Articles include, "Archery in Africa", "Are there any Profits in Archery?", "Bonarrow Offers Big Opportunity for Small Comnunity", "Cardboard Archery Target Good Eye-Catcher for Display".

[Wade Phillips]

Tox Collector - May have just found the California item you thought you remembered... Again, I don't see this item recorded in "A Bibliography of Archery".

A Hand Book On Archery, Westmade Archery Tackle Co., undated.
Stapled booklet, 20 pages, illustrated, photographs, 4-1/2” x 6-5/8”. Covers, green on orange card stock, internal pages black on tan paper.

This of course is the company that eventually bought California By-Products, which is evidenced by the bows, arrows, broadheads and other items offered in this Hand Book.

[Tom I.]

Wade,
Your might want to contact Cornell Publications,

 http://www.cornellpubs.com/index.php

They specialize in reprinting old sporting goods literature.  Just loan them a clean copy of an original and let them take the risk.....
Tom I.

[Tox Collector]

Wade,  Thanks - you saved me - it is the Westmade Archery Tackle Co.  And, it is not in Lake & Wright.

[Tox Collector]

Wade,  Interesting info. on Westmade.  Do you know how long they were in existence and when they ceased operation?

[Tox Collector]

I was trying to find additional info. on the earliest archers' glove, and I came across the following:  "It was early in the summer of 1922 when the tall, slender young man parked his old car at the edge of the park.  Getting out, he removed his archery tackle from the trunk and headed toward the range.  He walked with a definite limp.  He had only discarded his crutches a few days ago, and it was obvious just walking on his left leg caused him a certain amount of pain...  He was a shy young man, barely turned eighteen, and this was the first time he had ever shot a bow and arrow in public.  But the members of the Oakland Archery Club quickly welcomed him to the their weekly shoot...  He signed the register "Doug Easton"...  After shooting a few ends, Doug was approached by an older man who wasn't shooting but whom everyone knew and treated with great respect...  It was obvious he admired Doug's bow...  He asked Doug where he'd gotten such a beautiful bow.  'I made it,' Doug said.  The older man looked impressed.  'Where'd you learn such fine craftsmanship?'  'From a book,' Doug explained. 'I read it over and over while I was in the hospital, recouperating from a shotgun accident.  Then, when I got home a few weeks ago, I couldn't wait to make a bow.'  'This is your first bow?' the man said, even more impressed. 'Good heavens, that's incredible.  And what was the name of this book?' he added.  'Hunting with the Bow and Arrow,' Doug replied. 'By Dr. Saxton Pope.'  The older man looked at Doug, long and hard.  Then he smiled wryly, offered Doug his hand and said: 'Young man - I'm Dr. Pope."  

I had heard this interesting story before as I am sure that some of you have also.

Continuing on, "...Doug then asked Dr. Pope if he knew of anyone who might hire him to make their archery tackle.  Dr. Pope thought a moment, then recommended that Doug call a company in Oakland called "California By-Products," who had an archery division...  It was the only time Doug ever met Dr. Pope; but their chance meeting greatly influenced young Easton's future... and eventually gave the archery world the aluminum arrow."

These quotes were obtained from "The Third Invention - How the Bow & Arrow Made History" by Steve Hayes, Novato, CA, 1990, see pp. 229.  By the way, in addition to the trade edition, there are also two boxed, signed and limited editions of 150 copies and 100 copies of the book.  As I understand it, the author is a friend of Jim Easton.  I believe that Easton may have helped to underwrite the publication of the books.

This suggests that Doug Easton might have worked for the California By-Products Company.  I wonder if there is any record of Doug Easton working there?

[Wade Phillips]

Tox Collector - Thanks so much for posting your very interesting passages. You always make me think, which is great. It has been some time since I read about this.

Always interesting read, read and re-read. Lots to learn, lots to re-learn and lots of pieces to put together, and so little time to learn.

I am not aware of any printed record that Easton worked for California By-Products, but such a written record from the period could be in existence somewhere.

However, one of the Easton Bows that I have is a very early Easton and has a connection to California By-Products. Most Easton bows have the diamond Easton Logo branded to the wood, but his one has a very simple text of all caps "Easton" branded into the back, just above the weight 22.

It has the unmistakable Easton Pigskin grip found on nearly all of his bows and the familiar Easton circular strike plate, which is missing.

The most interesting feature of this bow is that it has the very well known California By-Products Metal Horn Knocks that were found on nearly all California By-Products bows... This is the upper nock, which is missing the tip with the string keeper portion of the nock. It is easy to see the flat portion has been sanded off. The bottom nock is the standard California By-Products nock which is rounded beyond the string groove. The cord wrap at the nock is not standard on Easton or California By-Products bows, but appears to be original to this bow.

I would date this little bow to the 1923-1925 period. I will now have to check several similar California By-Products bows to see if more than a passing similarity can be found.

 

[Cody Roiter]

Wade is that an osage longbow ?.......

Great looking selfbow...

Cody

[Tox Collector]

Wade - Not only do I also have a lot to learn but what is of concern is what I forget.  Case in point, the Westmade Tackle Company -- I just couldn't come up with the name.  

That is an interesting Easton bow, and its relationship to the California By-Products company.  I just checked an Easton take down bow that I have, and the nocks are horn [I have one or two other Easton bows, but I am sure that the nocks are horn as well-- plus I believe them to be a later production].

Were pigskin handles unique to Easton?  The reason I ask is that I just looked at six of my more accessible bows, and I have a beautiful yew Abercombie and Fitch bow that appears to have a pigskin handle.  Of course, they didn't make their own bows, and it could have been imported.

I'll bet that Jim Easton could clarify whether his dad was connected with the California By-Products Company.

[Wade Phillips]

Cody - The little Easton bow looks like lemonwood that took on a dark color for some reason. It is not osage, that is for sure.

Tox Collector - Yes, what we forget and have to re-learn is of concern.

 Easton bows generally have the a pigskin grip like shown, thick pigskin and frequently with the grind/file marks that you see on this one. However, pigskin grips are not unique to Easton bows.

I believe all of these companies made bows for who ever needed them at the time, if the company was a competitor or not. These companies were all in business to make money.

Henry Bitzenburger's personal bow that he killed the cougar with has a pigskin grip, much like Easton's. It also has an Easton T/D oval sleeve. I have a 1950 Bear Ranger that was finished by Bitzenburger and has a Bitzenburger decal on it. Just need to see lots of bows by these guys to get a feel for what they were making.

Some of the neatest Easton bows are those with pigskin backing. I have two with pigskin backs, one is a T/D. Guess Easton liked pigskin.

Also have a couple of Grumley bows with pigsking grips, although most are cowhide.

Almost forgot, Westmade ended in the early 1930s if I remember correctly. Don't have much on them. Their bows were like California By-Products with those same horn nocks of "metaloid" as I believe they called it. Some of their bows have a ink stamp marking in straight lettering, others have a circular marking something like the California By-Products marking.

[Tox Collector]

Wade,  Thanks for the info. on the pigskin grips and Westmade.  Interesting stuff!

[almico]

New to the group, new to archery, not as new to the planet, unfortunately. Howdy...

I realize this is an old topic, but it's an old bow. I just bought a California Athletic Goods longbow off eBay and would love to know more about it.

It's 71" and 36# @ ??". Supposedly crack-free, we'll see. Needs some TLC, new nocks and a string, but it looks serviceable.

I like that it is ambidextrous because it is uncertain whether I will be shooting left of right-handed. I'm right handed, but left eye dominant. Lucky me.

Anyway, enjoy the pics. If anyone has information about California Athletic Goods, I'd love to hear the story.