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Author Topic: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow  (Read 4220 times)

Offline Wade Phillips

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The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« on: January 28, 2009, 10:50:00 AM »
What do you believe is Bear’s Rarest Production Kodiak made from 1950 to 1966? The Year, Length and Glass Color…

Not an experimental bow, nor DeLuxes, nor Special DeLuxes, nor Specials, nor Magnums, No Supers… just plain Kodiaks.  

Production Kodiaks are bows produced on standard production forms and do not include mis-marked or altered bows.

Not a Kodiak that you want, but one that you believe is worthy of the title “Fred Bear’s Rarest Production Kodiak”.

You may believe the handsome little 56” 1957 White Glass Kodiak is a candidate for the title…
 
 
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Offline Wade Phillips

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2009, 10:56:00 AM »
You may believe that the title should go to one of the Static Kodiaks that were made from 1950 to 1953 and were produced in three models each year, K-2 (62”)’ K-4 (64”)’ and K-6 (66”) as single shelf bows. Or perhaps the little known 1953-1/2 Kodiak model was also produced but as a double shelf RH/LH rather than a single shelf. To my limited knowledge, the 1953-1/2 was never advertised.

A good candidate for the title, “Fred Bear’s Rarest Production Kodiak” might be the 1953-1/2 Double Shelf Static 66”, that is if any collector has one…  

This photograph shows the 64” version of the 1953-1/2 Kodiak. It has the Kodiak Decal, and 1953 Kodiak Red Glass. This bow was produced as a progression from the 1953 Single Shelf Static Kodiak to the 1954 Double Shelf Compass Kodiak Working Recurve…

I have never seen nor heard of a 1953-1/2 Kodiak in 66” length, but they may exist. If the 66” bow does not exist, it certainly can not be considered for the title “Fred Bear’s Rarest Production Kodiak”, but if some collectors do have this bow in the 66” length, it would certainly be a candidate for this title.

BowDoc – Do you remember the year that you put this bow up for auction…?

 
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Offline d. ward

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2009, 11:13:00 AM »
yap same year I took a bit of a whoppen in the stock market.Small world of bows ai'nt it..bd
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Offline johnnyrazorhead

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2009, 11:36:00 AM »
Wade,
 How about those 54-55 transition Kodiak II's.It's a Kodiak II with compass,,blonde glass,black writing on the back under the grip,but it's on a 1955 Kodiak frame.Matt D. just sold one on the big auction block.I haven't seen too many of those.
 
 
 
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Offline Grant Young

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2009, 11:52:00 AM »
I read the post and I don't want to appear that I can't follow instructions,lol, but how about the pre-Super Kodiak 1967 Kodiak. I've only seen pics of one and it was sharp,sharp,sharp. Zebra Wood, I think, with phenolic nose caps.   GT
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Offline Bjorn

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2009, 12:10:00 PM »
Well since I can't take part in this rare bird contest I'll throw out a question.
Glenn St Charles joined Bear in 1953 and quit producing his Thunderbird recurve; did that inspire the first Kodiak recurve?
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Offline johnnyrazorhead

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2009, 12:11:00 PM »
I don't know if this could be considered "rare" as I've seen a few but still not many.Maybe there's more out there than I know.It's a '61 Kodiak with a purple-heart I-beam,pewter medallion,and I'm not sure of the wood on this one.The catalog states that it is African Rosewood but I don't think this is.I've seen a couple of others with this lighter wood.This one has really nice grain in it.The really  neat thing about this one is that it was hardly shot and still has the original green colored rug rest on it.I've seen those in the catalogs but not too often on the bows themselves.This bow was given to a gentleman by Fred that worked for him back in Detroit.Nice gift.
 
 
 
 
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Offline kurtbel5

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2009, 12:19:00 PM »
Thats a beauty
It looks like its got the same crack in the site window that Traps 59 restoration bow had, are they prone to that??
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Offline Wade Phillips

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2009, 12:21:00 PM »
John - Yes the 1955 Frame Tan Glass Compass Bow is pretty rare. I have two, unfortunately both are 60" like yours. Was hoping someday to trade one of them off for a 56" or a 64" but don't know if those lengths exist... Maybe someone knows of one somewhere???

John - Is the Strike Plate original to the Purple Heart SW 61 ?

Grant - I missed excluding the Super K, so just edited my first post. Sorry I don't know much about the Super K. You should start a thread about Super K, I know I would learn a lot from it. Maybe you better not, I don't need to get interested in any other bows and start to collect them too...
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Offline johnnyrazorhead

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2009, 12:28:00 PM »
kurtbel5- I don't know if that crack is something they are prone to.I've seen it on a few Bear bows with purple-heart so it may be.I'm not sure.
 Wade-Yes,that strike plate is original to the '61 Kodiak.Exactly how I received the bow from the gentleman;s son.It hung in his downstairs work shop for many years before I aquired it and I doubt that he did anything to it.
 How rare are these bows?
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Offline Grant Young

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2009, 12:42:00 PM »
Wade, the bow I'm referring to is not a Super K. The Super Kodiak was introed in '67 1/2 and a few Kodiak models for '67 were made prior to its introduction. That's the reare bird I was referring to. Bowdoc may still have some pics of the last-and maybe only-one he had. It was gorgeous and I was too stupid to save any pictures of it. Sorry for the confusing post.  Grant
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Offline PAPALAPIN

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2009, 01:51:00 PM »
WADE and GRANT

I have interest in what Grant was talking about. He said he saw pictures of a 1967 Kodiak with a Zebra riser.

Now I always understood that the Kodiaks in the 1967 catalog were left over  '66 models.  The picture in the '67 catalog even has a '66 seriel number.  We always joke about the illusive 1967 Kodiak that did not really exist.

So Grant, are you saying that there actually is a 1967 Kodiak with a "7" as the first digit in the SN?

If so, I would like to hear more about that baby.
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Offline Wade Phillips

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2009, 02:08:00 PM »
John - I have seen probably a dozen of the 1961 PH SW Kodiaks so it could not be classified as the rarest, but would still be considered as a rare bow. I don’t believe that I am qualified to define the different levels of rarity. Many of the Rare production bows keep surfacing every year, and some keep getting less and less as time passes. The 1961 PH is one of those that continues to surface from time to time.

Grant & Jack - Sorry I did not see the Pre- in the Super Kodiak of Zebra wood Riser with Phenolic Nose Caps. I missed the auction for that bow and have never seen any photographs of it. Maybe BowDoc or someone else can help us out…

If it was built on the original 1966 Kodiak frame, it would have to be considered a 1966. However, if it were an experimental bow, it could not also be considered a Production Bow.
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Offline Wade Phillips

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2009, 02:29:00 PM »
John - The 1961 and 1962s are all over the map with different combinations of bubinga, walnut, purple heart, Brazilian Rosewood and risers that are solid, 60/40 and I-Beam.

Can anyone identify the wood where the Serial #s are written on the center two bows? I'm not certain. The third from left, PH SW, may be Walnut? The second from the left does not look like Brazilian Rosewood? Can anyone identify these woods from my unprofessional photograph?

 
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Offline TRAP

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2009, 02:57:00 PM »
Butternut perhaps?
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Offline Grant Young

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #15 on: January 28, 2009, 03:41:00 PM »
Wade and Jack- I don't know where Bowdoc is lurking today- I emailed him and he didn't answer but I'm sure he can and will shed a little more light on this at some point.To the best of my recollection and understanding the serial no. began with 7. As to the form it was built on, 66 or experimental, I couldn't say. You guys are far more knowledgable than I on the nuances between similar models. I usually go by simple things like glass color or woods and as you know, that can often be misleading. I do know that I've handled a bunch of Kodiaks over the years and this was one of the most striking looking and unusual ones I've seen. I hope I didn't muddy up the water. I'll keep trying Don- I can never find him when I need him...Grant
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Offline Wade Phillips

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #16 on: January 28, 2009, 05:13:00 PM »
Grant - I'm glad you brought up the Black Capped Zebra Wood bow so we can all learn about. Sounds like a cool bow to see regardless of what form it was built on.

I would just guess that BowDoc is out after that UFO Giant Bear today. I'm sure now that he let the cat out of the bag, he wants to snag it before someone else beats him to it.
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Offline ckruse

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #17 on: January 28, 2009, 05:18:00 PM »
Not to be a wise a$$, and get way off course,  but isn't Goncalo Alves known as Tigerwood? I have a 68 Grizzly built with it that is absolutely stunning. CKruse
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Offline ckruse

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #18 on: January 28, 2009, 05:42:00 PM »
Thats cool. Take care of yourself. I've been stuck like that before, so it sounds like you are making the best of it! CKruse
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Offline alaskabowhunter

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Re: The Rarest Bear Kodiak – Production Bow
« Reply #19 on: January 29, 2009, 01:04:00 AM »
This no coin '59 Kodiak 64" 40# is a rare bow, I haven't shot it yet.... still deciding on where to put the compass...

 
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