Bear Kodiak Specials 1955-1967 Identification Guide

[Blackhawk]

I did have a '59 Alaskan with the "22" stamp and no serial...

Sorry, but I guess I'm getting into the weeds.

[Wade Phillips]

While there are many different combinations of stampings and factory labeling on Bear Bows, there are also a number of different non-standard factory labeling on bows.

Many collectors want to own standard factory bows that have standard factory labeling. They feel that the removal of a serial number or labeling, or the addition of an after market stamping devalues the item. Many of these collectors have more interest in shooting or hunting with these collectible bows, than collecting every known variation of a particular manufacturer, model, year or length.  

The rarest breed, (if known to exist), would probably be collectors who actively search for and have extensive collections of Bear bows with different stampings and non standard factory labelings.

Lets face it, a floor to ceiling rack of 2 dozen or more of the same year bow that have hardly any noticeable variations, is probably much less exciting than the same rack with noticeably different, eye catching bows.  

Generally, it is the nature of many collectors to want to have a unique or rare item. Some collectors who are neophytes in the archery field, have extensive collecting experience in far more widely popular fields such as stamps or coins.

Many serious stamp and coin collectors look for any slight variation in items and grade or value these anomalies with great reverence.

From time to time, it seems that some of these obsessions from other collecting fields leach into the archery collecting discipline.

[warpedarrow]

Wade,

Was the 22 stamp used to designate structural repair to the bow?

I am cleaning up a Deluxe with the 22 stamp on it.  When I pulled off the feather rest I found a small hole in the shelf that I honestly can't tell if it was drilled or a worm hole.  I put a couple of cc's of super glue into it for good measure.  At that time I had not found any problems with the wood in the riser.  Now that I have a couple of dozen coats of finish on the bow and can really see the wood well, I can barely see a very small crack running from the grip and up over the shelf. Now I am wondering if the bow was sent back to Grayling and I am finding the repair.

[Wade Phillips]

Originally posted by warpedarrow:


Was the 22 stamp used to designate structural repair to the bow?

NO

I have owned many 22 bows and all were still in excellent and original shooting condition.

Some were stamped with more than two 2's.

I owned two 59s that each had five 2s (55555) stamped in the risers.

Both were great shooters, in original condition.

I still have one of them, it's one of many of my favorites.

[warpedarrow]

So is there a reason for the stamps that you know of?  It seems counterproductive for Bear to mar the beauty of their top line of bows unless it is for a very good reason.  I have two Deluxes with the 22 stamp.

[MarkG]

Perhaps we should log which KS bows have stars and 2 numbers and see if we can draw some sort of parallel from the list? Interesting to see how many star bows there are and what is the poundage or wood types?

[Wade Phillips]

Again, there is no Bear Factory documentation that is known to me that defines the meaning of any of the stampings.

That being said, more than one 1950-1960s Bear Salesman has told me that the bows with a stamping (that is any stamping, i.e., star, 22, etc.) were discount priced bows, such as left over bows from previous year's models, blems, refinished returns, etc, that were sold at discounted price and with no warranty on the bow.

Also talked to dealers who sold the discounted bows including the top volume dealer of these bows at one time.

Also have Bear factory invoices that document the invoiced bow as a "second", and invoiced at a discounted price.

The only thing I don't have is a serial number on a bow that matches one of the serial numbers of the seconds that Bear sold, which would provide unquestionable documentation of a specific stamping. Maybe that will turn up someday, you never know, stranger things have probably happened.

[MarkG]

Any observations on the meaning of the star and how many are out there?

[Wade Phillips]

Originally posted by MarkG:
Any observations on the meaning of the star and how many are out there?

Any stamping is a discounted bow, with no warranty.

The "secret detailed meaning" of each individual stamping is unknown to exist in any documentation from the Bear Archery Factory.

It is amusing to hear speculation about the "secret detailed meaning" of a specific stamping, when at the same time not a single scrap of paper from the Bear Archery Factory can be produced by the speculator(s) as proof to the meaning of any specific stamping.

Regarding the question about "how many stars are out there", - who knows? - Hey, how many bows are out there? - who knows?

Standard answer for unknown numbers questions... "exactly half the total if it were doubled."

Your question, "Any observations on the meaning of the star", has a theme song that our two year grand daughter sings along with her grandmother on the piano...
 
"Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wander what you are..."

[MarkG]

Here is another oddball 59 KS for your enjoyment.
This one is a late 59 with brown on the front and back.  
3SX60
66"
55#


 

[MarkG]

[MarkG]

[MarkG]

[MarkG]

[warpedarrow]

It makes you wonder if it was the first bow on a Monday and somebody grabbed a box of brown glass from the Kodiak line.  Probably a new employee or perhaps a hung over one.

I certainly consider the brown glass to be preferable to some of the grays, light greens, and white that were soon to adorn the Kodiak Specials.

[papabear08]

Might have been ordered that way for hunting. I know of a K mag ordered with white glass for snow hunting conditions. ????????

[MarkG]

Betcha Fred gave artistic license to the the boys building the bows...creating a precursor to what will be in 1960.
Who knows what it was, all the flys on the wall that witnessed these things have all up and died of old age.

[Wade Phillips]

MarkG,

Cool looking brown glass 59 Kodiak Special. Have seen several odd duck 59 and 60 Bear bows, reversed colored glass and both sides the same color white. Both sides same color brown, really makes a different looking bow. Thanks so much for sharing photographs of your unique bow.

[monkeyball]

Would this be a '64?

 

                         Good Shooting,
                                          Craig

[Wade Phillips]

Craig -

Yes, a 1964 for sure with the glass full length on the back of the riser. The 1963 did not have glass the full length on the back of the riser.