Bernie,
The supposed "1938 Robin Hood Bow" is a very lengthy story. Boy, I almost don’t know where to start on the subject. Like you Floyd told me the bow was used by Errol Flynn in the 1938 Robin Hood Movie. There were two plates screwed to the bow that indicated that also. Generally everyone in the collecting community referred to the bow as the Robin Hood bow.
A few years after Floyd's death, his son Rich asked me if I was interested in the bow. I told Rich the bow was undoubtedly worth far more that I could ever pay. Rich then asked me if I would authenticate the bow. Rich and I have been friends since meeting the late 1970s and I told him I would be happy to help him out. I figured it would be fairly easy to authenticate the bow, if Errol Flynn used it in the movie, I only had to find and document the scene(s) in which it was used.
The bow was made of yew and had a very unique shape and several easily identifiable characteristics. So I watched the move, expecting to find the bow. In every scene with a bow, I watched slowing down the movie to frame by frame. To my surprise the bow was not to be found in the film. I watched the movie a few times more, and never did find the bow. While it is entirely possible that the bow appeared in a portion of the film that wound up on the cutting room floor, without that footage, it was impossible to authenticate its use in the film.
After I told Rich the bow could not be authenticated in the film, I suggested that he try to find the letter from the previous owner. Floyd and Joney were religious about saving all correspondence. After Floyd’s death, Rich gave me a folder that contained every letter and list that I had sent to Floyd and Joney over the years. Joney was a professional book keeper, her book keeping and records were detailed and complete!
Rich found the letters from the previous owner of the bow, Bill Jeter of California. Bill was a very well respected old time California Bowman/Hunter. In his letters Bill describes both of the labels on the bow as well as who owned the bow before him, another party with no apparent connection to the movie, but again a well respected person who was well to do. This person reportedly received the bow from Flynn. As it turns out, there was no concrete evidence that the bow was used in the move, other than someone writing in a letter that someone told them that it was. With no real proof that the bow was used in the 1938 Robin Hood, all that was left was to say is what has been said in the brief summary. There are some serious Robin Hood collectors who would have been more than interested in the bow, if it did actually appear in the move. I know the bow was sold, but to whom, I have no idea.
I certainly wish there was a better ending to this saga.
Topic: Fred Bear's Last Visit to a Friend Since 1940 (Read 3245 times)
