Old Ben Pearson 979 window bow information

[bohunter107]

I recently purchased an old Ben Pearson 979 bow refered to as the window bow, the first center shot recurve.  From what I have ben able to find out, it was made around 1957. It was prior to Ben naming his bows or even putting his name on them.  It's a two piece take down recurve 69 inches long in very good condition.  Any information I can get would be appriciated.  Thanks...Tim

[fatman]

y'ain't related to ol' Ben, are ya, Tim?      

[bohunter107]

well we both have the same name and are from the same state so its possible but i cant say for sure.

[kurtbel5]

69" ? I will have to see what length mine is
What are you hoping for info wise?
I bought mine from Ckruse here I believe they became the Bushwacker

[bohunter107]

Let me know what you find out......Tim

[SELFBOW19953]

Tim,

I have what I think is a Bushmaster (Window Bow became the Bushmaster in 1958) that apparently was refinished.  There are no logos or labels of any kind on the bow.  It has the length and draw weight, but no Cat #, stamped on the side of the handle-5'8" 50@28. It is a 2 piece, offset two color laminated handle (cream and black colored wood), and green fiberglass limbs. Only problem is I can't find a reference to a 68" Bushmaster.  According to Archery Archives, Pearson offered a 66" and a 69".  I'm wondering if when it was refinished, someone redid the writing/stamp and changed it from 66 or 69 to 68.

I also have a Pearson 950, a 60" 2 piece takedown recurve similar to the Bushmaster, that has the Cat #, Serial #, length, and draw weight, but, NOT offset in the handle.  It has a Ben Pearson label on one limb, solid color handle, and green fiberglass limbs.  It became the Cobra in 1958. Archery Archives says that the 950 and 954 were "just like the Bushmaster" in 1957 and says they had an "offset handle" in 1958, as the Cobra.

I would be interested in seeing any decals on your bow and seeing photos of them and the handle with the stamping/writing on it.

Phil

[kurtbel5]

OK
Here is my info

Yellow Belly/Green Back, No Decals
Cat. 954
Length 54"
Serial B-1959
Dual shelf, 2 piece
And oops meant Bushmaster not Bushwhacker

Mines a nice shooter

[SELFBOW19953]

Kurt,

Archery Archives, for '56 and '57, describes the 950 and 954 as a "Recurved take-down" and it's not listed as offset. Is yours a 54" or a 64"? In 1958, the same Cat#'s are given to the Cobra, and it is listed as offset. I've shot both my 950 and my Bushmaster and hope to hunt with them. I've also got a Safari that's 62# and shoots great.

I'd love to see pictures of yours and Tim's bows.  I'll try to get photos of mine to you tonight.

Phil

[SELFBOW19953]

Here are my 2 Pearson mid-50's TDs.  First the 950.  RH/LH, recurve, no handle offset.

 
 
 
 

Here's the Bushmaster.  RH, recurve, offset handle.

 
 
 
 

[Wade Phillips]

Originally posted by bohunter107:
I recently purchased an old Ben Pearson 979 bow refered to as the window bow, the first center shot recurve.  From what I have ben able to find out, it was made around 1957...

Tim - Ben Pearson filed for a patent on this bow Aug 1, 1955 and on November 19, 1957 was granted a Patent for his "Method of Making a Demountable Bow".

I have just re-read the entire Patent including the Patent Claims and there is no mention of the bow being center shot.  The Patent illustrations do not show anything regarding the bow being center shot. The patent is strictly related to the take down system of the bow.

[SELFBOW19953]

Wade,

Does the Patent mention the offset handle and the reasons/claims regarding it?  Is this what people are referring to as "center shot"?

Phil

[Wade Phillips]

Phil - There is nothing in the patent text that I can find that states the handle is offset.

The patent illustrations do not appear to depict an offset handle...

 

[SELFBOW19953]

Did you notice the bow in Figure 1?  It looks like statice tips with brush nocks.  Did Pearson make any bows of this style?

[Wade Phillips]

Phil,

Yes, I was going to mention the Grumley looking "Brush Nocks" in the Patent Illustration in my next post. I'm glad you picked up on that.

I'm not a Ben Pearson Bow collector, but have a few of his 1930s/1940s wooden bows. Admittedly, I am pretty ignorant about Pearson recurves...

Now for the next logical question...

Why the name Bushmaster ???

Does anyone have a Pre-Bushmaster with Brush Nocks?

[SELFBOW19953]

For what it's worth, (I have no Pearson catalogs and have never seen one) the descriptions and photos-1957 only-on Archery Archives don't show brush nocks on the Pearson take downs.  I have 3 different models of BP TD's and have seen photos of a fourth model, none with brush nocks.  The 950 above became the Cobra in 1958 (at least according to Archives) so I'm guessing mine is a '56 or '57.

[Wade Phillips]

Tim - Just checked the site "Archery Archives", and see under the title "1957", the first sentence states "The center shot take-down came out".

I believe they are referring only to Ben Pearson products.

I don't see mention of the "first center shot recurve". Don't know if that specific topic has been discussed before or not. It would be interesting to record that, using the dates of documents from the era when such bows were produced.

Actually many Center Shot Takedown bows existed well before 1957. I have several dating back from the 1870s to the 1930s. However, they are not laminated recurves.

Phil - The earliest mention of an offset handle that you mention, which I can think of off hand was developed by Water Gaskell in 1949.

[SELFBOW19953]

Wade,

Do you think the offset handle was the reason for the center shot claim?  Seems like a strange coincidence that 1957 is the year "the center shot take-down came out" AND it is the year the offset handle was first listed.  That offset is strange looking and a bit disconcerting at first when you look across a "crooked riser", but doesn't seem to negatively effect shooting.

Oh yeah, Wade.  I finally came across what appears to be a homemade broadhead that I found in my grandfather's stuff.  I'll try to get photos to you tonight.

Phil

[Wade Phillips]

Phil - Yes, Walter Gaskell's 1949 offset handle was in fact designed to make the bow Center Shot. This is clearly visible in the illustrations from his 1949 Patent Application...

 

[Ted Fry]

According to Roy Hoff's book "Roy Hoff tells it like it is" The first center shot bow was attributed to Bill Folberth , he says that Bill designed and patented the first center shot bow.
He also seems to have invented the windshield wiper.
I cant tell you for sure , just thought I would pass on that bit as I read yesterday in the book.
I do know that FW Peters ( Salem OR bowyer) had an early center shot bow called the whitbow that was a metal riser you shot through the middle with changeable wood limbs, who was first for the center shot?

[SELFBOW19953]

Thanks, Wade.  That is very interesting.  I wonder how much difference there was in the angle used on the 2 bows?  Apparently, Ol' Ben figured out how to accomplish the offset without brackets.  Makes one wonder, me anyway, how much he "borrowed" from Mr. Gaskell.  If he didn't used the bracket, that wouldn't be copyright infringement, I guess.