The Antique Archery Arsenal

[Wade Phillips]

Several guys have asked to see photographs of the archery stuff I’ve accumulated over the years. I joking call the place the “Antique Archery Arsenal” but it’s actually been more like a junk yard the past couple of years as things have become more than disorganized. We’ll start out with a few photographs, then periodically take some new ones as things are forever being added and reorganized. Maybe this will help push me along to get some of the messes cleaned up…

I will try to arrange these photographs in order as one would walk from wall to wall and display to display

Below Back – 1871-1971 broadheads
Below Right Front – Kodiaks, 1959s on top, 1960s on bottom
Below Right Center – Kodiak Deluxe top 4, others Kodiaks 1961 to 1966

   


Below – 1930 Pre-Bear Grumley Bows and 1930s Bear Products Bows

   


Below – Some 1940s Bear Archery Grumley Bows

   


Below Left & Back – Some more 1940s Bear Archery Grumley bows, and other misc wooden recurves in green cases
Below Right – Temporary, inexpensive, adjustable, double sided bow racks with misc bows
Big mess in front of the temporary bow racks

   

Below Left – Temporary, inexpensive, adjustable, double sided bow racks with misc bows
Below Right – Mostly 1972 & newer broadheads plus some misc
Below Center - A few Super Kodiaks & T/Ds in green cases

   

The next wall is part of the archery library.

The most important part of any collection is having documentation of the era to research and authenticate the items

   

Below Near Rack - Top Kodiak Special Deluxe 1960, Kodiak Specials 1959 to 1967
Below Center Rack - Kodiak Special 1955 to 1958
Below Far Rack - Personal Shooters and Misc Bows

 

[Wade Phillips]

Still missing a few walls before we pick back up...

Bottom Green Case - William VanVorst's tackle that he used to take Michigan's first deer in their first B&A Season, 1937 license, carcass coupon, back tag, handmade yew longbow, arrow, broadhead, back quiver, 1937 antlers, photographs, and local newspaper clippings and Outdoor Life Magazine article about Michigan’s 1937 Bow and Arrow Deer season, known as “The First Season”.
Bottom Right Red Bow Cases - 1940s Bear Grumley Bows
Bottom Right Red Arrow Cases - 1870s to 1930s wood arrows.

 

Bottom Red Bow Cases - More 1940 Bear Grumley Bows
Bottom Red Bow Case at Far End - Glenn St. Charles Baleen Bows and St. Charles Thunderbirds
Bottom Red Arrow Cases - 1920s-1950s wooden arrows, Bitzenburger Display, ABCC Display. Traders

 


Below - Bear Leather Hunting Quivers 1933-1971

 


Below Far Rack - 1870s to 1930s Wooden Bows
Below Center Rack - 1870s to 1950s Arrows
Below Near Rack - 1930s to 1940s Wooden Bows

 

Below Near Rack - 1955 to 1958 Bear Kodiaks
Below Center Rack - 1950 to 1954 Bear Kodiaks

 


A few individual displays that can not be clearly seen in the photographs taken from a distance....

Ace...

 


Bear... Includes many of Fred Bear's personal arrows including his oldest known big game hunting arrows and one of his kill arrows, Nels Grumley's personal arrows, first broadhead with insert blade that killed an animal, Fred's first broadhead that he hand made, Bear Giant, all known variations of the Pinned Bear, etc...

 


Ben Pearson...

 

[Wade Phillips]

Below - Henry Bitzenburger's personal T/D bow & most of the his 1930s/1940s broadheads..

     


Below - One of the folding arrow cases. Left side has 3 1870s arrows Peck & Snyer and E.l. Horsman, arrows of Cassius Styles, Compton, Saxton Pope, multiple arrows of Art Young, Charlie Pierson, Chester Stevenson, & Forrest Nagler...

Right side contains mostly 1920s arrows, several California By-Products with original broadheads, Krieger, Sportsmans, William VanVorst, Ken Wilhelm, Walt Wilhelm, The Archers Company, Harry Hobson, Earl Grubbs, Glenn St. Charles.

   


Below - Old fish point collection photograph. Display needs to be expanded and new photograph taken...

     


Twelve cases of 1871-1971 Broadheads not on arrows...

 

 

 

 

 

[FBB]

Now that's dedication. Great pics.

[highlife]

Thats one heck of a collection ... thanks for sharing.

[cacciatore]

Thanks Wade

[Warberg]

That's the chit there. Good stuff Wade thanks for sharing.

[Bjorn]

This is how it should look when you get it all organized............a place for everything and well, you know the rest.

 

[yellow bow]

Wade, that is sure a fine collection,somthing to be very proud of.thank you for the pics.

Bjorn,yours is cool too.Something most of us can relate to.  

[Wade Phillips]

Bjorn - I feel so much better now. I may not even try to clean up these piles of stuff...

This is a continuation of broadhead case photographs as the previous edited post exceeded the number of images allowed per post...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TimberlineX]

Breathtaking. Just incredible. A life’s work.

I vote for even more time on the next book(s). Sleep is overrated.

[Bladester]

Simply unbelievable!  What a fabulous collection!  I seem to recall you saying at one point that you had 800 bows.  I envisioned cord wood stacked in the garage.  What beautiful displays!! You can be justly proud of such a fine collection.  Should be a wing of the Smithsonian!

--Larry

[Cody Roiter]

WOW.................................

[jcar315]

Wade, Thanks so much for taking the time to take pics and share. Love seeing them all.

Fantastic to say the least!!

[d. ward]

I posted this early this monring and I have no idea where it went ? no kidding.I posted something on here went back and read it again and now its gone.
Man I gotta start getting some sleep at night what the heck.
Anyhow it said something like Wade that is a fine fine collection hats off to you my brother I know how hard you've work over the years to put it all together OUTSTANDING COLLECTION.
I want to thank you for the pics and also the help and info you give us here on this forum .
OK then it said something like Wadester I love you man you rock.Ph.d Archer Bowmen

[Wade Phillips]

Guys - Thanks for all the kind words. Glad you like the photographs. Will try to clean things up enough to get shots of the rest of the displays.

1950-1953 Kodiak - Static Recurves

1950 - 62", 64", 66" - Woven Glass Back, Alum Lam under Maple Belly
1951 - 62", 64", 66" - Blond Glass Back, Alum Lam under Maple Belly
1952 - 62", 64", 66" - Blond Glass Back & Belly
1953 - 62", 64", 66" - Red Glass Back & Belly
1953-1/2 - 64" - Red Glass Back & Belly, Double Shelf (other lengths may exist)

 


 

1954-1956 Kodiaks - Double Shelf - Early Working Recurves

1954 - 56", 60", 64", 68" - Tan Glass, Walnut Riser
1954 - 56", 60", 64", 68" - Tan Glass, Maple Riser
1954-1/2 - 60", - Tan Glass, Maple Riser, (other lengths may exist)
1955 - 56", 60", 64" - Brown Glass, Water Transfer Decals
1956 - 56", 60", 64" - Brown Glass, Silk Screens

 

1957-1958 Kodiaks - Single Shelf - Early Working Recurves

1957 - 56", 60", 64" - Brown Glass, Single Shelf
1957 - 56", 60", 64" - White Glass, Single Shelf, Indented Belly
1958 - 56", 60", 64" - White Glass, Protruding Belly, Scalloped Sight Window
1958 - 56", 60", 64" - White Glass, Protruding Belly, Rounded Sight Window

 

1959-1960 Kodiaks - Brown Glass Back, Carmel Belly

1959 - 60", 64" - Bubinga Sight Window, Brown/Red/White Overlays
1959 - 60", 64" - Dark Rosewood Sight Window, Brown/Red/White Overlays
1959 - 56", 60", 64" - Maple Sight Window, Brown/Red/White Overlays
1959 - 56", 60", 64" - Purple Heart Sight Window, Red/White Overlays
1960 - 56", 60", 64" - Rosewood Sight Window, Black/White Overlays

 

 


1961-1966 Kodiaks

1961 - 60" - Green Glass
1962 - 60" - Gray Glass
1963 - 60" - Gray Glass, Dogleg
1964 - 60" - Gray Glass, Horn Back, Solid Riser
1965 - 60" - Olive Gray Glass, Horn Back, Angle Stripe Riser
1966 - 60", 64" - Brown Glass, Horn Back, Angle Stripe Riser
 

[Bob Dunn]

man o man, a lot of history there for sure.

[Grant Young]

.This is why I'd never, never argue with Wade about anything archery. Thanks for the look-see Wade; we're all lucky you got this together.  Grant

[Tox Collector]

Wade - Outstanding collection -- second to none!  I am very impressed!  TC

[bowhunterfrompast]

Outstanding...what a collection. That would be something to see in person, what time does the doors open to the museum?