What Do You Think?

[ber643]

Here are pics of a bow I picked up yesterday from an old friend at the Flea Market (that I buy trad bows from when he comes across them). Do you think it is something, or nothing, or somewhere in between - LOL???

It is only 40" tip to tip. kinda looks like a hand made kids bow that's suffered bad treatment, at first glance but then looks considerably older (and might be heavier weight) as you give it closer examination. The wraps appear to be hemp twine and the frayed string ends pretty much appear to possibly be hemp, period. It doesn't look like it ever had any finish applied but could have had some kind of oil finish that dried out with age. The limbs - I'd say the back really looks like Bamboo, and the belly could be Bamboo. it looks like there may be a layer in between the front and back but not sure. The riser is some kind of wood of course but nothing I can determine. At one tip there is a hole drilled with a piece of rawhide in it that has the short remnants of a feather's quill affixed to it, probably with glue.

I have some wild guesses and ideas but mostly I would like to hear others opinions, as I am no "collector". I know it is hard to figure things of this sort from pics but at the very least it should make a good wall hanger, perhaps. Hope the pics are helpful to some degree.

Side View:

 

Back:

 

Twine Wrap @ Limb/Riser Joining:

 

Tip - Back (that is just my pen knife under it for support for the pic):

 

Riser - Back:

 

Other Tip- Back:

 

Belly (sorry about the cut-off end, the light on the viewer was fading):

 

Thanks for looking, and for any comments - B

[ronp]

TTT - Cool looking bow, what ever it is.

[ronp]

up

[Ga.boy]

Neat looking old bow Bernie. Could it possibly be an early Bingham project bow?

[wadde]

I would say a pre Bingham era homemade selfbow. Neat wall hanger and one of a kind for sure.

[ber643]

I appreciate all help and comments, guys.

[landman]

Money poorly spent.

[ber643]

Hmmmpf - I don't know, you should see some of the OTHER things I've spent money on in my lifetime -   :rolleyes:

[Sal]

Bernie, I've seen those bows before, they're not Binghams, they're not old and they're not unique.  They're mass produced in Indonesia, purposely "aged" and sold as novelty items, though they can shoot the small arrows that come with it.  

I saw a new set, with three arrows selling for $25 this past Saturday in Quartzite AZ. They had about 20 of them, neatly bagged.

[ber643]

It figures, Sal - just never happened to run into it/them, and the frayed strings threw me, I guess. I figured they couldn't be toooo old with the window cut in. One of my not-so-wild guesses was that it came from the orient somewhere. Thanks.