1959 Kodiaks - the Rarest Model ???

[papabear08]

John, I hope you clipped the nails for your next picture.
GS

[Wade Phillips]

Originally posted by johnnyrazorhead:
...bottom bow closest to my toes ...wondered if it might be a rosewood sight window. How can I tell for certain? It's very dark but not sure if it's rosewood or purple heart.Serial number is AA039,48#,56".

John - Very carefully pry up the strike plate and look under it to see the more original color of the wood. If the strike plate is original to the bow, you will be able to more easily identify the wood in the sight window, as the wood under the strike plate will be much lighter is the strike plate as been on the bow since it left the factory. If you need to, you can even scratch some finish off the sight window surface under the strike plate to expose the raw unfinished wood. Just glue the strike plate back down with contact cement, (don't use super glue).

I've seen several 59 Kodiaks with dark sight windows that the wood could not be easily identified. Some fifty year plus Purple Heart can get very dark to the point it resembles the darkness of the Rosewood that was used in a limited number 59 Kodiaks.  

In my experience, the 59 Kodiaks with questionable sight window wood, have almost always turned out to be Purple Heart.

The Dark Rosewood used in the 59 Kodiak sight window is very similar to the Dark Rosewood used in the 1958 Kodiak Special Sight Window.

Hope some of this helps you to positively identify the sight window wood of your 56" Kodiak.

[ahandle70]

Has anyone ever come across a 60" maple sight window 1959 that is marked DA instead of BA?   Recently found one that is marked DA in VERY small gold lettering.   It should be a 64" bow but it is only 60".  Is it mismarked possibly?

Thanks,
DRM

[Wade Phillips]

The problem with serial numbers is that they were inscribed by humans and none of us are perfect, so we all have been known to make mistakes.

Anything could be marked on any bow, accidentally or on purpose, either at the time the bow is made or after it left the factory.

That is why knowledgeable collectors do not rely on serial numbers as the sole determining factor in identification. Serial numbers are a cosmetic factor, like coins in risers, neither of which can be considered as 100% accurate for dating every Bear bow every produced.

You should post an image of the inscription so we can see what you mean by "Very small gold lettering".

[ahandle70]

Wade,
What is your email address?  I can send you some pics of the bow that my brother took with hi Ipad.   The pics are not great but I will try to get you some better ones with my camera.   I have not had much luck posting pics on this website!   I don't want to hack the thread you started as well.  Thanks.

[johnnyrazorhead]

In regards to mis-marked bows,it is possible. People wrote those specs on the bows and people do make mistakes. I have a 52" 1963 Kodiak Magnum that has 60" factory written on the bow. After writing on several hundred bows I imagine the person(s) responsible could have gotten it wrong on occasion.

[Larry m]

     
I'm fairly certain this is the more common purple heart sight window. Thought I would post it, perhaps to be used as an example.

[Bjorn]

Nice bow Larry.

I have 2 '59s that are pretty uncommon-won't say rare. One is MSW 60" and 48#@28. BA 260-black ink no coin.
The second is MSW 64" and 50#@28 DA 589 it is black ink with a coin.
 

 

That's the 60" bow.

[warpedarrow]

Was it somewhat common for '59 and '60 bows to not have a coin?  I have Kodiak Deluxe that is smooth as a babie's bottom where the coin should be...

[picapica]

I have a 64" MSW, 45#@28" - DA 042.
It also has the number in black ink and no coin.
I've read that the lack of a coin on a 59 Kodiak indicates an early production bow.
 

[Wade Phillips]

Looks like we should start recording the serial numbers for all lengths of the MSW...

We should probably add either "no coin" or "coin", which likely prove most of the early bows did not have coins, before the coins became a standard addition to Bear bows.

I will get started on recording that information, but it may take a couple of days to catch up with all that has been posted so far...

Post the specs on any length MSW and I will get them on the list.

I'm sure it will not take long to record enough 60" & 64" MSW to show that they are not nearly as rare as many other models of the 1959 Kodiak models.

picapica - Nice looking 64" MSW, 45#@28" - DA 042.

Bjorn - Thanks for posing the MSW...
60", 48#@28 - BA 260 no coin
64", 50#@28 - DA 589 with coin

Larry - Your 59 looks like it has a darkened purple heart sight window. The grain of the wood is the real clue...

[zepnut]

MSW BA 307 60" 45# Gold Lettering No Coin
MSW BB 032 60" 50# Gold Lettering Coin

[Wade Phillips]

Norm,

Thanks for posting. Added your two 60" MSW to the list on the first post of this thread..

[cfokken]

Hi Wade
I just picked up
DA673  64" 50# MSW
Just like new condition

You can add that to your list

Thanks
Craig

[Wade Phillips]

Craig -

Just added you DA673 64" 50# MSW 59 Kodiak to the list on the first post of this thread.

Thanks for letting us know about it.

You should post some photographs of it...

[cfokken]

 

Wade, just a little something I had in the wood shed.... Top two are 60's and bottom 64

[Larry m]

Purple Heart window (hard to see the grain in the wood?), all original and nada Coins!! Very NICE...                        

[cfokken]

All three dark rosewood sight window.

[copicasso]

No one likes a show off Craig:)
MSW 60" 48# BA259

[Wade Phillips]

Todd -

Entered your MSW 60" 48# BA259 on the first page of this thread. Does it have a coin?