Question for Gene Wensel......

[Ric O'Shay]

During down times (read that stretched out on the recliner) I sometimes peruse back though my old copies of TBM. Last night I stretched all the way back to the nether reaches of my stack and pulled out the Premier Issue. That's right, Fall 1989, the one with the Billy on front. I re-read a fascinating article by you, Gene, that talked about an old friend that for security reasons, you identified only as "Jack".

You went into detail about his house literally being a museum of archery artifacts. Things like:

1. Yew bows staves he received from Earl Ulrich. Other osage staves cut in 1932 by Paul Crist.
2. A cigar box of old broadheads given to him by Roy Case.
3. An original copy of "Hunting the Hard Way" with a personal note written to Jack by Howard himself.
4. An arrow shot by Howard Hill into the back of a horseman in the movie Robin Hood.
5. A bow owned by one of the Thompson brothers and various other items.

This was 21 years ago and I was wondering what has happened with Jack? Does he still have these priceless items or have they been given to a museum as you suggested to him so they can be admired by others?

Thanks,
Danny

[Biggie Hoffman]

Not to butt in on Gene but I know he's out scouting for next seasonand looking for sheds.

I know "Jack" also and he's doing fine. I'm curious too to see what he will do with his "stuff" when he gets older...

[Ric O'Shay]

You're not butting in Biggie. Good to know somebody's getting to scout for next season. It has been so wet around here folks are beginning to grow fish scales over their skin.    :D  

Thanks for the info about Jack. It is good to here that he and his "stuff" are doing well.

Danny

[Ben Maher]

i know that article well and have often , like Danny , wondered the same thing ,
Ben

[Liquid Amber]

I believe I've viewed photos of the Thompson bow in question.  If it's that bow, it has significant characteristics that would date it only back to the 1930s, which would eliminate it from being one of the Thompsons.  Maurice died in 1901 and Will in 1918.

[Liquid Amber]

I was able to view this bow yesterday and it is does not have a "rectangular" cross section as the photo suggested.  It has a triangular cross section as the Highfields did back then and appears to be lemonwood, which many Highfields were made of,  I have a lemonwood Highfield and this would pass for one with the exception of the handle

It is a target bow stamped "40" which means 40 pounds but I couldn't find a Highfield stamp on the other side of the handle.

The bow does have a thickened handle [Buchannan dips] wrapped in cane or rattan stips.  If the bow came this way, the handle practically eliminates the possibility of it being one of the Brothers.  The handle could have been added at a later date along with the wrappping.    

All in all, it's an old bow

[Liquid Amber]

After a second look, I realized the bow had its horn nocks on backwards.  The nocks had been replaced at one time and incorrectly.  The bow was shot for a time with back and face reversed.  It's likely, had the bow been made of yew or any other period wood instead of lemonwood, it would have splintered or cracked a limb instead of placing a pretty good set in them.  

This gave the impression the bow had a thickened handle and dips when in fact it had a "grasp" on the back of the bow at the handle...a piece of cork or wood glued on for better gripping, a practice that dates back to at least 1850.

Mike Dhaemers looked the bow over and we all came to the conclusion it was old enough to have been around when the Thompsons were.