How To Date Your Fred Bear Bow

As a result of we have now the power to promote many various gadgets via our eBay Drop Off Store, sure gadgets stand out that seem like promoting very nicely. One merchandise that stands out is the Classic BEAR Recurve Bows.

On a latest journey out of city, as we normally do, we stopped by an vintage retailer and noticed this recurve bow within the nook. Since we have been already considerably aware of how nicely bows have been promoting as a result of we have been promoting them for a consumer, we have been naturally drawn to it. It gave the impression to be in glorious situation and got here with a quiver and three completely different units of arrows. The asking value was $100.00 and we ended up getting all the pieces for $75.00.

Primarily based on the courting strategies under, we have now decided that this was a 1965 Fred Bear Kodiak recurve bow in glorious situation. It was a 60″ bow with a 44# pull.

After taking the bow to our store, we observed that inside the massive quiver was a smaller single quiver. Primarily based on a slight embossing mark on this smaller leather-based quiver that we pulled out, we have been capable of date it to the late 1940’s.

We determined to separate this into 3 completely different auctions and began all 3 at $9.99. The outcomes of the auctions are listed on the finish of this text.

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DATA YOUR FRED BEAR BOW

A number of options and modifications have been made to the Bear bows over time that may assist slim down the age of your bow or your potential funding.

1. The Serial Quantity: These bows normally have what seems to be a handwritten inscription on one of many limbs, giving a serial quantity together with the size and draw weight of the bow. This serial quantity may be very helpful for courting 1965-1969 Bear Bows when the primary digit of the serial quantity is the 12 months of manufacture.

For instance, a serial variety of 5L212 could be a 1965 bow.

Previous to 1965, serial numbers for all Bear bows have been restarted each month, making it almost not possible so far these bows from serial quantity alone. The “Okay” serial quantity collection (e.g. KZ9672) was launched in 1970.

2. Patent Mark: A lot of the BEAR sheets we have now bought have the brand and US patents stamped on them together with the date CANADA 1953. This date, printed on all bows made between 1953 and 1972, is solely the patent date for a working recurve hyperlink and has nothing to do with the precise mannequin 12 months.

3. Decals & Silkscreen: In 1948 the small operating bear decal was changed first after which in mid-1953 the massive standing bear decal was changed. The massive Standing Bear decal additionally options the phrases “Glass Powered Bow” under the Standing Bear.

The massive Standing Bear decal was used till 1955, when it was changed with silk-screened identification on the arches. By 1956, display printing appeared on all sheets.

4. All Wooden vs. Laminate: In case your bow is ALL wooden (no laminates of any type) then your bow needed to be made earlier than mass manufacturing started in 1949.

• If the ALL wooden bow has any type of stamp saying “Bear Merchandise” it could have been made earlier than the early to mid 40’s.
• If stamped “Bear Archery” it could have been made AFTER the early/mid 40’s and BEFORE 1949.
• Wood sheets with a small “Working Bear” decal can be dated to 1948

5. The Leather-based Grip: ALL Bear bows up till 1959 had leather-based grips. In 1959 the Kodiak Particular eliminated the leather-based grip and in 1961 the Kodiak did the identical, as did the Grizzly in 1964.

6. The Coin Medallion: Starting in 1959, all bear bows had a coin medallion of 1 sort of metallic or one other. Beneath are the approximate date ranges for the coin sort used.

Copper coin – 1959

Aluminum – 1960-1961

Tin – 1962

Brass – 1963 – 1970

German silver – 1971-1972

ALL cash have been flush with the wooden till 1972. In late 1972 the coin was raised above the floor of the bow and was accessible in each gold and chrome plated plastic and remains to be utilized in bear bows right now.

7. Producer’s Location: In 1978, Bear moved all manufacturing services and workplaces to Gainesville, Florida. In case your bow exhibits Gainesville, it was made after 1978

8. Arch mannequin: Verify the arch mannequin. Beneath is an annual manufacturing chart for the preferred Bear Bows.

Wood deal with elimination 1969-1972

Wooden C Riser Victor Customized 1973-1975

Magnesium deal with dismountable ABC 1971-1978

Kodiak Static Recurves 1950-1953

Kodiak Recurve 1954-1966

Tremendous Kodiak 1967-1976

Grizzly Static Recurve 1949-1957

Grizzly Recurve 1958-1978

Tremendous Large 48 1966-1976

Kodiak Magnum 52″ ​​1961-1977

Kodiak Hunter 58″ and 60″ 1967-1977

Tamerlane 1962-1968

Tamerlane HC-30 1965-1967

Tamerlane HC-300 1968-1972

Kodiak Particular 1955-1967

Temujin 1968-1970

Tarters 1968-1972

Victor Patriot 1973-1977

Victor 1972

Polar (recurve) 1957-1970

Alaskan (semi-recurve with leather-based grip) 1959-1961

Alaska (recurve) 1966-1970

Tabby Cat 1964-1978

Bear Cat 1964-1971

Black Bear 1972-1978

Little Bear 1965-1978

With this info you must have the ability to really date your Bear Bow if you happen to do not level it out to the precise 12 months.

Should you want to price your bow I might recommend that you simply first log into your eBay account and do a closed public sale search utilizing the final key phrases that match your bow ie Bear Grizzly Recurve and see what’s within the was bought within the final 30 days.

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Our eBay Outcomes: Inside 6 hours of itemizing our 1965 Bear Bow by itself at $9.99, it had already reached $152.50, which was thrilling however not stunning primarily based on our analysis. What was stunning was that it stayed at $152.50 for the subsequent 6 days. The final day with 8 minutes left it was as much as $182.50 with over 40 viewers. Usually in these kind of auctions we are inclined to refresh and refresh the public sale until the tip to observe the bids however we have been busy writing extra bids and forgot. Once we remembered to return and test the public sale, it was over and had ended at $282.55

The opposite 2 auctions for the quivers and arrows bought for a complete of $80.00. So our preliminary funding of $75.00 in an vintage retailer ended up with gross sales of $362.55. That was virtually a $300.00 revenue (minus fuel and eBay charges after all).