After doing lots of looking and learning here, I came across this very nice Herters in the classifieds here.  If I read the serial number right (20159175) - that would make it the 175th bow made in January of 1959.  The seller, Brian Klebber is a real standup guy.  He just didn't do the bow justice in his description in the ad.  He says he likes to surprise the buyer.   The bow is in outstanding shape.  While the leather is cracked just a little, the limbs are in great shape with no marks or scratches and not a stress line anywhere.  The tips are as new.  Even the original Herters decal is there.  I really like the color of the butterscotch limbs on the face and the way you can see the woven glass.  This bow was obviously not used much at all.  I'm ready to join the 50 year anniversary hunt with this beauty.

Happy 50th anniversary    
-Simon

Congrats looks great

Congrats on a good find!

good looking bow.

nice  

Love the way they trimmed the arrow shelf with a bevel for arrow clearance.

Kurt - yea, that peaked shelf is pretty unique.  I have not put a string on it and shot it yet so I have no idea how it will shoot.

Here is a better picture of the shelf.

Nice bow        Got one similar to it. Serial number 100859261

I think yours is an Olympic Official Mark II and I think mine is a Turkish 17 Hunter...

   

   

Brian,

How do you know the model names?  I searched all over for more info on the old Herters bows and just couldn't find it.  I know that there was an archery archives site a while back that had lots of good info but it was so infected with bugs that I can't access it anymore.

Hi Patrick

I have been collecting old Herters catalogues off the auction site for a few years. Don't have them all though...

When I first got into archery as a teenager in the mid 60's, my family used to buy most of our hunting gear out of the Herters catalogue.  I still have many of the Bear razorheads and several dozen of the aluminum and fiberglass arrows that we bought.

Mines a CV and is very nice to shoot

Kurt,  Very nice!  Maybe it is the angle of the picture but the brace height looks pretty low.  Do you have any idea as to what the suggested brace height was for these bows?  I was going to start with 7 1/2 and work from there.

Brian should be around shortly
he is who helped me figure mine out.

Brace Height? I think its the pic angle but now your going to make me go home and check.

Patrick

I'm assuming your bow is 63 1/2" (Herters measurement - not AMO)if so it calls for a 58 1/2" string.

Kurt that is a beauty  

Brian,  I had figured it was probably 58 so you are probably correct.  Any idea what the brace height is supposed to be?  Pat

Patrick

Sorry it only gives a string length?? Just tweak it for good arrow grouping  

Brian - Glad to learn that you are interested in the Herter's Catalogs. I'm not a Herter's collector but still have some of their stuff we bought 40 or 50 years ago.

Last fall I picked up the bottom bow in this photograph, a Herters Sitka 66", 32#, K-660867007. The Sitka riser dwarfs the Wing Presentation-I riser shown at the top for size comparison.  

Boy, it took a real piece of Rosewood lumber to make this 1-piece Sitka riser.

Do you know what years these Sitka's were produced?

 

Hi Wade

That's a beauty isn't it. That's one of the Sitka target length with the white glass. According to the serial number it's a 1967 I believe.

The info I am going on is some stuff I printed off from Archery Archives awhile back and some old catalogues. The first reference I have of the Sitka (Archery Archives)is 1967 and as far as I can tell it was made continuously until 1978 or so.

I happen to have a shorter version of it serial number K-6201066003. I assume it was made in 1966 in preparation for it's debut in the 1967 catalogue?