cacciatore - If you read the text in the 1957 Catalog, for the three bows mentioned below, you will see that Bear made reference to three types of recurves....

Working recurve - Kodiak
Conventional recurve - Grizzly (static recurve)
Semi-Recurve - Polar

ttt

Back up for the Grizzley lovers. Too Bad Wade removed his primo photos

Think Wade had photobucket issues and lost a bunch.......or something?

Guys,

Sorry about the photobucket images. Not sure what happened as I haven't been using it much for over a year.

I'll see if I can get them re-posted. In the meantime you can email me and I'll try to email the images to you.

ttt

Could a '53 have a running bear decal? Possible? Normal?

Possible.

1953 could have either an earlier small running bear decal or the later,and larger standing bear decal commonly found on Bear bows of 1954 and 1955. I believe the patent applied for decal changed to Canada 1953 when the standing bear decal began showing up.

Thanks Tony

Well, I got a new toy...
I believe an early 1953!

Nice to see it out in the sunlight. Love those grizzlies.

Nice bow!
I have been on this site for 5 years and have owned a couple dozen Grizzlys...and never knew this thread was out there!

Thank you

ttt

TTT

I hope I'm not contributing to any potential marital discord, but there's a 1954 that appears to be in very nice condition currently listed on the auction site as a longbow. (I've sent the seller a correction.)

I'd be bidding but it's just 40# and i'm not interested at that weight. I suspect that some of you might be among the 23 currently watching ...  

Hi Guys,
I'm new to the forum as well as new to archery,
I'm 51 years old and have a 12 year old daughter and 7 year old son. I want to get them going on archery as well.
Right now I'm trying to date a Bear Grizzly bow that I found at my parents house. It measures 59" it appears to be all wood except for a layer of fiberglass at the knocks. The numbers on the bow are 19045B and 62#.
There is a running Bear Logo and a "Pat applied for" Logo.From what Ive seen, my best guess is between 1948 and 1953.
I have not seen any 59" bows at all, I seen 58" and 60" but not 59". I do not have it strung, does that make a difference?
Any ideas on age please let me know.

You say 62#...but could that really be 62".  If the number is above the serial, it's most likely the length.

The no glass part is puzzling me.  Pre 49 maybe?

boycer01 -

Without a photograph, you make it a bit of a guessing game to accurately date your bow.

However, my uneducated first guess is 1953...

The bow probably has blonde glass on the back, which likely closely matches the wood color, so you didn't initially realize the backing was actually glass and not wood. This glass color can vary a lot as can the wood color.

If you really have an all wood Grizzly, you have a real prize, or one one which the glass has delaminated, which I serious doubt as you mention the glass overlays at the nocks.

That glass at the nocks is likely cut straight across rather then diamond pointed, which was the cut pattern used on the earlier Grizzlies.

Lon -

Before 1954 there was no length measurement written on any Bear Grizzly that I have ever seen. Only the serial number and the weight are written on these bows.

The measurement 59" is valid for a tip to tip measurement of the 1953 Grizzly. That of course will vary a bit depending on how much set the limbs have taken from the bow being strung.

I'm guessing the point that you were getting to with the question about 62# being 62" is the fact the static Grizzly was a 62" bow as bows were categorized in those days.

Hi all

Firstly, THANK you all very much for such great source of information. I'm beginner and humble collector of Grizzly bows. Till now, I could use just several PDF copies of old catalogs and it was quite hard job to date some bows. This thread helps me a lot. Thanks

I'd like to know your opinion. I found this Bear Grizzly bow at ****, and I'm little bit confused. I've already decided not to buy it, but I wonder, what model actually it is .. or it could be ..

 

There are some facts, that confuse me :

- there is AMO 64" !? As far as I know Grizzlies were just 62, later 58 and 56, then 58 again. But none 64" . Some special order ??

- bow has Aluminium in it, so it should be year 49-51. But AMO length is written on the riser .. which looks strange for me ... as Wade wrote, here in this topis, this note :

"...Before 1954 there was no length measurement written on any Bear Grizzly that I have ever seen. Only the serial number and the weight are written on these bows..."

So there should be just serial number and draw weight ... not length ..

- and yes, there is new leather on grip and arrow pad, but seller admited it in auction ...

What is your opinion about this bow ? Again, I just wonder ...

Sorry for my English and thank you for you comments.

Jan