Hi everyone

Picture the scene from my home here in Scotland .... 33 yrs ago I was just 17yrs old , I had just left school and started my first job . I had been shooting since I was 12 yrs old.

I bought The October 1980 copy of Bow International magazine , and there it was , right there in the centre pages , the most beautiful bow I had ever seen , the Fred Bear Signature Bow . The problem was it cost $1000 , not a chance of me coming up with that kind of money so the bow was just a dream for a teenager.

Years pass by and the jobs get better , meet and marry my beautiful wife , have 2 great kids and eventually get to the point where we have the house we always wanted and are settled.

Still a keen archer and I scan the small ads and the internet for bows of interest . I am now a true traditional archer , the fancy recurves and compound bows with their attachments and sights are long gone , The only way to go is a wooden bow and instinctive shooting.

Then 4 weeks ago it happens , a Signature bow is up for sale in Florida , only 5000 miles away from me but what is a few miles when you find the bow of your dreams ?

Bow number 188 , Right Handed and 60lbs draw weight , what could be better ....

Emails pass between me and the seller and after ironing out the problems as to how i was going to take delivery of the bow we eventually got there , and at last my dreams have become a reality . Now about to celebrate being 50yrs of age I have treated myself to the ultimate birthday present and my mid life crisis has been cured .

Many many thanks to Len Busbee at Traditional Archery Sales In Florida who supplied my piece of history , He has been outstanding in service and a true gentleman in every respect.

Needless to say my bow will never be assembled or shot , but as a piece of art you can keep all the  paintings , I know what I want to look at.

















My wife just shakes her head ..........

Great bow and an even greater story.It certainly isn't about the quantity but the quality.Very happy for you and thanks for sharing.

Doesn't get any better than that.  

Congratulations!

I remember getting the Bear catalogue with the Signature bow listed in the pages. I showed it to my wife and she told me to go ahead and buy it if I really wanted one that bad. With two young daughters and a morgage it didn't make sense for me to spend five months of house payments on a bow at the time. Now that the girls are grown and the house is paid for I just can't seem to find one for the same price.

Congratulations!
PapaBear's masterpiece and crowning achievement. Enjoy!

......Philip

Congrats and enjoy.

 :cool:

Len is a good guy. Congrats.

Great story of patience rewarded.
Thanks also for good pics. Congrats and enjoy!

Thanks for very kind comments guys. Really appreciated and wonderful being part of the traditional community.

I do wonder how many bows have made it out of the US to other countries ?

Another pic added to show the limb pocket serial number. I didn't realise before getting the bow that they were numbered here too.

I have one that went to Italy originally.
#66
As your bow, the serial # is located in the the rail of the top socket only and on limbs on Signature bows.

There are a few I know of with F.B.S.C. written on handle with member #.
(Fred Bear Sports Club).

Congratulations once again.......Philip

I remember that same add. I had just received an $1000 limit credit card, boy was that tmpting but with one toddler and one in the oven it wasn't going to happen. Sure is a beatiful bow. Congrats