Just picked up a bow that I won on a local on line estate auction. Took a chance as they did not know anything about it except the length which they had wrong. Anyway it is a Bear Kodiak 60" and 49# seems to be in great shape  except for the grip covering which is  coming off and will have to be replaced. I was wondering if some of the Bear experts could tell me a little about it. Would like to know the mfg date and location
Serial number is EC578. Under the grip there is the number 69224 which may be the mfg date, I don't know.  Also where can I find leather that would match the original.
Thanks...Mike

There were several years with a leather grip. Can you describe the glass color(s) and the wood in the riser?

The glass is a grayish white wood looks to be maple it has a darker stripe front and back of the riser. It doesn't have a coin. It does have the decal with the standing bear. I did a little research and it seems to be between 1953  and 1959.
The bow shoots great, but I need to get a new string. Also it came with some three blade broadheads the only mark on the heads is a "H" stamped on the ferrel. They are glue on heads. Anyone know what they may be?

The E serial number and white glass would indicate it to be a 1958.

The heads are High Precision heads from the 50's.

Thanks for the help.    

As it happens, I bought a 1958 Kodiak a couple weeks ago. It prompted similar questions for me, which I found answered here on Trad Gang:

  "58 white glass kodiak"

and

  What model year is the "White glass" Kodiak

Checked out those two threads, interesting to know. Thanks for the heads up on them. I had tried searching for info here without much luck.

What weight and type of leather are you using (3oz, veg tan, tooling leather, etc.)? Intact grips on my 50's Kodiaks about 1 mm thick; wanting to replicate as closely as possible.  Thanks!