Has anyone ever encountered a Damon Howatt S/D marked like this?

[L. E. Carroll]

I recently picked up this beautiful late 60's-early 70's 53# 60" Damon Howatt Super Diablo from another "Bow Trader" at the TBW Rendzevous.  

It was in beautiful condition. However, I noticed the "Damon Howatt Yakima WA" sticker was missing... Oh well, it was in great shape and the perfect draw weight.. Besides the fact that I had been looking for one of these for a few years now and this one shot so well and extremely fast too boot.

Yesterday, while cleaning it up, I was surprized to see this stenciling while looking for a serial number to help me date the bow..  

I'm wondering if any of you have ever encountered this?  

I totally checked out the bow.. It has perfect tiller, beautiful "Origional" finish, excellent glue lines, and overlays, along with flawless Brazilian Rosewood, no twists, and string tracks true down the limbs when "lined up" and viewed from the belly.

There is some very slight crazing at the fade out's which is to be expected on bows aprox 40-45 years old... The only thing I could find questionable, was some rather heavy file or sand marks under the finish on the sides of the bottom limb and extending aprox 8-10" above the tip. Possibly this is the reason for the the "Rej." stencil?

I'm confident this bow is a shooter and plan on using it for it's intended purpose.  

Has anyone else ever encountered a bow marked like this?  

Gene

[L. E. Carroll]

[L. E. Carroll]

[L. E. Carroll]

Here are some pictures of the beautiful bow.. not sure what I have therefore would really appreciate your thoughts on this one.

Thanks' Gene

[Sal]

I have a Howatt bow, from the 90's, that has everything in place but the signature, same as yours.  Mine isn't marked rej. but its probably in the same category.  Perhaps it was Howatt's way of dealing with "B" bows.  

My bow is the bushmaster, it shoots great and has been in action for at least 12 years.

[Hud]

Contact Ted Fry, I think he was working on a description/catalog by years with the help of Larry Hatfield. I would guess around 1967. It is unfortunate the serial number is missing. Beautiful bow.

[Archer Fanatic]

I use to have one just like that one. I bought mine in the mid 70's.