I was lucky enough to pick up an older Howard Hill longbow. I will post pictures after I find my camera. I have had many Hill and Schulz bows, including one worked by John Schulz to Howard Hill's specifications for Bob Wesley. I had Howard Hill bows from nearly every bowyer they used. I have not seen another like this. Everything about the bow is more delicate than any other I have seen.
This bow has very small fine tips. John Schulz used very small tips. These tips are more delicate and smaller. It also has green woven glass backing and white glass belly. The bow only has Howard Hill and 60@28. It has four bamboo laminations.
Does anybody know the time period when green woven glass was used for backing on Howard Hill bows? I think I have a special one here. It sure feels like one.
Maybe someone on the Hill post can help with info. I have several Hill's now but I'm a newbie to the ranks of the Hill style bow.
Give Craig a call at HHA, He might know something about it..
I did some research and it is probably from the '50s. That is before Shawnee got involved and started serial numbers with Stotler. Once I take pictures I will send Craig an email with them. This looks like Schulz but much finer around the handle and limb profile when compared to a Trophy Hunter I have.
Gil, when you get some pictures, I would send them to Bob Burton at Whispering Wind Arrows or Nate Steen of Sunset Hill. Both of them are endless sources of info on Hill stuff. They both have regular contact with Mr. Shulz as well.
Thanks Eric, I will.
Gil
Craig or Bob would be great resources, and I haven't talk to Nate personally but that jives with what I've heard others say about his knowledge on the subject.
I had my hands on a really old one owned by Flingblade a few years ago and snapped these pictures. I described those tips as "impossibly small" and the pictures don't quite do them justice. I like the word elegant, that seems to fit very well. Sounds like the same era for sure.
Thom
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH1.JPG)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH2.JPG)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH3.JPG)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH4.JPG)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH5.JPG)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH6.JPG)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH7.JPG)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/OldHill/HH8.JPG)
Nice bow. Very similar to one I have that was made in 1961-2. Glass runs under the handle on the belly and back looks radius.
QuoteOriginally posted by Hud:
Nice bow. Very similar to one I have that was made in 1961-2. Glass runs under the handle on the belly and back looks radius.
any photos of that configuration Hud?
Stotler or Dahrling would be my guess for the bowyer.
Gil, the bow you are talking about is one I owned for a while, also the gent who owns Green Dragon owned the bow for quite a while! It was most likely made between 1960-61 by none other than Jim Darling! A very nice clean rendition of an early Howard Hill longbow! Jacques
Thanks Jacques, I had several Darlings and this doesn't seem like one of his. I never owned a Stotler bow. The closest I see to it is a Schulz. I will take some pictures in comparison to the Trophy Hunter. One thing about the bow is the size of the riser and how it is shaped when looking down at the belly. Very thin from belly to back out to the fadeouts.
Pictures tomorrow for sure.
Thanks for the help
Gil
Thom that looks like this one, except mine has green woven glass. Too bad you don't have pictures looking at the riser from the belly side. I think that shows a lot of difference from other Hills. It also looks like the form was different when looking at the limb profile.
Sent a picture from my phone. Bob Burton found it difficult to id bowyers, because Howard had several making them, before and after he started Howard Hill Archery. This is obvious when looking at the different string nocks, inscriptions and differences in handwriting. There is a chapter on bows without serial no. and weights made in mid 1950's to early 1960's. They added S/N, wt, and names to bows later around 1960.
John Schulz talks about making bows for Howard Hill Archery to be sold through Shawnee. Darling was a target archer and made their recurves, Bob doubts he made any longbows. From what I understand none were made by Howard during those years.