I picked up a longbow today at an antique festival for a Jackson. The tips are in good shape but the horn part is missing. This is one of those bows with the grooved horn tips put over the pointed wood. It appears to be Osage.

The grip wrap has me wondering if Black Widow made it. Not sure but there is a distinct spider web pattern in the leather.

There are no markings on the bow. It looks to be about 62" and might pull in the 30lb range. The back is flat and the belly a rounded D shape like the English longbows. Definite string follow.

Anyone know?

Thanks.

You may have something there. The Wilson brothers began by making self bows. I will be VERY interested to see what you have unearthed. Could be BIG. Post this in the History/Collecting forum with some more pics.

Has peeked my interest also.

Hope you are able to obtain some reliable feedback.

Thanks.

Posted over there.

Email Rabob, he can answer any question you have about a Black Widow.

Bump.


More photos here

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=005041;p=1

Very cool old bow.

Im pretty sure Black widow started in the late 50's.

Your bow may be older than that.

Osage of that age would be almost black, may be lemmon wood.

I thought they started around 25 years ago.I do  I was watching an old tuning video from  them and they mentioned they just had a proto type longbow onthe rack because they were going to start production.

Interesting find.

BTW, for what it is worth, according to the logo here beside me, Black Widow was established in 1957.

BW started in 1957. I do not believe they made a LB, but I can't say for sure they didn't.

The Wilson brothers were making self bows since the early '40's maybe as early as '39.

Wilson Brothers Manufacturing Co. founded 1946.

Wilson Brothers Black Widow founded 1957.

They were making bows pre-'57 gang.