How old would this archery bow be?
 

This British bow is close to 67" long.
Made in a wood that has two distinct colours; most possibly a typical wood for bows, but i wouldn't know.
The grip is covered with velvet, now quite shrunk, "stuffed" with fibers of some natural material ... rattan, hemp ?
It is marked "London 47". I guess 47 is the "draw" weight ?!
Seller says this bow must have some hundred years. Would you beleive so ?
Coments will be welcome.
Fernando

Looks early 20thC I would say fairly definately pre WW2. Possibly a school bow.

Hi Fernando,
age would be difficult, but likely late 19th C to early-mid 20th C. It is a 'self bow' (made from a single piece of wood) , had been been laminated or composite it would be easier to date due to the construction technique and materials.

I do not think the 47 refers to the draw weight. Usually the draw weight is set at a certain 'draw length'. For instance 35lbs at 28"... this means that when the bow is drawn 28" (from the bow to the string) it requires a force of 35lbs. If the same bow is drawn back 29" the amount of force required would be greater than 35lbs, probably something like 39lbs.


Kind Regards David

Thank you Gene and David,
So i was too quick to conclude that 47 was the draw weight. It's just because, prior to posting this thing, i made a quick search in the Net, learning what the draw weight was about; eventualy one quotation i spotted was about a 47# draw weight specimen.
But then the 47 must mean something ... a model number ? :confused:
No big deal, though; i do not think i am buying it. Don't like the interest/price ratio.
Thanks again for the tips.
Fernando

I thought possibly the string length it takes in inches, but that seems to short for it by a fair amount.
Is it possible that there was something else written above it?
If not, I'd say model number.

You got a point there, Gene. In fact there is a sort of bruise on the wood above the 47. I remember the seller giving his opinnion about what it could be, but don't remember what was his idea ... nothing serious enough to memorize, though.
I will have to look better at this area when i visit the seller again ... which is not that close from here.
No idea what this dual colour wood would be ? It seems as the usual woods seen in bows: ash, yew, elm, ipê, are all mono colour :confused:
Fernando

I would assume that its Yew.
Someof the bows on this site appear to have dark patches:
longbows