Mystery Recurve Bow

Nobby

New member
Don't jump on me; I know the bow is strung the wrong way. I was given it recently as the owner had no room to store it. Short story is, that he was given it, as seen, about 40 years ago when he was a young lad. Knowing nothing about archery, this is the way he played around with it in his back garden for many years and into his teens. I told him how amazed I was that it hadn't become unstrung whilst shooting it. When he first gave it to me I had a go at stringing it properly; with extreme care. I did manage to string it with a fairly new string I had but, it took me all my time to lift it with the stringer. I thought I was dealing with a bow with a draw weight of about 70lb! I'm assuming that being strung the wrong way round for all those years was the reason for its near refusal to adopt the correct position. After I'd set it up I carefully tried it out but didn't dare draw back anywhere near my draw length for fear of it twisting and breaking. It felt like a English warbow.
I'm now wondering if anyone has any idea what we can call it and how old might it be. The only identifying mark is the name M HOWITT pressed into the handle three times forming a triangle. Interesting stabiliser set up with no more room for any other attachments.

CIMG5558.jpg
 

Berny

Active member
Any chance of some more pics. esp. of the name/logo & any other writing ....& the limb tips/overlays.
Could it be the bow owners name - What was the name of the person who gave it to the person who gave it to you?

Does it look like this:
damonhowatt.jpg
Could it be Les Howis - he used a triangle shaped logo?
Like this:
3339201_2_l.jpg
I'm guessing at something from the '70s rather than the '60s because of the "twins", but I can't see anything
in Damon Howatt or Marksman that look like that.
A pic of the "twins" mounts woud be interesting - they look very stuck-on and not part of the original design.
 

Nobby

New member
No other info on the bloke who originally gave it away. I think these pics cover it all. There are no other identifying marks on the bow. Ignore the arrow rest; I put that on. It came with a tatty leather rest which had fallen to bits. The 'twins' fit perfectly and come away easily. They are heavy so I assume they are steel. CIMG5560.jpg CIMG5562.jpg CIMG5565.jpg CIMG5566.jpg CIMG5567.jpg
 

Berny

Active member
How about: Marsden Howitt, perhaps a (sometime) bowyer from Darlington who holds a couple of patents filed in 66 & 68 pertaining to bow improvements (sights & limb attachment):

Improvements in or relating to archery bow sights. Marsden Howitt Aug, 3 1966: GB1037715 (1 citation)

Archery bows. M. HOWITT. June 2, 1965 [June 5, 1964], No. 23348/64. Heading. A6S. An archery bow sight comprises a guide member 10 screwed or otherwise secured to the bow and carrying a slidable pad for calibration markings dovetailed in the guide member 10 and clamped thereto by a...

2Improvements in or relating to laminated composite bows. Marsden Howitt Dec, 18 1968: GB1136873

Archery bows. M. HOWITT. 4 July, 1967 [25 April, 1967], No. 19000/67. Heading A6S. An archery bow comprises a wood or metal handle section and two resilient limbs of laminated construction detachably clamped thereto by means of, for example, bolts passing through plates and the limbs and...

It may also be the case he is still around (& instructing in woodturning) - will check it out tomorrow if I can.
 

Nobby

New member
You seem to be on the right track, Berny. The previous owner, let's call him, Nick, comes from Darlington.
 

FernbankArcher

New member
AIUK Saviour
Basic bow design is typical of early/mid 60's, apart from the twins. Damon Howatt was a bowmake that I recognise from '70s, experimenting with take-down systems.
The twins may be a manufacturer develoment (Hoyt just introduced the Pro Medalist at around that time and there were a few copycat experiments, Marksman (Les Howiss) being the most notable one active then, and now). They could also be an owner addition but the workmanship quality isn't clear in the images. I did something similar to one of my bows in that decade (I still have it, too).
M Howatt, I don't recognise but Bernie may have the clue there. Related?
 

Berny

Active member
....Marsden Howitt.... from Darlington ....may have even worked with Les Howis (Marksman) .... Alan_Thorley-bow-(1).jpg
this bow signed by Marsden with his '67 patent regn. marked on the lower limb.
Riser design owes much to Wing "Presentation II" (from '65) or later Carroll's "Gentleman Jim" or "Lewis" ....
 

Steve Ruis

Supporter
Supporter
Don't jump on me; I know the bow is strung the wrong way. I was given it recently as the owner had no room to store it. Short story is, that he was given it, as seen, about 40 years ago when he was a young lad. Knowing nothing about archery, this is the way he played around with it in his back garden for many years and into his teens. I told him how amazed I was that it hadn't become unstrung whilst shooting it. When he first gave it to me I had a go at stringing it properly; with extreme care. I did manage to string it with a fairly new string I had but, it took me all my time to lift it with the stringer. I thought I was dealing with a bow with a draw weight of about 70lb! I'm assuming that being strung the wrong way round for all those years was the reason for its near refusal to adopt the correct position. After I'd set it up I carefully tried it out but didn't dare draw back anywhere near my draw length for fear of it twisting and breaking. It felt like a English warbow.
I'm now wondering if anyone has any idea what we can call it and how old might it be. The only identifying mark is the name M HOWITT pressed into the handle three times forming a triangle. Interesting stabiliser set up with no more room for any other attachments.

View attachment 2499
I am responding to just " Don't jump on me; I know the bow is strung the wrong way." This is not "the wrong way;" it is one of the right ways. A bowstring of correct length fits exactly in that position without bending the limbs (this can be used to test whether a bowstring is the right (or near right) length for a bow). By storing the bow in this manner, the bowstring isn't loose and able to become entangled by other bows resting, say, of the same shelf. I too though someone had strung the bopw the wrong way but was corrected by an old timer, one of whom I now am.
 
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