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Modoc Bow circa mid 1800s

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  • #16
    Back to the bow .Go to Archery Britannica . I am thinking with those wooden inlays it’s European .
    Those were our first craftsmen . I think you will enjoy the information on that site . Old school to modern times .
    Ancient etc . Been looking up museum pieces of NA and not seeing that type of work .
    obviously this piece intrigued me

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    • #17
      If you google Modoc Bow ...you'll see all kinds of images and info with NA indi as well ...
      North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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      • #18
        And its identical ..down to the length and everything... Modoc of northern california...which is were my relative traveled cross country too...
        North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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        • #19
          I'm not trying to be a smart ass.. it's just that I've had several other professionals just like you guys look at it in hand and love it ..saying its fantastic..and have said the Modoc theory looks pretty solid based on images presented of other bows from the same time and place
          North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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          • #20
            Heres an example
            Attached Files
            North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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            • #21
              It's one piece..painted .. no In lays that I can see in person
              North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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              • #22
                That's a very nice bow!

                Regarding left handed vs. right handed, I know some of the tools I have found were made by a left handed NA and used left handed. I'm truly ambidextrous. I eat left handed and write with my right hand but can reverse that process. Thinking I was probably naturally left handed but trained to be right handed.
                South Carolina

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                • #23
                  I never actually claimed it to be L or R... that was someone's comment that started a chain reaction.. lol just saying
                  North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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                  • #24
                    Can any one tell me if its recurve? Painted side facing the user?
                    North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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                    • #25
                      Very nice is the bow made of cedar ? What's the other side look like ? thanks for showing such a rare artifact .

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                      • #26
                        Hi Shydaman.

                        Sorry if I derailed the thread with L vs R discussion (incidentally, your really nice bow would have been adaptable for either hand). The literature is fairly scant, but most sources seem to agree that Modoc bows (and other West Coast bows) of this type were usually recurved at the ends and if the painted decoration is on one side only, then it would be the inside... facing the user. It was noted by European arrivers in the contact era that they also sometimes backed these bows with sinew and the painted decoration went on top of that. At least in later times, bows were also sometimes painted on both sides, although many of these were 'presentation bows' given as gifts.

                        The most common (but by no means only) wood traditionally used was yew. Yours appears to be another wood, and I presume is not sinew-backed.
                        I keep six honest serving-men (they taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.

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                        • #27
                          No problem painshill!! I just couldnt believe how fast the debate started and how many notifications I recieved ..lol but everyone was polite and acknowledged the bow... and I love the free knowlege you guys share..so it's all good.. on another note.. not sure of wood type but the back is blank... (or front) i had one NA historian say he thought maybe Osage... looks kinda too dark to me..but it is like 170 yrs old ..so....lol
                          North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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                          • #28
                            No sinew that I can see ... justi black and red paint.. theres also an orangish color mark on both ends.i was told that's the friction marked where the bow would rub the cordage when it flexed just before the arrow was released... but that was my social studies teacher in like 8th grade... sounded good at the time lol
                            North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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                            • #29
                              Hey Painshill ... I have a bone knife that was also part of my great great ancestors collection..I'm gonna post it later tonight ... this is an item I know almost nothing about .. I'm going to post it in show and tell rather than what did I find, and give the little bit of info I have. Again .. thank you for the knowlege my friend!
                              North East Pennsylvania / North West New Jersey

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                              • #30
                                Hi Shydaman,

                                That’s a really interesting bow! It looks painted or stained not inlayed to me. I'm an archer and as I’ve got older I shoot only traditional not compound bows. I love the simplicity of a stick and string and I don’t want to mess with a bow press. That bow is short at 42”. The limbs are wide which would offset the limitations on it’s power and it would have been good on horse back which makes sense. I honestly don’t know much about Native American bows but yours assuming it’s authentic looks like a treasure. If I had it I would be so tempted to string it up with a Dacron string and shoot it but??? I’m glad I don’t have it because breaking one of the tips would suck and I don’t think I could resist the temptation? I wouldn’t read to much into it being ambidextrous. For that type of bow made from one piece of wood it’s the easiest way to make it. Are the limbs recurved? It would be nice to see a picture from the side.

                                Von

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                                • Cecilia
                                  Cecilia commented
                                  Editing a comment
                                  Uh o. New words to look up: “Limbs”, ”recurve”. Just when learning points have shoulders and waist!
                                  Do love this thread, “digressions”, and all... Took archery in high school and college, actually not bad at it, once remembered put on arm guard!
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