Yesterday I got a call from a friend that almost made me drop the phone. He said his neighbor was moving and as he was helping he noticed some long bows in the rafters.
Knowing that I make them and and very interested in the history of archery he mentioned me and the gentleman told Charlie that he wanted the collection to go to someone who would appreciate it. He put me in touch with Gary Holt who was the shop forman of Bill Sweetland's archery shop.
When I pulled up my jaw must have been hanging wide open. As I was looking at several bundles of Compressed POC shafts and dozens of complete Sweetland arrows. From there my eyes focused to boxes of points, various tips, antique fletcher's, boxes of cut fletches, and boxes of differing vintage hunting points. He then started by pulling down a 1940 signed yew longbow, made by Gilman Keasy who tutored Don Adams.
Gilman Keasy was 1935 & 1936 NAA target champion. This in one of the bows that he made for the University of Oregon Archery team. This bow is still in incredible condition complete with original endless loop string and timber hitch.
He then pulled down three more bows, a Wing Archery recurve, a Martin Huntsman in mint condition, and a Ben Pearson take down in mint condition with original case.
I told him he had a very impressive collection that was worth allot and asked him what he wanted to do with it. I told him that some of it deserved to be in a museum and asked what part of it he was parting with? His reply made my knees go week. He said very calmly I'm parting with all of it. I trembled as I asked what he wanted for the collection. He said, I've wanted it to go to the right person and I think you are that person.
I am still sifting through the boxes of history and Gary has said he is willing to sit down and help me document some of the history from his years of working at the Sweetland archery facility/ He had mentioned having opportunities to hunt with some of the great like Damon Howatt and a few others. I think there is some good article material here. I'll get some pictures when I can get the time to sort through everything
I think that PA had done an article on Keasy in one of the very first issues. Going to have to do some more research.
