Collection of Junior's & Ladies Longbows
Collection of Junior's & Ladies Longbows
31227
Vintage Display of Archery Bows.
A wonderful collection comprising an assortment of five vintage longbows displayed on a bamboo rack. The wall or ceiling mounted brackets beautifully showcase this collection of five traditional longbows by five different bowyers: Feltham, Muir, Purle, Thompson, and F.H. Ayres.
Archery equipment, specifically the bow, is an important part of England's heritage, and almost everyone has heard the legend of Robin Hood. The English longbow is probably the most famous bow in the world and is well known for leading England to victory over its enemies during the Medieval period. With its rich history, it is no surprise that the humble longbow has experienced a resurgence and remains very much a part of modern-day archery.
The five bows all feature horn nocks at the tips and a variety of grips. The Feltham and Purle bows are both self bows made from lancewood. Each has a new green velvet grip with decorative leather wrapping and gilt tooling. The Feltham measures 63" in length with a draw weight of 29 lb (circa 1890's), while the Purle measures 62" with a draw weight of 28 lb (circa 1920).
The remaining three bows are two-piece laminated bows. The Muir, Edinburgh bow is made of hickory and limewood, has a plain green velvet grip, a draw weight of 25 lb, and measures 64" in length (circa 1900). The final two bows feature green braided cloth grips: the F.H. Ayres, London bow is made of hickory and rosewood, has a draw weight of 25 lb and measures 63" (circa 1900), while the Thompson bow is made of hickory and lime wood, has a draw weight of 22 lb and measures 64" (circa 1910).
Please note, if you intend to use these bows, due to their age and nature, their functionality cannot be guaranteed. Any attempt to string or use the longbow is undertaken entirely at your own risk.
The longbow came to prominence in the late Medieval period due to its success in military use. Bowyers flocked to the City of London in search of work, as demand for bows increased significantly following military victories. This success is largely attributed to battles such as Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415), which were credited to the skill of English bowmen. In 1363, practising archery was made compulsory for men, and the trade continued to grow. A system of apprenticeships was introduced for bowyers, whereby apprentices were bound to the trade for seven years.
Target archery became popular during the Victorian period (1837-1901), when recreational archery reached its height of popularity. The heyday of archery as a social pursuit in the 19th century saw a number of highly skilled bow makers emerge. Alongside many accomplished craftsmen, some of whom were also makers of umbrellas, fishing tackle, and similar goods, it was Thomas Waring, Thomas Aldred, James Buchanan, and Peter Muir who became particularly well known for their quality, consistency, and scale of production. While Waring, Aldred, and Buchanan served English clubs and societies, in Scotland, Muir was especially highly regarded.
Dimensions:
1850-1899
Circa 1890 - 1910
Wood
England
Feltham, Muir, Purle, Thompson, and F.H. Ayres
Private Archery Museum
Bill Terry Collection
Great condition. Ready to display.
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![](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.sportantiques.co.uk/athletics/archery/collection-of-juniors-ladies-longbows&media=https://seek-unique-co.s3.amazonaws.com/sportantiques-64hFGwj3-uEHU73t22/stock/69f1b7e05278e_3_31227.jpg&description=Vintage Display of Archery Bows.A wonderful collection comprising an assortment of five vintage longbows displayed on a bamboo rack. The wall or ceiling mounted brackets beautifully showcase this collection of five traditional longbows by five different bowyers: Feltham, Muir, Purle, Thompson, and F.H. Ayres.Archery equipment, specifically the bow, is an important part of England's heritage, and almost everyone has heard the legend of Robin Hood. The English longbow is probably the most famous bow in the world and is well known for leading England to victory over its enemies during the Medieval period. With its rich history, it is no surprise that the humble longbow has experienced a resurgence and remains very much a part of modern-day archery.The five bows all feature horn nocks at the tips and a variety of grips. The Feltham and Purle bows are both self bows made from lancewood. Each has a new green velvet grip with decorative leather wrapping and gilt tooling. The Feltham measures 63" in length with a draw weight of 29 lb (circa 1890's), while the Purle measures 62" with a draw weight of 28 lb (circa 1920).The remaining three bows are two-piece laminated bows. The Muir, Edinburgh bow is made of hickory and limewood, has a plain green velvet grip, a draw weight of 25 lb, and measures 64" in length (circa 1900). The final two bows feature green braided cloth grips: the F.H. Ayres, London bow is made of hickory and rosewood, has a draw weight of 25 lb and measures 63" (circa 1900), while the Thompson bow is made of hickory and lime wood, has a draw weight of 22 lb and measures 64" (circa 1910).Please note, if you intend to use these bows, due to their age and nature, their functionality cannot be guaranteed. Any attempt to string or use the longbow is undertaken entirely at your own risk.The longbow came to prominence in the late Medieval period due to its success in military use. Bowyers flocked to the City of London in search of work, as demand for bows increased significantly following military victories. This success is largely attributed to battles such as Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415), which were credited to the skill of English bowmen. In 1363, practising archery was made compulsory for men, and the trade continued to grow. A system of apprenticeships was introduced for bowyers, whereby apprentices were bound to the trade for seven years.Target archery became popular during the Victorian period (1837-1901), when recreational archery reached its height of popularity. The heyday of archery as a social pursuit in the 19th century saw a number of highly skilled bow makers emerge. Alongside many accomplished craftsmen, some of whom were also makers of umbrellas, fishing tackle, and similar goods, it was Thomas Waring, Thomas Aldred, James Buchanan, and Peter Muir who became particularly well known for their quality, consistency, and scale of production. While Waring, Aldred, and Buchanan served English clubs and societies, in Scotland, Muir was especially highly regarded.){kind=link}