# Jennings Compound Bows pre-1970s



## TWO SWITCHBACKS

*jennings*

jennings first ad for a compound bow that he named the compound, from an article a ( bow of compound intrest) was may 1968 ,allens first compound ( pictured ad) was july 1967.i have the adds.,and photos.


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## bear-of-grayling

*1969 Jennings Compound Bow*

This is a handmade 1969 Jennings Compound Bow. Brazilian Rosewood and marked "Patent Pending".


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## Neumeier

Dan,
Very impressive and looks to be in great condition. Do you have any idea how many pant pending Jennings there are out there?


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## bear-of-grayling

*1970 Jennings Compound Bow*

This is the first left-hand Compound Bow built by Tom Jennings. Ordered in the fall of 1969 and delivered in March of 1970. Has both the "Patent Pending" and the Patent number on the limbs. Brazilian Rosewood. Also Dated on the top of the riser. 3-25-70


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## bear-of-grayling

*"Patent Pending"*

Tom Jennings made app. 1200 bows between Fall 1967 and the beginning of1973. 1968 and 1969 would have been the only "Patent Pending" Bows built. Probably less than 100. 1971 and 1972 had by far the most production as the Compound Bow exploded in 1973.


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## Neumeier

Another gorgeous bow...are you the original owner?


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## Neumeier

Explains why I have never seen one, would seem they are quite rare.
Do you know how many Allens were manufactured during the same time period?


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## bear-of-grayling

*Jennings vrs. Allen*

Allen made far less bows than Jennings ever did. He never wanted to produce bows, he just had no choice. Allen did get the patent for the Compound however: many believe he saw one before he made one. Tom Jennings made the Compound Bow a reality. Tom Jennings is the "God Father" of the Compound Bow!


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## bear-of-grayling

I am the second owner of both bows. They both have all original paperwork and the First Generation has the orginal case. Both bows have not had only a few dozen arrows launched. They both are quite rare.


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## Neumeier

I would agree that Jennings was the chief promoter of the compound and was a far better salesman than Allen, but I do not know of any evidence that Allen was not the sole inventor of the compound. I have read of speculation too, but never have I seen any of it backed up. So IMHO Allen should be crdited with this accomplishment that has changed archery forever.


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## bear-of-grayling

I agree. Wilbur Allen Made the Compund Bow and Tom Jennings made the compound bow happen. They were friends tring to change archery forever which they did. I refer to them as "Beauty nad the Beast". They covered both markets. I love my Allens.


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## bear-of-grayling

*First pic of the First production Allen Compound Bow.*

This Allen was pictured in the April and May 1967 Archery World. It all started here.


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## Neumeier

So...you have the May 1967 issue of Archery World...I have been looking for this issue, do you have more than one?


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## bear-of-grayling

I actually have 2.


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## Neumeier

Dan sent you a PM.

Do you or anyone else know the back-story to the falling out between Allen and Jennings?


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## bear-of-grayling

Allen died in a car accident in the late 1970's. He and Tom Jennings were always friends. His widow sued Jennings and other archery manufacturers who were not paying their royalties. It broke Jennings Archery.


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## bear-of-grayling

Tom Jennings handmade (by himself) pre-1970 were magnificent!


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## Neumeier

That is a true work of art...


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## BrowningBoi

I currently shoot a Browning Rage. This is considered by most to be a very conventional and conservative bow, that is it shares many of the same angular relationships with this Jennings legacy bow. The riser height and the angular relationship between riser and limbs are basicly the same. The Rage in this regard is an unremarkable bow and yet it has a very different appearance.

It makes be wonder what the conservative and uber high tech bow lineup for 2020 will look like?! I for one cant wait.


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## zenarch

Dan Dintaman said:


> This is the first left-hand Compound Bow built by Tom Jennings. Ordered in the fall of 1969 and delivered in March of 1970. Has both the "Patent Pending" and the Patent number on the limbs. Brazilian Rosewood. Also Dated on the top of the riser. 3-25-70


Look at the pre-bend in those limbs. How things have changed.
Joe B.


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## kevinXforce

For what it's worth:

I owned and shot Allen bows in the late 1960's and early 1970's and also owned and shot Jennings' in both indoor league and hunting situations.

Clearly, the Jennings were a more refined item. I was driving to Monett, MO in 1976 and while southhbound below Springfield, MO, glanced at the right side of the road and saw a modest garage almost AT the side of the road with a sign on its upper edge indicating it was the "home of the Allen compound bow". I stopped and spoke with Mr. Allen, who I want to recall, preferred "Harold" to his given name of Holless. He appeared to be in his early 50's, in good health, rather quiet, but very polite. He told me that he'd searched for a way to get more velocity to minimize string jumping. He volunteered nothing about the pre-patent history of the compound bow or that he was motivated by arthritis in his shoulders. Since he had been working on the bow for many years, I imagine he was in his early 40's then and probably not arthritic, as some claim. 

I have a good friend in that area who was an active target and hunting archer out of Galena, KS and Joplin, MO. He said that Mr. Allen was rarely seen in archery shops or at archery related events. He has forgotten his occupation, but also visited him a couple times.

A while back I searched "compound" bows, etc. and found a reference to bows with pulleys and wheels in the 1930's in the Eastern US area. My Missouri friend recalls seeing bows with wheels on the SIDES of limbs before Allen's patent.

The lawsuit over patent royalites is public information and so would be the patent application, which should include related historical details on any earlier bows of that type. The family had several that were parties to the lawsuit so maybe one or more can enlighten us further.

Regards,

Kevin


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## rdobias

*first compound*

the first compound i ever saw was an allen. it was at an indoor tourn. in joplin,mo. in 1968. mr. allen did not shoot in the tourn. he just wanted people to see it. i can remember everyone looking at it and saying it would never work. were we ever wrong. that bow on the table that day changed archery forever.
i purchased a jennings in 1974 (which i still have) and have been shooting a compound ever since.


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## TWO SWITCHBACKS

*allen bow*

here is a 1967 photo of the allen bow


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## bear-of-grayling

This is the first and second Jennings Compound Bow. The first left hand Jennings ever made. Thanks Dan


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## bear-of-grayling

Any compound collectors left out there? Anything new to talk about?


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## skip5515

Dan was correct about Mr Allen being killed in an auto accident, but the reason that the suit was pushed so far was that Mr Allen was killed on the way to court on the law suit.


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