COLLECTION

The Archery Collection of The Manchester Museum comprises material from all over the world. The nucleus of the Collection was donated in 1946 by Ingo Simon, a life-long researcher into the development of the bow, and a skilled and dedicated archer. His flight-shot in 1914 of 462 yards was a world record until 1933. He died in 1964, and his widow Erna, herself an accomplished archer and Lady World Champion in 1937, endowed a Trust in 1970 prior to her death in 1973, for the purpose of conserving and developing the collection.

Over the years the Collection has expanded and now includes crossbows from Europe and Asia, composite bows including many from India and Pakistan, Japanese laminated bows, longbows, steel bows, quivers, Japanese bow and arrow stands, thumb-rings, and native bows from Africa, the Pacific Islands and South America. The Archery Library complements the collection.