“Tradition is not the cult of ashes, but the preservation of fire.“

Gustav Mahler

“Tradition is not the cult of ashes, but the preservation of fire.“

Gustav Mahler

I am a woodworking passionate, I was trained as a cabinetmaker and I have been practicing archery since the 70's.

I thus came to be quite naturally interested in bow making and mechanics.

I first took an interest in the making of primitive bows, to understand how a bow worked and the way wood could

react under certain constraints.

It was the same thirst for knowledge in this field that made me go on and build laminated bows composed entirely of wood then, very quickly, laminated bows with fibreglass.

I have decided to make only a few bows a year, for time matters little to me.

The accessories I offer are, like the bows, entirely made by hand one at the time and by me.

In my work I favour materials quality, functionality and simplicity.

Virgil Vosse

I am a woodworking passionate, I was trained as a cabinetmaker and I have been practicing archery since the 70's.

I thus came to be quite naturally interested in bow making and mechanics.

I first took an interest in the making of primitive bows, to understand how a bow worked and the way wood could react under certain constraints.

It was the same thirst for knowledge in this field that made me go on and build laminated bows composed entirely of wood then, very quickly, laminated bows with fibreglass.

I have decided to make only a few bows a year, for time matters little to me.

The accessories I offer are, like the bows, entirely made by hand one at the time and by me.

In my work I favour materials quality, functionality and simplicity.

Virgil Vosse

I am a woodworking passionate, I was trained as a cabinetmaker and I have been practicing archery since the 70's.

I thus came to be quite naturally interested in bow making and mechanics.

I first took an interest in the making of primitive bows, to understand how a bow worked and the way wood could react under certain constraints.

It was the same thirst for knowledge in this field that made me go on and build laminated bows composed entirely of wood then, very quickly, laminated bows with fibreglass.

I have decided to make only a few bows a year, for time matters little to me.

The accessories I offer are, like the bows, entirely made by hand one at the time and by me.

In my work I favour materials quality, functionality and simplicity.

Virgil Vosse

THE INUKSHUK

In the language of the Inuit, inukshuk means "One that looks like a person".

The inukshuiit are erected from stones to resemble a human figure.

(Inukshuiit is the plural of inukshuk).

Long before the Inuit had access to rifles and ammunitions, inukshuiit played an important role in hunting caribou.

The traditional hunting method would be to erect a series of inukshuiit in a funnel shaped pattern narrowing

to a dead end on a hillside.

The hunters would hide behind the inukshuiit armed with their bows and arrows.

The women and children would herd the caribou towards the hunters by waving hides up and down to create loud noises, enabling the hunters to move behind the herd.The inukshuiit would also double as landmarks or cairns (stone piles) identifying the locations of caches of stored meat.

Today the inukshuk is used predominantly as a landmark.

They can be found scattered across the frozen land.

An inukshuk can be spotted from miles away and seasoned travelers can use the inukshuiit as navigational aids.

THE INUKSHUK

In the language of the Inuit; inukshuk means "One that looks like a person".

The inukshuiit are erected from stones to resemble a human figure.

(Inukshuiit is the plural of inukshuk).

Long before the Inuit had access to rifles and ammunitions, inukshuiit played an important role in hunting caribou .

The traditional hunting method would be to erect a series of inukshuiit in a funnel shaped pattern narrowing to

a dead end on a hillside.

The hunters would hide behind the inukshuiit armed with their bows and arrows.

Today the inukshuk is used predominantly as a landmark.

They can be found scattered across the frozen land.

An inukshuk can be spotted from miles away and seasoned travelers can use the inukshuiit as navigational aids.

THE INUKSHUK

In the language of the Inuit; inukshuk means "One that looks like a person".

The inukshuiit are erected from stones to resemble a human figure.

(Inukshuiit is the plural of inukshuk).

Long before the Inuit had access to rifles and ammunitions, inukshuiit played an important role in hunting caribou.

The traditional hunting method would be to erect a series of inukshuiit in a funnel shaped pattern narrowing to

a dead end on a hillside.

The hunters would hide behind the inukshuiit armed with their bows and arrows.

Today the inukshuk is used predominantly as a landmark.

They can be found scattered across the frozen land.

An inukshuk can be spotted from miles away and seasoned travelers can use the inukshuiit as navigational aids.

THE INUKSHUK

In the language of the Inuit; inukshuk means "One that looks like a person".

The inukshuiit are erected from stones to resemble a human figure.

(Inukshuiit is the plural of inukshuk).

Long before the Inuit had access to rifles and ammunitions, inukshuiit played an important role in hunting caribou .

The traditional hunting method would be to erect a series of inukshuiit in a funnel shaped pattern narrowing to

a dead end on a hillside.

The hunters would hide behind the inukshuiit armed with their bows and arrows.

Today the inukshuk is used predominantly as a landmark.

They can be found scattered across the frozen land.

An inukshuk can be spotted from miles away and seasoned travelers can use the inukshuiit as navigational aids.

It would be a fraud to think one has the legitimacy to give any opinion about bows when one never saw one being made.

About the man who makes them, however, it is a different story.

As far as talent in general is concerned, Virgil is brimming with it and it must be in his blood.

What’s more, it runs in the family.

Virgil is the son of a man who works leather to perfection.

It has been well over forty years since I bought the first leather item made by him and I have always admired what he can do with his hands – arts and crafts with a capital A.

Lets talk about Virgil who inherited some talent. He made himself several bows, each more surprising than the next. Some left-handed, for he used to shoot from the “wrong” side, then some right-handed, because after having tried mine he took a liking to it. For a while, which is very unfair, he shot the left and right-handed ones indifferently. Look at his quiver full of wonderful arrows.

Yes! He knows how to make good bows. Many make bows but fewer of them make good ones. I also believe that, to judge a bow, putting aside aesthetic considerations – for a bad bow may be beautiful and an ugly one good – you need shoulders used to thousands of arrows to appreciate its stability, its flexibility and everything else that goes with it and which makes us feel good with it. The bows made by Virgil are definitely hunting bows as it should be, for he is a true bow hunter, he has never hunted with something else than a bow.

One day, back from hunting and by the fireside, a glass of pear brandy in the hand, try and wrest from him the countries he has hunted in, stories of bears and others, his successes and mistakes. You will understand that he is also very talented in being reserved, and it is a good thing that some people may benefit from what he knows.

Xavier Péchenart

It would be a fraud to think one has the legitimacy to give any opinion about bows when one never saw one being made.

About the man who makes them, however, it is a different story.

As far as talent in general is concerned, Virgil is brimming with it and it must be in his blood.

What’s more, it runs in the family.

Virgil is the son of a man who works leather to perfection.

It has been well over forty years since I bought the first leather item made by him and I have always admired what he can do with his hands

– arts and crafts with a capital A.

Xavier Péchenart