Competition Hook by Bob Burwell and Arthur Janetzki

Item P10            

This Item was Sold on 19 August 2020 for $113


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Historical Pricing information for this item and similar collectable boomerangs can be found on the Boomerang Pricing Guide


This hook was made by Bob Burwell out of 8 mm Aussie plywood in the 1970s. Brother Brian Thomas acquired this hook in the raw unpainted state and asked Arthur Janetzki to add his art to it. Arthur added his classic Aboriginal style art making it an unusual hybrid collectible. I acquired it from Brian in 1989. It is in excellent condition and I have stored it in one of my boomerang colleciton boxes for the past 30 years.

Specifications: Right Handed ; Tip-to-tip Span = 30 cm ; Weight = 85 gm


Bob Burwell is one of Australia's best known boomerang throwers. His boomerangs are popular with throwers throughout the world. Bob is also a top rated world competitor. He is the son of Ces Burwell, who was also a well known boomerang maker and thrower in the 1940s - 1970s.
The Janetzki brothers (Les & Arthur) made some of the finest competition and sporting boomerangs in the 20th Century. Les & Arthur made very few boomerangs and they were almost never sold. Instead, they were given away as gifts to other throwers that they met at tournaments. Les & Arthur Janetzki were Vaudeville performers in the early 1900s. After they retired in the 1960s, they started making and throwing boomerangs at their home in the town of Albury, Australia. They were senior citizens when they started to make and throw boomerangs and they continued with their boomerang hobby until their death nearly three decades later. Les would construct his own plywood by laminating packing box boards together, shaping the airfoils and sanding them smooth. Arthur would apply the art work. When they were done, they had a wonderful flying piece of art with legendary performance in events such as Accuracy, Consecutive Catch and Australian Round. These boomerangs worked so well that they were nicknamed the "Rolls Royce" of all boomerangs and upon the suggestion of Brother Brian Thomas, they started painting the initials "RJR" on the reverse side of the elbows in the 1980s with "RR" representing "Rolls Royce" and "J" representing "Janetzki". Owners of these fine boomerangs have been reluctant to sell them. Janetzki boomerangs can still be found in the throw kits of the most seasoned competitors as well as in the best collections. Premium Janetzki boomerangs can sell for hundreds of dollars and some of the finest examples have sold for more than $1,000!



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