Item TB66
This Item was Sold for
$160
Other collectable boomerangs for sale can be found on the
Collectable , Hardwood
and Art Boomerang web links.
Historical Pricing information for this item and similar
collectable boomerangs can be found on the Boomerang
Pricing Guide
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! This traditional boomerang is one of the smallest of the
early Janetzki models. It is a V90 with typical Janetzki
art, including a kangaroo, on the upper surface and "Pintubi
; Albury Senior Championship ; 2nd ; 1976" neatly printed in
white paint on the undersurface. What looks like a crack on
the underside at the elbow is really where two boards have
been fit together on Les' homemade plywood. This one is one
of the nicest of the early Janetzki models and a good
collectable in excellent condition. This boomerang is from the estate of Brother Brian
Thomas. This is one boomerang that Brian would never let out
of his hands until after his death. The sales of this
boomerang will benefit one or more charities that provide
relief to the victims of the 2004 Tsunami Disaster in
South-East Asia.