Lukas Novotny, the artisan behind Saluki Bows, was born and raised in the former Czechoslovakia, where he was trained as a glass sculptor. He immigrated to the United States at age of 21, and after working for many years as a glass artist, he decided to pursue his childhood passion for bows. In 1998 Lukas founded Saluki Bow Company, and has been full time bowyer since then.

Known for making some of the most refined and high performing modern interpretations of Asian bows, Lukas Novotny is also a  successful instructor of mounted archery, having given clinics and demonstrations in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, India, Australia and  Brazil. Lukas is co-founder and former President of the “Mounted Archery Association of the Americas – MA3” . The Saluki Bow Company is a one man operation, but Lukas is assisted in the office by his wife, the Brazilian mounted archer Patricia Viana.

Saluki Bow Co. takes its name from the most ancient breed of hunting dog. Slender, swift and deadly accurate, the Saluki dogs from the Middle East and North Africa, epitomize what a great bow should be. When Lukas  started  making his first Salukis back in the 90’s, they were different than anything else found on the market. The unique  limb design based on the Asiatic composite bows, sets the Saluki bows apart, and they are the culmination of many years of not only study, but the painstaking process of recreating authentic horn bows. The kind of understanding that can only be gained from the experience of building horn bows of Turkish, Scythian and Mongolian origin.

“I have constantly been in search of the most efficient design, and it is an ongoing process. Horn bows have been my motivation from the beginning, and the rich history they left behind has become a constant source of inspiration for me. I like to think that the use of the most technically advanced materials in combination wit outstanding historical tradition sets what I am doing from the crowd.”

Lukas Novotny