1948 - Bub-L-Rocket Gun By Kenner (revised)

[Joe K.]

.

As seen in this 1949 Spiegel Christmas Book catalog:

This is now the earliest sighting for the Bub-L-Rocket / Bubble Rocket Gun and moves the

Timeline date back one year.

Those bottles of Rocket Fuel bubble solution must be harder to find than the toy itself.

Also, are we sure that this early version was made by Kenner? The later ones, Capt. Space Bub-L-Rockets,

bear the Kenner name, correct?

.

[dratomic]

Joe -- this was made by Kenner. The version that came with the solution was sold in a box, while later versions were carded (but not bagged -- the card affixed to the "handle" portion). I had no idea it was 1949, though. This would make it the third plastic gun from the forties that I can think of, after the Tomi Pistol and then the Buck Rogers Sonic Gun.

BTW, The first version of the Bubble Gun, from the early-to-mid 1940s, was actually Kenner's first toy. It was made of metal and had a vaguely futuristic look to it. I think it's kind of neat that Kenner got its start as a toy company by making a ray/bubble gun. :)

(Interesting trivia: On the back of the original box, Kenner listed it's name as Kenner Arms Division. Ha!)

[Brian..]

Back to 1948 with this ad from the Mason City Globe Gazette in November 1948