Flash Sample Raygun Pics

[ToyMemories]

Hopefully no one is offended by a non-robot post... (if so, I apologize)

Dr. Atomic mentioned he had an interest in rayguns, so thought I'd post a couple pics that I came across;

Here is a mold sample done about 20 years ago in black (which looks really very cool), and another pic showing the original mold. To me, this is one of the coolest rayguns!

 

-Mike

 

[Morbius]

Welcome to ALPHADROME ToyMemories and no, your post is not inappropriate at all here as for collectors such as Dr. A. these fit right in along with Space Sh$%s ;) and saucers! Prototypes and molds are always interesting to learn about. :D

And another MIKE on board is just fine!!!! :lol: :blink:

[ToyMemories]

Thanks, Morbius!

Yes, I feel the same way, that space toys, robots and rayguns all tie together beautifully (just didn't want to overstep in case of any feelings of exclusivity to our metal counterparts).

Call me weird, but I think I've even gotten to the point where in some cases I like the prototypes, art, molds etc. more than the toys!

The mold here is nifty (made of beryllium copper), and has a "removable insert" in the handle area so the disc design could be changed (sadly I have no idea what happened to the other inserts that originally went with it)

This pistol, to me, looks like it could actually fire a disintegrator ray!

(Hahaha... believe it or not, but for a while people confused my name with ol' Monsters Inc.'s Mike!)

-Mike

Welcome to ALPHADROME ToyMemories and no, your post is not inappropriate at all here as for collectors such as Dr. A. these fit right in along with Space Sh$%s ;) and saucers! Prototypes and molds are always interesting to learn about. :D

And another MIKE on board is just fine!!!! :lol: :blink:

[dratomic]

Um... WOW. You MUST stop posting these things because my brain just can't take it.

This is so cool. What you've got there is the mold (THE MOLD!!!!!) to the Rex Marx wind up spark gun. It's an extremely desirable toy that came in red, green (less common), and blue (super rare -- I only know of one). I've wanted one for a loooong time.

ToyMemories... thank you SO MUCH for posting this. What a great piece of space gun memorabilia. Please keep posting cool stuff like this, even if my brain can't take it. :)

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

Hopefully no one is offended by a non-robot post... (if so, I apologize)

Dr. Atomic mentioned he had an interest in rayguns, so thought I'd post a couple pics that I came across;

Let me add my welcome to Alphadrome Toymemories.

And for the record dratomic is not the only one here interested in rayguns! :)

Your contributions have been very enjoyable and this one is no exception. Thanks.

[ToyMemories]

Um... WOW. You MUST stop posting these things because my brain just can't take it.

This is so cool. What you've got there is the mold (THE MOLD!!!!!) to the Rex Marx wind up spark gun. It's an extremely desirable toy that came in red, green (less common), and blue (super rare -- I only know of one). I've wanted one for a loooong time.

ToyMemories... thank you SO MUCH for posting this. What a great piece of space gun memorabilia. Please keep posting cool stuff like this, even if my brain can't take it. :)

You're very welcome, thank you, Dr.A!

Yes, it is VERY cool (I feel exactly the same way as you), and one of my favorite pieces... Kind of bizarre to feel the mold and think that every pistol out there came from this! (like a bit of magic and history combined) And, I still need to get one of the original guns...

Will try and have other pics of nifty stuff for you in the near future, I'm glad you enjoy them!

(did you see the drawing pic in my other thread of the 1930's Flash Gordon pistol? That's a cool one too)

Kind regards;

-Mike

Let me add my welcome to Alphadrome Toymemories.

And for the record dratomic is not the only one here interested in rayguns! :)

Your contributions have been very enjoyable and this one is no exception. Thanks.

Thanks very much, Fineas!

I appreciate that... ;)

I hope to share more in the future, and have enjoyed reading the posts and learning here as well.

Thanks again for having me!

-Mike

[robert]

Mike, that is a really fantastic collectable!

I am sure that dratomic is moving through his underground lair, kicking furniture and throwing cheap, breakable non-collectable items out of envy and frustration. (oh wait...that's me!) Very cool! And you are right, you must get a Rex Marx windup spacegun to store in the mold - just you can open the mold and view what was made in it. Now that would be a full circle display.

Thanks for sharing these wonderful historical artifacts. You are adding a whole new needed dimension to this hobby and this board. :D

[steve]

I would think for any type of toy having a prototype, or original mold which is unique and therefore super rare can be far more enjoyable then owning a production example of that toy. Assuming the production piece isn't a rarity in and of itself too!!!! Now having the original mold and the production piece side by side - well it's like having your cake and eating it too -it doesn't get any better than that!!!!!

[dratomic]

So I've got to ask -- do you OWN the mold and mold sample? Or are these just pics you've gotten over the years?

Realize, if you answer yes to the former, I'll be forced to crawl into the corner and weep in envy. ;)

[ToyMemories]

Thanks, Robert!

I really love this kind of stuff... :)

At this point in collecting I came to feel the need to concentrate on this kind of stuff as a Priority (because honestly, most times there are only one, and when it's gone, it's gone!) and hopefully fill in the needed/wanted production pieces at a later time.

I really hope one day I can be a part of (or be able to start) some kind of exhibit so people can see some of the stuff they would normally not, and it's fun to share!

Thank you again... ;)

Hey Steve,

My dream combination is to have the technical/design drawings, prototype, mold, and production version (which is sadly impossible in most cases, as too much material has been lost or discarded over the years)

It is way cool, and I feel an honor to have been able to find what I have so far, kind of like being the "caretaker" until the next "caretaker" takes over when I'm gone!

And Dr.A... I refuse to answer on the grounds that I can't stand to see anyone cry, haha... Can't have a rusty robot!

Um, ok... forgive me... yeah, they're mine (don't hate me). (I kind of hate to use other people's pics, so usually the pics are of something I have or had) BUT, when I come across the box that has the sample (in storage right now) I seem to remember having a handful of those mold samples for that gun, and if so will probably post one on eBay sometime. (I'm also thinking that there were only maybe a dozen or less samples made)

-Mike

So I've got to ask -- do you OWN the mold and mold sample? Or are these just pics you've gotten over the years?

Realize, if you answer yes to the former, I'll be forced to crawl into the corner and weep in envy. ;)

[dratomic]

Um... If you ever decide to put anything ray gun related on ebay, be sure to let us know! You can be sure I'll be bidding.

I'm definitely looking forward to more of your posts.

[ToyMemories]

Um... If you ever decide to put anything ray gun related on ebay, be sure to let us know! You can be sure I'll be bidding.

I'm definitely looking forward to more of your posts.

Will do!

But I can't promise a time-frame on when I can dig stuff out (if you saw my storage place, you'd cringe, haha)

Now, just have to remember where that Ideal raygun mold was...

I would like to make some kind of lithographs from some of the space/robot/raygun drawings and blueprints someday... I think that would be neat.

BTW, I have a raygun on the way here (should be here this week), and will try and post a pic after it arrives.

Thanks again, Doc!

-Mike

[dratomic]

Thank YOU, Mike. You're the one posting all these neat pics.

I don't have too much by way of prototypes or weird manufacturing ephemera. However, I do have a couple ray-gun related pieces that sort of fall into that category.

The first is a prototype/color test for the U.S. Plastics Space Patrol Rocket Dart Gun. It was never produced in this color, though there are two other examples that I know of.

[attachmentid=10913]

Next is a salesman's flyer for the Bell Products Space Commando Inter-Planetary Megascope. It was used at events like Toy Fair to help show off the product. I also have the gun, mint-in-box with original instruction sheet and battery (which was stored in a slot cut into the box's packaging, so there's no leakage).

[attachmentid=10914]

Finally... Our own Robotnut was kind enough to rescue a brick from the original Daisy Manufacturing plant in Michigan. The building was torn down (except for the facade), but before all the trash was hauled away, Darryl snuck in, like a modern-day ninja, and snagged me this amazing souvenir. Daisy made the world's first toy ray gun, the Buck Rogers XZ-31, in 1934, so this little bit of history is amazingly close to my heart. (Thanks, D!)

[attachmentid=10915]

[robert]

Will do!

But I can't promise a time-frame on when I can dig stuff out (if you saw my storage place, you'd cringe, haha)

Now, just have to remember where that Ideal raygun mold was...

I would like to make some kind of lithographs from some of the space/robot/raygun drawings and blueprints someday... I think that would be neat.

BTW, I have a raygun on the way here (should be here this week), and will try and post a pic after it arrives.

Thanks again, Doc!

-Mike

Mike, I think you should look into a means to permanently display your collection. If that happens let me know, as i would be glad to contribute anything that might help to flesh out the production story.

[ToyMemories]

Thank YOU, Mike. You're the one posting all these neat pics.

I don't have too much by way of prototypes or weird manufacturing ephemera. However, I do have a couple ray-gun related pieces that sort of fall into that category...

(Thanks, D!)

[attachmentid=10915]

You're very welcome, Doc, you're not so bad yourself!

That's some very nice stuff!

(I don't see one field as necessarily being better or more desirable than the other, they all have a most important place; and your things definitely are more eye-catching!)

The space Patrol gun is definitely really sharp, pieces like that make me wish I hadn't gotten bitten by the odd/weird-bug. It looks really minty!

The Megascope flyer is quite nice too (I've collected toy catalogs, photos and the like for a while, and the older decent stuff like that is pretty hard to find... even rarer to find one like that with such eye-appeal)

And, I must say... I am envious of the brick! That is like having (actually it IS having) a little piece of the company and its' history. Daisy is a great company, but I'm saddened when I think of their ray-guns... not because they were bad, not in the least, but because I passed up so many opportunities to pick them up years back (this was due to my father, who dealt in antiques for many years, and every time we'd be in PA and I'd see one for $20-$30 or so he'd tell me "ah, they're common... what do you need one of those for???"). I'm sure I'll come across one reasonably cheap SOMEtime in the future, but man! I wish I'd have just trusted my instincts and bought a few back then because I liked them. I'm glad for the most part I've followed my love of toys without thinking of the "is it common or not" perspective, and looked at it from "do I like it or not?".

If you do something because you enjoy it, you can never be disappointed...

-Mike

Mike, I think you should look into a means to permanently display your collection. If that happens let me know, as i would be glad to contribute anything that might help to flesh out the production story.

Thanks, Robert!

A permanent display is always on my mind, but sadly money becomes a large hurtle there... protection and preservation I can handle. I thank you for the offer, it's appreciated, and will surely let you know if anything works out!

Hmm... "The ToyMemories Museum of Childhood Memories"... sounds kinda snappy! Anyone got a few million to spare? ;) I'd love to live the dream...

-Mike