New Ray Guns

[dratomic]

It's always a good day when ray guns arrive in the mail! This was a <i>particularly</i> good day, because one of the guns is pretty rare and absolutely fantastic looking. Even my girlfriend gave it a thumbs up. :)

So without further ado...

1. Raydionic Resonator Beam Space Gun (Multum, 1950s). I don't know a whole lot about this one, beyond the obvious. It's super spacey, with Raydionic Space Gun written on one side and Resonator Beam on the other (so I combined them for the name...) The Multum logo is underneath the words "space gun," and "Made In England" is on the other side. It's a battery-operated flashlight gun with a great color-changing mechanism in the forward lens compartment. There's a switch on top -- turn it one way and it puts a green lens in front of the bulb, turn it the other way and it turns red (centered, it remains clear).

It doesn't take a close look to see the similarities to Pifco's Zeta Ray space gun. Similar bodies, though they differ in not only the writing, but also the back part of the fin. And, of course, the front of barrel is completely different. Both guns are flashlights, though; however, the Pifco also has a clicking mechanism in the trigger. I tend to think the Raydionic is older, based not only on the font, but also on the idea that more complicated toys tend to devolve into simpler toys over time as the reality of production expenses rears its ugly head. But I could be wrong...

Does anyone know about Multum? Did they make any other space toys? Anyone know of any other colors?

2. Tom Corbett Space Clicker (Unknown, 1950s). This is similar to the more common space clicker that appears on eBay all the time (and in a variety of colors), except it has the words "Tom Corbett" printed on it. I've seen pics -- Phil posted one a while back, if I'm not mistaken -- but this is the first time I've held one. I was surprised at how much larger it was than the other space clicker. I figured they'd be the same size... It also has a different body stamping, with fewer stars and planets. Mine has a couple factory defects (missing one of the front "ribs") but aside from that, it's pretty nice. I've no idea who made the toy... Anyone have more info? Phil? Can you make out the name of the toy on the pictures you posted?

3. Water Pistol (Unknown, 1952). This is the same water gun that was sold with the costume/holster playset (see this timeline entry). The original set was dated at 1952, but I suspect this gun was later produced on its own -- possibly (probably?) without the Flash Gordon tie-in. As far as I know, there's no way to tell the difference between guns packed with the set and guns sold individually -- unless the set only came with one color of gun. Again... Phil? Any clue?

[David Kirk]

It's interesting how some of the rayguns seem to be based on real handguns and others look more like rocket ships with handles. Are there other types—rayguns that look like saxaphones or typewriters or farm animals, for instance? I know those are far-fetched examples, but you know what I mean.

[dratomic]

The only outside design elements that <i>consistently</i> pop up, as far as I can see, are those based on either rockets, jet engines, or bombs. (Interestingly, they all have roughly the same shape.) I think that makes sense, given the era in which these toys were produced. Manufacturers were attempting to capture something that screamed "the future," and what better than the new technology that was sending people racing through the sky... and off into space. At the same time, designers wanted a look that felt in tune with the streamlining taking place during the Fifties on cars, jets, trains, etc.

Still, I think lots of ray guns from the period were "pure" in their design -- guns like the Hubley Atomic Disintegrator and Dan Dare Cosmic Ray Gun (both pictures in the Atomic Armory banner, below) are definitely shaped like nothing more than fanciful guns. Same goes for the Buck Disintegrator (also below), though I hesitate to mention it; it was produced more than a decade before jets and rockets became common visual currency outside pulp covers and comic strips, so it doesn't really illustrate the point one way or the other.

That said... There were a couple other design elements that would be used from time to time. The Spin Ray has a weird propellor and an almost organic look to the gun's body (think old-fashioned bee hive drawings), and the plastic Buck Rogers Sonic Guns all look just like what they are: flashlights with some fins and handle (a look that comes up a couple other times with ray guns). But these don't appear as consistently as the jet, rocket, and bomb shapes.

(In the Seventies, however, there were a number of ray guns based around famous space ships... So imagine Star Trek's Enterprise with a handle sticking out the bottom, or similar versions of Space: 1999's Eagle and the Yamato from Star Blazers. Weird, weird looking toys... But like I said, this was from a later era.)

Anyway, all that's just based on a quick glance at my shelves and through some books. I could be missing something...

[Phil R]

Great pickups, Doc, especially the Raydionic gun. I don't know the name of the manufacturer of the silver tom Corbett clicker. As you know the watergun came in numerous colors and metallics. The gun should have a connecting tab from the stopper to the knob below it to keep from losing the stopper. I agree, they probably made the gun separately after the Flash Gordon sets with holsters. I have one in red with stopper complete. :)

[JimK]

Hey Doc,

Very nice additions for sure. I have not seen those examples before. I like them all but the Tom Corbett clicker has to be my favorite.

JimK

[dratomic]

JimK -- I love the old space clickers, too. However, scale is important -- it's only about five or so inches long. A very tiny gun. (Impossible to get a real sense of it from the photos... I should have included a coin for scale.)

Phil -- Yeah, I knew it was missing the stopper connector. Didn't care, though -- the blue is really rare, and I just love that deep translucent shade... Had to snag it. I'd like to grab the other colors if I get a chance. The metallics are a bit tougher to find sometimes... depends on the phase of the moon. I had a chance to get a red one, a copper, and a silver all within a few days... but I ran out of cash. Figures. However, a friend of mine ended up with them, so I don't mind. :)

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

My favorite by far is the Raydionic. A cross between the Pifco and the Ideal three way. I much prefer the Raydionic fin to the Pifco fin. Looks to me like both guns have that marbleized type of plastic in common as well. I agree with the logic regarding the more complex toy being most likely the earlier version.

The color on the Flash Gordon squirt gun is stunning! Once again very nice pickups doc!!!

[robothunter]

Wow! Congratulations, Brian. Your ray gun collection has grown into something totally fantastic! I remember when you bought your first one and laughed about how you had just spent what could have been robot dollars on a ray gun. Look at what you've built since then. Just amazing.......

Now go find more! LOL! :D

[Andyman]

Nice specimens there, Doc. Thanks for sharing.

[dratomic]

Fin -- Yeah, the Raydionic (love that name!) has a lot of marbling in the silver. And I agree, the fin on the Raydionic is cooler than the Pifco's. However, I still love the metallic blue more than the silver... There's no beating it as far as plastic color goes.

Pat -- What can I say? When the Martians attack, I want to be ready. :)

[Tinman]

A couple of beauties Doc!!! Love the Raydionic Resonator, looks like it just came out of the box. I had no idea the Tom Corbett clicker was larger than the common version. Nice additions for sure!

[Electric Robot and Son]

Nice additions Brian. I don't remember seeing the Raydionic Resonator Beam in any books. It has great style and a great name. Can you add a pic showing the lens? Is the space cadet gun all one color? Is it a rubber band shooter also?

[dratomic]

ER&S -- I'll snap some pics of the lens as soon as I get a free moment, no problem. I can't seem to find it in any books, either, but there's one on the Toy Ray Gun site under the European listings. However, I spoke to Rocket and he said he's never seen one before, aside from the one on the site, so who knows... It might be rarer than I imagined. (At least in the States.)

To answer your questions -- yes, the Tom Corbett is a single color plastic. Silver through and through. It's not like the normal clicker guns which (generally) have two colors.

You ask if it's a rubber band shooter ALSO. Also? Is the common version of this gun supposed to shoot rubber bands? The one I pictured to compare sizes is missing the little bit sticking out of the top above the trigger -- I've got a mint one as well, but it's a pain to get out of my display so I didn't bother to photograph it. Is that piece supposed to hold a rubber band? I don't see how it would fire and clear the spiny front sight. But if I'm missing something here, please let me know. I always assumed it was just a simple clicker gun. Details, man! I crave details! :)