It was love at first sight.
The moment I first saw the Hubley in the wonderful book
"Blast Off!", I knew I had to have one. For me, this raygun epitomises the
dream of the disintegrator-ray-shooting weapon. This is what I would
like to carry with me, should I need to go on a space adventure. Made of
heavy metal with plastic grips, you can feel the weight and the raw
power.
The
"Atomic Disintegrator" was created in 1954 by Hubley, manufacturer of
cap guns since 1894, and is considered one of the most desirable ray
guns for collectors. Also includes the original box. Relatively common
in poor to fair condition, the box is extremely rare. When Hake's offered
this example in 2012 with an almost intact box, the raygun metal still
shiny (also rare), the mechanism in perfect working condition and no warping on the handles, I knew this one would
find its way to me.
Now I feel I can take on any misguided space monster that dares threaten Earth. It hasn't got a chance.
"c. 1950s. Original box has moderate wear to one end flap having 2" tear
but complete w/exception of one inside flap. Despite obvious defect on
one side, box still displays VF. Box contains 7.25" long well-made gun
w/heavy cast metal body and plastic grips. Gun is designed w/raised name
"Atomic Disintegrator" on each side along w/nice futuristic design
including simulated power setting knob on right side. Uses roll caps.
Grips have nearly none of the typical warping and gun itself is unused.
NM example of this classic space gun. Nicest condition example of this
gun we have ever offered."
-- from Hake's auction description of this gun, in 2012.
"Steel, lead and rubber were not the only toy-making materials being rationed and restricted during the war. Plastic was too. As a result, despite the plastic industry's attempts to promote new formulas to the toy industry before and during the war, few manufacturers were poised at war's end to introduce bright new plastic playthings for Christmas. One of the few was Dillon-Beck Mfg. Co. of Hillside. N.J., which, under its Wannatoys banner, introduced its 25-cent coupe. The Wannatoy Coupe was not an ordinary coupe. It sported a bubble top of transparent acetate, through which a simplified steering wheel and seats were visible. The bubble sat squarely on a streamlined body, vaguely reminiscent of a rowboat set keel-side-up. Children, or at least their buying parents, reacted with enthusiasm to its Art Deco-inspired futuristic design. In the new Atomic Age, it expressed the hope people felt about times to come. A million units moved off shelves in the 1946 Christmas season. The Coupe sold well into the next decade, at the lower price of a dime per car. With plastic toys being promoted as safe, tough to break, free of sharp edges and hygienically washable, even toddlers must have had their first lessons in Art Deco styling from this wheeled, bubbled bauble, a dime-store best seller at the dawn of the Baby Boomer years.
