By Jim Trautman On hot summer days in the 1950s, no place was cooler than the local five-and-dime store. The toy aisle would be filled with the latest in water pistols, perfect for cooling off or just for annoying your younger brother or sister. In the spring and summer, new plastic water guns arrived on a weekly basis. Historical information indicates that the water gun was invented in about 1896. Made of metal, it was advertised in newspapers and magazines with the promise, “Will stop the most vicious dog or man without causing permanent injury.” While the 1950s plastic era saw a boom in water gun production, the first mass-marketed water guns appeared in the 1930s. One of the first memorable water guns – and one of the most expensive today for the collector – is the Buck Rogers Liquid Helium XZ-44 Water Pistol by Daisy. The XZ-44, measuring 7 1/2 inches long with a red body and yellow lightning bolts, came onto the market in 1936. Daisy manufactured a second Buck Rogers Liquid Helium XZ-44 Water pistol in a copper finish. In 1936, the pistols sold for 25 cents. Since the pistol was made of metal, the water was stored in a leather bladder and then squeezed out. According to the box, which is rarely seen, 12 shots could be fired. Over time, the leather bladder rotted away, so finding a gun in mint condition in a box is a rarity. The more common red and yellow pistol sells for $600. Recently a copper one sold for $1,800. The original box alone is worth $500. The Buck Rogers Liquid Helium XZ-44 would be the first in a continuing trend in water guns. Space adventure would bring different types of space water guns into the five-and-dime and toy stores throughout the next 60 years. World War II interrupted toy manufacturing. But, once the war was over, the toy market expanded. One of the major advances in material during World War II was the large-scale use of plastic. This carried over in the peacetime manufacture of toys. Metal water guns began to disappear from the market. Plastic was lighter, the molds allowed for more detail, and vibrant colors could be used. The other advantage was that one mold could produce millions of plastic water guns, which lowered production costs. The Reliable Toy Co. of Toronto manufactured the Atomic Water Pistol. During the war, Reliable had saved and stored scrap plastic; once the war was over, it employed this new material in toy production. The Atomic Water Pistol was bright red with a yellow trigger. It had a futuristic look with a large “R” pressed into the handle grip. The Atomic Water Pistol came in a wonderful box, which featured a spaceship landing field on the cover. This water gun came into the market in 1950, and each year, a new variant was added. In this way, Reliable was able to continue to sell the same basic water pistol to the same kids. One variation had a whistle on the trigger, another an extra ring of plastic on the bottom that allowed the gun to be fitted to the handlebars of a bike. Just like Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon, a kid’s bike became a space ship with a ray gun. Pocket water guns became popular in the 1950s. Reliable made one called Tiny. It was bright red or green and small enough to put in a pants pocket. Others were in the shape of tiny cameras. These could be ordered from the inside or back pages of that other kid favorite, the comic book. One unique pocket water gun was manufactured for a brief time in Japan shortly after World War II. It may be the only water gun made stamped “Made In Occupied Japan,” which dates it to that brief period of 1945 to April 25, 1952. It was made of reused metal and colored black. Reused metal from such items as coffee cans and other metal scrap would become very common in the early Japanese mechanical tin toys of the 1950s. The majority of the water guns of the 1950s and early 1960s were manufactured in the United States. From the mid ’60s through the late ’80s, production moved to Hong Kong. Now production resides in China. The country of origin is one indicator of how old the gun might be. Many variations of water guns have been marketed to tie into specific radio, television or movie themes or characters. In the 1950s, there was a Dragnet police pistol, modeled on the pistol carried by Sgt. Joe Friday. It was made of bright red, transparent plastic and carried the Dragnet name on the gun. There were two types: one 4 1/2 inches long and a second that was 6 inches long. Pocket derringer water guns were made to represent the various Western shows that were so popular in the mid 1950s and into the 1960s. The Marx Toy Co. of New York City manufactured a plastic 7 1/2-inch-long Flash Gordon version in the early 1950s. There are two different types from the mid-1970s space show Space: 1999, and of course the phaser from Star Trek, along with the U.S.S. Enterprise, were sold in beautiful packages. One water gun had two small tanks and a pistol attached with a small hose. The tanks fitted onto one’s belt and provided longer operating times before a replenishment of the water supply was required. This military model was popular during the years of the Korean War. If someone has one, please contact me as I am attempting to locate one to add to my collection. Water guns have been manufactured in almost every shape and to resemble all sorts of objects. At Easter, rabbits were filled with jelly beans, pelicans, lions and different vegetables. The different shapes and sizes are almost limitless. The site www.toyraygun.com links to many sites that contain water guns, books and material connected to old television shows. In 2014, new soaker water guns are being manufactured. I like the dollar stores, which sell the type of water guns that appeared in the old five-and-dime stores. For the collector, the variety of guns is unlimited. I grew up near the Park Plastic Co. in Linden, N.J., and each evening we would jump in and dig through the waste bins to find damaged products. The major items manufactured at the company were a cool, red space ray gun and a pump-up rocket. One filled the rocket with water and put it on its launch pump. Using the handle, air was pumped in. And then when released, not only did the rocket blast off, but one received a nice cool soaking. Great summer fun. |