Briefly Revisiting the Pow'r Pop Ray Gun

Not too long ago, I posted an article on the Atomic Pow'r Pop gun, made by a company called Glenn. It's an Australian toy, and I didn't know a whole lot about it -- including it's date of manufacture. Thankfully, a collector from Down Under named Steve Baker stepped up to shed just a bit more light on this wonderful space gun by emailing me photos of two old advertisements. One of them is from The Retailer, and is dated May, 1951. The other is some sort of toy catalog, with a few cowboy guns alongside the Pow'r Pop.

This is exactly the kind of information I'd hoped the Attic would produce through conversations with different collectors. Thanks so much, Steve.

Inside the box, the ad reads: "4 corks supplied with every gun, Shrill atomic whistle built into butt, Packed in bright 3-colour cartons."

This ad reads: "10840: Atomic power pop-gun of ultra modern design. Fires harmless cork ammunition with good loud pops. 8 ozs. 10/6." 

Steve began collecting space toys in the beginning of the century, and soon began focusing on those coming from Australia and New Zealand. He currently has about 45 different pieces, ranging from space ships to space jeeps to space guns. To see some of his space toys, check out Steve's flikr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37407523@N06/

Also, stay tuned to the Attic of Astounding Artifacts; Steve will be guest writing an article on Australian space toys in August! Action-packed stuff!

Atomic Pow'r Pop Gun (Glenn / 1951 / Australia / 4 x 7.5 inches)

Bright colors, fanciful shapes, and lots and lots of rings pretty much defined space gun design during the 1950s. It was all thanks to plastic, a miracle material that could be mixed into any number of colors and then molded into any conceivable form. Toy makers took full advantage of this creative freedom, producing some of the most wonderful, futuristic toys imaginable. Take, for instance, the Atomic Pow'r Pop Gun.

Made in Australia, this early space gun used a brass plunger system to fire a cork. (The metal mechanism makes the Pow'r Pop much heavier than it looks.) Like many such toys, it included a whistle built into the base of the handle. Not a particularly complicated toy, I know, but it's definitely one of the nicest looking ones. The Pow'r Pop has always been high on my want-list, but it's an extremely rare toy; I finally landed one after nearly five years of searching.

The Pow'r Pop was available in three different color variations: This yellow one, a red one with blue grips and yellow tip, and a black one with turquoise grips and tip. The black is the most difficult to find.

I don't really know much else about the toy. I've heard a 1951 date bandied around, but I've never seen proof. Thanks to Steve Baker for confirming this!