1935 Marx, G-Man Sparkling Pop Pistol in Original Box (#2)
Superb example of Marx's short-lived G-Man Sparkling Pop Pistol in excellent+ condition. Also included is its beautiful original box which is in fantastic near mint condition. Several weeks ago I sold the chrome version of this pistol. The black enamel version, although seen more frequently, is just as difficult to find (especially in high grade condition). The entire line of G-Man toys which included cap pistols, rifles, machine guns and target toys were all very popular, but produced for only a short time. The Sparkling Pop Pistol was the largest one-handed gun from the series. It's all pressed steel and finished in baked on black enamel. The trigger is heavy gauge steel. It weighs nearly half a pound. The toy features a large colorful decal of what the epitomized G-Man would look like. Clean shaven, hat pulled down slightly over his eyes to one side, black suit, and red tie. Tough looking, yet compassionate. The decal was applied only to the left side of the frame. It also has cross-hatched grips on both sides. However, the cross-hatching on the left grip was pressed so slightly that only the very top and bottom can be seen under reflected light. The small half-band clip near the barrel tip is made from non-rusting zinc. It's used to keep the flint centered in place and is removable. So it's quite often missing. A squeeze of the trigger produces a single loud pop sound and a brilliant flash at the barrel tip. And yes, the sparkling mechanism works beautifully. It's interesting to point out that the Marx logo was not stamped onto the pistol. I've seen examples of this toy which had the logo. It may have been because the gauge metal is thicker than usual, but it's difficult to tell for sure. The chrome version also did not have a logo. The box is just awesome. As with previous examples it features a full-panel illustration of two young sprites firing their pistols at each other. The boy on the left wears a white shirt with red tie. The one on the right is dressed in a child's sailor suit which was popular at the time. A red, white and blue striped design in the center symbolized the American Shield of Honor. The manufacturer name and address was printed on the main panels as well. Directions were printed on one of the side panels. The remaining side panels and endflaps include the name of the toy. This same box was also used for the non-G-Man version of the pistol without a decal. Size: 8" x 4" x 1". Sold: Jan. 2008
Price Sold: $ 181
