c.1955 Empire, Guided Missiles & Launcher in Original Box
Unused six piece plastic set manufactured by the Empire Plastic Corp. Consists of jet black, embossed hard plastic polystyrene missile launcher gun and five red, white, and blue soft plastic polyethylene missiles. The pieces are neatly presented in its original illustrated box with die cut insert and instructions. Each missile is actually a cap bomb. The heads can be unscrewed and cap placed inside. Once "primed" the missile is loaded into the gun barrel, pushed inside to lock the spring mechanism, and you're ready to go. Gun was designed with great 1950's details like circular ribs along the top edge behind the barrel. The grips were embossed on both sides with the ringed planet Saturn and a raised embossed speckled disc about the size of a U.S. nickel. The finned dart missiles look like they were never removed from the box because to remove them would tear the insert. Any impact with the ground would scuff the finish. The box was illustrated with wonderful graphics of a large hand holding the gun, pulling the trigger, and launching two missiles. The gun is pointed to Earth, but their trajectory turns them around to impact on a metal riveted space object. Contact with the object appears as small mushroom clouds. The box aprons show an abbreviated illustration of the toy name along with an exploding object (presumably the metal thing on the cover). The die cut insert was fitted with slots and holed tabs. One pair (slot and tab) was cut for each missile. The gun fits precisely into another large die cut. The corners of the insert were printed with instructions. Size: Gun launcher 7" long. Missiles 4¾". Sold: Jun 2008
Price Sold: $ 153
