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This Website
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Get THE BOOK on the History of Nichols
Industries
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Well, Gene Autry was about as famous a Cowboy as
you could possibly get. "The Singing Cowboy" he was called. And he did sing
"Rudoph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" that we all love. But he was more than that to
millions of kids. To them he was an icon of Saturday mornings and a force for
Good on the Silver Screen.
When our heroes like Gene Autry disappeared
from TV and the movies, then the Cap Gun industry was DOOMED!!! It took awhile
to realize it, but finally we noticed that the kids who were playing with Cap
Pistols were getting younger and younger, and companies that made the guns were
making them smaller and smaller, for the younger set were not as discriminating
as the older ones had been.
The next thing you knew, the Cap Gun
companies were going out of business. Now they are antiques and some of us
older folks are wondering, "why in the world didn't we take more care of those
wonderful toys of yesteryear?"
Several different companies made Gene Autry Cap Guns,
like Kenton, Buzz Henry, Leslie-Henry, Marx and Keyston Brothers. Maybe
others...I'm sure you will tell me. And, of course, send me some wonderful
photos!
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Here is Gene Autry in the Kenton
Hardware Plant, August 8, 1938 with Monette Whitmore. She is showing him how
the gun was assembled. Bob Bailey now owns the gun in the picture.
Gene Autry and a molder at the Kenton Hardware
Company on August 8, 1938
Photos thanks to Hardin
County Museums
and Sondra Bixler Elliot, daughter of Lewis Bixler, Jr.,
treasurer of the Kenton Hardware Company.
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO SEE FULL PHOTOS
Another photo of the Singing
Cowboy
Thanks to
David Denton of The Antique Cowboy
One of
our many advertisers!
(CLICK ON
PHOTO FOR ANOTHER PHOTO!)
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Gene Autry Cap
Gun by Leslie-Henry
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| Right View |
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Left View |
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Be Sure To Click On The
Thumbnails!
All photos thanks
to David Denton of The Antique Cowboy
One of our
many advertisers! |
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| This is one of the
most valuable Gene Autry Cap Guns that there is! Made by Leslie-Henry around
1950-1960, we all just wish we had been smart enough to buy a few cases!
Beautiful gold finish and high-relief black grips with a horse's head on them.
Truly a wonderful find and if that isn't enough, then there always the box,
which is worth more money than most people's collections these
days! |
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Gene Autry Cap
Gun by Kenton
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| Right View |
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The "Singing Cowboy" probably
had more Cap Guns made for him than any other TV and Western star—except
for Roy Rogers.
Here is a signed example of a gun made by Kenton. You will
notice that this gun was submitted by Mike Sadzo of Belgium. This shows that
the Cap Gun hobby is really an international hobby and has collectors from all
over the world!
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Right Breakdown |
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| Left View |
Left Breakdown |
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Be Sure To Click On The
Thumbnails!
All photos thanks
to Mike Sadzo of Belgium! |
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"The Singing Cowboy"
photo submitted by
Jim
Manning of JM Cap Guns & Toys. Thanks!
(One of our advertisers!)
Here's a genuine Gene
Autry Hunting knife (made out of rubber).
from Doug Hamilton
Now here's a mighty nice set of Leslie-Henry Cap Guns and a
fine double holster set!
David Denton of The Antique Cowboy.
Thanks!
(One of our advertisers!)
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Gene Autry Gun
by Leslie-Henry
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This excellent Cap Gun appears to be what Jim
Schleyer calls the GA-24 in his wonderful book, Backyard Buckaroos.
However, the box doesn't have the same scrollwork as the gun!
I still wish I
had one!
Nice photo thanks to Dan Morphy of Morphy Auctions.
Thanks! |
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Gene Autry Cap
Gun by Kenton
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| Right View |
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Kenton made the same gun in
several styles with a few variations here and there.
Here is
another one of that series of guns, submitted by Robert Runge.
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Right Breakdown |
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| Left View |
Left Breakdown |
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Be Sure To Click On The
Thumbnails!
All photos thanks
to Robert Runge |
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Leslie-Henry
Gene Autry .44
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| Right Side |
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Now here's a "Dirty Harry" gun
before there was a "Dirty Harry." (I love Clint Eastwood movies!!!)
A
Leslie-Henry Gene Autry .44.
Actually the .44 was a common size gun, even in the
old days. It just didn't have the serious Smith & Wesson power you are
thinking about. But Leslie-Henry made a fine Cap Gun.
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Right Close-Up |
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| Left Side |
Cap Area |
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Be Sure To Click On The
Thumbnails!
All photos
thanks to Larry & Marilyn Tanneberg. Thanks!!!
Below we have the Singing Cowboy and our
.44 |
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Here's
a nice "Ranch Outfit" boxed, double holster set featuring a pair of the
Leslie-Henry .44 Cap Guns. Gene's horse Champion is on the grips.
Kudos and thanks
to Jim
Manning, one of our advertisers on the Dealers Page!
In his own words, "I
happened to be in Kenton, OH last week on business. Took a picture of this nice
painting of Gene Autry on the side of a building there."
Thanks to Glenn
Marx for this nice photo
It would probably be wise to
save anything having to do with Gene Autry. A good investment!
Thanks to
David Denton, one of our advertisers on the Dealers
Page!
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(Hey, We're going to emphasize
EVERY
SINGLE ADVERTISER AND THEIR PRODUCTS
that lists with us!) |
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| Visit the
Dealers &
Collectors from whom you can get these fine Nichols Cap Guns!
(and other FINE TOYS!) |
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| We will be
happy to list toy shows and the like (free), if you will please send them to me
at: . |
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| Should you
have some nice photos and/or some text, please send them to me at:
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