Ray Gun (Hardcover)

by Eugene W., Jr. Metcalf (Author), Frank Maresca (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Authoritative, comprehensive and visually dazzling a history of Ray guns and Space Toys as they evolved over a span of forty years

About the Author
Eugene Metcalf is an educator who specializes in

Frank Maresca is a collector

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Fotofolio (October 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584180048
• ISBN-13: 978-1584180043
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #435,654 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blast from the past., April 8, 2007

By	Robin Benson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though it was published some years ago its nice to see that this lovely book is still in print. The landscape format is ideal for showing off the streamline design that was a requirement for any gun of the future.

Each model is shown in profile and a nice touch is the removal of the photos background so the guns are floating on the page. Another idea that gives the book a lift are several pages of period graphics: movie posters, ads and the original gun boxes. The first blaster is from 1935, a surprisingly good condition Buck Rogers pistol, made by Daisy. The models are shown in date order up to the mid-sixties and mostly from the US and Japan with several from Europe.

Considering that this was a really tiny part of the toy market you might think it surprising that a book should be devoted to the subject but there is another equally beautiful title showing more: Zap! Ray Gun Classics. This is out of print but you'll easily be able to pick up a used copy. Both books will give you a nostalgic blast for the past.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reference, December 19, 2008

By	Andrew Teleki "Andrew Teleki" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Best reference on ray guns out there although would prefere additional literature on history of manufacture, design but I guess that is yet to be produced as this book is only pictures with date length and width of each gun. Still a must have for the ray gun collector!

4.0 out of 5 stars an analog era, July 26, 2006

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

It is amazing that enough material existed on this topic to constitute an entire book. The text reads like a labour of love. Who else would write such a thing?

For science fiction fans, or children of the 50s to the 70s, you can revisit your youth. Some of the ray guns might be recognisable indeed.

The text is nostalgic retrospective on an era with no digital electronics, as we know them now. As far as I can tell, every gun depicted here lacked a microprocessor. Everything was hardwired analog.