Vintage PEZ Ray Gun, Rare-circa 1956
Price: Sold
Description: Pez Dispenser Ray Gun and Space Trooper. Green-bodied pistol with White loader & caps; made in Austria circa 1956. No cracks, chips or splits; working condition; Rare.
BACKGROUND: The original 1930s Pez dispenser looked like a metal lighter and came only with peppermint candy, a flavor harkening back to Pez’s inception a decade prior when the candy was sold as a smoking cessation aid. It wasn’t until the mid-1950s that Pez, an Austrian company, would open up shop in America. From its operations in New York City, Pez invented a new type of dispenser — a space gun that shot out Pez candies in 1956. The Ray Guns came in many colors such as Red, Blue, Yellow, Brown, Silver, Green & Gold, the later colors rarer than the first. The following year, someone had the bright idea to pop plastic heads on the dispensers. Licensing opportunities, with Popeye as the first, were basically licenses to print money.From there, the rest was history. Hundreds of unique Pez dispensers have been produced, with thousands of variations, and some of these tiny little plastic boxes are worth a small fortune.