Kenton Toy Cap Guns

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Mike Nichols
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	Kenton is one of the older Cap Gun companies and made a lot of character models—especially Gene Autry models. They made other models, but they are probably most famous for their Gene Autry models. Gene Autry was SO POPULAR that they made many variations on the same gun theme. But, I guess they all sold, for many of them are still in existence. Most of these are cast-iron and only later did they get into the die-casting business.




	1900 Cast Iron - Cannon by Kenton AN3 1900







	Extremely Rare & Very desirable 3 star single shot animated cap gun. 4-7/8 inches long. Thanks to Rich Hall

Here's a little Cap Gun from Kenton back in the cast-iron days, the "POLICE CHIEF."

This is a Persuader made by Kenton in 1939 from our friend Cliff Dunfee.

Here is a very nice ""Whoopie" from Kenton that was made in 1932. This is rare and hard to find.
Photo thanks to Rich Hall.

Isn't this a wonderful double holster set from Ed Manes? Now I know why I seldom see nice holster sets in antique stores. It's because people like Ed and Steve Arlin have hoarded them all. And the funny part is that most antique dealers don't even know anything about Cap Guns and holsters. We have them all over Huntsville, and I have yet to find a store that has any decent Cap Guns! Amazing! Notice that this set has Gene's name engraved on the pocket and his picture too! This set must be worth a small fortune.

This cast-iron Cap Gun was made around 1937 by Kenton. It's a crying shame when old companies like Hubley, Kilgore, Stevens and Kenton, who have lasted for YEARS, finally go broke just because kids have so little imagination anymore and just sit on the couch playing video games. It also seems that parents are afraid to just let their kids play outside. We used to run all around the entire neighborhood and you wouldn't believe what we considered our "neighborhood." It was Pasadena, Texas and then Tyler, Texas! Reason? Either we had killed off all of the available Indians –OR– we had killed off all of the cowboys. We switched sides a lot. I wanted to be an Indian. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee put a lot more sensibility into most of us.

Here is a really rare cast-iron Cap Gun. The cylinder revolves and this one is in the blued finish. It has "S" and "W" emblems on the grips.
CLICK ON PHOTO SEE CLOSE-UP!

This photo by Chuck Quinn.

We're pretty sure that this "MICK" is a Kenton, but it's only because it doesn't quite look like a different brand. But it's the same basic cast-iron style as other similar Kenton models.

This photo by Gary Novak




	1923 Lasso 'em Bill







	Here is a really early version of the Lasso 'em Bill series. Cast-Iron of course. Thanks to David & Susan Karlik

This is a rare Lasso 'em Bill with more of those real rubies from Kenton. My but they were generous with their pirate loot. I bet you never see a better looking one than this example.
CLICK ON PHOTO SEE CLOSE-UP!

This photo by Steve Arlin

This is the "dummy" version in that is doesn't fire caps. Look closely at the inside of the hammer and compare it with the one above.
CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO SEE A LITTLE LARGER CLOSE-UP OF THE HAMMER.

And I am told that this variation is the rarest of them all. I guess they got tired of losing money on those rubies.

And not to be outdone...here comes Chuck Quinn with two and a matching double holster set.
CLICK ON PHOTO SEE LARGER SHOT!

And here is a composite I worked up showing the variants of the Lasso 'em Bill series by Kenton. From the top: The first two are the extremely rare version with 5 jewels on each side of the grips (genuine rubies, of course!) and a nickel plated cylinder with the "S" and "W" letters in the emblem; the next two have a ruby (on each side) in the circle and red grips; then a blued version without the rubies; next we have a standard cast-iron version with white grips; and finally a cast-iron version that is completely plain.
CLICK ON PHOTO SEE LARGER SHOT!

This photo by Chuck Quinn




	1941 Law Maker by Kenton







	Here is a cast-iron Cap Gun produced in 1941. It is 8-3/8" in length and we still have the box! All photos thanks to the collection of Frank Morrison. Be Sure To Click On The Thumbnails!

Being a sucker for photos, here's some more. The most remarkable thing about this series of Cap Guns to me is the extremely high relief on the grips.

And here's a nice group of three Law Makers in the different finishes. Keep 'em well-oiled. Nice box!

Photos by Chuck Quinn.

Here's another Law Maker Cap Gun in the dark finish.

Photo thanks to Rich Hall.

Here's a nice Kenton Bulls Eye cast-iron Cap Gun and box. And in the dark version.

And now here's 4 different variations.

Photos by Chuck Quinn.




	1939 Western by Kenton







	Be Sure To Click On The Thumbnails!




	Engraved and Non-Engraved Westerns









	Here is a good study between Kenton Westerns-both engraved and non-engraved versions. These are both DEAD MINT! Thanks to Chuck Quinn

Here's the Western from around 1938-39 and the top one is really rare and is engraved. But the bottom one is rare too, as it is a bronze version. I never see this stuff for sale, do you?

Photos by Chuck Quinn.




	Rare "Western" by Kenton



					Now here is a Cap Gun that is RARE!!! I can't even find this gun in the literature, but considering that it has a genuine RUBY in the handle, then it ought to be worth quite a bit.

	Same gun, different RUBY. This gun is very similar to the Ranger, from the 1920's era. Thanks to John Hodge for these photos.




	"Dude" by Kenton





	Another one of the cast-iron guns from Kenton.



	Bob Williamson tells me that the figure is a cowboy on a bucking horse—a broncobuster.


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