Lytle Novelty Co replica guns - anybody got one?

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  • Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    To those that may be offended by my audacity in posting pics of "toys" I apologize in advance :)

    I ran across these recently, thought they were pretty cool, and couldn't pass them up. They came out of a gun collection that's been in storage since the early 60's; I was also able to get (3) STAR's (A, S, and SI) and a Colt 1911 Super 38 from the same collection, all from 1950-52 time frame and all with original boxes. I'll get some pics of those up some day.

    These "replicants" were made starting in the early 50's I think, one source said they stopped in 1958 and advertised until stock ran out, another that they were made through the early 60's. I vaguely remember seeing ads for these back in the day, although a little (pun) before my time. They showed up in kids mags especially, like comic books ("Hey kids, start your gun collection today!" was the slogan) as well as serious hunting and shooting mags. I especially like the line "He-Man Trophies for Den, Rumpus Room or Cabin" :lol2: - remember the "Rumpus Room"? These are full-scale 1:1 and looks like they took casts of real guns. The Mauser Broomhandle in particular shows faint impression of the banner. That one is pretty impressive in the detailing, some of the others are pretty crude. The two Mausers I've seen sold at $90-100 and weren't nearly as nice. Nostalgia sells, I guess.

    There were 16 total, the lot I picked up had 12 unique plus two dups (P.38 and Luger). All are in excellent condition, especially considering the crappy paint they used and that they are cast aluminum. Most found nowadays have pieces broken off and/or badly worn paint - because they actually got used by kids having fun, in a time before you got expelled from school for playing on your own property.

    I'm missing the "Derringer", "Mauser 7.65 Semi", "S&W Police Special", and the "Iver Johnson Cadet" - I think. The revolver I'm not sure about is the "Spanish Moxley" (third one down) - I believe that's what it is.

    I'd love to hear from anybody that has one, or knows more about them.
     

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    Dougy

    Member
    Aug 25, 2014
    1
    Lytle Novelty Company Guns

    I have a German Luger from Lytle Novelty Company, can anyone give me an idea what it is worth?
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    Those are so Cool! Learned something new today. Looks like someone used real firearms for lost wax casting patterns. That would explain the 1:1 ratio and faint Mauser Banner marks.
    Thanks for sharing with us!
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    I have a German Luger from Lytle Novelty Company, can anyone give me an idea what it is worth?

    That's one I have a duplicate of - I've seen them around $25 and as high as $50 - depends on how bad somebody wants it I guess. The Luger was probably the most popular and common. The Mauser Broomhandle and Nambu T-14 can run as much as $100 or more.

    Those are so Cool! Learned something new today. Looks like someone used real firearms for lost wax casting patterns. That would explain the 1:1 ratio and faint Mauser Banner marks.
    Thanks for sharing with us!

    The Broomhandle is the nicest of the lot. Much more detail. But yeah, they all look like they were cast from a real gun. Some you can almost make out S/N and other details. None are marked with "Lytle" so it makes finding them listed on eBay, etc challenging if seller doesn't know what they are.
     

    Machodoc

    Old Guy
    Jun 27, 2012
    5,745
    Just South of Chuck County
    Neat stuff! I don't know if it was the same series, but a neighbor kid had a Mauser and a Nambu like those when I was a kid. They were, if I recall, cast out of "pot metal" and painted. Very realistic-looking in our eyes.
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    Probably the same deal. These are cast pot metal, and painted (dipped) in black paint. Sold from the '50s to early '60s.
     

    Machodoc

    Old Guy
    Jun 27, 2012
    5,745
    Just South of Chuck County
    Probably the same deal. These are cast pot metal, and painted (dipped) in black paint. Sold from the '50s to early '60s.

    Yep ... that would have been about 1958-60. Our dads were in the military, so I'm sure that his dad (USMC type) got them for specific reasons, then decided to let his son play with them. I'd suspect that a lot of guys who were unable to secure "bring backs" (my dad's was lifted from him by MPs at Pearl Harbor on the way home) were interested in letting people see what they were up against a few years earlier.
     

    fred333

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Dec 20, 2013
    12,340
    I've got a Marushin Uzi that was made by a Japanese company in the early '80s. It's dimensionally 1:1 with the real thing (to the point of sharing a handful of interchangeable parts....like the magazine in the photo) and "shoots" caps in plastic bullets (firing from an open-bolt!:shocked3:). They're quite valuable collectibles today.
     

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    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    yeah, those Japanese replicas are very nice and quite collectible. On the opposite end of the spectrum from these cast Lytle jobs :)
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    Necro-post. Picked up a Lytle Papa Nambu cheap recently. Surprised to find it's not quite 1:1 full sized compared to the real deal. Probably 90-95% of full scale. Still, very neat-o.
     

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    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    alas, I don't have a Papa to compare to :)
    these in general seem to be getting hard to find.
    there's a thread over on gunboards Rising Sun and a guy posted a cast Type 26 but it had a lot more detail, down to the S/N and markings above it.
    also has a scan of an original Lytle catalog which has nice clear pics of all 16
    (attached here as one PDF vice the 4 over there).
     

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    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    Thanks for the catalog upload! I've never seen the Browning/FN 1910/22 before. These are getting harder to find and when I do run across them it's usually a C96 or P-08.
     

    2112rws

    Active Member
    Jan 18, 2013
    162
    I had one of the SAA's in about 1956. I must say I like the real ones better.
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    Well, to the Japanese they were in good taste I guess... different culture, different aesthetic values :)
    They grow on you... the Type 94 is so fugly that you have to feel sorry for it and take it home.

    Then again I'm one of those heretics that think Lugers are kinda ugly so...
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    Bill Ruger didn't seem to mind Japanese designs when he started out on the MKI by copying the Baby Nambu. I like the ergonomics of the Nambu series of autoloaders less the position and operation of the Type 14 safety, that feature is a stinker. The earlier Grandpa, Papa and Baby Nambus fit nicely in my small paws and I prefer the simple grip safety. Every bit as good as a P-08 which I think is one of the best intuitive point-n-shoot pistols I've ever experienced.
    Even the Type 94 holds decently for me. Again, the safety operation isn't great, though better than the Type 14 for sure.
     

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