| Manufacturer: |
T. Cohn, Inc.
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Country of Origin: United States of America
Dimensions:
3-D Test: 43.2 x 22.9 x 27.9cm (17 x 9 x 11 in.)
Materials:
Overall, probably tin or sheet iron; cannon, plastic, with wood end, and accompanying wood dowels; launcher, with plastic cylinder.
This Space Port fortress toy made by toymaker T. Cohn, Inc. in the early 1950s is the centerpiece of the Superior Space Port (also known as the Captain Video Space Port). The metal space-theme fort with its associated plastic vehicles and space men (and aliens), which were made by Lido Toys, was merchandise related to "Captain Video and His Video Rangers," a weekly television show that aired on the DuMont network from 1949-1956. "Captain Video" was considered the U.S.'s and world's first television show with a space flight theme. Such space-themed forts illustrate how heavily space science fiction drew upon another American popular culture genre, the Western.
Collector Michael O'Harro donated this toy to the Museum in 1993.
Gift of Michael O'Harro
