GTA

Airguns by Make and Model => Vintage Air Gun Gate => Topic started by: Ammon177 on May 08, 2017, 09:16:47 AM

Title: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: Ammon177 on May 08, 2017, 09:16:47 AM
This is a stretch, but has anyone ever seen an old black and white movie called the thin man.  Starring, Myrna Loy and William Powell in one of the movies William Powell received a springer air pistol from his wife as a Christmas gift. this film was made in the mid thirties early forties the Springer is a break barrel pistol with a blued barrel and what looks like an aluminum frame. have not been able to find images or information about it.
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: dv8eod on May 08, 2017, 09:54:54 AM
This may help-

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=28683.0 (http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=28683.0)

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Thin_Man,_The (http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Thin_Man,_The)

It's a Swiss Tell 1.
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: oldair on May 08, 2017, 12:12:25 PM
The gun is a Tell Model 1, but not Swiss.  Pre-war "Tell" branded airguns were made by Oscar Will, later by Wilhelm Foss, at the "VenusWaffenWerk" in Thuringia, eastern Germany. 
Clearly someone assumed an association with the Swiss legend of William Tell, and voila! an Alternative Fact is born.

Don R.
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: DevilsLuck on May 08, 2017, 12:48:34 PM
This internet thing is amazing!
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: dv8eod on May 08, 2017, 01:13:50 PM
The gun is a Tell Model 1, but not Swiss.  Pre-war "Tell" branded airguns were made by Oscar Will, later by Wilhelm Foss, at the "VenusWaffenWerk" in Thuringia, eastern Germany. 
Clearly someone assumed an association with the Swiss legend of William Tell, and voila! an Alternative Fact is born.

Don R.

All I did was post the first two links that popped up on Google in 0.23sec.
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: Steelontarget on May 08, 2017, 01:22:40 PM
Here is the scene:  https://youtu.be/6Cg40zvIPeU (https://youtu.be/6Cg40zvIPeU)
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: Hoosier Daddy on May 08, 2017, 01:33:53 PM
Absolutely LOVE that old comedy "The Thin Man"!
FUNNY stuff!
You gotta pay attention or those one liners will go right over your head.
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: 45flint on May 08, 2017, 01:49:13 PM
Little Tell trivia.  The Tell 3 is one of the rarest and most sought after prewar blued air pistols.  Made around 1938, they stopped making them after the war began a few years later.  Highest serial number known is in the 900s.  After a long search I got one last month.  It had a cracked grip and a missing medallion.  It has the most ingenious method of cocking.  Here is mine on the good side.Lol.  Last week I made a medallion and restored it.  See link below pic.
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/skitchen51/Tell%20Restoration/IMG_8646_zpsyu12zqft.jpg)

http://s168.photobucket.com/user/skitchen51/Tell%20Restoration/story (http://s168.photobucket.com/user/skitchen51/Tell%20Restoration/story)

Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: Kid Shelleen on May 08, 2017, 11:56:21 PM
The Internet really is amazing but so is Don R.  How did you know it was a Tell #1?  That scene when Nick shoots the window is great and the look on Nora's face is priceless.

Steve, that Tell #3 looks in great shape.  You must have been happy as a clam when you found it.  I hadn't even heard of a Tell air gun until this post.
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: 45flint on May 09, 2017, 08:14:34 AM
The Tell 2.  It's the smallest air pistol ever made.  Tell only made three pistols, one of the largest, one of the smallest, and one of the rarest. And all extremely well made.  Not bad.
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/skitchen51/IMG_1589_zpsv75rdzcp.jpg)
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: Ammon177 on May 09, 2017, 09:41:14 PM
     Holly Smoke!  Thank you all very much.  I didn't think I would ever find out what Nick was shooting in that movie!  Now just have to find one. LoL
Thanks Terry for the links. Very amazing.  Thanks Don for the info on where it was made.  The scene on youtube is great.  Now I want to watch the whole six movies again!  Thanks Steelontarget.  Thanks for the info Scott and Steve also.  Great Pictures of the Tell models 2 and 3.  Amazing the design and sizes.  The cocking arm on the Tell 2 is interesting.  Kid Shelleen hoping to shoot with you next weekend for the 14th match! 
Title: Re: Old springer featured in "The Thin Man"
Post by: Horatio on May 10, 2017, 01:42:15 AM
Am I seeing it wrong? The actor right handed, left eye dominant like my firstborn.