THE LONE RANGER 1939 PROTOTYPE SECRET COMPARTMENT RING WITH PHOTOS.
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Winning Bid:
$1,416.00
(Includes 18% Buyer's Premium)
Bidding Ended:
Thursday, November 16, 2017 9:00:00 AM (20 Minute Clock Begins At Thursday, November 16, 2017 9:00:00 AM)
Item Description
This ring is known to have been designed by the famous radio premium creator Orin Armstrong working for the manufacturer Robbins Co. in 1940. The firm specialized in premiums and particularly in rings. Information from an original owner long ago explained why the ring was never produced for distribution. That ring came from the Lone Ranger's hometown city of Detroit and was originally owned by an advertising agency man who explained to Ted Hake that the ring was intended as a "Secret Compartment" ring to be offered as a premium by the Lone Ranger radio program sponsor. The ring was rejected and never put into production because it could not be worn with the prongs, which hold the top cover to the base, sticking straight down as this was both uncomfortable and dangerous to the wearer's finger. If the prongs had been bent flat on the underside then it was not possible to remove the secret compartment cover. The photos of the Lone Ranger and Silver inside the top are an added attraction to the secret compartment feature. The design problems were eventually resolved in 1942 when The Lone Ranger military rings were issued which also carry two pictures but with the secret compartment top becoming a slide off. This prototype never produced ring has a base with star and chevron design identical to The Lone Ranger National Defenders look-around ring. The same design was used as early as 1939 by Orphan Annie and named the Mystic Eye Detective Ring. Mounted on the top of this prototype ring base is a 3/8" tall crisp real photo without dot pattern of Silver. Mounted on the underside of the removable compartment is a matching real photo of The Lone Ranger in mask and hat and with tiny text on his bandana consisting of a copyright symbol and "1939 The Lone Ranger, Inc." This example is NM with only the most minimal luster loss. Our consigner acquired only three examples of this ring in the 1970s, some 45 years ago, from an employee of the Robbins Company. These three and the one we sold years ago that came out of Detroit are the entire known population and this is the final example owned by our consignor.
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