Preliminary identification
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Overview
This is a single vintage red molded-plastic lawn dart featuring a suction cup and weighted tip assembly. Designed as a safer outdoor target game alternative to steel-tipped darts, these molded aerodynamic wings were a fixture of mid-to-late 20th-century American backyard culture.
Story
Long before digital gaming, 1970s summer afternoons were defined by lawn games. When metal-tipped darts raised safety alarms, rubber and suction-cup variants stepped in to save suburban backyard tournaments.
Maker / Origin
Various toy manufacturers, including companies like Regent Sports and Franklin Sports, produced outdoor game sets during the peak of suburban lawn-game popularity. These companies continuously adapted their designs as toy safety standards evolved drastically through the 1970s and 1980s.
Condition & Value
Shows noticeable edge wear, light nibbles along the fin edges, and scuffing consistent with outdoor play. The suction cup appears intact, though aging rubber can lose pliability. As an incomplete, single piece with play wear, value is modest.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.