aut-ord-co

Not sales samples, but wooden toy guns made up by Maguire (AOC) for the Christmas season after the war. Several variations exist, depending on the surplus wood, parts and other manufactured parts available.

I've used this photo several years ago in a Thompson PowerPoint history at a library presentation. It had sequential arrows linking each prohibition to the pictured item. Always received a good response from the attendees.

Great post, Chuck!!

Congratulations, Roger! Amazon ordered.

Nick, That is one sweet looking case. And it looks to be in great condition. Thanks for posting.

Good memories Chuck. Thanks for posting.

I featured this photo in my book, www.aocbridgeportetc.com , and based on what the background looked like, I believe that it was taken at Seaside Park, Bridgeport in the '40's. A popular gathering spot for years with a 2+ mile long stretch of beach. Nearby home to P.T. Barnum and Bridgeport University. And probably about 2 miles from The Auto-Ordnance Corporation, 1437 Railroad Ave., Bridgeport, CT.

I owned this Colt Thompson for forty years from January 1979 until it sold last year. The finish was as stated as far as I know. I showed this gun to a couple of as described knowledgeable stock finishers at The Forks of the Delaware show in Pennsylvania in July 2001. Their independent observation was Tru-Oil on the stock. So for 40 years in my possession that was the finish on the gun and no secret about it and no changes ever made. Though it may look like it in the photo, the finish is not thick at all. I can't get some earlier photos to post from about 9-10 years ago right now for some reason. Light, angle, cameras, etc., always make a difference when taking a photo.

Tom, Congratulations on the new book! A much needed resource for anyone collecting Colt Thompsons. A great read!

Vettom, Thanks! Your signed book went out today. Tracking number was emailed.

Thanks for the bump Tom!

benedw60, I have the same toy model Thompson, same serial number, etc.. I purchased it on ebay several years ago. Mine is a little more battle weary than yours, but still intact. I don't have any further information on it than you do right now. Looks like some kind of casting made out of fiberglass. The model AO toys from the 40's that David referred to are wooden toy Thompsons manufactured by Maguire/AOC probably in the late summer/fall of 1945 and sold for the Christmas holidays at $5.98 each. They used surplus butt stocks and in a few cases, surplus pistol grips and fore grips to assemble these toys.

Tom, Took a look also. Don't have. Bill

Saw this post today, and just wanted to say that the gentleman that owns this gun is also a close friend of mine in the Thompson community. We had many ebay battles back in the 90's when interesting Thompson "stuff" was around before we finally met in Ohio at an early TCA show. This gun was brought to the many annual show and shoots, as well as, the three day shows that the TCA displayed in Pennsylvania (SAR, etc.) over the years. Certainly a hybrid, re-read Chuck's first paragraph. But an excellent operating Thompson gun.

There are a couple of different styles of these shotgun cases and some are less often seen. Condition is always in the eye of the beholder. I would say $600 - $1000+.

David, No problem. As I said, it came in the mail today and just flipped through the photos and it looked promising. Thanks for the in depth.

Other vendors available.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Classic-Guns-of-the-World-American-Submachine-Guns-1919-1950-2-by-Luc/132577358988?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Just received today. Great picture book of Thompsons. as well as, M3 "Grease Gun, Reising, UD M42. Not read for text accuracy as yet. Several new photos. Published in 2018. 80 pages total of which 62 pages are Thompson.

Well, I guess I told David back in 2008 that I would post a photo from the 1992 All-Thompson Show & Shoot of this pouch that Rich Mason had on his table. So it's only about 10 years late. As I said in the 2008 post, I don't know if the pouch sold back then. My photos from that era were also not the best. I was offered one of these pouches back at the TCA S&S at Tusco around 2013.

Since I'm old and slow, (lol) I'm taking my cue from Tom and bumping this back to the top. I have several copies available of "The Auto-Ordnance Corporation: The People - Who They Were, Where They Worked, What They Made" . The website to order from is: aocbridgeportetc.com The cost is $49.95 plus shipping. Again, they make good Christmas gifts when it's hard to find something different for the Thompson collector or WWII history buff.

Oh yes. And losing sleep already.

I tried to inform the seller that it was a Terrell case and sold for $165 back when. I said it wasn't a "genuine FBI" case from the 30's. He said he didn't say it was from the 30's. He said it isn't a repro. "it is a real made Thompson case. Simple as that." He further stated that the info from Tom from Kentucky may be incorrect. He said the case came from the Plainfield PD.

Nice collection of rare Thompson paper. Not normally seen in this quantity.

Thanks Tom. I received that photo from you many moons ago.