French 1921 handbook

[Dpedersen]

Here is the French 1921 handbook I just acquired. What’s really fascinating is that it has the 31 Nassau Street address. I have not seen this handbook in any books including the paper items book by David Albert and Mike Sigillito. That books shows one with the 302 Broadway address and one with a 80 Broadway address This book appears to coincide with the 2nd edition 1921 handbook. It has 7 chapters, includes all image plates as the 2nd edition including the high powered ballistic data plate, and is 61 pages long. There is no date printed in it. Having the Nassau address I assume it’s somewhere around 1936 to fit in around the time as the catalogs of the same address. Has anyone else seen this handbook before?? Really interesting find!!

Edited February 27 by Dpedersen

[rpbcps]

That one has a different version cover than the one pictured in David and Michaels 'Thompson Manuals, catalogs and other paper items', so that would indicate that there were at least two French edtions of the Handbook produced.

Excellent addtion to your collection, I am really envious now!👍

When did AOC relocate from the 31 Nasau Street address to the Broadway address? I am wondering if your handbook was produced to go with one of the 3,000 Model of 1921's ordered by France in Nov. 1939. The Swedish handbooks dated 1940 had the Broadway address on them. 

If there is a link, there may have been 3,000 of those French handbooks originally produced.

 

Edited February 27 by rpbcps
Added possible link to the French order in 1939

[Sig]

Excellent find there

Congratulations 

[Dpedersen]

On 2/27/2024 at 12:26 PM, rpbcps said:

That one has a different version cover than the one pictured in David and Michaels 'Thompson Manuals, catalogs and other paper items', so that would indicate that there were at least two French edtions of the Handbook produced.

Excellent addtion to your collection, I am really envious now!👍

When did AOC relocate from the 31 Nasau Street address to the Broadway address? I am wondering if your handbook was produced to go with one of the 3,000 Model of 1921's ordered by France in Nov. 1939. The Swedish handbooks dated 1940 had the Broadway address on them. 

If there is a link, there may have been 3,000 of those French handbooks originally produced.

 

Good questions!!! That correlation with the 1939 French purchase could be correct! Could that mean there is possibly 3000 copies of this handbook to go with each gun sold?? If so, you would think it would have been seen and documented already. The part I like the most is that this handbook shows that there is still things to discover and learn!

Edited February 28 by Dpedersen

[rpbcps]

Those French Contract 1921 Thompsons are a rare breed. Most saw service with French paramilitary police during German occupation, and also I have seen some photos of Germans with them.

After WW2, loads ended up in French Indo China where they never returned from.

So printed handbooks, if they were shipped across the Atlantic would have probably had a short life too. Remember back then, Thompson enthusiasts like ourselves, were a rare breed, so they were just another weapons handbook/manual. During my service I saw many military manuals used and abused.

I agree with you though, finds like yours is what keeps us Thompson enthusiasts interested.... new things, to us, surprisingly keep turning up.👌

Edited February 28 by rpbcps
Typo