DLansky Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 In the current edition of the SAR magazine (Small Arms Review) there is the second part of a three part story on J Curtis Earl. On one of the pages of the article there is an ad offering for sale the "Midas Touch" Thompson as well as a second Thompson that is engraved but not gold enlayed. Is anybody familiar with thse guns? does anybody know the story behind them? I assume at one point they came from Mr Earl. I plan on calling the seller, but I hoped to have some background info before doing so. Please let me know. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 In the current edition of the SAR magazine (Small Arms Review) there is the second part of a three part story on J Curtis Earl. On one of the pages of the article there is an ad offering for sale the "Midas Touch" Thompson as well as a second Thompson that is engraved but not gold enlayed. Is anybody familiar with thse guns? does anybody know the story behind them? I assume at one point they came from Mr Earl. I plan on calling the seller, but I hoped to have some background info before doing so. Please let me know. thanks. DLansky, Yes, I am familiar with both the engraved Colts for sale, and participated in their disassembly and examination a couple of years ago. I took pictures, and I'll find them and post them here. The person who owns them is also a member on this board, however I have not seen him on here in a while. I'm sure if you call him, he will be more than happy to fill you in on the known details. Here I am with both the TSMG's for sale. http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Thompson_Pictures/Albert2TSMGs_Web.JPG David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 Here are a couple of pictures of the two engraved Colts that I posted previously: Midas: http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Misc/IMG_3969_web.JPG Other engraved Colt: http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Misc/IMG_3968_web.JPG David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sig Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 Always knew those pics would be priceless, one day! David your Thompson periodical research has a reference for an Guns and Ammo article on the Midas Thompson from way back when. May want to share the article date, then maybe someone here has a copy they can scan. Fairly certain the seller has a copy of the same article. History on the other engraved Thompson is unknown to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt21a Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 i still have the magazine and the article reprint from Earl. i think Ken K. has them in Ohio,or still did the last time we talked.nice stuff. the Saudia Arabia of Thompson's. thanks for the current pics David. Ron /Colt21a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sig Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 Finally dug out my photo contribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 Always knew those pics would be priceless, one day! David your Thompson periodical research has a reference for an Guns and Ammo article on the Midas Thompson from way back when. May want to share the article date, then maybe someone here has a copy they can scan. Fairly certain the seller has a copy of the same article. History on the other engraved Thompson is unknown to me. Michael, I have the magazine, and it's the July 1973 issue of Guns and Ammo. Don't think I can post the article, but I'll get it out, and summarize it, along with the internal pics I took. I sold the current owner his magazine copy with the Midas on the cover. I believe it's the same one shown in SAR. As I recall, J. Curtis Earl wrote the 1973 article under the pen name Hank Drake. Yes, I also do not recall any specific history of the other engraved Thompson, and believe it is somewhat unknown, but maybe I just focused too much on the Midas TSMG when we looked at them. David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmarvin Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 And then there is this one. http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n223/laurablaire/guns/thompson%20stuff/82806011a.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sig Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 OK found the other Very nice TSMG's, Dave, Tom and I had a chance at close inspections of both some time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman1 Posted May 30, 2010 Report Share Posted May 30, 2010 Those are almost "Mexican drug lord"-esque. Very nice, to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUNGUY45 Posted May 31, 2010 Report Share Posted May 31, 2010 I had J. C Earl's catalog in the earl to mid "70's" I remember the black & white photos of the guns, I just wanted a "grease gun" at the time, but I had to wait till I was 21. Uncle Sam finally issued me the "greaser", I never could afford one..... Pete A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob@rat-tat-tat Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 All, I examined the "Midas Touch" Thompson first-hand in the mid '70s, while still in the hands of JCE . It was over-priced, but then JCE didn't have anything for sale that wasn't over-priced. It was definitely "attention getting". With really nice '21s going for $1000-$1200, I dismissed it as a bad way to ruin a good Thompson. Today, I look at it as a work of art and worthy of consideration by anyone with enough (1) money to afford it, and (2) willpower to refrain from shooting it. I guess anyone who likes engraved, nickel plated, pearl handled .45 automatics would like the Midas Thompson too. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLansky Posted July 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2010 I spoke yesterday to the owner of these two guns. we had a pleasant conversation. the owner has an extensive class 3 collection. His gun room was erroneously attributed on the web to Charlton Heston. If you google for Charlton Heston's basement you will get to see it. it is quite amazing. In any case, the guns are not really for sale. By that I mean there is no asking price. The owner said that if someone just had to have the guns and were to offer a substantial amount of money, he would sell them, either individually or as a pair. The owner had some information on the "midas" gun, but not the other. the owner also knew JCE and spoke with him frequently. The author of the SAR article knew this and that is part of the reason the guns were advertised in the SAR magazine as part of the JCE article. If I speak to the owner again, I will post an update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerRed Posted July 4, 2010 Report Share Posted July 4, 2010 I spoke yesterday to the owner of these two guns. we had a pleasant conversation. the owner has an extensive class 3 collection. His gun room was erroneously attributed on the web to Charlton Heston. If you google for Charlton Heston's basement you will get to see it. it is quite amazing. In any case, the guns are not really for sale. By that I mean there is no asking price. The owner said that if someone just had to have the guns and were to offer a substantial amount of money, he would sell them, either individually or as a pair. The owner had some information on the "midas" gun, but not the other. the owner also knew JCE and spoke with him frequently. The author of the SAR article knew this and that is part of the reason the guns were advertised in the SAR magazine as part of the JCE article. If I speak to the owner again, I will post an update. The owner frequents the "Nation's Gun Show" in at the Dulles Expo Center in Northern Virginia and he usually has them on display there, along with the copy of Guns and Ammo magazine. He usually has a couple of Thompsons for sale there as well. If anybody wants to see these guns first hand, that's probably the best opportunity to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamellarllc Posted April 7, 2018 Report Share Posted April 7, 2018 If one of these were even at the Champlin fighter years ago museum here in AZ I have a tone of pics of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD. Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 lamellarllc,Would you have pictures of any other Thompson guns on display years ago at the Chaplin Fighter Museum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 (edited) I received a few sales catalogs from J. Curtis Earl in the early 70's and in one 1971?) There was a 4 page color printed brochure listing the Midas Thompson for sale....beautiful brochure offering that gun for (wait for it.....Wait for it.....)$6,000 clams!Lotta dough back then and the pics in the brochure said the gun hasn't ever been cocked since it was finished. It was held in the cover by a guy in a burgundy and blue striped shirt with white gloves and Brylcreemd hair, and a big smile - outdoors somewhere in a sunny day. Thought it looked a bit much and too expensive for me (I was 14!!) So I passed on it! I still have that brochure down in the shop tucked in one of those catalogs....think it was the one listing all the MGM guns.If I find it someday I'll scan it and share it with y'all....or maybe sell it? john Edited April 9, 2018 by john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamellarllc Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 TD yes I do I will dig them out and post them in a day or so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD. Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 lamellarllc,That sounds great. I am especially interested in the Thompson guns with the letters NAC as part of the serial number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamellarllc Posted April 9, 2018 Report Share Posted April 9, 2018 (edited) Here is some that i could find the last one refused to upload right side up. Edited April 9, 2018 by lamellarllc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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