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LOT 1357
Documented Ohio State Reformatory
Shipped Colt Model 1921 Thompson
Submachine Gun, Class III/NFA C&R
Fully Transferable, with Case and
Extra Magazines - Serial no. 9187,
45 ACP cal., 10 1/2 inch fluted bbl.,
blue finish, walnut stock. One of the
most famous submachine guns in
the world, the Thompson SMG rates
as one of the truly signature American
weapons. While advancements in
manufacturing techniques and
materials would allow later designs
to match or exceed the Thompson’s
performance, none of them have
managed to do the job with the same
level of style and craftsmanship. The
Thompson, a product of old-school hand
craftsmanship, is virtually synonymous
with the Roaring 20s and the Great
Depression, being found on both sides of the law during the “gangland” era of American history,
and also serving on all Allied fronts of World War II, where it stood tall among its more cost-
effective stamped steel substitutes. One of the main target markets for the Thompson was the
American prison system, where a man posted in an elevation position with a Thompson had a
less-lethal response in the form of the Peters-Thompson birdshot cartridge and much more lethal
response in the form of a .45 ACP slug (and approximately 14 more of its friends per second, if
needed). Per the records in Herigstad’s “Colt Thompson Submachine Gun” (page 878, this 1921
was shipped in “1921AC” configuration as one of two to the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield,
Ohio, on May 29, 1930. Initially proposed in the 1880s, with the first prisoners arriving in 1896
and construction finalized in 1910, the Ohio State Reformatory (aka the Ohio Intermediate
Penitentiary and the Mansfield Reformatory) was active until 1990, when a class action suit by
multiple inmates concluded that the facility (already considered obsolete by some as early as
the 1970s) was overcrowded and inhumane. Partially demolished after closure, several areas of
the prison (including its record setting six-tiered free-standing cell block) have been preserved.
The Reformatory has also been of active interest to the entertainment industry for its turn of the
century aesthetic, being featured in music videos, a variety of “ghost hunting” themed television
shows, and a number of films. Most famous among the films shot at the Reformatory is the 1994
sleeper hit “The Shawshank Redemption,” which used many locations in and around the prison to
represent Shawshank and its surroundings. Blade front sight on the unmarked Cutts compensator
and folding Lyman rear sights, standard 1921 nomenclature and markings on the receiver, with
the matching numbered trigger housing fitted with knurled control surfaces and proper “FULL/
AUTO”/”SINGLE” and “FIRE”/”SAFE” switch configuration. Internals are proper 1921 pattern, with one-piece charging handle, “S” marked
Blish lock mechanism, heavyweight recoil spring, and spring steel oiler. With dual pistol grips and a quick detach buttstock with a small
“anchor” stamp on the front and “131” (likely a rack/inventory number) on the left side near the buttplate. Included with the lot are four
stick magazines, one “U” marked Type “L” 50-round drum magazine, and an “FBI Style” later production black leatherette transport case.
CONDITION: Fine, with 60% of the original blue finish, showing areas of brown and gray patina, bright edges, light scratches concentrated on the receiver, and mild handling/cycling marks overall. The stock is also fine, with light
dings and scratches overall, and the front grip having a pair of filled holes on the left side suggestive of a British-style sling mount having been installed and later removed. Mechanically excellent. The case shows mild wear overall.
NOTE: This weapon is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that is classified as a “Curios or Relic” as defined in 27 CFR,
478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 479.
Provenance: Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield, Ohio; Private Collection.
Estimate: 50,000 - 70,000
Listed by serial number in Colt Thompson
Submachine Gun Serial Numbers &
Histories, Vol. I by Herigstad
318