2

FROM

THE

T

A

T

A

 BOARD ROOM

The following is a new TATA bylaw presented at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of

The American Thompson Association, Fri. August 14th. The bylaw was presented and accepted by

the membership and the Board present at the meeting.

The following is the new TATA bylaw:    

REPRODUCTION MARKINGS SYSTEM

The following reproduction marking standard was adopted by a unanimous vote of the Board of

Directors of The American Thompson Association on 8/14/09 at the annual Show and Shoot in

Granville, Ohio, and is added to the bylaws of the organization as of that date.

Reproduction Item Marking Standard:  The American Thompson Association is a group of

collectors dedicated to preserving the history, collecting, and promoting the safe operation of legal

Thompson Submachine Guns. The club has a responsibility to future collectors, and recognizes

that many artifacts and accessories associated with the Thompson are reproduced, or have been

reproduced in the past. As a result, TATA assumes a stewardship role for future collectors, who, upon

encountering reproduction items now and in the future, may not be able to reasonably determine

their originality. This can have the effect of reducing collector value of original specimens, as well

as present unintended (or intended) ethical issues among the Thompson collector community.

The American Thompson Association adopts a standard consisting of marking any new Thompson

Submachine Gun reproduction items with a name or other distinguishable identifying mark that

indicate the manufacturing entity, and at least the year of manufacture. The marking should be easily

visible, and made in a manner that the item can be readily identifiable as a reproduction, such as

die stamping in metal, firmly stamped wood markings, readily accessible publisher marks inside

the front page of a paper item, permanently painted markings on canvas material, or other

reasonable and permanent marking method. (An example for stock markings is to mark such items

under the buttplate, and on top of the grip, as these are already standard methods, and will not detract

cosmetically from their presentation on a Thompson.)

TATA members must comply to the standard, and any reproduction item made by a member after

notification of the adoption of the new standard in the club newsletter should be marked according

to the TATA reproduction marking standard. (Failure to do so could effect membership status)

 Method of Introduction for Acceptance:

 Items may be presented to the TATA Board by members or non-members (via live sample, or high

resolution (300dpi or better) photo or scan that details the product effectively) for inclusion on an

online list that details them for public access. (This list currently resides in a pinned post at the top

of the Thompson board at Machinegunboards.com) Items are presented to the TATA Board via e-