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Thompson water ski models and price?
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:34 pm
by Thomas Mackin
Went to a garage sale today and found a pair of Thompson Imperial Combos for sale for $150. They were in great condition. Price seems high but does anybody know about Thompson skis?
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:25 pm
by LancerBoy
Way to high of a price in my opinion. $50.00 maximum if they are in perfect condition (again - in my opinion).
There are some Thomspon Skis brochures on the Thompson Boat brochure CD-ROM.
Thomspon Skis, Inc. was a firm owned and operated by Roy & Grant Thompson. Started out in Woodruff, WI and moved to Crivitz, WI circa 1956. There is a published article that Thompson Skis was the largest maker of wooden water skis in the world. I recall a figure of 80,000 made annually. they made their own brand but they also made 'em for Montgomery Ward, White Bear Water Skis, and many other firms which used their own brand name.
Roy sold his shares to Grant circa 1970. Grant sold the firm to Cut N Jump about 1972. They sold out to Wellington who eventually closed the shop in the 1990s.
My dad has the Dutch built copying shaper (a woodworking machine) once used by Thompson Skis.
Andreas