John Deere yields big dollars at auction
Theis, a farmer from Missouri, has been a collector and restorer of John Deere machinery for decades. His collection offered at Gone Farmin' comprised 31 tractors, all John Deeres, almost all of which had been painstakingly restored. The Theis collection joined examples of virtually every North American make of tractor imaginable - Ford, Farmall, Minneapolis-Moline, McCormick and more - for a combined total of close to 300 individual lots. This included farm-related collectable items and represented double the amount of consignments over the previous Gone Farmin' auction held in March, 2011. It also led to the event in Walworth, Wisconsin being held over two days instead of one.
Much of the pre-auction attention focused on a 1958 John Deere 720 high crop model. Aside from its restored, as-new condition, what was notable about this particular tractor, which wasn't part of the Theis collection, was the fact it had power steering and was one of only nine of this type produced with an electric starter. Experts predicted this very rare unit would be the top seller, and they were proved right, with the 720 selling for a staggering US$117,500. Mecum's last Gone Farmin' auction proved there is money in classic and collectable tractors, but the six-figure price paid for the John Deere 720 was no doubt a surprise to everyone in attendance.
John Deeres comprised seven of the auction's top ten sales, but none reached the stratospheric heights of the 720. The next best seller was a 1937 John Deere 62, which sold for US$36,000, followed by a 1959 John Deere 830, which went for US$20,000. A pair of Farmalls completed the top five in the form of a 1952 Super MDV and 1974 1066, which sold for US$19,000 and US$18,000 respectively.
The rest of the top ten consisted of: a 1965 Farmall 806 Wheatland, which sold for US$16,000; a John Deere 730, which made US$15,000; a 1955 John Deere 80, which sold for US$14,000; a John Deere 60 from the same year, which sold for US$13,000; and a 1943 John Deere AO, which went for US$11,000. The last lot was notable in that it was a 'wartime' tractor. Units like this were produced in small numbers during World War II, as they were considered essential to food production to assist the war effort. This example was one of only 35 AOs produced in 1943.
Oddities from the August Gone Farmin' auction included unfamiliar makes like Cockshutt, Avery, Co-Op and Oliver, as well as some examples from the very early days of powered farm machinery. There were even a few novelties, like a few Cub compact tractors, and even an Allis-Chalmers WD tractor painted to resemble the "General Lee" from The Dukes of Hazzard!
The Entire Estel Theis John Deere collection found new homes, and the overall 78 percent sell-through rate led to Mecum judging the two-day event to be a success. Total sales of US$900,000 represented double that made in the 2010 Mecum tractor auction.
"We would like to thank all of the buyers, sellers and spectators that came to Walworth for our second annual tractor auction," Dana Mecum said upon the conclusion of the sale. "The combined 80 percent sell-through rate at both Gone Farmin' auctions this year indicate a strong demand for vintage tractors."
NOTE: All sale prices exclusive of buyer's premium
Images courtesy of Mecum and McCullough PR, USA.