Classic and vintage tractors and collectors’ items make big prices at October vintage sale
1st November 2021
The fourth and final Cheffins collective sale of 2021 saw over 150 vintage and classic tractors, 25 vintage motorcycles, 25 classic cars and commercial vehicles and hundreds of collectors’ items go under the hammer on Saturday 23rd October.
The Overtime. Credit: Cheffins.
The vintage sale is hosted at the Cheffins sale ground at Sutton near Ely, the sale grossed over £1.1m at what is Europe’s largest auction of its type.
Amongst the tractors, the highest price paid was £42,400 for a Roadless Ploughmaster 6/4 which had seen only two owners from new and had a pre-sale estimate of £35,000 – £40,000; which was followed by an Overtime Model R which made £40,810. Both of these tractors were sold to UK-based collectors.
Originally imported in 1915, The Overtime was the British name for the American-made ‘Waterloo Boy’ tractor which was imported to the UK by the Overtime Farm Tractor Company. This tractor was discovered in an abandoned state by the present owner in 1959 in Farnham, Surrey, and has since seen a major restoration. Having been used in over 120 ploughing matches and exhibited at 200 shows, the Overtime well exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £30,000 – £35,000.
Roadless Ploughmaster 6/4. Credit: Cheffins.
The vehicles section also saw a varied catalogue, with a 1919 3048cc Belsize 15/20 Open Tourer which sold for £25,440 to a private UK-based collector. This car saw much pre-sale interest as it was the first motor car built by Belsize Motors Limited at the end of World War One and was widely advertised and demonstrated throughout the year as the company’s new post-war model. It was much acclaimed by leading automotive magazines including The Autocar and The Motor and this unique prototype was then used for the model to go into production in 1920. Another vehicle which was highly sought after was a 1950 1600 cc Land Rover Series 1 which had been in its current ownership for the past 17 years. This was sold for £23,120 against an estimate of £14,000 – £16,000. It reportedly was used for filming in the second series of Heartbeat and was sold to Warwickshire-based collector.
The motorcycle section saw a series of early examples, including a 1928 596cc Scott Flying Squirrel which has been in the same family for three generations which made £7,020 and a 1966 649cc Norton 650SS motorbike which made £6,264
The first part of the Pooley Collection dominated the petroliana section of the sale, with circa 30 restored and unrestored two-gallon petrol cans, over 80 early oil cans, oil pourers and a petrol pump. This fresh to the market collection saw unprecedented interest, with a number of items well exceeding their estimates, such as a Monovo VC Motor Oil early 1-gallon can which sold for £932 against an estimate of £350 – £450 and an early 1-gallon Shell Oil can with ‘stick man’ image which made £660 against an estimate of £300-£400
Other popular items at the sale included a Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies RTYPL two furrow ride-on plough which sold for £21,200 and an Atkinson L1586 commercial vehicle which made £18,500.
Director, Oliver Godfrey at Cheffins says: “This was our final collective sale of 2021, and what a year it has been! The market for all things vintage has continued unabated and we’ve seen some record-breaking prices paid throughout the year, particularly for the newer classic tractors which are really the toast for collectors at the moment.
“Other results have shown that the Land Rover Series vehicles can still make some great prices and that the best in class of vintage motorbikes also see a dedicated following. The petroliana market is really on fire at the moment and we are looking forward to selling the other parts of the iconic Pooley collection at our Christmas timed online sale and also at the April Vintage Sale. Hopefully, we have many happy buyers and sellers following Saturday’s sale, many of which now have full sheds of both restored and project machines ready for plenty of fun over the winter months and ready for next year.”
The next vintage sale will take place in the form of the Cheffins Christmas timed online vintage auction from 1st December until 13th December, for which entries are now invited.
The next Cheffins collective vintage sale will take place on the 24th April 2022, at Cheffins Machinery Sale Ground, Sutton, Ely, CB6 2QT. For more information, please visit www.cheffins.co.uk, or call Cheffins auctioneers on 01353 777767.
You can share your views with us on vintage sale auctions, or any other farming issue by emailing us at views@farmersguide.co.uk
