HOP OFF THE PRESS

The Cheffins’ Auction Team were at Mincing Court Farm, Shadoxhurst near Kent for our latest on-site auction sale. The sale was on behalf of Andrew Hooker t/a Kent Tractors who had accumulated a very fine selection of very original low houred classics as well as some quality vineyard variants.

The sale consisted of no less than 70 vintage and classic tractors as well as 300 plus lots of spares and implements. The sale kicked off at 10.30am on a picturesque sale field bathed in beautiful autumn sunshine. Highlights included a telephone box at £260, wooden hop press at £220, a very sought after pair of Firestone 11.25-28 tyres topping £360 and a very original pair of petrol forecourt pumps by Bowser and Wayne made £400 a piece. The implements section saw good trade with a Witte mobile saw at £460, trailed pto driven winch at £300, a very original Ferguson winch sold well at £780 and a super sharp Howard Selectatilth 50inch rotovator hit £680.

With the bell ringing out at 1pm it was time to start Sale 2 and the vintage classic tractors. With much hype and expectation on what the low houred classics would make, the crowd were not disappointed. First of the big four was the finest Ford 3930 with Howard FX-10 loader to be offered in recent times and hit a whopping £14,400, for a tractor that was over 18 years old is amazing but when you realise it had only recorded 317 hours it goes some of the way to explaining it. As if that was enough of a price, it was soon to be eclipsed by the ‘one they all came for’ 1988 Massey Ferguson 360 which was in box fresh condition and recorded 683 hours in its 22 year life. With huge pre-sale interest and commission and telephone bids everywhere we were on for a record breaker………and it was! The bidding started brisk and was hotly contested by two men in the field and finally knocked down for a record £20,800! With the crowd still buzzing it was time for the 1978 Massey Ferguson 135 with MF80 loader and 1,036 hours on the clock selling at £14,200 (a new UK record), a super straight David Brown 995 with 1,192 was not to be outdone at £10,800. The much coveted 1964 Nuffield 10/60 (701 UJO) finished up selling well at £4,000.

Other highlights include a massive £11,400 for a very original Fordson Power Major Roadless DG half-track, a Fordson Major KFD 68 at £5,000, 1984 Massey Ferguson 250 4wd hit £7,800, a 1984 Massey Ferguson 240 topped £5,600 and a tidy 1945 Field Marshall Series II sold for £8,400.

With such a comprehensive line up of Ferguson and Massey Ferguson vineyard and narrow variants on display, some of the countries top buyers were present as well a new face from Sweden who was determined to take a few home. Top prices included the ultra rare (believed 1 of 8) 1957 Ferguson FE35 4cylinder petrol hit £3,100, Ferguson TEL20 at £2,550, a sought after 1976 Massey Ferguson 135 MP knocked down at £4,100 and an equally sharp 35X made £3,400.

In conclusion some very strong prices with many records tumbling. Trade was especially strong for the low houred classics as well as the sharp original examples too. In all a very enjoyable sale with an excellent attendance.

Next on the auction calendar will be the George Cushing Dec’d reserve steam engine collection at Bushells Yard, Thursford on Saturday 25th September and our Cambridge Vintage Sale on Saturday 16th October 2010.