Product & Service Mgr. Western Region White Farm Equipment
Co. 7002 ‘F’ Street Omaha, NE 68127
In reference to the article on the early 30’s Oliver flag
that appeared in your March issue as authored by Mr. Robert
Tallman, I have the following comments:
First, we commend the workmanship of Mrs. Clow and Mrs. Clark.
They have dupliated the pattern as best they could. Their end
results look very good. There were several advertising booklets
that were published in color that had the flag on the cover. I am
attaching copies of two of them, note that the print date is 1-30.
Yes, there was an actual flag that existed. Our western Region
Business Manager, Mr. Morris Harrison has one of the originals. He
purchased it at auction from the former Oliver dealer, Holiday
Implement at Rock Rapids, Iowa. The four stripes each represent one
of the four companies that made up the new company as did the four
stars. The stripes are red at the top, then green, red and green at
the bottom. The actual flag is much larger than those pictured,
measuring 86?’ long. The letters were sewn on, straight across
and matched on both sides, in other words the letters on one side
are backwards. I am attaching a color slide of the actual flag.
I was also interested in the paint colors that were used on the
grill of the Oliver 60. I have one that I have restored and the
company uses for display, etc. We get many calls from people who
are doing the 60 and 70 models wanting to know how the colors were
arranged. I do believe that the color placement changed from time
to time. I did look at a tractor that the owner claimed to be
original, a 48 model, the red on the center of the grill extended
to the radiator lid. Edges of the center grill piece were green
with green painted in the grooves of the lid and on the ridges of
the grill center piece. Who is correct, we don’t know, the
prints in the plant have been destroyed. One thing for sure, the
Oliver tractor of the ’40s was certainly a colorful
machine.
The most important thing, I’m sure that the Clarks and the
Clows have enjoyed restoring, making the flags and showing the
Olivers.
