SHEPTON MALLET, SOMERSET, ENGLAND, 23RD SEPTEMBER 1981
Wednesday the 23rd September dawned bright, clear and sunny
which is only to be expected in our perverse climate, as the
auctioneers, Palmer Snell, responsible for the organization and
implementation of this sale, had taken great care to insure that
the weather would not interfere. The venue was the extremely
spacious and convenient No 1 Cattle Pavilion at the Royal Bath and
West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Attendance was
excellent, as was amply demonstrated by the tremendous number of
private cars, trailers, trucks and horse boxes, whose owners no
doubt hoped to return home that evening with a coveted prize.
Attendance included several from as far a field as Scotland and
Southern Ireland. A wide range of items were offered for sale, all
of which found ready buyers, although naturally in these hard times
prices were not quite as high as they may have been in the last two
years. Nevertheless, Palmer Snell and new clients were extremely
pleased and impressed by the outcome and some notable prices
included: 42′ Cylinder Pitch Mower-$600.00; Petter Appletop 3
HP, 1929-$550.00; Amanco 3 HP Chore Boy (unrestored)-$650.00;
Lister model D’s ranging from $10.00-$100.00; Tractors Fordson
Standard Model N Roadless Crawler -$800.00; McCormick 46 -$1500.00;
McCormick W4-$1200.00; 1939 Case D.E.X. (restored)-$1600.00; Oliver
80 with winch, (restored)- $2300.00; Fordson Standards from
$500.00-$600.00; Fordson E27 N Roadless (for restoration)-$550.00;
Trailer ploughs (restored and unrestored) from $50.00-$250.00.
In these days when several sales have been somewhat adversely
affected by both the general economic climate and the British
weather, Palmer Snell arranged a sale that pleased both clients and
purchasers. More importantly, we all spent a most enjoyable day; we
met up with numerous old friends and made many new ones.
Palmer Snell places paramount importance in the organization of
the sale from the venue, marketing and advertising down to the
smallest detail such as having transport readily available at the
sale site for immediate ‘hire.’ In-depth marketing no doubt
contributed to the success of this sale as it did in 1979 when we
achieved $16,500.00 for an unrestored 1917 Overtime (Waterloo Boy),
and $6250.00 for a 1930 Case, Model C, which is believed to. be a
world record!
Readers may be interested to know that this sale at the Royal
Bath and West Showground has been arranged on a regular basis and
further entries are always invited with entry forms available on
request. Furthermore, Palmer Snell, being specialists in the sale
and auction of items connected with our industrial and agricultural
heritage, are most enthusiastic and anxious to arrange further
sales throughout Great Britain.
Either Charles Dobles or David Chant at the following address
would be delighted to offer assistance: Palmer Snell, 51 High
Street, Wells, Somerset (0749) 73974.
WENDEL SEEKS GAS ENGINE DATA
C. H. Wendel, well known as the compiler of engine history, is
embarked on a new project-a Gas Engine Encyclopedia.
Wendel has gathered data on 1,400 gas engine builders in the
United States and Canada, plus Europe, and is seeking air from
collectors in gathering further material. He would like to borrow
catalogs, magazines, and other literature and will keep them safe
and return them.
If you have something you think he can use, tell him so in a
letter and he will respond if he needs it. You may also be able to
help with histories of local companies, or photos of rare engines
now in existence.
Wendel is the author of the Encyclopedia of American Farm
Tractors, and 150 Years of International Harvester, each still
available at $24.95 postpaid. To get in touch with him write
to:
C. H. Wendel, Old Iron Book Company, R.R. 1, Box 2S-A,
Atkins, Iowa 52206, phone 319-446-7156.
This photo was sent to us by Don Dillon of 3651 U.S. Rt. 322, E.
Wayne, Williams field, Ohio 44093. Don writes, ‘This picture is
one of Fred Hart, who is 96 years old. He is shown on a Huber steam
traction engine with owner George Nicholas. Fred is blowing the
whistle. He ran the steamer up and down the show field several
times. Fred counts the days until show time, although he now
attends only our show since he can’t get around so good
anymore. He is as enthusiastic a showgoer as there is. (The show
was held this year on July 25 on Dillon’s farm-the group does
not have a name yet, but they collect both gas and steam
engines!).
Dillon continues, ‘I bought Fred’s old buzz saw rig this
summer and the evening before the show he called to tell me he
would like to buzz wood on his old rig the next day. I told him I
saw no reason why he couldn’t. He said he had borrowed a
wheelchair so he could get around the show. When we got the rig
ready to buzz wood I asked him if he was ready and he said,
‘No, I don’t think so-I don’t wany anybody to try to
wheel my chair down across the rough field.’ I told him I would
fix it so he could get down there. I drove my tractor to where he
sat, lowered the front loader bucket, while my wife Edythe got some
cushions. He sat in the bucket and I raised him up enough so his
feet were off the ground and took him to the buzz rig which was
running. He buzzed wood for about 15 minutes then I took him back
to his chair and some shade. He is one man in a million!’
