MF 35 Industrial tractor tops Co Down collectors auction at €64,927

A Massey Ferguson 35 Industrial tractor sold for €64,927 (£56,000) plus fees, topping a recent vintage auction, held on behalf of a private Northern Irish tractor collection.

The lifelong Mourne Collection, amassed by a Co Down collector, was transported to England and sold by H J Pugh & Co under instruction at its auction site in Ledbury, Herefordshire.

With an estimated worth of over £1m prior to its sale, the collection was said to have made a significant contribution to preserving the heritage of Harry Ferguson, the Co Down native responsible for developing the three-point linkage and revolutionising farming.

The sale included over 120 Ferguson and Massey Ferguson tractors, along with 15 Ford tractors, and a broad selection of implements and spare parts. In addition, over 1,000 boxed models and a range of farming memorabilia such as dealer signs etc, went under the hammer.

The collection broadly covered the history of the Ferguson and Massey Ferguson brands, from the TE-20 through to the MF 100, 200 and 300 series. A number of rare and one-off models, including prototype tractors were included in the sale.

The auction took place over two days, Friday and Saturday 27 and 28 February, with the tractors selling on the second day. While a number of lots received record prices, a number of others sold below their expected values. One of the record prices paid on the day, to the surprise of many, was €3,594 (£3,100) paid for a Ferguson Brown spanner.

A spokesperson for the auctioning firm noted that over 2,000 bidders were present on site as the sale commenced, followed by over 1,000 online bidders, a crowd size never witnessed by the firm on site before. It is said that 25% of the tractors were sold back to Ireland.

The second highest sale price was €53,333 (£46,000) which was paid for a fully restored MF 135 4WD model, fitted with a Sekura cab, power steering, foot throttle and displaying 26 hours.

Next up was a fully restored 1975 MF 148 fitted with a flexible cab, and power steering which sold for €53,173 (£45,000), a 1993 Massey Ferguson 390T equipped with a LoProfile cab and 12/12 transmission and showing 7,116 hours sold for €48,695 (£42,000).

A restored Ferguson FE-35 Industrial tractor fitted with all the typical industrial gubbins such as a front bumper, headlights and front fenders sold for €38,260 (£33,000), a 1947 Ferguson TE Perkins P3 model fitted with a Selane 4WD kit sold at €30,144 (£26,000) and a Ferguson Brown type-A petrol paraffin tractor sold for €27,825 (£24,000).

On the newer side was a 1989 MF 390 LoProfile model showing 4,876 hours – it sold for €26,086 (£22,500), a restored 1984 MF 240 model showing 4,031 hours sold at €24,927 (£21,500).

A restored 1978 MF 565 model showing 5,434 hours sold at €20,869 (£18,000), a 1974 MF 185 fitted with a flexi cab and power steering sold for €20,289 (£17,500). A restored 1970 MF 174C crawler tractor sold for €19,710 (£17,000). A restored 1982 MF 575 fitted with a Synchro 12 gearbox sold at €19,130 (£16,500), a 1975 MF 135 in original condition and fitted with a Scirroco cab sold at €19,130 (£16,500), while an MF 188 Multipower model in original condition and fitted with a flexi cab sold for €18,550 (£16,000).

A restored 1965 MF 135 model sold for €17,739 (£15,300), a restored Ferguson TEF 20 model sold for €17,391 (£15,000), a restored MF 550 sold for €17,391 (£15,000), while another restored MF 135 model featuring a straight front axle, square mud guards and fitted with foot throttle sold for €16,231 (£14,000).

A restored Morris Standard 10 Ferguson service van fitted with a 948cc engine, showing 48,025 miles sold for €15,188 (£13,100), a restored MF 35 sold at €15,072 (£13,000) with its proceeds donated to the Cancer Fund for Children charity.

A restored MF 65 MkI Industrial model sold at €15,072 (£13,000), an original MF 165 fitted with a flexi cab sold for €14,144 (£12,200) and a restored MF 145 sold for €13,912 (£12,000).

All lots were subject to commission charged at 5% plus VAT on tractors, 8% plus VAT on implements, 10% plus VAT on spare parts, models, along with other literature and memorabilia. Exchange rate: €1=£0.86.