Toy Man:
Collector, Restorer Builds on Boyhood Lessons
By Cindy Ladage
Growing up, Calvin Elder was taught the benefit of taking care of what you have. That early lesson resurfaced in Calvin's adult years, when he decided to collect farm toys. Because he didn't want to pay high prices for restored toys, Calvin decided to try his hand at fixing up rough ones that could be bought for a song (back then). He learned the ropes of restoration from a friend.
"I have been collecting toys for about 15 years," he said. "When I started, I only bought junk. When I restored what I could afford, I had a variety."
Calvin's first toy was a John Deere 630 he received as a kid.
Through the years, Calvin held onto the 630 and other toys from his childhood, adding to his collection as the years went by.
Today, that collection has taken over one room of the two-story farmhouse in Mt. Auburn, IL, where he, his wife and daughter live. Display cases - so full they would sag if any more toys were added -- were made by a friend, Jim Smith. Two sides of the floor-to-ceiling museum are packed almost exclusively with International toys. The other section is a combination of Deere, Allis and construction toys. Trucks and signs and other display items also add to the farm toy exhibit.
Among the treasures is a Caterpillar DW 15 Scraper Bowl that Calvin's Dad gave him. Another of his favorites is a Farmall pedal tractor he had as a kid.
"I got it when I wasn't old enough to drive it," he recalled. "I got sidetracked one year, and restored it when I did 26 pedals. I thought 'I did all these, and none of them are mine.' When I got ready to paint it, I looked at the decals. I had ordered decals back in 1985. It had been torn apart for 10 years."
A self-propelled Ruehl combine also dates from Calvin's childhood. It shows his skill in customizing toys: He formatted a couple of pieces for the Ruehl.
Calvin's toy making goes in cycles. During the day, he works at Zexel (a manufacturer of automotive air conditioner components in Decatur, IL). At night, he works on toys. Winter and summer are his busiest seasons. During the spring and fall, he farms with his dad and brother, R.D.