Collecting Authentic Pieces: Antique Farm Equipment in Original Condition

By Leslie C. Mcmanus
Published on March 1, 2010
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Dwight Emstrom's original 1951 Ford 8N spent 40 years in storage.
Dwight Emstrom's original 1951 Ford 8N spent 40 years in storage. "When I got it eight years ago, I put gas in, and that's it," he says. "I just took the original plugs out this week. I've never messed with the distributor or points or anything."
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The Hammel family's 1974 Allis-Chalmers 7050 with original paint was the only front-wheel-assist tractor displayed at the Penfield show. Left to right, Steve, Kyle and Bernard Hammel.
The Hammel family's 1974 Allis-Chalmers 7050 with original paint was the only front-wheel-assist tractor displayed at the Penfield show. Left to right, Steve, Kyle and Bernard Hammel.
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The Hammel family's 1974 Allis-Chalmers 7050 with original paint and a circa-1930s baseball uniform.
The Hammel family's 1974 Allis-Chalmers 7050 with original paint and a circa-1930s baseball uniform.
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This original horse-drawn No. 8 Massey-Harris manure spreader is owned by Wes Armstrong, El Paso, Ill.
This original horse-drawn No. 8 Massey-Harris manure spreader is owned by Wes Armstrong, El Paso, Ill. "They’re pretty hard to find," Wes says. "I don’t know how many they made."
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Very good original paint on Wes Armstrong’s No. 8 Massey-Harris manure spreader. He also has the original tongue for the horse-drawn piece.
Very good original paint on Wes Armstrong’s No. 8 Massey-Harris manure spreader. He also has the original tongue for the horse-drawn piece.
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In beautiful original condition, this barn thresher was manufactured by Heebner & Sons, Lansdale, Pa., in 1903. When brothers Kent and Karl Jansen bought it, it was in working order.
In beautiful original condition, this barn thresher was manufactured by Heebner & Sons, Lansdale, Pa., in 1903. When brothers Kent and Karl Jansen bought it, it was in working order.
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Original paint on the 1903 Pennsylvania barn thresher.
Original paint on the 1903 Pennsylvania barn thresher.
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This Minneapolis threshing machine, in original condition, is now used only once a year, at the I&I show at Penfield. It features a rotary cutter to cut bundles.
This Minneapolis threshing machine, in original condition, is now used only once a year, at the I&I show at Penfield. It features a rotary cutter to cut bundles.
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The Jansens' barn thresher came with tools, including a half dozen stakes like the one to the right in the photo – but the Jansens don't know what the stakes were used for.
The Jansens' barn thresher came with tools, including a half dozen stakes like the one to the right in the photo – but the Jansens don't know what the stakes were used for.

When it comes to old iron, the pristine original has limited appeal.

But don’t put it in the Rodney Dangerfield category: There’s still plenty of passion for the relic in condition so exceptional that cosmetic restoration would be a crime.

Historic Farm Days, an annual production of the I&I Tractor & Gas Engine Club, Penfield, Ill., offered ample evidence of that. The July 2009 event was packed with showstoppers – but some very nice originals were standouts in their own right. (Read more about the 2009 I&I show: “Super-Sized in 2009: I&I Antique Tractor & Gas Engine Club Show.”)

The appeal of a fine original is powerful. One way or another, the original piece has survived the passage of time with amazingly little wear. It doesn’t look brand new, to be sure – and that can put off enthusiasts accustomed to a steady diet of gleaming restorations. But given the age of the piece, the astonishingly good condition of a fine original sets it apart. It is authentic; there is no artifice or deception. It’s as close to what it was when it came off the assembly line as a piece can be. And, as the old saying goes, “it’s only original once.” Restore it, and what makes it special is irretrievably lost.

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