Records tumbled as a collection of nearly 200 rare and vintage tractors – thought to be the largest in Britain - went under the hammer. More than 1,700 people attended the landmark sale, held at Norfolk farmer Paul Rackham’s Camp Farm at Roudham, near Thetford on Saturday.
Among the highlights was a 1918 Holt 75 – the only surviving example of its kind used by the British Army during the First World War – which sold for £150,000. A 1954 Marshall MP6 also fetched £80,500, a new UK record for a conventional ‘vintage’ tractor. The previous figure was £70,000 paid for another Marshall MP6 sold by Cheffins in 2006.
The sale – which generated interest from as far away as New Zealand and USA – raised a total of £1.5m.
Cheffins auctioneer Oliver Godfrey said: “The meticulously restored 1918 Holt 75 attracted a lot of attention and received masses of media coverage.
“When it came under the hammer there was a reverenced hush and after an opening bid of £100,000 the sum crept up to £125,000.
“Due to the level of work involved in getting this historically important machine in such good condition the vendor wasn’t willing to let it sell at this price – but some nifty negotiation just after the hammer fell eventually saw it fetch £150,000.”
Following hot on the heels of the Holt 75 and Marshall MP6 was a 1916 Saunderson Model G, which reached £52,000.
One of the rarest tractors in the sale was a 1922 Weeks-Dungey ‘New Simplex’, which sold for £46,000.
Other top prices went to a 1925 Peterbro 18-35hp which fetched £36,000, an original 1958 David Brown 50D that topped £34,000 and an imported 1920 Waterloo Boy Model N which hit £31,000.
Completing the top ten was a 1917 Fordson MOM which made £21,000 and a 1928 Austin 11-15hp that sold for £19,000.
Mr Godfrey said as well as those that attended in person, 70 overseas buyers also registered their interest over the internet – a record for a vintage online auction.
“I think it’s safe to say that there’s still a huge following for the vintage and classic tractor scene,” he said. “This was a landmark sale that will be a reference point for vintage auctions for years to come.
“As well all our regular buyers we saw many new faces who were acquiring their first tractors.
“Many makes and models made well above their average value, with particular strength in the prices of Nuffield, David Brown and Oliver.
“The sometimes hard to place petrol and paraffin tractors also made strong money on the day.
“Once again, well restored examples realised top money and overall the sale well exceeded our expectations.”
Mr Rackham, 79, who was born in Peasenhall in Suffolk and spent 25 years restoring the tractors, said he was delighted with the success of the sale.
He disposed of his vast collection so he can focus on a new challenge as his family do not share his passion for vintage machinery.
Money was also raised for local charity St Nicholas Hospice Care in Bury St Edmunds from proceeds of the auction catalogue.
Mr Rackham also owns the Hunday collection of Ferguson tractors, which is being sold at a separate auction on November 14 at the same venue.
It includes tractors from Harry Ferguson’s early collaborations with David Brown and Henry Ford, through to his own T20 models and later Massey Ferguson tractors.
There are also several rare implements, including a replica tractor-mounted combine, a side-mounted baler and a “manless” bale-and-sack loading device.
