Ferguson-Brown record-breaker!

Peter Love reports on an HJ Pugh & Co auction that saw plenty of interesting tractors sold and a Ferguson-Brown record-breaker.

HJ Pugh & Co held a two-day auction on July 16th-17^th, as a combination of the sales the company would have normally staged at the Much Marcle and Welland rally sites.

The sale was one of two halves; the first section of tractors saw unbelievable prices achieved in more ways than one, which I’ll come to. But the second half wasn’t as impressive, although there was certainly something for everyone’s pocket.

There’s certainly no shortage of interesting tractors to go for on the market at the moment but, every now and then, something really special comes up that two people desperately want. This was exactly the case with a 1938 Ferguson-Brown A (No. 502), registered GNO 521 and sold with a V5C and original, enclosed-pattern rear tyres. The result was that the hammer fell at an amazing £53,000, which beat the previous best price achieved by a restored example of this model, by a whopping £28,000!

I’ve not seen an example looking so good, or with so much documentation, for many years; it was a real treat. Restored examples were making about £18,000 in 2019. How things have changed!

Another machine that did well was a 1976 Massey Ferguson 135, (Reg. PHH 595R), which had been restored by James Cardis, from Cumbria. It sold for £10,000, despite not having a cab. Also of note was the 1970 MF 165 – also restored by James – that fetched £11,000.

A 1950 Field-Marshall Series 3 (No. 12962), restored by Robert H Crawford, featured a Hesford winch and was registered XBV 309. It also had a V5C and instruction book, but was painted orange rather than green. Nevertheless, it still made a record price for this model of £28,000.

A well-restored 1954 Lanz 9506 Bulldog, 408 UXT, sold for a thumping £20,500, and certainly made the ex-Australian Lanz 48hp Bulldog, sold for £11,900 by Stroud Auctions a week earlier, look like a real bargain.

As for the tractor I liked best, it had to be a clean Fordson 52in KFD conversion. It was a gem of a machine, and went on to sell for £7,500. It will certainly clean up well and will also need a new set of rear tyres to replace the non-original industrial tyres currently fitted.

The parts highlight came when three, wooden ‘Fordson’ signs sold for £580. A new Ferguson-Brown A exhaust system was moved on for £300 and a Ransomes ‘Stocked Here’ 19x15in enamel sign made an impressive £700. Finally, a Ransomes TS64, with TCN bodies, could have been yours for £600.

Results (abridged)

1963 MF 35 with bull bar and weights, £3,800

MF 135, with pick-up hitch and bull bar, £5,200

1965 MF 145, front loader, £5,400

1984 MF 165, open centre with weights, £4,800

1970 Nuffield 4/25, log-splitter, £3,700

MF 165, with cab, V5C, £11,000

1938 Ferguson-Brown A, no. 502, £53,000*

1950 Field-Marshall S3, with Hesford winch, V5C, painted orange, £28,000*

Cantore Nuffield Universal 3, 4WD conversion, £8,500

Nuffield M3 row-crop, ‘dusty’, £3,800

Fordson Major KFD 52in conversion, £7,500

County Hi-Clear Major, £7,000

1976 MF 185, LFM 285P, V5C, original style, £5,800

MF, Lambourn cab, £4,100

1919 Fordson F, a very old resto, lots of patina, £5,000

A Field-Marshall 3 (green), MFF 884, £12,500

1946 John Deere D, styled, running, £2,800 +VAT

International WD-9, older resto, £4,200

Nuffield 465, restored, looked good V5C, £3,500

John Deere 2650, 2WD, original, £6,400

1954 Lanz 9506, 408 UXT, f/spring and screen added, £20,500

1918 International Titan, no. TV9782, ex-Doward collection, £15,500

MF 35, looked good, £5,100

Landini L25, ex-Peter Griffiths, £6,500

Fordson E27N P6, factory-fitted, £11,000

MF 35X Multi-Power, £6,000

1930 Austin DE30 vineyard, original, £11,500

Leyland 154, show condition, stunning, £5,400

MF 165 Multi-Power, Duncan cab, original clean, £6,500

* Record price

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