By BARB VAN LOO
Auction Exchange Correspondent

DORR, Mich. — Dorr is a small community located just south of Grand Rapids, Michigan and about thirty miles north of Kalamazoo, Mich.
 
Featured in this Vander Kolk’s Golden Gavel Auction Service auction were tractors, vintage farm implements, farm equipment, lots of tools needed on a farm and cars. The auction was held to dispose of the estate Jerome Weber. It was a beautiful, sunny day and 400-500 people were on hand to enjoy the wonderful weather and take advantage of the opportunity to obtain some vintage equipment and some useful farm equipment or tools.

The first items sold in this auction were small tools, large tools, hammers and saws and a plethora of other tools and small equipment necessary on a farm. After clearing the wagons of these items everyone trooped into the large barn for the windmills and windmill accessories.

With the growing interest in conserving energy and looking for alternate means of providing it, it was not surprising that the windmill parts and accessories at the auction generated much interest. One of Mr. Weber’s ancestors used to make and sell windmill and there were still parts of them available to be assembled. Two windmills were available and commanded bids of $700 and $900. To go with the windmill there were windmill parts. A large selection of parts, accompanied by the comment “We weren’t sure what went with what, so we’ll sell it altogether” was highly desirable and earned a final bid of $700. Fans for the windmills sold for $350 each and towers for the windmills earned $350 each.
After the windmills were sold, everyone followed Scott to the large outdoor ring that contained all of the tractors and other large farm-related items that were to cross the block.

It seems like tractors just keep on running as long as they are well maintained. The 1966 John Deere 4020 diesel tractor with a cab and with less than 1800 hours was highly desirable and sold for $10,500. Fenders that would fit this 4020 tractor were sold separately and earned $700, and duals, also that would fit the 4020, sold for $450.

A Ford 641 tractor with cultivator saw a final bid of $2,900; a John Deere B tractor from 1941 earned $900; and an narrow-front Allis-Chalmers CA crossed the block for $1,600.

There was an abundance of tillage, harvesting, planting and other equipment necessary for the successful operation of a farm.
Among the pieces of equipment a PTO generator sold for $800; an Allis-Chalmers 66 combine earned $300; and a 13-hole seeder earned $400. Two gravity wagons crossed the block with the Killbros gravity wagon with a vibrator selling for $875, and the Parker gravity wagon earning $600.

Three New Holland manure spreaders, two of which were wheel-driven, found their way across the block resulting in final selling prices of $450, $1,075, and $2,300.

One of the pieces of equipment that drew a great deal of interest was a New Holland 849 round baler that sold for $3,250. Two 2-row John Deere corn planters sold for $725 each; an Oliver six-bottom plow earned $650; a John Deere 1250 six-row planter sold for $225; and a Wilrich field cultivator crossed the block for $650.
Other equipment included: a Blizzard silo blower that sold for $275; a McCormick Deering husker/shredder that earned $800; and a New Idea husker/shredder that crossed the block for $700.

International Harvester PTO-driven corn binders sold for $1,000 and $1,600 each; and corn pickers sold for $300 and $400.
A Clipper fanning mill sold for $100; a 300-gallon pull-type field sprayer saw $400; a Century sprayer earned $110; and a Detson 2084 snow blower (1978-1979) had a final bid of $750.

Hay rakes were available and resulted in a final selling price of $500 for the Brillion hay rake and $400 and $425 for the two steel-wheel hay rakes.

For the person who has always had an interest in obtaining an old car and restoring it, there were two Ford Galaxies to be had. The 1963 Ford Galaxie 300XL sold for $1,600, and the 1963-1/2 two-door Ford Galaxie earned $1,400. There was also a 1989 Crown Victoria that sold for $700, and a 1968 Mercury Montego that saw $600.

Golden Gavel Auction Service is a full-service auction company and their mission is to provide solutions for people through the auction method.