EDGERTON, Ohio – Farm toy collectors were treated to a two-day farm toy and agricultural collectibles auction Dec. 5-6, where more than 600 lots crossed the block in a live/online event hosted by United Edge Real Estate and Auction Co. The lineup represented a broad sweep of equipment brands, including Case, Farmall, International, John Deere and New Holland.

Things kicked off the first day with 276 lots. Over 150 of them were model tractors – most made by Ertl or its affiliated brands. Overall, bidding was modest throughout the day. The day’s high of $190 went for a 1/16-scale Ertl Precision Classics John Deere 4440 wide front, complete with its box and all original contents. Close behind at $180 was another Precision Classics entry – a 1/16-scale Deere 8020 diesel, also with the box and original materials.

Fans of early tractor history had several gems to chase. A 1/16 Precision Classics Waterloo Boy kerosene tractor (circa 1918) sold for $90 even with a missing belt. Then, a boxed 1/16 Millennium Farm Classics 1892 Froelich gasoline traction engine – often recognized as the first true tractor – sold respectably at $60. And a 1/16-scale Ertl replica of a 1910s-era British Overtime hammered at just $15, a steal for anyone wanting to round out an early-era display.

For collectors drawn to implements, nearly three dozen lots came forward. Prices ranged from $45 for an Ertl 1/16 John Deere 452 grain drill to $100 for a 1/16 John Deere 4020 with a 237 corn picker by Precision Classics.

In addition to farm equipment, almost two dozen Deere-branded diecast airplanes were available, providing some interesting variety. Bidding on those was surprisingly strong, ranging from $20 for a 7-inch bank depicting a 1927 Lockheed Vega to $85 for a 7-inch model of a World War II-era Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

Advertising items closed the day on a quiet note. A dozen lots of vintage tractor magazines, some bound and some loose, each moved for $2. Nine batches of reproduction Deere signs, sold in sets of two or three, each brought $25 or less. A few vintage advertising premiums were also available, including a Sunoco gas-pump novelty transistor radio and a John Deere pencil holder complete with branded pencils and pens, sold at $20 apiece.

The second day brought more energy, with 383 lots that included additional model makers, more manufacturers represented, and the highlight category for many: pedal tractors. The bidding intensity jumped, producing multiple four-figure results. Among them was a black-on-black Precision Engineering 1/16-scale International 4586 with front/rear duals, which soared to $1,850. A more traditional red 4586, also by Precision Engineering, came close at $1,750. A third Precision Engineering entry – an International 4786 – rolled right behind at $1,650.

Less meteoric bids picked up pieces like an Ertl 1/16-scale Allis-Chalmers 190 XT Landhandler wide front with ROPS that went home for $160. Later, an Ertl Precision Series 1/16 Oliver Super 77 narrow front with its box scored $140, and an unopened 2002 SpecCast 1/16 Lafayette Farm Toy Show edition IH/Farmall 450 was grabbed for a modest $45.

Implement collectors had another solid round on day two. A Coble 1/16 John Deere 42 pull-type combine drew an attention-getting $625. A boxed Die-Cast Promotions 1/16 Bush Hog 2615 flex-wing rotary cutter reached $150, and a Precision Classics 1/16 John Deere 494-A four-row planter closed at $130.

As on the first day, the early decades of farm horsepower were well represented. Examples included a Precision Series rendition of a McCormick-Deering No. 8 Little Genius plow that sold for $40; an Ertl 1920s steel wheeled McCormick-Deering Farmall Regular that pulled $35; and a 1920s Ertl Case L that changed hands for $25.

With the holidays approaching, eight pedal tractors and four pedal-trailers saw plenty of interest. The tractors sold from $170 for a used and worn 1967 International 856 to a hefty $1,100 for an unopened John Deere 9870 STS pedal combine. Trailers saw softer bidding, ranging from $50 for a repainted Ford by Ertl to $130 for a used and rusty vintage JD trailer by Eska.

Things wrapped up with a final set of premiums and advertising collectibles. Six lots with multi-year collections of vintage calendars brought only their minimum bid of $1. A trio of lots featuring Ertl 4-inch ag-company snow globes fared better: $35 for a pair of Deere varieties and $45 for a single Case IH globe. A John Deere lamp closed out the category at $25, a fitting finish to a weekend that clearly pleased farm toy and memorabilia fans.