Check Out This Awesome Vintage Tractor Auction

Every so often, a tractor auction comes along that feels bigger than iron and horsepower. This is one of those moments. A historic vintage tractor collection assembled over more than five decades is heading to auction this month, and it’s packed with real agricultural history. The timed online sale is hosted by Wilsons Auctions (see the auction here) and features the lifelong collection of Ronnie Deering of Newtownards, which (and this is the only problem here) is in Northern Ireland. This is not a clearance sale. It’s a carefully built lineup of machines that helped define modern farming.

Auction Dates and Format

The Vintage Tractor Collection Auction runs from Wednesday, January 28 at 2:00 p.m. through Friday, January 30 at 2:00 p.m. It is a timed online auction. All lots are located offsite in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. Each lot carries a 15 percent buyer’s premium. In-person viewing is scheduled for Monday, January 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A Collection Built Over 55 Years

Ronnie Deering began assembling this collection more than 55 years ago. The tractors span from 1918 through 1969 and were sourced from across the UK, Europe and Australia. That range matters. These machines show how utility tractors evolved from slow, exposed workhorses into more refined diesel-powered tools that shaped modern farms. Many examples retain original features. Some were restored. Others were preserved with restraint. That balance gives the collection its credibility.

Standout Tractors Crossing the Block

Several machines anchor the auction and will draw serious interest from collectors and restorers.

• The 1969 John Deere 4020 Classic Diesel stands as one of the most recognizable utility tractors ever built. It represents peak mid-century American tractor design.
• The 1922 Case 12/20 Crossmotor Petrol/TVO is far older and far rarer. This tractor also carries a unique piece of history. It participated in a Guinness World Record ploughing event involving 4,572 veteran tractors.
• The 1918 Case 15/27 Crossmotor pushes even further back, offering a glimpse into early internal combustion farm power.
• The 1938 Case Model L and 1938 Case Model REX highlight Case’s early diversification into different farm applications.
• The 1949 Hanomag R45 with pitch pine cab brings European engineering into the mix.

Other highlights include a Chamberlin 40K, a Fordson N sectioned tractor used for education, a John Deere Lanz DT6516, a 1954 Case 500 six-cylinder diesel and a 1957 McCormick International AW7 diesel.

Utility Tractors Then and Now

The tractors in this sale were built to work hard with few comforts. Operators adapted. Machines endured. Today’s compact and utility tractors deliver far more power per pound, better hydraulics and safer operator environments. But the mission remains the same. Do more work with a simple, versatile machine. If you follow our regular coverage, you’ll recognize those themes immediately. You can find that ongoing coverage in our tractor section (click that link).

A Rare Opportunity for Collectors

Collections like this rarely surface intact. Many of these machines spent decades participating in club runs, shows and community events. Now they move on to new caretakers. For anyone who appreciates old iron, early engineering and the roots of compact and utility tractors, this auction is worth a close look.

Keith Gribbins is publisher of Compact Equipment.