• Oxford To Italy In 30 Days

    Ok, so this isn't exactly an old lawn mower story but we do like our stunts and this seems like a lot of fun. It also has echoes of those long-distance mower journeys that Ransomes organised in the 1950s that we've featured on the site before. This looks slightly more glamorous to us and the weather will probably be a bit warmer than October in Edinburgh. More at http://www.bg-tour.eu/

  • Annual Rally Auction Results

    The auction at the annual rally was a bit of a curate's egg this year. Some of the items attracted keen bidding while otherwise complete, decent and unusual mowers were struggling to get a maiden bid. The complete list of items sold is below. A couple of things to bear in mind. First, we add a small 5% commission to the hammer price which we donate to the museum (a similar amount is charged to the seller). Second, where an item is listed with £0 as the hammer price this means that it either did not reach its reserve or was unavailable for sale on the day.

     

    Lot Number Item Hammer Price
    1 12" Ransomes Patent Chain Automaton 30
    2 Lloyds Autoscythe 0
    3 12" Atco De Luxe, 1930s 15
    4 18" Hayn Electric, 1950s/60s 25
    5 Ransomes Certes Mk10 60
    6 10" Presto Rollmo 0
    7 Qualcast Panther 0
    8 Webb Whippet c/w box 0
    9 14" Atco Lightweight 10
    10 24" Ransomes Matador, 1950s 20
    11 14" Qualcast Commodore c/w box 20
    12 Qualcast 16" 1938 sales brochure, colour, 20x8" 20
    13 Shanks 1935 sales pocket booklet, 36pp, 3x5" 65
    14 Royal Enfield sales brochure, shows 5 models, 12x16" 15
    15 Ransomes 1966 sales brochure, shows 7 models, 23x8" 17
    16 Webb Miniature, no box 0
    17 Webb Miniature, less handles and box 0
    18 Ransomes Certes Mk 8 60
    19 Ransomes Conquest 5
    20 Arundel Coulthard Presto Motor Mower 50
    21 12" JP Super c/w box 20
    22 Webb Whippet c/w box 25
    23 24 Greens motor mower, 1950s, c/w box 5
    24 Atco kick start, 1950s, c/w box restored and stored 3
    25 Sidewheel hand mower 25
    26 14" Ransomes Certes 20
    27 14" Ransomes Astral 20
    28 Ransomes hand mower (TBC) 5
    29 14" Royal Enfield 35
    30 Pair Ransomes Mk2 two stroke, sold as one lot, for restoration 75
    31 Paair Tarpen Grassmaster electric trimmers, sold as one lot 5
    32 Tarpen Generator, 1950s 30
    33 20" Ransomes Mk2 Motor Mower for restoration, purchased as a kit of parts many years ago, still as purchased. Most Parts are with mower, The Vendor has a box of small parts with him . 20
    34 10" Ransomes New Automaton, early restoration, some parts have been used as patterns for other projects so could do with a fresh restoration, nice easy project rare opportunity to purchase one of these mowers. 120
    35 20" Royal Enfield motor mower with grass box and roller seat, missing part of engine cowling, recently purchased in romantic moment, will never restore this one so best someone else takes it on. 10
    36 12" Shanks Caledonia, late 1890s, original condition,  stored many years after appearing in Shire Album, from the Late David Halford Collection and is shown on page 9 of his book Old Lawn Mowers, a Shire Album 60
    37 Lloyds Pennsylvania Moto mower 1937 ex Late David Halford Collection as seen on page 29 of his book Old Lawn Mowers, a Shire Album. 0
    38 12” Mitchell Motor Mower made in Nottingham an extremely rare 1934 machine. 55
    39 12" Webb Witch, 1930s, c/w box 25
    40 12" Flexa, 1930s, c/w box 15
    41 12" Greens SM Junior, c1930s, c/w box 15
    42 18" Atco Standard in very good original condition 10
    43 Brit made sidewheel, late 1930s, good order c/w box 15
    44 12" Royal Enfield motor mower, c1934, gear driven 25
    45 17" JP Super Mk5 motor mower 15
    46 12" Ransomes Ace Mk1,  c 1930s 35
    47 12" Brit Ideal sidewheel, c1920s 35
    48 12" Shanks Britisher, restored, c/w box, carriage plate and spanner ex Late David Halford Collection 50
    49 12" Qualcast “E” c/w box, original condition, ex David Halford Collection 20
    50 12" JP Super, c1920s 5
    51 10" Ransomes Anglia, c1930s 35
    52 12" Follows and Bates J2 mint original condition c/w box 10
    53 Ransomes Ripper c1950s 5
    54 15" Pennsylvania sidewheel, US built, c1890s, complete and working. 160