Three Springs couple’s prized antique tractor collection sells for over $1 million, sets new record

A Three Springs farming couple’s labour of love — a collection of antique tractors — has made more than $1.1 million in an auction, breaking a national record in the process.

The collection of more than 150 vintage tractors and other related antiques went under the hammer on Sunday.

The collection belonged to Sue Illingworth, who collected the tractors along with her late husband John for 50 years after the couple moved from the UK to Arrino near Three Springs to start a sheep and wheat farm.

Shortly after marrying, the two decided they needed a hobby, and one that connected to their passion for farming fit best for them.

“I thought first cars, but then I thought ‘what does John know best?’ and I thought of tractors,” Mrs Illingworth said.

When they weren’t working on their farm or raising their daughters, the Illingworths were finding tractors across the Mid West and Wheatbelt, bringing them home, restoring and maintaining them.

“We had a lot of adventures,” she said.

“We got to have fun and we grew to love them, we got to know them nearly like people, they just became part of our life.”

Not only did the collection grow to include an incredible variety of old tractors, it also featured unique pieces like a 1928 Fire Engine and a World War II Stuart M3 tank.

When Mr Illingworth passed away about five years ago, Mrs Illingworth decided it was to time to see the collection move on to new owners.

“I know they’ve gone to some marvellous people, they’re real tractor enthusiasts, and they’ll let people come see them which is wonderful,” she said.

“If you talk to them you realise it’s their lives as well, I prefer it that way, these people have their collections and they’ll continue them because they love them.”

The unique collection drew a high number of big spenders, between 600 and 700 online and in-person, according to Donington Auction’s Robbie Richards.

“People like collections that have been put together by people with a love and passion for what they do,” Mr Richards said.

One tractor in the collection, a 1904 Ivel Agricultural Motors Tractor, sold for $375,000, breaking the Australian auction record for a vintage or antique tractor, set last year with a price tag of $215,000.

The Ivel was one of the first commercially produced tractors in the world, and there are only eight left in existence.

The word “tractor” did not even exist in 1904 when the machine was created, back then it was called an “agricultural motor”.

“We do a lot of bespoke auctions but the Ivel is certainly one of the most rare things I’ve handled,” Mr Richards said.

The auction’s success was a great way to send off the collection the Illingworths had put so much commitment into.

”I thought there would be a lot of people who would appreciate those tractors because we carefully put them back, spent a lot of money restoring them, and did everything right,” Mrs Illingworth said.

Mrs Illingworth said she and her daughters hadn’t thought much about what they would do with the money, but they weren’t planning any holidays while there was still plenty of work to be done on the farm.

“We haven’t got around to thinking about, we’re still in the early planning stage,” Mrs Illingworth said.

“We’ll let it settle and think it about it.

“I guess we’re plodders, we always take our times working things out to make sure it goes well.”

While the money is certainly bountiful, it’s the fact that her and her husband’s work will continue that fills her with the most pride.

“It has been a lifetime’s work, we’ve had a lot of joy out of it,” Mrs Illingworth said.

“I know the people taking them will have a lot of joy too.”