Collecting Antique Farm Memorabilia

A growing number of people are collecting antique manure spreaders brochures and other farm memorabilia. It doesn’t matter whether or not these souvenirs and keepsakes are old printed advertisements, metal or paper signs, a mint condition brochure for antique manure spreaders can be a great collectable. Collecting Antique Farm MemorabiliaWhile it takes to very deep pockets to buy and sell real antique new idea manure spreaders and antique wood John Deere machinery, not to mention researching all those antique tractor parts,  just about anyone can collect farm memorabilia. Many farm families and former equipment dealers and employees often keep souvenirs of the machines they owned or worked with.It is not uncommon to find a loose flyer or manual hiding away in a trunk or shoved out of sight in a box in the corner of a barn depicting antique manure spreaders, tractors, hay wagons and balers in robust black and white. Most memorabilia is worth little more than just simple nostalgia pieces. But if occasionally, a collector with a sharp and discerning eye for detail will come across an advertisement or signage for a rare model of John Deere tractor. Or better still something displaying an early model antique New Idea manure spreader.American farmers turned inventors, Joseph Oppenheim and Henry Synck developed the first commercially available manure spreader in the 1800s. The New Idea Company (under various owners and names) has made manure spreaders and other mechanized farming machines ever since and recently celebrated its 100 year old anniversary in 1999 as a division of the AGCO Corporation.As you can tell any type of keepsake or toy or advertising that depicts any antique farm tool, machinery or equipment is not only valuable for its own sake but could also be of interest to both collectors of full size tractors or well as farm toy enthusiasts.Types of Farm MemorabiliaCollectors have various ways to organize their collections: •    By brand or manufacturerLike John Deere, New Idea or International Harvester. This type of collecting is the most popular for both ease of organization plus displaying a whole set of green John Deere replicas has a certain visual appeal.•    By machinery type Tractors vs. hay balers. This is the next most popular method; since people normally want to buy toys or items that match the type of equipment they remember the most fondly like tractors.•    By age  Vintage manure spreaders (20-30 years old) vs. antique manure spreaders (75-100+ years old). The age of collection is often set more by budget restrictions than any other factor since true antiques are often out of price range of a beginner collector.•    By individual preference (a collector just likes the way the advertisement or sign looks or it reminds them of personal memory.)In any of the cases mentioned above, investing in farm memorabilia be it vintage dealer signs or posters of antique manure spreaders, you can see how this simple hobby can turn that old trash in the attic into a treasure or two.