An unusually comprehensive collection of classic tractors sold for high prices in Somerset on Saturday.

More than 70 classic Ford and Ford variants were offered at the Malcolm Beaton Sale in Somerton on October 10.

The top prices paid on the day include £74,000 for a 1979 County 1474 ‘Short Nose’ and £30,000 for a 1979 County 1474 ‘Short Nose’ restoration project including donor tractor to assist with the restoration and £54,000 for a County 1184 LWB dating from 1980s.

Amongst the spares, a set of 16 County front leaf weights made £3,400 and a Ford AP cab (ex-Ford 7000) made £3,600.

Owned by collector Malcolm Beaton, the sale included more than 70 Ford, County and Roadless classic tractors as well as more than 500 lots of County spares which have not been seen in such quantity before.

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Oliver Godfrey, director of Cheffins, the auctioneers that hosted the sale, said: “Malcolm Beaton owned one of the most comprehensive collections of County tractors, with a mix of both fully-restored examples and refurbishment projects.

"With buyers from throughout the UK and across Europe, we saw some fantastic prices paid for these later classics at the Malcolm Beaton sale which really are in vogue with collectors at the moment.

"These large single-owner collections are getting harder and harder to come by and I am doubtful that we will see a sale of this quantity of Ford and Ford variant tractors at any time in the near future.”

Prices reported are hammer prices, not inclusive of five per cent buyers’ premium or VAT.