Page 24 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles June 2019
P. 24
John Deere Green
By Judy Gonyeau
V isit the John Deere Store website and you will enter the land of “John Deere with the collector? “It’s all because of a certain
What do these two collections have in common
Green” and yellow in every shape and form you can imagine. The majority
date,” explains Len. “Both share my birthday of
of items available are pieces of clothing for the entire family, from infants on
up. The biggest seller is most likely the John Deere hat collection. While more are
listed for men (men’s hats: 73; for the ladies: 15), it would be hard to walk into a February 7. John Deere and I share a birthday, and
the application for the patent of the TootsieToy
farm supply store and not see someone wearing one. Go under “for the home” and name was also dated February 7.” This coincidence
you will find 29 product group listings with Air Tools & Accessories coming in at was not lost on Len who has belief in things
#1 with 50 products, and the Kitchen group coming in at #2 with 44. When showing up in his path for a reason.
I clicked on the “tote” category to bring up the one bag it contained, I expected
to see a canvas bag in blaring green and yellow, but what I saw was more akin to The John Deere Attraction
a Louis Vuitton purse in black. To quote Green Acres, “Darling, I love you but John Deere grew up in Rutland, Vermont in the early 1800s and moved to
give me Park Avenue.” Grand Detour, Illinois in 1836 to avoid bankruptcy in his home state. He was
To gain more information on the John Deere collecting phenomenon, I payed a visit just 34 at the time and was a talented blacksmith. Once in Illinois, he opened
to Len Chase, a local collector who has been gathering collectibles for over 30 years. Deere & Company in 1837, working as a repairman and a maker of large hand-
tools and implements. He made his mark with the creation of the self-scouring
steel plow that allowed farmers to pull the plow for longer distances without
getting stuck in the mud. This plow was a key element in the expansion of farm-
lands and the growing migrant population coming to the Midwest.
Looking to expand its operations and move into the production of larger
equipment, the Deere Company bought Waterloo Engine Company in 1918.
This took place the same year they were producing the “Dain” tractor, Deere’s
very first. Only 50-100 Dains were built. By adding Waterloo to the company’s
make-up, Deere stopped making the Dain and begin making the Waterloo Boy
Len has lived all his life in a small New England town in Western
tractor – which was less expensive to produce and faster to build. They followed
Massachusetts, but having toys as a child was considered a luxury. “If I wanted that up with the Model D in 1924—a new tractor developed solely by Deere &
a bike I had to go out and work to save the money from a very young age. As a Company and the first mass-produced tractor with the John Deere name on
teenager I did farm work and when the owner was ill, I ran that farm. I was it—and a phenomenon was born.
around 14 or 15 at the time, and it was hard work tending to livestock and During World War II, the company not only made farm machinery but mili-
growing crops. But that gave me a strong work ethic and meant I had to grow tary tractors, transmissions for the M3 tank, aircraft parts, and ammunition.
up fast to earn a wage and make my home. Now I have toys.” Following the War,
John Deere continued
It’s a Date! to expand manufac-
Coming into Len’s Man-Cave (Man-Office, Man-House, Man-Barn) you turing to meet the Deere Day, 1960
cannot help but be struck by the permeation of John Deere throughout the build - demands created by
ing(s). It is the main theme. Along the ceiling in the waiting room is a collection returning soldiers and
of metal John Deere tractors and more, including a John Deere gas pump with the resulting Baby
glass, yellow trailer with a yellow tractor on it, a combine, and a tiny John Deere Boom: the increased
bicycle (yes, they made life-size bikes, too, among many other products). market for food
Because Len’s collecting consists mainly of smaller items and models, there from the farm belt
is plenty of room for other items, including his collection of TootsieToys. and the equipment to
These die-cast miniature cars and trucks were made starting in the 1890s and make it happen.
continued through much of the 20th century. “They had great design and Deere Day, August
detail, the three sizes of vehicles they made were small enough for little hands, 30, 1960, marked the
and were well loved.” When looking for the early TootsieToys, just try to find start of a new genera-
one from the pre-WWII era with all its paint intact. Good luck! tion of 6-cylinder
tractors that put them leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. The presen-
tation took place in Dallas with thousands of attendees brought to the South to
see everything in a large enough space to take it all in. According to The John
Deere Journal, “The event was packed with high-tech presentations, live product
demonstrations and acres of new green and yellow tractors that were out on dis-
TootsieToy display in the “Man-Office” play. The elaborate introduction included dancing, skating, singing, and fire-
works. Another showstopper was a John Deere 3010 row-crop tractor fitted
with diamonds on the nameplate and revealed in a nearby Neiman-
Marcus department store.” This is where some collectors separate in
their passion for antique and vintage John Deere. You can identify
them from the backs of their jackets. “Deere Family Pride,” “Mission
Two-Cycle Club,” and, of course, "Nothing Runs Like a Deere.”
These proud collectors are out in force during the gathering of any
group of John Deere enthusiasts at conventions and shows.
Len’s most prized TootsieToys occupy the two crowded Len tends to stand with the two-cycle fans, having restored a 1950
shelves surrounding his desk in his office. “TootsieToys M tractor to its original beauty. “It runs, and may occasionally see a
tended to stick mainly to things like trucks and construction field, but not as often as before I restored it,” says Len. “If I could have
at the beginning, but moved on to create almost anything any John Deere, it would probably be the 1959 John Deere 330, one
with wheels.” of the last two-cylinder tractors ever made by John Deere.”
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
22
By Judy Gonyeau
V isit the John Deere Store website and you will enter the land of “John Deere with the collector? “It’s all because of a certain
What do these two collections have in common
Green” and yellow in every shape and form you can imagine. The majority
date,” explains Len. “Both share my birthday of
of items available are pieces of clothing for the entire family, from infants on
up. The biggest seller is most likely the John Deere hat collection. While more are
listed for men (men’s hats: 73; for the ladies: 15), it would be hard to walk into a February 7. John Deere and I share a birthday, and
the application for the patent of the TootsieToy
farm supply store and not see someone wearing one. Go under “for the home” and name was also dated February 7.” This coincidence
you will find 29 product group listings with Air Tools & Accessories coming in at was not lost on Len who has belief in things
#1 with 50 products, and the Kitchen group coming in at #2 with 44. When showing up in his path for a reason.
I clicked on the “tote” category to bring up the one bag it contained, I expected
to see a canvas bag in blaring green and yellow, but what I saw was more akin to The John Deere Attraction
a Louis Vuitton purse in black. To quote Green Acres, “Darling, I love you but John Deere grew up in Rutland, Vermont in the early 1800s and moved to
give me Park Avenue.” Grand Detour, Illinois in 1836 to avoid bankruptcy in his home state. He was
To gain more information on the John Deere collecting phenomenon, I payed a visit just 34 at the time and was a talented blacksmith. Once in Illinois, he opened
to Len Chase, a local collector who has been gathering collectibles for over 30 years. Deere & Company in 1837, working as a repairman and a maker of large hand-
tools and implements. He made his mark with the creation of the self-scouring
steel plow that allowed farmers to pull the plow for longer distances without
getting stuck in the mud. This plow was a key element in the expansion of farm-
lands and the growing migrant population coming to the Midwest.
Looking to expand its operations and move into the production of larger
equipment, the Deere Company bought Waterloo Engine Company in 1918.
This took place the same year they were producing the “Dain” tractor, Deere’s
very first. Only 50-100 Dains were built. By adding Waterloo to the company’s
make-up, Deere stopped making the Dain and begin making the Waterloo Boy
Len has lived all his life in a small New England town in Western
tractor – which was less expensive to produce and faster to build. They followed
Massachusetts, but having toys as a child was considered a luxury. “If I wanted that up with the Model D in 1924—a new tractor developed solely by Deere &
a bike I had to go out and work to save the money from a very young age. As a Company and the first mass-produced tractor with the John Deere name on
teenager I did farm work and when the owner was ill, I ran that farm. I was it—and a phenomenon was born.
around 14 or 15 at the time, and it was hard work tending to livestock and During World War II, the company not only made farm machinery but mili-
growing crops. But that gave me a strong work ethic and meant I had to grow tary tractors, transmissions for the M3 tank, aircraft parts, and ammunition.
up fast to earn a wage and make my home. Now I have toys.” Following the War,
John Deere continued
It’s a Date! to expand manufac-
Coming into Len’s Man-Cave (Man-Office, Man-House, Man-Barn) you turing to meet the Deere Day, 1960
cannot help but be struck by the permeation of John Deere throughout the build - demands created by
ing(s). It is the main theme. Along the ceiling in the waiting room is a collection returning soldiers and
of metal John Deere tractors and more, including a John Deere gas pump with the resulting Baby
glass, yellow trailer with a yellow tractor on it, a combine, and a tiny John Deere Boom: the increased
bicycle (yes, they made life-size bikes, too, among many other products). market for food
Because Len’s collecting consists mainly of smaller items and models, there from the farm belt
is plenty of room for other items, including his collection of TootsieToys. and the equipment to
These die-cast miniature cars and trucks were made starting in the 1890s and make it happen.
continued through much of the 20th century. “They had great design and Deere Day, August
detail, the three sizes of vehicles they made were small enough for little hands, 30, 1960, marked the
and were well loved.” When looking for the early TootsieToys, just try to find start of a new genera-
one from the pre-WWII era with all its paint intact. Good luck! tion of 6-cylinder
tractors that put them leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. The presen-
tation took place in Dallas with thousands of attendees brought to the South to
see everything in a large enough space to take it all in. According to The John
Deere Journal, “The event was packed with high-tech presentations, live product
demonstrations and acres of new green and yellow tractors that were out on dis-
TootsieToy display in the “Man-Office” play. The elaborate introduction included dancing, skating, singing, and fire-
works. Another showstopper was a John Deere 3010 row-crop tractor fitted
with diamonds on the nameplate and revealed in a nearby Neiman-
Marcus department store.” This is where some collectors separate in
their passion for antique and vintage John Deere. You can identify
them from the backs of their jackets. “Deere Family Pride,” “Mission
Two-Cycle Club,” and, of course, "Nothing Runs Like a Deere.”
These proud collectors are out in force during the gathering of any
group of John Deere enthusiasts at conventions and shows.
Len’s most prized TootsieToys occupy the two crowded Len tends to stand with the two-cycle fans, having restored a 1950
shelves surrounding his desk in his office. “TootsieToys M tractor to its original beauty. “It runs, and may occasionally see a
tended to stick mainly to things like trucks and construction field, but not as often as before I restored it,” says Len. “If I could have
at the beginning, but moved on to create almost anything any John Deere, it would probably be the 1959 John Deere 330, one
with wheels.” of the last two-cylinder tractors ever made by John Deere.”
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
22
