Farm Auction Sale Reports

A Look Back at 2018

Last year we sold over 5000 lots at our 4 collective sales held in Hampshire and Surrey. We are back in 2019 for a minimum of four auctions. We will be holding three events at the West Meon sale ground; 27th April, 6th July, and the 28th September. Furthermore, we will be back by popular demand at Barry’s farm in Dorking for at least one auction this year which is pencilled in for Saturday 18th May.

At our auctions we sell a variety of lots ranging from machinery and vehicles, general farming and livestock sundries, builders and warehouse sundries, new tools, plants as well as rural and domestic bygones.

Highlights of the year included an interesting run of vintage machinery from a local museum, the bronze proud stag statue and the 66 year old refurbished Massey Ferguson tractor all of which featured in our April sale. The July sale saw us in as the hottest day of the year whilst the England football team played in the world cup semi-finals which put an extra buzz in the air. This was a good time to include a large wicker furniture set that surpassed everybody’s expectation when it came to the selling price. However, the biggest crowd of the day gathered around our machinery section as it kicked off with an immaculate John Deere 456 Baler. In September we held two auctions, one at West Meon and one in Dorking. We sold over 200 lots of light ground maintenance from a UK wide land agent that was hugely successful all round. We also had the likes of a Sumo sub-soiler, a Timberwolf chopper, various tractors and vehicles, as well as some excellent condition IAE livestock handling equipment.

This year we had to say goodbye to our colleague, friend and leader Glen Snelgar (1957-2018) who sadly passed away at the end of May. Glen loved everything to do with auctions and loved selling many thousands of pounds worth of machinery over his 35 year career at Wellers. He would have loved to continue to do this but in his ill health had to hand over the reins to the younger team at Wellers who will have and will continue to do him proud. His presence is hugely missed by his family, the staff he worked with and many of the people he met throughout his auctioneering career.

We are expecting this year to be bigger and better than ever before so make sure you get your entries in early! Our next auction will be held at the West Meon Saleground on Saturday 27th April. Entries for the online catalogue close on Thursday 11th April. Please contact Rob Snelgar 07966 437095 or Tom Lofts 07771 556000 for all entries, enquiries and on site valuations. For all Architectural salvage and bygones contact Luke Duddy 07966 437099.

West Meon Hut Auction, Saturday 29th September 2018

Wellers of Guildford report that some 1200 lots changed hands at this recent Auction held at the West Meon Saleground. Entries for all sections were strong and we had good run of light ground maintenance kit from a UK wide land maintenance agent.

As usual the largest crowd gathered around the heavier machinery being sold by Auctioneer Rob Snelgar. Rob was pleased that the majority of lots sold and often exceeded expectation. The Bomford hedge cutter sold for £600, the round bale wrap for £530, Iseki ride on mower sold £1350, Sico tractor sold £2800, Ransoms Highway 213 sold £750. The surprise of the day for Rob came in the form of a mini tear drop caravan expected to make around £100. After a battle from two of the buyers it sold for £600. Wayne Brough took on and had a good run selling the livestock equipment and vehicular spares.

Auctioneer Tom Lofts took on the general, builder’s sundries, warehouse and new tools in his usual style. He hit his best at £200 for a large quantity of heavy duty box profile. Tom went on to sell the 100 lots of excellent quality light ground maintenance kit. The 8 Honda pro HRH 536 mowers ranged in price from £110 to £330, the Harrier 56’s sold for £100, £140 and £190. The Eliet 501 scarifiers made between £310 and £370. There was also a range of blowers, hedge cutters, chainsaws, and power tools but the star of the show was the Groundsman TCDRB34 18” turf cutter that sold for £480.

The nursery stock was sold by auctioneer Luke Duddy who had busy day selling. After knocking out 350 lots of plants ensuring they all changed hands he had no time to stop. He went straight to auction 4 to sell the rural and domestic bygones and all things vintage. The 3 anvils made £150, £120 and £110, the cast metal bench sold for £120, and a good run of stone planters to follow. Luke was pleased to sell the late entry’s in this section with a number of original vintage signs from Michelin £110 and Pratts £200.

We will be back at West Meon in April. In the meantime, if you would like to get in touch to arrange a farm dispersal auction the please call Rob Snelgar on 07966 437095 or email at rob@wellersofguildford.com.

West Meon Hut Auction, Saturday 7th July 2018

We can report that some 1200 lots changed hands at our most recent auction. Despite it being the hottest day of the year, the England football team playing in the semi-finals of the world cup, the tennis at Wimbledon and Formula 1 qualifying we still had a good turn out on the day.

Andrew Snelgar kick started the day by selling 400 lots of nursery stock. This saw Rhododendrons sell for £15, Apple trees sell for £8, a Plum tree sold for £18, Laurel bushes sold in lots of 3 made £8 per lot, the Blue Picea sold for £38, other plants in this section where Hebe’s, Hydrangea’s, Camellia’s, various shrubs, Honeysuckle climbers and a huge selection of other plants and bushes. Following this we had 50 extra lots of garden leisure, ground maintenance and home related. The Champion petrol generators sold for between £50 and £60, the portable power stations all made £30, we even had two 16ft intex swimming pools for sale. Given the weather these where a huge attraction and sold for £200 each, the wicker garden furniture set made £390 and the Sevylor kayak sold for £55.

Auction 2 saw Tom Lofts sell 300 lots of warehouse and builders sundries, timber, general miscellany and brand new tools. The magnetic duck knockdown target made £24, the kennels made £10, Aluminium platforms sold for £80 and £60, garden tools selection sold for £22, the Tennis umpires seat sold for £85, 120 lots of new tools saw prices between £10 and £40. Tom went on to sell 100 lots of mainly vintage machinery spares and ground maintenance from local farm dispersal for the late Percy Heath. This included, a selection of draw bars and stay bars, various top links, Massey Ferguson tool box, plough parts, butler head lamps, Ford radiator, Massey Ferguson wheels, Fordson starter, Vicon hay turner, various Stihl chainsaws and hedge cutters, Husqvarna chain saws and more.

As per usual Rob Snelgar began selling the machinery, spares, and livestock sundries at 11am and attracted the biggest crowd of the day. As ever there was plenty of competition for the machinery, 5 lots in and the John Deere 456 Baler sold for £1500, the PZ hay bob made £170, the soil screener sold for £300, rice horse box made £85, the Kawasaki KLF300 for spares and repair made £230, the aged but in good working order Eagle 2.5 tonne fork lift truck sold for £1,250, the Yanmar XB350DX digger sold for £1925, John Deere wafer weights made £55, the 2 indoor feed bins sold for £500 and the Alvan Blanch Roller-Grinder-Mixer sold for £110. We had two vintage horse drawn carts and they made £200 and £130. After a 5 minute break to cool down Rob went onto sell the light ground maintenance and work shop tools at the top of the field. This saw a Honda HR216 mower sell for £75, the Portas dreadnaught lather sold for £80, the Stihl TS410 disc cutter sold for £105, Mountfield M6 mower made £35, the Anvil made £135 and the tray of blacksmiths tools made £70.

At its usual time of 12.15pm Luke Duddy began selling the Vintage rural and domestic bygones which included everything from bird baths to brassware, Milk churns to post boxes, around 50 lots of statues and urns and a 15ft softwood garden table and benches. Some of the highlights include the Iron font that sold for £300, the Gothic urn on pedestal sold for £240, the 15ft softwood table made £500, Galvanised buckets made £40, the GR GPO Post box sold for £190 and the cast iron pig trough made £20.

Our next auction will be held on Saturday 29th September at the West Meon sale ground. Entries for the catalogue are now open and doesn’t close until Friday 14th September. For all entries, enquires and on site valuations contact Rob Snelgar 07966 437095 or Tom Lofts 07771 556000.

For all farm dispersal enquiries please contact Rob Snelgar on 07966 437095.

West Meon Hut Auction, Saturday 21st April 2018

Dedicated to our colleague, friend and leader Glen Snelgar (1957-2018) who sadly passed away at the end of May, Wellers of Guildford held an auction he would have been proud to be a part of.

We can report that some 1600 lots changed hands at this recent auction held at the West Meon Sale ground. As per usual the machinery auction attracted a large crowed, particularly for the interesting section of vintage machinery. Some of which needed restoration, but it all had an appeal to not just collectors of historic pieces but everyone who saw these vintage examples. Out of the 7 stationary engines in this section it was the Ruston Hornsby that took off making £185. Further down the lines with the more contemporary farming machinery we saw the Caeb MP550 mountain press mini baler make £520, the Twose 460 hedge cutter made £1450, the Western ‘Delilah’ 10ft spreader made £1850, and the Lewis Landlord 120 backhoe made £1000. This auction would not have been complete without at least one Vintage tractor; this time around we had a 66 year old refurbished Massey Ferguson that made £1000.

Auctioneer Tom Lofts sold the Warehouse and builders sundries, timber and new tools with gusto hitting his best of the day at £210.00 for a logic sand school leveller. He also sold an old electric motor driven lather for £170, a galvanised well bucket made £130, and a Rexon proline saw for £150.

Andrew Snelgar kicked off the day with our largest consignment nursery stock to date selling Laurels for £6, Peach Trees for £20, and trays of perennials for £12 to £15 per lot, and Lavender bushes for £8. He also had some larger job lots of x10 laurel hedging that made £85 per lot. Once he finished this section it wasn’t long before he started the auction of light ground maintenance, chainsaws, and workshop equipment. This included a Husqvarna 365 chainsaw for £115, a Stihl MS362C for £155, and a John Deere C52VK mower made £160.

As expected the largest company of the day gathered around for the Vintage rural and domestic bygone section which included everything from and old 2 wheeled builders cart that sold for £460 to and old apple crate full of Oxo tins that made £20. Luke Duddy was pleased to get sold 90% of the 400 lots in this auction. The major highlight being the Bronze proud stag and doe garden statue selling for £2100, other lots made: Vintage 4 wheeled horse drawn trolley made £520, vintage croquet set sold for £100, Aldershot enamel sign made £150, 8ft mill manufactured English hardwood table and benches made £700, and the 1920s Atco lawn mower made £65.

Wellers of Guildford will be holding their next Rural Auction at the West Meon Sale ground on the 7th July. Entries for the catalogue close on 22nd June. For all entries, enquires and on site valuations contact Rob Snelgar 07966 437095 or Tom Lofts 07771 556000

West Meon Hut Auction, Saturday 1st July 2017

Wellers of Guildford report that some 1500 lots changed hands at this recent Auction held at the West Meon Saleground. Entries for all sections were strong with the run of old “Hedgerow Machinery ” creating significant interest from collectors and restorers alike. The largest crowd gathered around the four Vintage tractors where a 4cyl MF 35 sold for £1020.00 complete with attached brambles and a 1942 manufactured Fordson “N” water washer Tractor also made £1020.00. This Tractor needed considerable restoration and could not be described as in fine fettle but in terms of farm and social history it forged an interesting link to the past. Elsewhere the more common International B250 made £480.00 and a little Dexta made £460.00. Auctioneer Rob Snelgar was pleased that the majority of lots changed hands with prices often exceeding expectation including : Brion James 3.5 ton trailer £800.00, 1990 JCB mini excavator(non runner) £1050.00, Countax K18-50 garden Tractor £1050.00, Fleming 5′ Topper £570.00, Bomford 2 mt. topper £750.00, Krone rotary rake £1550.00.

Auctioneer Tom Lofts sold the General, livestock and builders sundries with gusto hitting his best of the day £380.00 for a 15′ cattle feed barrier and manger. Although late in the season Auctioneer Andrew Snelgar sold 80% of the nursery stock with foliage perennials and Standard roses ringing the bell, he also sold good runs of garden and workshop Machinery and Ex-hire shop equipment including an old Colchester lathe for £300.00, motorcycle inspection ramp £185.00, Allen chipper £120.00, Rotary mowers sold to £150.00, and a limited range of chainsaws to £120.00.

As usual the largest company of the day gathered for the Vintage Rural and Domestic Bygone section which included everything from Rustic tools to garden planters and the proverbial Belfast Kitchen sink. Auctioneer Luke Duddy was pleased to get sold 90% of the 250 lots in this section, items of interest: 13 U.S. Brass Sieves £65.00, Platform wooden cloakroom sign £85.00, Mill made plank top garden table and benches £600.00, Two Edwardian wall clocks £380.00, two Mamod model steam engines £115.00, pair of Tractor seat stools £130.00, old Pulley Blocks £60.00, Ditching tools £70.00, Galvanised water trough £160.00, Colemans Starch enamel sign £140.00, and the Victorian 4′ school gate salvaged from Shottermill Infant School £170.00.

Wellers of Guildford will be holding their next Rural Auction at the West Meon Saleground on Saturday 30th September. Entries for the on line catalogue close on Thursday 14th September please contact Rob Snelgar 07966 437095, Tom Lofts 07771 556000, for all entries , enquiries and on site Valuations. For Architectural salvage and bygones , Luke Duddy 07966 437099.