Robert Bell & Co’s first online farm sale is a “cracker”

We are all learning different ways of doing things because of the pandemic.

A farm clearance sale is traditionally an opportunity for neighbours to show their support for a retiring farmer and to catch up on the latest news. So it was with some trepidation that Robert Bell & Co decided to use an online auction to deal with the sale of farm machinery following the untimely death of Andy Smith of Roughton.

Andy was a lovely chap whose father had farmed at Croft, near Skegness. Like his father Andy rarely threw anything away and so there was a tremendous collection of vintage and other machinery spanning two full generations.

There were so many items even when amassed into large lots that it was necessary to have a two-day online auction using the UK Auctioneers website, with physical viewing days and the auction held ‘live’ but off site.

This worked well. The bidding was clear even if the online system slows the rate of sale. Purchasers could see photos of each item being offered. Consequently prices were outstanding and as well as good local buyers there were bidders from Wales, Somerset, Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Yorkshire.

Of the principal vendor’s lots, with a couple of items selling shortly after the auction, there was almost a 100% sale ratio. Over the two days there were over 25,000 catalogue views and 200 new live bidders added to the system as registered bidders.

The sale included 22 tractors, all of which sold and the principal auction prices were: 

• Lot 279 1987 Case 1H tractor 3,400 

• Lot 278 Matbro telehandler 2,720 

• Lot 516 1967 MF 135 tractor 2,620 

• Lot 517 Marshall 702 tractor 2,420 

• Lot 513 Rare MF 85 tractor imported from USA 1,900 

• Lot 512 Rare MF 90 tractor imported from USA 1,800

Other items of machinery included: 

• Lot 494 2014 Teagle discs 4,300 

• Lot 521 Vaderstad Rexius Carrier discs 3,400 

• Lot 523 A.S. Marston 10t trailer 1,820 

• Lot 452 4 Hunting Hivolt military generators 1,720 

• Lot 200 2 Ruston & Hornsby engines for restoration 1,150 

Robert Bell & Co Auction Department