Phillip Warren Ford Sale a Resounding Success | Kivells

A tremendous day was had at Middlecott Farm in Beaworthy on Saturday 4 September where the Kivells Machinery Team were delighted to have been instructed to disperse the Phillip Warren Collection of 83 Ford tractors, parts and machinery, reputed to be one, or if not the largest, single manufacturer private collection to come to the market for several decades.

The sun shone on a huge crowd of around 1200 buyers from all over the UK, with many travelling down to Devon from far and wide. As anticipated during the three month build up and preparation of this unique sale, huge media attention was achieved resulting in country-wide sale participation with buyers not only present at the sale from all parts but also online with MartEye. 

48% of all lots received an online bid, with 31 lots being sold to online bidders. Around 4000 people watched the sale live online, from Ashwater to Australia, and Kivells’ Facebook posts reached over 300,000 people! 

Trade was very strong, with a top price of £25,000 for the Ford 7810, followed by the final lot of the day being the Ford 7000 Schindler at £21,000 and the Ford 655 digger at £12,500. Other prices on the day for Ford 3000, 4000 & 5000’s ranged between £2,000 and £5,100.

77 year old Phillip Warren, an avid collector, restorer and tinkerer who started buying and retaining tractors in 1989, confessed to having ‘an extreme hobby gone out of control’. His first purchase was of a Ford 5000 Select-O-Speed from a Kivells auction and, being impressed with the Ford Selecta, he focused on and acquired many more Ford tractors, with his collection totalling an impressive 83.

Kivells Director, David Kivell has known Phillip all of his working career, being some 35 years. “It has been a pleasure to work with Phillip. He has been very loyal to our business for the 35 years I have been in the trade and very kindly instructed us with this sale, and I’ve really enjoyed it.  

When preparing for the sale back in June I attended Middlecott Farm to photograph the individual tractors and witness his grandson turning up from London and making the observation “Grandpa, I knew you had a passion but didn’t realise it was an obsession!”.

Many of you will know Phillip from attending so many of our machinery sales over the years both on farm and monthly in Holsworthy to realise it’s not an obsession but an “extreme hobby gone out of control!” His passion for this hobby has made him extremely knowledgeable on this range of tractor.”

So, why was this such a unique sale? All 83 tractors were manufactured by Ford and there are only a limited number of models, namely 35 Ford 4000’s, 31 Ford 3000’s, 10 Ford 5000’s plus Ford 7810 4wd (4500hrs), Ford 655 Special (full spec, only 1806hrs) and 4 Ford 5000 tractors in kit form. 

Phillip commented, “David and his team have done a wonderful job, which I am very grateful for, and I wanted to thank all of the people that came along and made this a day to remember for the rest of my life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

I have enormously enjoyed collecting, restoring and tinkering my tractors and hope the successful bidders at this sale will benefit in the same way I have for so many years.”

Kivells are the leading Machinery and Equipment Auctioneers and Valuers, of their type, in the South West, selling many thousands of lots of Machinery and Equipment annually. For more information about upcoming sales, or if you’re thinking of selling your machinery or equipment, get in touch with your local team today - www.kivells.com/departments.