MORE than 3000 lots will go under the hammer at a landmark sale of vintage collectors’ items at Cheffins auction site, Sutton, this Saturday, April 22.

The largest sale conducted by Cheffins to date, it will include more than 230 classic vintage tractors, with one of the most noteworthy being a 1963 Matbro Mastiff. One of only 20 ever built, this particular machine was the very first to be produced and sold, and carries an estimate of £40,000 to £50,000. Also on offer will be a virtually untouched, rare County 954 Super-Six, one of the most powerful models on the market at the time. This particular 1960s model was found on a county council farm in Hertfordshire and is expected to make between £12,000 and £15,000.

In addition, some 23 tractors from the Dave Boyles Collection, including one of only five of the International 614 with Roadless front axle conversion, are expected to bring in more than £80,000.

There are currently 10 steam engines on the sale list, including the 1919 Wallis and Steevens Traction Engine No 7683, named ‘Eileen the Erring’. This particular machine took part in the first traction engine races recorded at Nettlebed, Oxon, in 1951 and as an approximate value of £75,000 to £85,000.

Two matching steam engines, ‘Hengist’ and ‘Horsa’, which have consecutive numbers and date back to 1918, are expected to sell in the region of £150,000 to £160,000.

The sale will see the highest number of vintage motorcycles ever consigned to the firm, as more than 70 are expected to sell for a total value of more than £150,000. The highest valued is a very rare 1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird Bonneville, a national record holder in the 650 M-VG class held at the 2008 International Speed Trials at Bonneville, and is thought to make £15,000-£18,000. Another bike of interest is a pre-war two-stroke Scott Super Squirrel, a 600cc model dating back to 1927.

Cheffins chairman, Bill King, commented: “This year’s sale is truly exceptional, never before have we had quite so many noteworthy lots at such high values. A number of the items which will be going under the hammer are the rarest examples of their type worldwide and we expect to see hundreds of collectors and enthusiasts on the day. Key lots to watch are the definitely the steam engines and the Albion lorries. Bearing in mind there are only around 3000 steam engines actually in existence it is amazing to be selling ten on the same day. This really will be a landmark sale for us.”