B.F. Avery unique in collection

Tom Page, 88, favors 'oddballs'

Sunday, February 4, 2007

By JOANIE STIERS

The Register-Mail

GALESBURG - Tom Page's tractor is the oddball this weekend, and that's his preference.

"I like the oddballs," said the 88-year-old tractor collector, his eyes on his three-wheeled, deep red 1946 B.F. Avery tractor.

The tractor was the only B.F. Avery among the 51 antique tractors on exhibit Saturday at Sandburg Mall, where the Maple City Antique Tractor Association is having its annual Mall Tractor Show. The show continues today.

Most of the tractors are John Deere, International Harvester or Ford. A few were Allis-Chalmers, which is the brand of the first tractor Page's family owned.

But eight years ago, Tom's eye was on the B.F. Avery, a tractor once sold in the Montgomery Ward catalog. It was used to pull wagons and run a small plow or disc. Minneapolis-Moline eventually bought the Avery company, he said.

He exhibits the tractor a half dozen times a year with his son Al Page of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Al owns four antique Ford tractors. His dad owns five of various brands.

The father and son's favorite activity is spending time together around antique tractors.