Polk to Host National IH Auction
Published: Friday, September 20, 2019
Collectors of International Harvester tractors, equipment and memorabilia will be coming from around the country to Polk Auction Co. in New Paris next week.
The National IH Collector's Auction, to be held Sept. 27 and 28, is one of three national events held annually for IH collectors.
This year's event is being hosted by Northern Indiana Chapter 33 of the IH Collector's group. Rob Meyers, a member of the Chapter 33 committee, said one of the highlights of this year's event is an auction benefiting Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.
Members of Chapter 33 toured Riley Hospital in May and learned about the work being done there to help children. They discovered that the hospital uses little red wagons to transport young patients throughout the hospital. Meyers said that experience gave them the idea to offer a similar wagon, with a Farmall decal, in the auction.
Meyers said the wagon is furnished with a reversible pad donated by a Chapter 33 member. He said it's sure to attract considerable interest at the auction.
For months, members have been collecting cash donations, along with items to be sold in a special "Filling the Wagon for Riley" benefit. In addition to the red wagon, other items in the auction include two queen-sized handmade quilts, two IH-themed clocks and a custom hand-forged Damascus steel dagger. The dagger was made from the bearings of a 1939 Farmall H tractor.
The auction for Riley Children's Hospital will be held at noon on each day. All of the money raised will be donated to Riley Children's Hospital.
The public is invited to help "fill the wagon" in preparation for the big event. Consignments are still being accepted but only until 5 p.m. on Sept. 26. For more information, contact Jeff Polk at jeff@polkauction.com or Brian Kitch at bkitch@batescorp.com.
The National IH Collector's Auction will begin at 8:30 a.m. each day. Friday will feature toys, signs, literature, memorabilia and collectibles. On Saturday, auctioneers will be selling tractors, implements and parts.
Meyers said there are over 200 members in the Chapter 33 IH Collector's organization. Two years ago, they submitted a bid to host this event. Once they learned that their bid was successful, they began making plans. Now that the national auction is close, he said everyone in the club is excited and looking forward to the event.
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