RUSSELL
More than 45 antique tractors lined a field outside of Russell Thursday waiting to be auctioned off. After a lifetime of buying and selling antique tractors, owner Gene Staniszewski decided it was time to sell his collection.
Staniszewski has been in the antique tractor and auto business his entire life. He started out buying and selling antique automobiles, but switched to tractors in 1974.
"I've been doing this since 1974," Staniszewski said. "I have people I've done business with all over the world. If they find something they think I'm interested in they'll contact me."
At his auction Thursday, more than 45 tractors from his personal collection were up for sale. Staniszewski said he has enjoyed buying rare tractors at auctions and restoring them during the years.
"The most tractors I've ever bought in one day was 300," Staniszewski said.
On his farm outside of Russell he has had upwards of 600 tractors at one time. With the help of a mechanic and a painter from Tyler, Staniszewski fixed them up and sold them off, keeping a few of the tractors for his own personal collection.
"He's collected just about more tractors than people in town," auctioneer Dean Gulbranson said.
His personal collection included a full set of series 20 John Deere tractors.
"He's got a complete set; all but one. He doesn't have a 8020," Gulbranson said. "His goal was to put together a whole set. The 8020s they only made 50 of them. There are maybe 10 left in the country."
All of his John Deere tractors, including his favorite 4020 diesel high-crop, was up for auction Thursday. The tractor features a high front axle and a dropped rear axle. They were primarily used in the south, Staniszewski said.
"The high-crop is his pride and joy," Gulbranson said. "They were never used for farming in the Midwest. They were used in the south, in Louisiana for tobacco farming, that sort of thing."
Also included in Staniszewski's collection were tractors from Europe. Two of the tractors were built in England and a John Deere Lanz tractor was built in Germany.
"There are a handful that ever got to this country," he said.
There was a good turnout for the auction, and many of the tractors were expected to sell for a decent price, Gulbranson said.
"It's because of Gene's following," he said. "The people who knew Gene, and they knew how he took care of them, they trust him."
"Some will go real high. On a 4020 if we have a farm sale the range is from $7,500 to $10,000," Gulbranson said. "Watch what it sells for today."
The final bid for the 4020 was $23,000, higher than their estimates, Gulbranson said.
"He had a great crowd," Gulbranson said. "Like any auction, some stuff does better than you expected and some stuff is a little light, but it evens out."
Staniszewski watched from his golf cart as his tractors were auctioned off.
"It's been a good ride, it's been fun," he said. "Hopefully I'll be able to get a few more some day."
