Guide to the Salesman's Fordson Tractor Photograph Album MC309
Liz Phillips
University of California, Davis Library,
University Archives
2021
1st Floor, Shields Library, University of
California
100 North West Quad
Davis, CA
speccoll@ucdavis.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis Library,
University Archives
Title: Salesman's Fordson Tractor Photograph
Album
Creator:
Tractor Sales Co. (Cleveland,
Ohio)
Identifier/Call Number: MC309
Physical Description:
1
volume
Black cloth album with "Tractor Sales Co. 6510
Euclid Ave." stamped on the cover. Twelve captioned original
photographs. Eleven are 7.5 x 9.25 inches and linen-backed; the
first image measures 4 x 8.5 inches and was evidently added
after the rest of the album was assembled.
7 x 11 inches
Date: circa 1918
Abstract: Salesman's
promotional photograph album showcasing Fordson
tractors.
Physical Location: Researchers should
contact Archives and Special Collections to request collections,
as many are stored offsite.
Salesman's promotional photograph album showcasing Fordson
tractors. The images show Fordson tractors in use by different
Cleveland companies and were presumably used by salesmen as a
marketing tool. Manufactured by Henry Ford & Son from
1917-1920 and later by the Ford Motor Company, "the Fordson was
for tractors somewhat like the Ford Model T was for automobiles -
it captured the public's imagination and widely popularized the
machine, with a reliable design, a low price affordable for
workers and farmers, a widespread dealership network, and a
production capacity for large numbers. Just as the Model T helped
the public to appreciate how soon cars and trucks might replace
most horses in transport, the Fordson helped people to appreciate
how soon tractors might replace most horses in farming"
(Wikipedia). And, in fact, two of the captions in this album
specifically note that the Fordson used by Eberhard Manufacturing
is "replacing teams" (of horses). Ironically, Eberhard was a
manufacturer of carriage and wagon hardware. Other images show
Fordsons with various attachments being used for in the leveling
and grading of Cleveland's U.S. Air Mail Field, in sewer
construction, handling ore for a chemical Company, hauling a tank
car, pulling a trailer for a lumber company, and even being used
by the service department of Tractor Sales Company itself -- to
move other tractors, of course.
[Description provided by Walkabout Books]
Collection is open for research.
Liz Phillips created this finding aid with information
supplied by Walkabout Books.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Walkabout Books, 2020.
[Identification of item], Salesman's Fordson Tractor
Photograph Album, MC309, Archives and Special Collections, UC
Davis Library, University of California, Davis.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Fordson tractors -- Pictorial
works
Agricultural machinery industry --
History