The Green Book ('77/'78/'79)

[RichardJW1]

Does anyone remember this series of books?

Advertised in the Power Farming mags in that era, I think they were about 40 or 50 UKP a piece and had full page specs of each tractor on the market, then following pages contained brief descriptions of the current implements and manufacturers details

Were they only available during those three years?

[rorsday]

Dear RichardJW1,

I am very familiar with the Green Books and have been collecting them for about 15-20 years. It was launched in 1951 and continued until about 1991/1992, as far as I can gather, at which point the price had risen to £125 (and I don't think there were any pictures in the later volumes, just spec. They are actually harder to find than the earlier editions, probably because of the price and limited circulation.

There was a main Winter edition, published in time for the Smithfield Show, followed by a thinner Summer update. Each had its own Volume number.

I am missing about half a dozen of the winter editions and quite a few summer editions.

An excellent book packed with pictures of tractors and machinery.

Regards

R Day

[graham]

i have some copies here great books so much to see in them ,when you look through them you can see how much equipment there was on the farms great books richard 

[powerrabbit]

I've got one copy, 1977 edition, it was amongst a pile of other farming books that was given to me by a mate who worked in the agricultural mechanical department of a collage that was re-locating to another newer premises and clearing out all their old stuff including all the gear in the building, came home with 4 trailer loads of stuff which included all their work benches.

[rorsday]

Powerrabbit

Your story sounds familiar. A lot of Green Books I have in my collection are ex-College libraries or organisations like the HSE, who would buy the latest edition every year.

I once got about 15 from the HSE at Nottingham who were moving to new premises, couldn't believe my luck as it was a fantastic haul. They were also disposing of a about a filing cabinet load of leaflets dating back to the mid-1960s. It took me ages to process and file them away.

Regards

Rory

[RichardJW1]

Thanks for the feed-back, folks.

I have only managed to collect those 3 from the 70s and they always seem to come out on sale in the summer-time. Agreed, there's a rake of info in them. I have often looked on e-bay to see if they come up but to no avail.

[fordson major]

Thats funny this subject came up here . My uncle had one from around the late 70,s my dad and him used to look in it to find out about prospective tractor purchases. I guess they picked an ursus c385 from it . I was only thinking about that book the other day and what happened to it. I do remember it was the book I looked at the most when I was little though . Next time dad speaks to my uncle I'll have to get him to ask if he still has it.

Oh fond memories of being little It only seems like yesterday ( im 36 now )

[super6]

1966 Edition for sale in July edition of Tractor and Machinery tractor mart, £60

[powerrabbit]

1966 Edition for sale in July edition of Tractor and Machinery tractor mart, £60

I noticed that. Are they really worth this sort of money?

[rorsday]

Powerrabbit,

Yes, they are quite valuable, but seem to go up and down. I sold  a couple of doubles from the 1960s on eBay about 18 months ago for just £30 each. However, they subsequently reappeared at Cheffins vintage sale 6 months later and made between £200-£300 each! At the more recent Cheffins sale, I bought a 1960s edition and a 1970s edition for, I think, about £160 each, for a friend who was terminally ill but loved collecting old agricultural books and magazines (he's since sadly died).

So there's no rhym or reason, but the book in the T&M is reasonably priced at £60.

R Day

[RichardJW1]

I do remember it was the book I looked at the most when I was little though .   

Yes, me too.......a mine of information