Summary

Pocket-sized price lists by state of the "SUN" Line of Harvesting, Tilling, Cultivating, Seeding, and other Agricultural Implements, Machines and Farm Accessories. The lists have been combined into a book that is sectioned by different coloured paper for each state, and with the name of the state handwritten in the book-edge. Annoted on cover with the name 'Ferguson', probably indicating that this copy was originally issued to D.B. Ferguson, marketing manager with the compay at this time.

Each price list has a similar format consisting of a cover page listing Australian Showrooms and Depots, an Index at the back and a page for Memoranda. Within the lists each product has a detailed illustration and a list of the options available for the model. Prices quoted are for delivery on either rail or truck to the appropriate city of that state, and include price variants according to the payment terms chosen. A discount was applied for cash paid on delivery.

The lists begin with the "Sunshine" Harvester, followed by the larger machines, and then smaller tools and implements. Notably the price columns for the "Sunshine" Harvester and the "Sun" Grain and Fertilizer Drill are blank, and in this book the prices have been added by hand for each state. There is some hand annotation on other pricing lists. Many of the illustrations have either a marketing slogan or reference to a special feature, e.g. "adjustable and convertible".

The state lists appear to include a similar range of products within 22 categories with the exception of the WA list which has only 12 categories. Prices vary between the states with Queensland and Western Australia being consistently higher.

Part of a collection of photographs, negatives, moving film, artefacts, documents and trade literature belonging to the H. V. McKay Sunshine Collection. The McKay collection is regarded as one of the most significant industrial heritage collections in Australia. The collection relates to the agricultural manufacturing firm, the Sunshine Harvester Works. The Australian operations of this company were originally founded by Hugh V. McKay in the 1890s in Ballarat. Between 1906 and 1907, McKay moved production to Sunshine where the firm became one of the largest industrial businesses in Australia. Change in ownership is a recurring theme in the company's history. In 1930, it merged with Massey-Harris to become H.V McKay Massey Harris. In the mid-1950s, the company was absorbed by Canadian agricultural firm Massey-Ferguson. Production in Sunshine ceased in the mid-1980s, following almost 100 years of manufacturing agricultural equipment.

Physical Description

This publication has a hard cover, but has no formal cover title. The spine has "No 8. 1908' neatly printed in white ink. Inside the front cover has been pasted an "Approximate Weights of Implements" table. It appears that this book may have been custom made and bound.

Title

'1908 PRICE LIST 1908 / of the "SUN" Line of Harvesting, Tilling, Cultivating, Seeding / and other Agricultural Implements, Machines / and Farm Accessories'

More Information