Summary

Booklet with detailed engravings, black & white photos and colour lithographed illustrations of farmers using the machinery and implements in the field. Indepth description of the machinery and how it will improve productivity and reduce man power, including references to soil and farming conditions and the value of using a H. V. McKay product.

Front cover is missing. A detailed description of the Sunshine Stripper Harvester is on page 3 with an amazing colour illustrations depicting a farmer on the harvester pulled by 5 horses in a field of gold.

First page states "that Sunshine is 7 ½ miles from Melbourne and can be reached in 20 minutes, by electric train from Flinders Street or Spencer Street stations". It further extends an invitation to farmers visiting Melbourne to inspect the Works, which is the largest manufactory of farm implements in the Southern Hemisphere'. Page one also lists the details of the national and global branches of H. V. McKay Pty. Ltd.

"Expert Service" - Sunshine Harvester Works had trained staff at every branch, offering demonstrations and repairs to equipiment at a reasonable price.

This publication appears to have first been released in September 1927, with descriptions of the catalogue appear in Melbourne metropolitan and regional newspapers during September & October. The earliest description appeared under the heading 'Attractive Implement Catalogue' in The Argus, on Saturday 17th September 1927, which read:
"Printed on fine art paper, with many coloured plates the new general implement catalogue of H. V. McKay Pty. Ltd., is an attractive publication. An interesting picture is that of the farm smithy at Drumartin, where the first Sunshine harvester was made by Mr. H. V. McKay in 1884. The progress made in farm machinery since that time is indicated by the modem methods employed to-day. Sunshine implements at work are shown in many fine rural scenes."

Beginning on the 29th September 1927 another description of the publication appeared in numerous regional Victorian newspapers under the heading 'An Artistic Production', with text reading:
"With characteristic enterprise, H. V. McKay Pty, Ltd., the well-known manufacturers of farm machinery, have issued an artistic catalogue containing descriptions and illustrations of their deservedly popular farm appliances and machinery. Printed in clear readable type and attractively illustrated in color work, the compilation is a most useful hand-book for the man on the land. It is most comprehensive in character, describing, as it does the many productions for the farm, such as auto-headers, bag loaders, chaffcutters, cultivators, harrows, harvesters, ploughs and many other mechanical devices indispensable to the scientific and up-to-date farmer. Copies can be obtained from H. V. McKay Pty. Ltd. Sunshine."

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.

Title

Cover is missing, but Title Page reads: 'H.V.McKAY PTY.LTD. / Sunshine Harvester Works [italics] / SUNSHINE (Near Melbourne), AUSTRALIA / Manufacturers of / Farm Machinery'

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