Case Collector Puts His Tractors To Work

Case Collector Puts His Tractors To Work Larry Jacobson says many of the Case tractors in his large collection have scuff marks, maybe a few dents or blemishes here and there, but he’s fine with that because they’re all runners and workers. He and his son use most of them at some point during the year on their Minnesota farm. Jacobson began collecting Case tractors after visiting the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag, Minn., in 1992, and he hasn’t stopped since. He now owns over 100 tractors, with at least one dating back to 1921. That tractor is gray, the color Case used during production. He bought another gray tractor and discovered from the build card that it had originally been finished green, so he painted it the correct color. The other tractors in his collection are mostly Flambeau Red, white and tan. Jacobson says he’s like most other collectors because once it’s in your blood, it mushrooms and doesn’t stop. Over the years, he’s sold only one tractor, and soon after, his son Erick bought that one back. Jacobson has extensive knowledge of Case tractors, knowing where and when each one in his collection was built. He owns an orchard tractor from Florida, a vineyard version from California, and the 1945 Case DC tractor his dad bought in 1964 for just $150. It carries a cultivator that his dad bought new in 1945. Having spent his entire life on a farm, Jacobson recalls driving open-station tractors as a boy and handling various equipment in all kinds of weather. He and his dad even drove their tractors 14 hrs. to work land his dad owned 140 miles away in North Dakota. He describes it as a long trip, leaving at four in the morning and arriving at six in the evening, with a lunch stop along the way. In the late 1950s, he worked for other farmers who had different tractor brands, but he settled on collecting Case models because “they’re just a good, tough and well-built tractor.” Of all the models he owns, his favorite and possibly the most valuable isn’t even a tractor; it’s a 1925 Case car. He bought it in 2021 after seeing it at the Rollag show. Case built about 24,000 cars from 1910 to 1927, and only around 100 are left in collections. Jacobson drives it in local parades, and along with his son, they trailer it to shows and events. Jacobson’s collection continues to grow because he comes across a few good deals every year. He and Erick share ownership of some models, so the Case tradition will continue. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Larry Jacobson, 27766 75th Ave. N., Hitterdal, Minn. 56552.

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