The Green Girl weekly web column by Brenda Kruse

May 21, 2001

Formerly on FieldReporter.com

Have a seat
Cast-iron implement seats are weighty collectibles

Collectors consider cast-iron seats one of the premier parts and pieces of antiques and memorabilia available.

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Deere, or...?

seat 1847jdseat.jpg (15127 bytes)

This is a piece of mystery memorabilia, otherwise known as a fantasy item. Although it may look old and the "1847" might make you think it’s that old, this seat is nowhere near that age! Instead, it’s a newer reproduction designed purely for decoration. As you can see, it does make a colorful addition to a collection! These often pop up for auction on eBay selling for about $50 each. Just so you know, the 1847 refers to the year Deere moved his business to Moline. He founded his blacksmith shop in Grand Detour, Illinois in 1837. Photo ©Ý1999 Nick Cedar

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Although rather large, awkward and quite heavy, these uncomfortable seats have (thankfully) disappeared from today’s farm equipment.

A common misperception is that cast-iron seats were used on old tractors. Actually, these crude seats are older than that. They were mostly found on horsedrawn implements made between 1850 and 1900.

Sulky (riding) plows, planters, and hay binders or mowers added these cast-iron seats so farmers wouldn’t have to walk behind the implement any more. It saved them many miles of walking and many pairs of worn-out shoes!

These early seats had cut-out designs to provide a little "air-conditioning" as well as keep dirt and water out. Some manufacturers were rather creative with their designs, using decorative patterns and artwork instead of simple holes. Most included the company name, city and/or patent date in the design.

Most of the cast-iron designs weigh at least 10 pounds each. Many of the more popular seats are being reproduced today for bar stools, garden chairs and the like.

Stamped-steel seats eventually replaced cast-iron designs. Many early tractors had stamped-steel variations until the Model A’s rounded-rump seat was replaced with a cushioned armchair-type seat in 1947.

Today’s tractor seats are plush marvels of comfort complete with lumbar support, adjustable armrests, air-ride suspension and even electric heaters to keep rear-ends toasty warm on a bone-chilling winter day!

Next week, The Green Girl pays tribute to our veterans with a look back at war-time memorabilia in honor of Memorial Day.

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seat dmroundseat.jpg (11180 bytes)

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This ornate round seat came from a Deere & Mansur corn planter. It is believed that the "dropper" or "check-rower" person sat on this 11.5-inch-diamter seat when planting was a two-man operation back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Photo ©Ý1999 Nick Cedar
seat deereseat.jpg (9650 bytes)

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This cast-iron "Deere & Co., Moline, Ill." Seat could be found on riding plows like the Gilpin Sulky from the 1880s to the early 1900s. When horse-drawn implements moved from walk-behind designs to riding or sulky machines, cast-iron seats served as a leg-saving perch for farmers. Photo ©Ý1999 Nick Cedar
seat dainseat.jpg (15265 bytes)

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This well-rounded seat with plenty of cut-out "air coolers" most likely came from haying equipment made in the late 1800s by Dain Manufacturing of Carrollton, Missouri. In 1900, Dain moved his plant to Ottumwa, Iowa, where it became a John Deere property in 1911. Photo ©Ý1999 Nick Cedar
seat syracuseseat.jpg (12719 bytes)

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Some collectors might overlook this seat, thinking the "S.C.P. Co." meant nothing to John Deere. Before Deere bought the factory in 1911, the Syracuse Chilled Plow Company of Syracuse, New York, made plows as early as 1879. This crudely ornate seat probably fit a sulky plow. Photo ©Ý1999 Nick Cedar
seat newjdseat.jpg (7566 bytes)

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One look at recent piece of tractor literature and you can quickly see how the crude cast-iron seats of early implements have given way to near LaZBoy recliner type cushiony comforts. Called the ComfortCommand seat, this well-cushioned, fully adjustable design can be found in cabs on new John Deere tractors. Seatbelts are standard today but were not even considered on cast-iron versions! Photo ©Ý1999 Nick Cedar

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seat ciseatlogo.gif (2462 bytes)

For more information on cast-iron seats, join the Cast Iron Seat Collectors Club.

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Text Ý © 2001 Brenda Kruse. Photos by Brenda Kruse unless otherwise noted.
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