The heat is on!
Summer solstice brings soaring temps
We’re just past the longest day of the year and the temperatures
are rising across most of the country.
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As Phoenix folks swelter in 120ƒ heat,
Alaskans break out their shorts for a barely balmy high of 60ƒ.
Out where The Green Girl lives in the sunny Southwest on a high desert
plateau, we have what they call "long thermometer" days. That means we may reach
90ƒ for a high but can dip to 30ƒ for an overnight low. Not many places see such
extremes within a 24-hour period!
Degrees of Deere
When the heat is on, we turn to our trusty thermometer to tell us how
hot is hot! Thankfully, Deere made many thermometers over the years, giving us several
options for checking the temperature.
Maybe Deere decided on thermometers as a promotional item because
farmers rely on the weather to have a successful season. Then again, maybe they knew that
most people look at a thermometer at least once a day…and tend to talk about the
weather when nothing else comes to mind. This makes a thermometer a good daily reminder of
the Deere brand.
There are your standard-issue thermometers
that are long rectangular metal versions, usually yellow with green ink for John Deere.
You can still buy something similar to this today with the latest leaping-deer logo on it.
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The artwork for this large
wall-hanging mirror is a scene of two deer swimming in a stream. A thermometer is in the
upper right corner. At the upper left is a dealer imprint: "Best Wishes to Our DEERE
Customers. Henry Janssen. John Deere Quality Farm Equipment. Pomeroy, Iowa." An
approximate date for this mirror is in the 1930s or 1940s. Photo © 1999 Nick Cedar
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There was also a period of plastic versions
that didn’t fare as well at the hands of Mother Nature’s wrath. And some
thermometers were joined with a rain gauge and/or barometer. Others were large round
clock-like ones that could be seen from farther away.
Reflections of a revered brand
Some of the more interesting thermometers are mirrored designs that
were made in the 1940s-1950s. These may bring around $100 on today’s memorabilia
market.
In most cases, Deere dealers could personalize the imprint with their
name, address, phone number and a catchy slogan. It’s easy to date these if they used
a Deere trademark logo in the design. If not, it may take some super sleuthing to discover
the date.
One such mirrored thermometer lacks a logo but shows a Model A tractor.
Seeing it is a "styled" tractor, we know it was made after 1938. But if we look
closer and see it lacks a cushioned seat, we can narrow it down even more to before 1947.
No matter which is your favorite —Ýthermometers or
mirrors…or both, you’ll find plenty of pieces to add to your John Deere
memorabilia collection.
Next week, we’ll have fun with fireworks in honor of July 4th.
Join The Green Girl to light it up with Deere’s promotional matchbooks, lighters and
ashtrays.
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Seemingly identical in design (as
well as temperature reading), these twin thermometers vary slightly upon closer
inspection. At the bottom, the right one says "Nothing Runs Like a Deere," while
the left one says "Deere, C’est Tout Dire. Fabrique aux Etats-Unis." These
French phrases translate into: "Deere is the Best. Made in the USA." You can
also see the temperature scale goes a little colder on the French version. One story has
it that the French one was not distributed due to the confusing message of saying
"Made in the USA" translated into French. Photo © 1999 Nick Cedar
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This mirror-thermometer highlights
the Model A tractor with 2-bottom plow. It reads "The John Deere line. Economical.
Dependable. Long Lived." To date this mirror, study the tractor. A styled Model A
means it’s after 1938 but the absence of a cushioned seat probably means it was prior
to 1947. The dealer imprint says "Maxton Implement Sales & Service, Your John
Deere Dealer, Maxton, Kansas, Sample 475122 —ÝJohn Deere." Because another
nearly identical version without a thermometer also exists, we can assume that this one
was simply a sample and that Deere chose to purchase the one without the thermometer.
Either way, a "salesman’s sample" item often adds value to a collection
given its rarity and the possibility of never being officially produced by Deere. Photo © 1999 Nick Cedar |
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This creative mirror-thermometer
combination urges a customer to "Keep Me" at the top. Inside the two circles
within the horseshoe are a four-leaf clover with the words "I bring you good
luck" and a 1937 penny with the words "You’ll never be broke." At the
bottom in the dealer imprint area, it reads: "Compliments of Tredway Implements, Your
John Deere Dealer, Harlan, Iowa." It also has a Quality Farm Equipment logo which
means it’s not as old as the 1937 penny would have you believe. It’s probably
from after 1950. Photo © 1999 Nick Cedar |
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Popular promotional tools for
local dealers, thermometers imprinted with specific dealership names and locations were
prevalent. The smaller one on the left is a unique version because it lists
"Caterpillar" in addition to displaying the Quality Farm Equipment logo.
"Johnson Tractor Co." of "Ontario – RIVERSIDE – Coachella"
gave its California customers an easy way to remember the dealership. The larger one on
the right depicts a styled Model A tractor with driver from "Belanger & Howard
Sales & Service." To contact this dealership, simply "Phone 100" or
visit them in "Geneseo, Ill." Photo
© 1999 Nick Cedar |
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© 2001 Brenda Kruse. |