Memorabilia
that measure up
John Deere rulers and tape measures are handy
helpers
What could be more handy than a
tape measure or wooden ruler? Not only ideal for calculating distances, but also useful
for doling out discipline!
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These four pocket-sized
rulers come from a variety of places. The top yellow one is from Deere corporate and
states "Don’t Rule Out Any Good Ideas! John Deere Employee Suggestions."
The wooden ruler was "Made in China" and even includes Chinese writing, but
mistakenly identifies John Deere as "Deer Brand" with a unique version of the
leaping deer. The stainless steel slide rule comes from the John Deere Foundry and lists
"Cast Iron 319-292-5200" and "Ductile 309-765-2409." The bottom one is
a stainless steel slide rule tucked inside a black velvet pouch imprinted with the Quality
Farm Equipment logo and "Harvester Works" in blue ink. Photo © Nick Cedar
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Over the years, John Deere
and its dealers produced numerous versions of rulers and tape measuring devices for its
customers.
From the full-size cubed yardstick to the 6-inch pocket-sized rulers
made of wood, plastic, or stainless steel, there are plenty of ways to prove that Deere
memorabilia measures up. These promotional tools often sported catchy marketing slogans
like "Don’t Rule Out Any Good Ideas!"
Tape measures of all types have been found with the leaping-deer logo,
a dealership imprint or other Deere-related insignia. Most are pocket-sized to fit easily
into a woman’s purse. There are also numerous key chain versions too.
The most popular pocket tape measure is a set of colorful celluloid
cases that were offered through dealership specialty catalogs between 1930 and 1940.
"This long-wearing, 48-inch tape
measure is one of the most useful and most appreciated of the JOHN DEERE gifts.
Well-marked JOHN DEERE trademarks, plus bright yellow and green colors make this an
attractive gift at a cost of 20 cents each, plus postage," states the 1940 leaflet.
The price in 1930 was just 10 cents
each, and the caption read:
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This unusual folding ruler measures up to 24 inches in length when
fully extended. "Oldenburg & Lange" of "Elmore, Minn." promotes
its "Good Farm Machinery" and "Waterloo Boy Tractors" on the front
side of the ruler’s four segments. On the back, the dealer advertises "Quality
and Service," Binding Twine," and "We Meet Competition." This rare
ruler is believed to be from the 1910s.
Photo © Michelle Schueder
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"Long-wear is insured in the
construction of the tape-measure pictured above. The ivory band encasing the tape is held
securely between the celluloid top and bottom without the use of glue. There is no falling
apart due to glue growing brittle with age."
Judging from the condition of many found today, that claim still holds
true. Collectors certainly prize the set as a valued addition to any collection.
On a recent eBay auction, one of these colorful celluloids
brought $175, while the one with the QFE logo only went to $79. That same QFE logo with
Deere bust on its reverse is up to $25 on eBay today. A newer 1950s measure from an Ohio
dealership brought $41, and an even newer Oklahoma dealership tape measure also fetched
about the same price. Obviously, providing an accurate value range for these types of tape
measures is rather difficult.
The celluloid series can run from $50 to $150, depending on which
version and its condition. The aluminum World’s Fair tape measures are much harder to
find and therefore can run between $200 and $400 a piece.
Even if your John Deere ruler or tape measure isn’t extremely
valuable as a piece of memorabilia, it still comes in handy around the house, right?
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More photos!
Dating back to 1902 and 1904, these two aluminum cases may be
the oldest examples of John Deere tape measures. 
The slightly smaller one on
the left states "John Deere Plow Co., St. Louis–Dallas–New Orleans" on
the outer rim. "John Deere Plows. Full Line Farm Tools." is at the top above the
four-legged deer leaping over a log. On either side of the log are the dates 1847 and
1902. "We Solicit Your Mail Orders" is written below. The larger tape measure on
the right is imprinted with "The Deere Vehicles. Made at our factory in St.
Louis" along the outer rim. Above the shield logo states "World’s Fair
1904." Apparently the one on the left is the prototype and the one on the right was
released as an official promotional piece. The reverse of the prototype is the same design
as the tape measure on the right, minus the wording "World’s Fair 1904." Photo © Nick Cedar |
 This collection of tape measures includes a special set of logo-adorned
celluloid cases (two at far right).
The upper right tape measure
features the bust of John Deere, which is on the reverse of this series as shown specialty
catalogs from 1930, 1935, and 1940. Quite similar in design, the upper left tape measure
shows the 1950-1956 QFE logo and the lower left one has 4-legged deer logo on both sides,
making it sometime after 1956 and before 1968. The larger one in the center is a Deere
& Webber Co. trademark from Minneapolis, Minnesota. This special item could date back
to 1918, deeming it of considerable potential value. Photo
© Nick Cedar |
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A cubed yardstick from a
"John Deere Dealer" joins a beautiful three-piece wooden walking stick. The
brass knob on the end is engraved with a two-legged leaping deer logo. According to a
collector, these were given out at the Minnesota State Fair in the early 1970s. Photo © Nick Cedar |
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TextÝ © 2001 Brenda Kruse. |