General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

5

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

STEEL/ CAST IRON/ WOOD/ LEATHER? BELT

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

630.0 cm

Width

190.0 cm

Height

290.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Agriculture

Category

Crop handling

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

FERGUSON

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Maxville

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

1941-1954

Canada

The Ferguson Thresher Company of Maxville, Ontario produced this all-metal thresher -- the Marvel Grain Thrower -- sometime between 1941 and 1954. All-metal threshers were first produced in the early 1900s and gradually replaced wood-framed threshers. The company's founder, James Ferguson, first began manufacturing agricultural implements and threshers in the 1870s in St. Elmo, ON. He established his factory factory in Maxville in 1881 and built a new factory in 1928, which produced all-metal threshers until production ceased in 1954. The factory had an annual output of 20-24 threshers and were sold in eastern Ontario and western Quebec, with some sales in northern New York. Ferguson also produced specialized threshers for the Department of Agriculture's Cereal Division for use on the experimental farms.

Function

Threshers separate or "thresh" grain from the head. They also separate grain kernels from the straw and chaff, cleaning the grain. Threshers were first developed in Europe in the late 18th century and mechanized the separation of grain, which was previously done by hand with tools such as flails. The first threshing machines were stationary: powered by hand or treadmill, they increased the amount of grain a farmer could separate in a day. Wheeled threshing machines began to replace stationary threshers in the 1860s and further mechanized grain harvesting. Threshers were initially built of wood and powered by horse-powered windlasses; they were later built of steel and powered by steam traction engines and gas tractors. Threshers were in turn replaced through the twentieth century by combine harvesters, which merged harvesting and threshing operations in one machine.

Technical

Wheeled threshing machines were first introduced in the 1860s. Replacing stationary ground threshers, they further mechanized grain harvesting and increased the amount of grain a farmer could process in a day. Initially built of wood and powered by horse power, threshers were later powered by steam traction engines and gas tractors. The Ferguson "Marvel Grain Thrower"” represents the shift in the early 20th century to all-metal construction; it also demonstrates the overlap of technologies as threshers remained in production while combine harvesters were becoming more popular. These types of threshers were gradually replaced through the 20th century by combine harvesters, which merged reaping and threshing operations in one self-propelled machine. See "Ferguson Thresher" by Ryan Holdbolt and Rae Ferguson in Ferguson Heritage, No. 84, February 2020, pages 56-59.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

MFR'S NAME & PATENT INFO IN PAINTED BLACK LETTERING/ YELLOW LETTERING READING '1100 RPM, 24 CYLINDER, 44 BODY'/ GREEN, YELLOW, RED & WHITE MFR'S DECAL & PLATE FOR 'HART-CARTER CO.'/ RAISED LETTERING READING 'THE MARVEL' & GOLD PAINTED LETTERING READING 'GRAIN THROWER' WITH PAINTED GRAIN PLANT.

Missing

From CA of 07/18/1997 by Tony Missio: Undetermined

Finish

GALVANIZED SHEET STEEL (GRAY)/ RED PAINT

Decoration

N/A