Father and son enjoy restoring antique farm machinery and other collectibles
By KAREN KENNEDY Everybody needs a hobby or a passion, and father and son Guy and Tom Keys seem to have found theirs. For a number of years now, Guy Keys has had a passion for acquiring all sorts of antiques. In particular, he collects farm tractors, child-sized pedal tractors, train whistles, and train bells. Other collectibles include a boxing bell, old gas pumps, ships’ compasses, ship telegraph, outboard motors, oil cans, oil pumps, Case knives, wagon jacks, air pumps, hog oilers, old bicycles, blacksmith anvils, and much, much more. One has to see the collection to appreciate it, and a mere listing of the items just doesn’t do it justice. Keys even has a huge windmill erected on son Tom’s land, a replica Ford Model A Roadster, engines dating back to 1915, and a cannon. The cannon works just fine, but not to worry; Keys shoots tennis balls out if it instead of real cannon balls. So extensive is Keys’ collection that he houses all of it in three different buildings, with a fourth building to be erected soon. Keys typically purchases his finds at various swap meets, where items can be bought, sold, and traded. “There’s a swap meet or show going on somewhere just about every weekend in the summertime,” said Keys. Once Guy Keys brings home his latest acquisitions, that’s where son Tom comes in, since he’s the one who does most of the restoration of everything his father finds. “It’s his money and my time,” laughed Tom. Of particular interest to Guy and Tom are old McCormick Farmall tractors. They already have a number of them, ranging from 1938 to 1952. They’ve got the Farmall letter series – Cub, B, Super C, Super 8, and Super M – and now plan to work on acquiring and restoring the number series. What does one do with all of these tractors and other antique machinery and collectibles? Why show them, of course. The Keys – which includes Guy’s wife Margaret – are charter members of Lincoln Trail’s Antique Powers of the Past. In addition to participating in Antique Powers of the Past’s annual show held every summer at Otter Creek Park, the Keys take their antique farm machinery and other items to a number of area shows held in Booneville, Lanesville, Portland, and Evansville in Indiana, as well as in Hodgenville and Rooster Run in Kentucky. One wonders how Guy could possibly begin to expand upon his already extensive and impressive collection, but if you know him you can tell he has such fun with it all that there’s always room for “just one more.”
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Photo by Karen Kennedy