Hello ODK members,

This is an important vintage lawnmower for many reasons.

If a vintage lawnmower collector was to ask me what was the technically most significant Australian-made
mower to come from the 1950s then I would have to put the Collect-O-Matic high on the list.

The Collect-O-Matic appears to have had two manufacturers in its life.

The first was G.M.F. Electric Motors of Bonar Street, Arncliffe, Sydney.
GMF was a significant manufacturer of Fractional Horsepower Motors for industry, and made some
domestic consumer goods, like its famous bench grinders.

Here is a photograph of the then modern Arncliffe factory:-
[Linked Image]

GMF were the 1957 Patent Applicants, and their Cut-N-Catch Collect-O-Matic was an 18" cut rear-catcher lawnmower.
The base was aluminium of the high arch design and catching was via a fabric bag mounted on a steel tray.
The engine was a forward-facing 125cc Hurricane engine fitted with a short snorkel air cleaner.
Height control was manual to all four wheels.

Here is an advertisement from early 1957.
Note GMF'S other lawnmower, the electric Multi-Mower, discussed separately in these history forums.

[Linked Image]

TO BE CONTINUED ...