[TheForge] 700 lb Hay Budden

Sat Dec 20 15:44:00 2003

     Unfortunately I know someone just like that.  There's an old guy in
Isanti County, MN who runs (Charlie) Nielson Antiques.  Does the same thing.
He wants to open a tool museum.  The State Historical society offered to
help if he would put the display downtown at their building, but he insisted
that it had to be in his pole barn.  I offered to help him put a display up
and even suggested that local Guild members would likely offer to help also
if he would let  us come and hold a meeting or demo at his place.  He said
forget it, cause he didn't trust them not to steal his tools.
    We used to be friends until I went to the auction at Hubler's place when
his widow sold his tools.  Charlie wanted to go with and I said, "Sorry,
your not invited.  Hubler wanted his tools used, not stuck in someone's barn
to rust. "  When he asked where it would be held, I flatly told him that I
wouldn't say cause with his money he could outbid us.  I didn't see him much
after that.  He felt that I had betrayed him.  He has over 100 anvils,
vises, woodworking tools, even a colonial three person floor plane.
  It's a damn shame but, those tools will sit there and rust and rot until
he dies and then his kids will sell them at auction.  When that happens, I
am going to post a letter to every blacksmith in Minnesota.  I kinda feel
sorry for the old guy, but he is taking all those tools out of circulation
to put into a collection that the public will never see because he doesn't
trust anyone to help him.

Dan
www.irontreeworks.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Lane" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2003 11:15 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] 700 lb Hay Budden


>
> >         There's a guy in Monmouth county that has something like 1000
> >         or more anvils.  He buys every anvil he lays eyes on (he's
loaded).
> >         Bruce Freeman might know something about this guy.  Our mutual
> >         friend Bill Ker knows him.  Bill told me he buys them, places
them
> >         into a warehouse, and basically forgets about them.  Sad.
>
>          Yeah, and he'll probably live a very long time... so his estate
> auction will be too late for any of us :(
>
> Aodhfin
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  [email protected]
> password:  anvil
> ___________
>
>
>