[TheForge] 700 lb Hay Budden

Sat Dec 20 19:25:01 2003

I recall a story in Anvil's Ring several years ago after Francis Whitaker
returned from a European tour.  Seems he about had a cow when driving
through a village in Switzerland that had anvils as lawn ornaments, all over
the place.  Jeesh.  KD

>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: [email protected]
>  [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Daniel Kretchmar
>  Sent: Saturday, 20 December, 2003 3:48 PM
>  To: [email protected]
>  Subject: Re: [TheForge] 700 lb Hay Budden
>
>
>       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
>  >
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