[TheForge] Old Anvils

[Andrew Vida]

dann at wctatel.net wrote:
> 20 or so years ago,  I bought a ferriers' anvil  (guessing that it
> probably weighed about 140 pounds) from an aging blacksmith. He was a
> friend who had mentored me. That anvil had been in the blacksmith shop
> when his grandfather had taken over, in 1925.    Last Fall,  I was
> visiting with the son of my blacksmith mentor.  When I told him that I had
> his grandfather's anvil, he was delighted at the chance to buy it back. 
> He remembered his grandfather working on that anvil, and wanted to share
> those skills with his adult son and teenage grandson. So I did the "right
> thing" and sold it to him for the same $280 (estimated $2 a pound ) that I
> had paid his father, all those years ago.
> 
> Tonight I had a call from a different fellow looking for a good used anvil.
> As I am down to my last good anvil, I don't have an extra to part with.
> 
> Its been 3 years since I've seen a good anvil sell at auction, but the
> last one that I remember was a high school shop close out, and that 120
> pound anvil went nearly $500.  Anyone know what anvils are selling for
> today.   I haven't priced the new ones, & haven't been to one of the UMBA
> meets at Centaur Forge / Burlington, Wisconsin in nearly 8 years.

I've not seen even ratty anvils going for less than $4/# these past few 
years.  Last I looked, several years now, Centaur ranged up to $7/# for 
Peddunghaus and Refflinghaus anvils.  If you are smithing 
professionally, they are well worth that much - it is just another tool, 
and central to one's ability to get work done.  For hobbyists the story 
is a bit different, unless you have plenty of disposable income on 
hand... something I've not had for 10 years now.  Boo hooty hoo.

Anvils are way up, largely thanks to the dickhead collectors who are 
willing to pay stupid money for them... but them's the breaks of 
comparatively free markets.  I would expect $4-$5/#. If you can get them 
for less and they are in good shape, pounce.  One problem I see is that 
some really shitty looking anvils are getting the $$.  No idea who is 
buying them or for what purpose, but a good chance they are collectors 
on their speculative missions.