Anvil Prices - Have People Gone Crazy?

[Maui]

I just ran across this Craigslist ad for a Hay-Budden anvil that weighs around 250 lbs:

https://rochester.craigslist.org/tls/5864268491.html

I've attached the photos in case the ad suddenly disappears. A price of $1,200 for this anvil is not even close to realistic in my mind. Is there something that I am missing here, or have anvil prices suddenly gone through the roof?

Maui

 

[PsRumors]

Seems around here everyone wants between $2 and $4 a pound

 

[Tim37]

I have seen people asking $400 and $500 for old anvils that are so sway backed that the only use for them is making wok's but they think that they have something because it says Peter wright.

 

[Pontiac787]

I find the same thing around here for utility trailers and compressors. Folks think that worn out equipment is worth more than new.

 

[Packard V8]

Asking isn't getting. if it's something I'd take at my price, I write my name and phone number and my cash offer on a 3x5 card and leave it with them. Enough times, I get a call. Sometimes, it's months or years later and the need has been filled or has passed. Every once in a while, when I decline, they end up begging me to take it at any price.

jack vines

 

[saranac1973]

It's Craigslist. Look at car prices. Everybody thinks are worth top dollar. Darn retail prices.

 

[Badasssapper67]

It's ridiculous what people are asking for an anvil. I have looked into making them the prices are so high. If I knew what people were actually PAYING for them and it was anywhere near the asking price you could come out a head producing some for resale.

 

[1982fxr]

I have a pretty good sized bounty out for a certain medium sized or large anvil:
Any brand even harbor freight, but must be mushroomed like a badly kept brass hammer.
So many people bad mouth cheap anvils you'd think I could find a comically mushroomed one easily.

Why not buy an hf and be using it today?

The cheap ones don't mushroom, they break (obviously so can a good one if abused). I've never seen a mushroomed harbor freight anvil come to think about it. Have you seen the current one, that little blue piece of ****? Any random chunk of steel would be better. Not sure if it's still there but the display model at the chandler store had a big hole in the top right on the face, from the casting. I'll snap a pic if I'm ever there again. Can't believe a manager let that be the display model.

 

[1982fxr]

In my experience around here even really good ones too out at 3.25-3.50 per pound.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I have a pretty good sized bounty out for a certain medium sized or large anvil:
Any brand even harbor freight, but must be mushroomed like a badly kept brass hammer.
So many people bad mouth cheap anvils you'd think I could find a comically mushroomed one easily.

Why not buy an hf and be using it today?

Because HFs anvil is only 55 lbs.
Large anvils aren't very common around here and prices have been steadily rising for several years. Often sellers and buyers aren't really using them, at least not in a way that condition is a huge factor.
IMO $1200 is a bit high but he'll probably get close to that.

 

[BonzoHansen]

Call Acme!

Lol sorry thats all i think about when i hear anvil. I even have an acme anvil t shirt

I return you to your regularly scheduled thread.....

 

[BFHtime]

Call Acme!

Lol sorry thats all i think about when i hear anvil. I even have an acme anvil t shirt

I return you to your regularly scheduled thread.....

:funny:

 

[VocaTexas]

I saw a beat to hell 300 pounder go for $1200 at an auction last month. It even had a chip knocked out of the side of the flat. It was old as dirt, but still...

 

[quick60]

Go to any blacksmith Hammer in or gathering and you can find good deals.

Harbor freight anvils are good. Banged on one for a long time but the horn is horrific. Many hours with a 30 grit disc can clean it up and make it ok though a lot still be desired.

 

[mbshop]

I have looked on and off for over 15 years, maybe longer around my area. Seems anvils are pricier than gold. Now I just beat on a hf anvil. So what if it dents !

 

[jumbojak]

I've seen people ask for $12 per pound. It's crazy what people think an anvil is worth. There's a dealer in used German anvils not too far down the road from me in Petersburg Virginia. I'd consider the prices they list as pretty reasonable considering the mammoth anvils they had listed. Not sure if they're still in business.

You could still buy a new Nimba that would be great for what most people would ask of it for less though. Especially if freight comes into the picture.

 

[slip knot]

what do you wanna bet the HB sells. people pay crazy prices around here. I feel very fortunate that I got one as cheap as I did at $200 but I quickly payed that for a little 100lber.

 

[G-ManBart]

I was at a huge estate auction two days ago, and they had a pretty nice 164lb Trenton and a very nice 200lb Peter Wright that were both sold in a bidding frenzy.

The Trenton went for $425 or $450 which wasn't bad, but it was closer to a farrier's pattern so I didn't bid on it.

The PW had a nice face, some obvious repair work on the table (welds), but still went for $2100 plus 13% buyer's fee....$2373 total which works out to nearly $12/lb. I have no idea what those guys were thinking! For a few bucks more they could have had a 450lb Nimba.

 

[chris142]

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tld/5856464014.html

 

[Westozfixer]

Between $4 and $10 a pound out here these days, for some reason every second hipster wants an anvil as a coffee table.

 

[Engine]

Saw this rusted up, worn out old anvil locally on Craigslist. They say it's an 1842 William Foster Anvil and are asking $500. Weighs 124 lb. Maybe the age makes it worth a lot, but I don't know how good it would be for actually using it. Old vises are like that too, around here.

 

[Ironhorse74]

Here in the Pacific Northwest anvil prices are astronomic.


https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/tls/5848387731.html

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Was one here. 450 pounds wanted to trade for a 2010-2016 diesel truck. Or sell for 20k


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BD1]

Those 200 pound plus are really hard to find by me. BIG $$$$$ too.

I saw a Vulcan 125 pound or so and guy wanted $450.00. Vulcan is not a solid steel anvil, they have a tool steel top on them . Mine is a Vulcan that I got from a school many years ago when they discontinued metal shops and all other practical hands on courses.

Here's one, Massive 540 pound blacksmith anvil Asking $2700 OBO
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tls/5898288730.html

 

[Lassen Forge]

It's people afraid they don't get one, RIGHT NOW, they will all evaporate. 2 groups - 1 are the "preppers" who think we're going back to the 1730's right away, as in the (fill in the name of any country here) are launching missiles as we speak... the others are those with more money than brains, or waiting for someone to send their child through college on their barn find..

Plus, they have what I call the "Harley" syndrome - Put the name Peter Wright or Hay Budden on it, because those are the names antique chasers and yard art condemners and pickers recognize, they command a premium...

It doesn't matter if it's a beat to **** chipped out sway backed broken horned lump used to beat cold railroad track chunks into flat plates, those are magical anvils that will only go up in value while rusting n front of someone's suburban paradise, next to the rusty farm implements and other "yard art", or make them the mighty smithys of days of yore... not realizing they're going to be hard to work with and harder to get something cool and amazing made from them.

Yeah, it's crazy!!!

 

[PsRumors]

I have always been told that when Sherman burned Atlanta he made sure the troops busted the horns off every anvil they found. I don't know if that is true but I've heard so many say such that it must have some affect on pricing around here.

 

[hoinox11]

@Lassen Forge: You forgot about the people that hear about other people paying a good amount of cash for said objects, so they seek out and buy every one they see (before anyone else can get to it of course) and then sell it for more than market value, because their busted piece of **** is definitely worth more right? Damn sociopaths meddling in areas they have no place being involved in... And yet the yard art people you mention continue buying them.... I feel like we're on the same page kind of lol

 

[gte718p]

The anvil craze is relatively new. I remember 20 years ago you couldn't give an anvil away. It was just a big heavy trip hazard. You would find one or two on every farm and good size homestead in the south. Anvil shooting became a big thing, that was kind of fun if not extremely dangerous. When scrap prices where so high in the and early 2000s many good anvils got scrapped. Now they are rarer and the perceived scarcity is helping drive up prices.

 

[Engine]

Those 200 pound plus are really hard to find by me. BIG $$$$$ too.

I saw a Vulcan 125 pound or so and guy wanted $450.00. Vulcan is not a solid steel anvil, they have a tool steel top on them . Mine is a Vulcan that I got from a school many years ago when they discontinued metal shops and all other practical hands on courses.

Here's one, Massive 540 pound blacksmith anvil Asking $2700 OBO
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tls/5898288730.html

Here's a CL seller that has a lot of junk... er, good old anvils and stuff. Might be worth looking at if it is near your area. Probably asking way too much like the others, though.
http://carbondale.craigslist.org/tls/5890409164.html

 

[MikeF2316]

I have always been told that when Sherman burned Atlanta he made sure the troops busted the horns off every anvil they found. I don't know if that is true but I've heard so many say such that it must have some affect on pricing around here.

Too bad there wasn't Craigslist back then. He could have had them shipped north and financed the entire war!

 

[zkling]

Like vises they have become mostly collector items, hoarded and sold by many that have no true use for them. Leaving those that need, unable to find or afford. Thankfully my focus was/is on knives, thus a lack horn and step, hardy and prictle weren't show stoppers. One can make a post anvil that is superior in dynamics to even the largest anvils sweet spot. The people that really suffer are the ornamental guys that absolutely need a horned anvil. Heck, most of the time you can build a mechanical or pneumatic power hammer for less than a non beat to death large anvil....

 

[Lassen Forge]

...Damn sociopaths meddling in areas they have no place being involved in... And yet the yard art people you mention continue buying them.... I feel like we're on the same page kind of lol

Don't get me started about the whole rusty **** otherwise known as "yuppie yard art"... tractors, Hit and miss motors, old car bodies, etc. that are probably restorable, but will instead die a neglected death as some piece of deteriorating history... Saw a late 20's Fordson in one guys yard rusting away... I went up and asked him if he'd be interested in selling it, he gave me a price that was outlandish if it were fully restored, and then said he'd rather not sell it, as it was definitely going up in value...

Looked closer - the sheet metal had cancer rust everywhere, the motor was locked up tight... even the rear wheels had rust through... parts missing... I thanked him and left. It's STILL in front of his house returning to the earth from whence it came...

 

[racinfarmer]

Here's a CL seller that has a lot of junk... er, good old anvils and stuff. Might be worth looking at if it is near your area. Probably asking way too much like the others, though.
http://carbondale.craigslist.org/tls/5890409164.html

And his sections of rail are only $3 per inch! What a deal!

Like vises they have become mostly collector items, hoarded and sold by many that have no true use for them. Leaving those that need, unable to find or afford. Thankfully my focus was/is on knives, thus a lack horn and step, hardy and prictle weren't show stoppers. One can make a post anvil that is superior in dynamics to even the largest anvils sweet spot. The people that really suffer are the ornamental guys that absolutely need a horned anvil. Heck, most of the time you can build a mechanical or pneumatic power hammer for less than a non beat to death large anvil....

I don't always think it is the afford part, but I think most of us flat out refuse to pay $250 for that 4" non-swivel base Wilton bullet missing both jaws, especially knowing the seller probably got it for a song and a dance, or less.

My game plan it to just wait them out and buy it at their estate auction.

 

[Maui]

Here's another anvil for sale nearby:

https://utica.craigslist.org/atq/d/ca-mouse-hole-anvil/6342725045.html

I've attached the photos in case they disappear. The ad reads,

"Very rare anvil stamped 114 which is 144#. This one of the bigger ones you will ever find stamped c&a most that I have seen are very small under 100# this anvil is in excellent shape for it's age a very slight sway great rebound no cracks or weld repairs this is a true survivor and belongs in a collection may consider trade for other rare blacksmith items but cash is king "

It's a 144 lb Mousehole anvil in relatively ok condition. He wants $2,500 for it. Crazy.

 

[G-ManBart]

Some chucklehead bought a damaged and repaired early Trenton at auction this past Sunday and immediately put it on eBay saying it was in excellent condition with no issues or faults.

Both edges had extensive chipping that was welded up and then hit with a grinder...ugh. I even sent the guy a note and mentioned how I had seen that anvil in person at the auction and it had extensive welding done to it. He said, that's why I put a closeup of the face, so people could see the welding. I told him that was evidence of major damage, and a repair, so why was it listed as being in excellent condition with no damage? His answer..."I don't know much about anvils and thought they all had the tops welded in place."

Yeah, and the closeup picture showed the least offensive section that was welded...not an accident.

Further, it was made in England, not in Germany like he says, so he's wrong about that as well. I guess some folks don't mind screwing other people for money.

I took some pictures of it the day of the auction to send to a friend.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/137-lbs-TR...%3A4fd9797415f0aa4938afee3cfffe38b2%7Ciid%3A2


If you look at my last picture you can still see the scallops from the weld bead in spots. Funny, the guy was told it had damage, told it was made in a different country and he hasn't updated the listing....typical ePray scumbag.

 

[notlob]

That Trenton anvil is already at $5/lb including shipping - with 4 days left in the auction.

I wonder how much my unrepaired 188 lb Hay Budden would sell for?

 

[Jazz1]

I sold my anvil, money was right! My original anvil (piece of RR track) suffices. Anvil is worth whatever crazy high price you can get for it. Location! Location!

 

[G-ManBart]

That Trenton anvil is already at $5/lb including shipping - with 4 days left in the auction.

I wonder how much my unrepaired 188 lb Hay Budden would sell for?

That Trenton isn't worth nearly that, but I don't believe the bidders know it's been repaired. Typically a repaired anvil that size would top out well under $5/lb...more like $3-3.5 from what I've seen. That is an early one, so that helps the price, but still, it's been damaged and repaired, so it's a tossup.

eBay prices are inflated compared to local/CL type prices, but they still give you a ballpark idea.

I have a solid 166lb Hay-Budden for sale and I'm not planning to take less than $750 for it. I doubt it will sell quickly, but when someone serious looks at it, they'll probably buy it....dead flat, perfect edges and just needs a touch of cleanup. Yours could easily get close to $1K depending upon condition and exact vintage. The later two-piece models seem to command a premium and the handful of solid steel H-B draw crazy money.

 

[Bretny]

I was looking for a anvil for almost 2 years now. Seeing the prices really turned me off. The cheapest i could find one was $500 here in NY. So when i saw someone selling a haybudden 106lb for $100 i made damn sure i was first in line and there asap. Kind of hard to bang on a oak stump

 

[M_George]

I have a neighbor that's collects anvils, he has over 150 of them. Is this a collection or an obsession? I'm just glad I got mine before the craziness kicked in.
Anyway, before you spend any money on an anvil, test the rebound. I have a steel ball I bought from Harry Epstein. A good anvil will give you almost 100% rebound.
https://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/31-32-chrome-steel-balls.html