the going rate for anvils?

T

Travis Fry

Well-Known Member
I'm about to acquire a 120# Fisher in good condition, and will thus be selling my 104# Peter Wright, also in good condition (don't have room for both). I know what I see on the local Craigslist price wise, but I'd like some feeback about what kind of pricing is fair to myself and the potential buyer.
 
I have a hard time thinking about paying more than $1 per pound for them. I might pay $2 a pound for a REALLY nice old anvil with a top and corners in good shape. But that's about my limit. If it was a really large (like over 200 lbs) anvil, in great shape, I might pay a little more for that but not much more. At that price range, someone else can have them.

Certain people around my area, especially the amish, think that they're made of solid gold regardless of condition and want $8-$10 per pound for them. I've been to quite a few farm/estate auctions here and watched the amish drive prices of 100-150 lb. anvils up over $400 and $500 for worn out sway backed old anvils. Pretty ridiculous what people think they're worth. :)
 
There's your solution, Travis. Buy anvils in Texas at $1.50 a pound, then ship them to the Amish people :)
 
In the upper Midwest, any in decent shape goes for $2.75 to $3.50lb
 
BossDog said:
In the upper Midwest, any in decent shape goes for $2.75 to $3.50lb
Click to expand...

Wow.................that seems high. But then again, times they are a changin' and time flies. Maybe it's been longer ago than I thought that I went to those farm auctions. Or maybe it wasn't and the prices were actually right in the ballpark.

I still don't wish to pay $3 a pound personally..........but it sounds like there are many who will. Thanks for the info.
 
Tracy....same prices here too. And a lot of good old anvils up in this farm area.

My chunk of railroad tie will have to do for a while.
 
Couple of years ago I found paying just a couple of more dollars a pound than the average going price I found them selling for at farm auctions in NC I could buy a new 100 to 125 pounder. This past winter while there I couldn't find a used one for less than $3 a pound any size. I'm thinking about a 250 or larger one myself.
 
The prices are steady around here at 2 to 3 dollars a pound. I purchased a 300 pound Fisher that sat in the R X R roundhouse in Charleston West Virginia for a hundred years. It shows its age but the working area is dead flat and coming with this history I feel it was a deal. But then, I'm a history buff.
 
I found a nice Swedish anvil 140lbs going to auction this weekend. I had a friend going so I was going to get him to keep an eye on it. The auctioneer told him he expected it to go for $500-$700. I would have gone to $200 but $500 is crazy.

Anvils are weird sometimes you can find a good deal on one or they go for huge prices.
 
I really miss "the good ol days"....when a top notch anvil went for around $1.00 per pound. The biggest issue in today's world is that most of us (knifemakers/blacksmiths) view them as "tools", where as the general public views them as "antiques" or "collectables"......hence the high prices.
My first "real" anvil was purchased from a "junk" shop in Missouri, way back in 1989.....85lb Kolishwa, for $75. That's the best deal I've every gotten on any anvil. I still try to go to every auction or sale in our area that advertises "anvil"....but more times then not I walk away empty handed and disgusted. The last auction I attended that had an anvil, was a really beat up #200 Peter-Wright that sold for $600! Being the bold person I am, I went up to the winner and asked why they paid so much for a "wrecked" anvil.....the answer I got was "I'm taking it to a museun in California....they are paying $10 per pound for ANY anvil." :what!:
 
Last edited:
If it's on craigslist or ebay, it seems like they're going for about $2 to $4 per lb. in the Chicago land area. Most of the anvil's I've seen are dished out, dinged up and in overall poor condition, however.

If it's got a clean, flat face with sharp corners, you're looking at big money.
 
Travis,
I live reasonably close in Port Arthur, Tx and would be interested in the 104# Peter Wright. Can I get some photos?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top