The going rate for anvils?

T

Travis Fry

Joined
Jun 11, 2010
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I'm about to acquire a 120# Fisher in good condition, and will 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.
 
"Going rate" will vary widely from one locale to another, as well as by how proud the
present owner is of what he has........but $3/lb would be close to right.......

If you're going to get a bigger anvil, I'd suggest a greater increase than 16 lbs.
 
Russ Andrews said:
"Going rate" will vary widely from one locale to another, as well as by how proud the
present owner is of what he has........but $3/lb would be close to right.......

If you're going to get a bigger anvil, I'd suggest a greater increase than 16 lbs.
Click to expand...


Both fair points. I'm actually acquiring a large lot of smithing stuff from a local blacksmith/bladesmith who is hanging up the hammer, and the Fisher is part of the lot. It's a great deal all around, and part of the reason I can justify the expenditure is that I can sell a few things I either don't need or will have duplicates of and end up netting back about half my cash outlay.

Local craigslist average is somewhere around $3.50-$4 a pound, but I thought some more input wouldn't hurt.
 
I got ,y anvil for less than $1.50 a pound but $2-$4 per pound seems to be the going rate for a used anvil. and the new ones I looked at are about $10 a pound.
 
bronyblacksmith said:
I got ,y anvil for less than $1.50 a pound but $2-$4 per pound seems to be the going rate for a used anvil. and the new ones I looked at are about $10 a pound.
Click to expand...

I got the aforementioned Peter Wright at $.72 a pound just 5 years ago. I didn't try to haggle with the guy. ;)
 
I'd suggest keeping the Peter Wright....no matter where you have to stash it, for now.

One day, you're likely to have space and a use for it......and they won't be getting

any less expensive to replace.
 
I usually buy an anvil or two a year for about $1 per pound and then sell it for $2-2.50 per pound.
 
Its been well documented that that the "new" anvils are
not up to snuff compared to old iron most days.
I would take a 100 year old beater over a new shiny
junk anvil that is factory fresh from India ANYDAY.
 
Russ Andrews said:
I'd suggest keeping the Peter Wright....no matter where you have to stash it, for now.

One day, you're likely to have space and a use for it......and they won't be getting

any less expensive to replace.
Click to expand...


That"s good advice. But, I tend to keep EVERYTHING, even if I have to sleep on it!:o:D

For what you paid, you can always blow the dust off and make a little cash later if ya have to, but once it's gone, it's gone.

As for value now, I'd say a 'good condition' PW is easily worth $2-$3/lb. I would have given that when I was looking for one,
 
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If you are comparing the anvil shaped objects from Harbor Freight and so forth, you are spot on. However there are current production anvils that are being made ($5 to $6 bucks per pound IIRC) that are outstanding. Given advances in metallurgy and production technique, are better than something made 100 years ago.


dave9969 said:
Its been well documented that that the "new" anvils are
not up to snuff compared to old iron most days.
I would take a 100 year old beater over a new shiny
junk anvil that is factory fresh from India ANYDAY.
Click to expand...
 
JMJones said:
If you are comparing the anvil shaped objects from Harbor Freight and so forth, you are spot on. However there are current production anvils that are being made ($5 to $6 bucks per pound IIRC) that are outstanding. Given advances in metallurgy and production technique, are better than something made 100 years ago.
Click to expand...

There is a long list of behaviors that are normally off the table that might suddenly be considered if it would get me a new Nimba.
 
If you can get a good anvil for a decent price........... GET IT. They are not getting cheaper.

About nine years ago, I bought a "NEW" 260 pound euro-style anvil. It worked out to just over $3.46 per pound (including delivery charges).

Today, that same anvil (from the same company) gets $6.25 per pound (not including delivery charges).

A good anvil could be considered an "investment". Notice I said "A Good Anvil".

Robert
 
I just took a quick look around and in this area PNW, in good+ shape, the asking prices for Peter Wright and Hay Budden have been $3-5/lb. The asking price on a 500# Trenton was $1500. The very good, new forged steel anvils will bring $10+/lb. The very good, new ductile iron and new cast steel anvils (made in the USA) fetch $4-7/lb.
 
Just bought an old anvil in decent shape 200# for $225 from an old wood worker who had it in his shop. I figure I did
good on the deal.
 
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