![]() I've gotten back into working on vacuum tube amps and the prices on tubes has just gotten stupid in the past 10-12 years. Let the buyer at the end of the rainbow look at them this way-that's the one who will pay the big bucks for that lump of animated meat.Ĭertainly the yard art folks and hoarders aren't making the situation any better. The second you stop looking at them as a lump of animated meat and start looking at them as noble living creatures, you're done. They could care less about the intrinsic value of a fine anvil to a blacksmith. And trust me, I understand-it's a brutal business. That's why they'll take a 19th century book with artwork in it and destroy the book to sell each plate framed individually. I also buy into the idea-at least in part-that the antique dealers have a hand in jacking the prices up. And again, if no one was paying those prices, they wouldn't be up there like they are. The next generation could care lees about the old farm, they want to sell off the land and scrap all that old rusty junk in the barn. ![]() Mom & Pop farms where the anvils were disappear more and more. Urban sprawl increases-they don't have anvils there. Yet the supply of old classic anvils is diminishing, and they won't make anymore. Same thing with the renewed interest in these primitive arts. The population increases so there's more people vying for them. What goes hand and hand with this is supply and demand. I believe it's part of a grass-roots, almost instinctual rebellion against the modern world and its layers of digital complexity. I've seen this in other groups of collectibles too. I do believe that part of it is a renewed interest in blacksmithing. Folks go more for the older iron and steel that were also made to be works of industrial or decorative art. I don't buy the yard art thing with regard to astronomical prices. If that's the case, then that is what they are worth today. If prices are consistently that high everywhere, I'd think that they are actually selling for those kinds of dollars. I'm pretty sure that guy isn't helping the prices. If I had to put my money on it I would say its antique dealers setting the prices. I sold an 80lb no name with no edges, half the face was missing, for $225 last September. I have 125lb hay budden and it cost me $300 three years ago. I see them for sale all the time and I just watched an auction here in ohio with about 15 anvils and everyone of them in decent shape went for close to $4/lb or more. I can't put my finger on it but I just don't think its old ladys and kids picking up a new hobby. There is an influx of blacksmiths and bladesmiths thanks to the internet reviving these lost arts and later tv shows that capitalize on the newfound popularity making them even more popular.Īll that said, I still think there is more to it. I'm always told its the little old lady's buying them up for yard ornaments but I don't buy that any more. In many places you can't find them for under $10/lb. What I see people do all the time is drop a ball bearing, catch it and say "yep, almost 100% rebound" because they didn't have to move their hand too much.but have no idea exactly how much their hand moved, or exactly how high they dropped it from, etc.Īnvil prices have been up for years. Out of all of those only the Refflinghaus is clearly over 90%. I've also owned Mousehole and Vulcan brands in the past, as well as forged on, or tested the rebound on other brands like Columbian, Wilkinson, Soderfors and Pedinghaus. Right now I've got fine examples of Peter Wright, Hay-Budden, Trenton, Arm & Hammer, Fisher, Kohlswa and Refflinghaus on hand. Most really good anvils will realistically be in the 70-80% range if someone actually measures the rebound with a ruler and a drop from exactly 10 inches. I've only owned a couple of dozen anvils, but only the very best will give well over 90% rebound, so when people say they're getting nearly 100% rebound, especially from a vintage anvil, it tells me they aren't checking them correctly. I know of collectors who have over 1,000 anvils, so your neighbor isn't too bad.
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