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Originally Posted by forgeman  Hey Guys , Anvils are no different than old cars , guns , coins , stamps or any of the thousands of things people collect . |
Not so much - Old cars, guns, coins etc have their value and appeal in BEING collectables. There aren't too many folks buying a 57' Chevy as the family daily driver or using a rare coin to buy a soda. The functionality of the things you mentioned have been replaced by a vast selection of modern versions at a level the average consumer can afford - the items collected don't have a negative availability impact on any given community.
No one questioned the "right" of anyone to buy whatever they want - just the motivation behind it. How many PW's or Hay-Budden's of the same size does one person need in their collection? Blacksmithing is about sharing knowledge and the resources to keep our craft growing - when a smith (or collector) hoards multiple pieces of the same tool, it hurts the community.
Indeed, you can purchase a new anvil - but they're prohibitively expensive. Most people get into smithing on a shoestring - having more of the older equipment available provides a broader price range to more people trying to grow into the craft. No one is suggesting anyone make their tools available at prices below what they paid (or not make a profit) as some philanthropic gesture - just simply make them available.
So much quality equipment ended up in the furnaces during WWII and much has been lost to neglect and misuse that older "heritage" quality smithing tools have become a finite resource - having a significant number of what's left end up being stacked in the corner for "bragging rights" is a nothing short of a shame.