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whats a fair offer for 150lb anvil with broken heel ?


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trying to make a fair offer on what appears to be an english wrought iron anvil aprox. 150lb with broken heel through the hardy hole, the only visible marks are dudle. which i take to be dudley england as the shape of the anvil appears to be from makers in the area. This may be my first anvil and was thinking offering $1 a pound since the heel is broken, would $150 be a fair offer?

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I would say that it's good practice to see what the seller wants for it. Then, as you look it over, in person, do a rebound test, inspect for cracks, all the while keeping in the back of your mind what you want to pay, and what youd be willing to pay.... It sounds crappy, but there are certain things that automatically detract from it's value, especially broken backs, horns, heels... Yes, it might add character, but those are all crucial areas to the overall forging operation...  

 

Present the offer (price you want to pay... "would you take $$$ amount?"... Complement the product "it's beautiful, but" then explain your reasoning for that number...

 

I've found that when I buy bikes, everybody's got a one of a kind custom yadda yadda, and there's not a single one like it... Sorry charlie, I realize that you're proud of the money YOU spent, but I don't pay other people to decorate my house, and I'm definitely not inheriting the bill for your 5 thousand dolar paint job and chrome bits... Anvils are different, but the same in many ways... I'm not going to pay antique prices for something that has substantial signs of wear,  if it were flawless and never seen a heat, then maybe...

 

From there, if the seller is not comfortable with that price, ease into that realm of what you're willing to pay... Don't surpass it. Make it a promise to yourself that you don't cross that point of too much... The all encompassing tactic here is for you both to walk away from the deal feeling good about it... Don't be afraid to walk away...

 

I usually put what I'm "want to pay" in my right front pocket, and the suplemental "willing to pay" divided in half; one half in your front pocket the other half in your wallet... nothing else on hand.... if you start meandering towards the "willing to pay", excuse yourself and take a second to recount your money... There is a strange psychological satisfaction that a seller gets out of this... It presents a feeling of closure because tangible cash is there...  It's a subliminal signal, when you reach into your second pocket that he's on the winning end of the barter gamel... come back and mention that this is all you got, hinting at how he plays hardball... Usually this wraps it up... now you're at the halfway point of wanting and willing... which aint bad... 

 

If he wants more;

 

tell him you have to go scour the glove box or make a few calls... If you're unsure about it? tell him you'll be back in 15... take a drive... think about it, ask yourself if you're satisfied... come back and make your final offer, or simply wish him the best, shake his/her hand and leave... This is crucial, sometimes they'll stop you and say they'll take what you got (left and right front pocket...) 

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I wouldn't even think about paying a dollar a pound.  Even if the edges and horn were in pristine, as-new condition, the anvil isn't complete.  And we know the edges won't be perfect.

 

The weight of the anvil gives you a good starting point, but you need to subtract from that the fact that you're going to "need" an leg vise to use your hardy tooling (sob story for the seller).  If this is the best anvil you've seen in your area, and you don't already own another anvil, offer him something on the order of fifty cents a pound with the explanation as to why.  Be willing to go up to a buck, maybe, if everything else is very very good, but make sure that's a buck a pound for the actual weight and not the stamped weight.

 

Anvils vary in price depending on location and condition.  Can't say what it's like in your area, but the condition doesn't sound worthy of much over scrap prices.

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