junker Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 since i am visiting with my aunt and uncle in georgia i was going around to different garage sales with them. when we got to a certain sale i noticed an old (but in the best condition i have ever seen) post vice bolted to a stump. when i asked about it the lady said her husband has had it in the familyfor years and it has infact been bolted to that same stump for over 100yrs. i then asked if her husband had any more blacksmithing stuff. she said yes and showed me out to their barn. when i walked inside i almost cried , it was beautiful, there was smithing equipment stacked taller than me on all four walls and in amazing condition. i counted atleast 5 anvils and thought i may have seen another. about that time her husband walked out and i asked him about the stuff. he told me that his family had been doing blacksmithing since the civil war and just never threw anything away. he said that his father was actually the first in his family to not be a smith. i asked him if i could buy a few pieces off of him but sadly he declined. i was told that a group of collecters had offered him over a million for the lot of it and he had declined them seeing as he just could not part with any of it. on the good side atleast it hasn't gone to a collector yet but on the sad side i hate to see the day when he dies and his kids just sell it all off instead of keeping it in the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Roy Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I'm glad you didn't post a picture of the collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Over a Million? Either the guy is full of crap or that is the most significant pile of blacksmithing gear in the entire country... A Million dollars? So a 100 items each worth $10,000? Or a Thousand items each worth a $1000? I have bought out several blacksmith shops.... I think around $5000 has been the most I ever spent... You should have got a pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junker Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 i really wish i had a pic... this guy should be in a newspaper or something... he might be full of bull (but as i recall it was his wife who told me the million dollars thing) ... but this is teh largest collection of blacksmithing stuff i have ever seen (not saying much). he had tongs, hammers, forges, anvils, and a ton of things i didn't even recognize... and it's all just sitting there :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fciron Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 on the good side atleast it hasn't gone to a collector yet ... I guess it all depends what you mean by collector... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Roy Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I've heard tales of such abandoned piles of blacksmithing tools and anvils, but I doubted after all these years there could still be any "treasure" finds out there in old barns. But evidently... it's twwuuu, it's twwuuu !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGropp Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 The first million bucks and you can have my pile, 10 post vices, 3 power hammers ,5 anvils etc. etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Yeah... mine too.... 7 power hammers at the moment.... a dozen anvils... at least as many vises.... And a CNC pattern torch.. a 210 ton Williams White forging press.. Three pipe and tube benders a Bridgport mill and tool room lathe... 6 belt grinders, 4 saws a 5 ton crane, 6000lb forklift Almost 7000 sq feet full of tooling and equipment, not to mention a 1/3 acre yard Hell to be honest about 300 grand is all it would take... Less than a third of what that guy wants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Ya where is the guy with all the money? I would like to sell some stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 The million dollars may have been his way of telling you it is not for sale at any price. As it is now it is with a collector, since he doesn't use them. I would have left my information with the family, and said, if in the future you decide to sell anything please contact me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Yeah... mine too.... 7 power hammers at the moment.... a dozen anvils... at least as many vises.... And a CNC pattern torch.. a 210 ton Williams White forging press.. Three pipe and tube benders a Bridgport mill and tool room lathe... 6 belt grinders, 4 saws a 5 ton crane, 6000lb forklift Almost 7000 sq feet full of tooling and equipment, not to mention a 1/3 acre yard Hell to be honest about 300 grand is all it would take... Less than a third of what that guy wants! That's tempting Larry but that's just too darn many anvils. Oh yeah, there're still folk out there looking for the holy grail too. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 Only 4 of them are over 400 lbs though Frosty. Although there is a 370 and a 300 so only 6 "real" anvils Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junker Posted November 10, 2010 Author Share Posted November 10, 2010 wells if one of you guys are out near collins georgia you should try to find him. it was a BIG metal roofed house with a barn and a big tree (oak?) out front with a red post vice bolted to a post infront of the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Today only !!! 75% off sale. You, yes you, can own my ginormous pile of genuine blacksmith related items for the low low price of not $1,000,000.00 not $500,000 but just $250,000.00 yes you heard right. If you call in the next 8 minutes and ask for the midnight special we will give you as a bonus a 3500lb Toyota forklift. Just think of the new and interesting conversations you and your beloved wife will have after you and several of your friends bring home this pile. There are some really great finds still out there if you are willing to go looking for them. The sad thing about this one is eventually the people who know everything about this collection of stuff will pass on and the latest generation cares very little about anything that doesn't have buttons, play music or communicate with their friends will get rid of it for scrap or even less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 A sad thought.... I think there will always be some of "us".... but I do fear its gets fewer each generation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fciron Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 A sad thought.... I think there will always be some of "us".... but I do fear its gets fewer each generation You and I are young. Ask some the guys on here how many blacksmiths were around in the 60's and 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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