Coming from a newb, I may have the chance at a big ol' horkin' huge anvil in decent shape.
Like 400+ pounds. I have decent ways of lifting and moving it, but that too big?

No such thing as too big for a shop anvil..Id snatch it up..

If you aint got to move it, no such thing. With anvils, bigger is better for the most part unless you need one that's portable.

I agree. I have a 250 Trenton in my shop. It doesn't get moved around. But I'd go bigger if I had the chance. :)

I have 400 Lb anvil it is a pleasure to work on lots of room on the face for large work. If you can afford it go for it you wont regret the purchase. The only reason I would pass up an anvil that size is because I did not have the space in my forge for an anvil that large.

If you can walk around it in 5 minutes it aint too big. Seriously as long as you have room in the shop get it. My biggest anvil is only 275 and I am looking for something in the 400+ range for the shop. Get it if you can.

Yep, get it... a few months after I sprang for a brand new Nimba 260, I was at a demo where the 450 was offered for $500 by the shop owner who had come to believe it was too soft -- I responded without even thinking that I would buy it ... and I must say that I like the bigger one better, :-) no regrets at all.

-Tod

Yea, stop talking and run on down there to grab it up! If it's in any kind of decent condition it will make for one heck of a good anvil.

The only reason you really need a small anvil is for portability. Otherwise, go as big as you can find!

Larger anvils are sometimes few and far between. If you miss the opportunity for one, it might be a while before another one pops up.

Take it. If you decide it is too big you can swop it for 4 smaller anvils.

My advice B.F. is to buy it if you have the chance. Even though you are just getting started and may not perceive the need for such a large anvil at this point you should buy it anyway.
Anvils of that size do not turn up often and you might not get another chance to buy one that big in the rest of your lifetime.
If down the road sometime you decide you don't need one that big you can always sell it and probably at a tidy profit too.
If you don't buy it trust me, you will always regret the missed opportunity.

I started with a small Mouse Hole 125#, it was in tough shape. { was my dads anvil } The first anvil I bought was a mint 300# Peter Wright. I love that anvil. { that was 20 years ago, I was just out of high school. } Had a chance to buy my friends anvil 2 years ago 350# Hay Budden, it went for $1600.00. didn't get it but did go to a good home and will be used.

I sold my 500# Columbian awhile back to a newbie who wanted it to tinker around with some bladesmithing and he asked me if I thought it was too big. Naturally I gave my opinion with his best interests in mind so he bought the thing and he shipped it from CO to TX. I don't miss walking around it and my little Peddinghaus 165 suits me just fine cause that was my 'go to' anvil 95% of the time anyway. Francis Whitaker used an anvil less than 200lb his entire career and did some amazing work on it.......All I can say is...... if you can get that beast for a good price BUY IT!

I really liked working on my 300# Fisher but I also like my 125# anvil too, so how big is too big? I don't know but I do know that those danged 25# cast iron ASO are too small and way too soft to be worth much to work on for more than a few seconds of your time. So perhaps the question should be how much are you willing to pay for the privileged of have a big anvil? When I bought my Fisher I though it was an awful lot of money but you sound like you're getting the deal of a lifetime so don't let it slip through your fingers or you will always regret it.

most of the best smiths in the world have not used an anvil bigger than a 150 lb. some because they coulden't get anything bigger or could not move anyhing bigger. the average rule of thumb for proper anvil size is 2% of hammer size or hammer size is 2% of anvil size. reason is because when you use to big of a hammer on to small of an anvil that is what dishes the face plate over time. if you are within 2% you will not dish out the face.

You will be able to lay out your tools on it. Also coffee and beer!!!
Seriously, buy it!!!!!

Bigger is better *IFF* you don't have to move it every time you use it or don't expect to be moving your abode on a regular basis. (even then if it's a good deal I would think of getting it and parking it somewhere stable for a couple of years until you get situated)

I got my first large anvil from a fellow who was tired of moving it around the country with him as he traveled. Part of the deal was that I traded him a 125# PW that he could throw in the trunk and take off with rather than the 410# Trenton (the rest of a deal was a screw and screwbox for a postvise and US$100 boot)

A large anvil is a joy to do heavy work on and generally good for smaller stuff too, though you may need a bridge for things like forks---I tend to just have a 90# anvil next to the 515# Fisher so when I need a thin heel for something it's right there...

And of course as mentioned: if the deal is *good* and the anvil is *good* no problem in selling it or trading it for other stuff.

(.....even then if it's a good deal I would think of getting it and parking it somewhere stable for a couple of years until you get situated)

I think that is the idea for me here. Right now at the moment I have very little as far as equipment, and working space.
Obtaining something like this would be more geared to the long term for me.

Now the next question is, for something in that poundage range, what is considered a "good deal"? Obviously depends on brand/condition/etc.
But from what I've been watching for several months, big anvils don't come up that often. I'm finding more 'Anvil Wanted' ads than I am finding anvils for sale.
And the vast majority of those are under 150 or so pounds.

When you get into the 400+ pound range, does the price per pound increase? LIke if you came across a 150# PW anvil in nice shape, and a 400# PW anvil in equally nice shape, would you expect to be paying ballpark the same $ per pound? Or does the rarity and size of the bigger anvil command a much higher price?

If you are in the USA anvils tend to have a selling price peak around 100 +/- 25 pounds---most handy size for many people and then another peak starting above say 300#.

They tend to be cheaper in the USA in the midwest and more expensive toward the coasts. Ohio is a low point while CA is a high point---*generally* they are also rare in areas with low population densities around 1900---like NM for example.

Where you are I don't know but we could ask our friends in England, South Africa, the Netherlands, Australia,...to chip in if you are not in the USA.

Sorry, didn't realize I had not entered my location into the profile.
I'm in SE Wisconsin.

The prices I see for anvils in wisconsin varies alot. I mostly go to auctions, haven't had much luck with craigslist. Since January I've seen two small anvils under 200lb sell for over $500 a piece and a big one that was probably over 400lbs sell for a little over $400.

Anvils are far and few between around here and anything over say 125# is far more rare..In all the time we have been combing the sales,sales papaers and junk yards and flea markets I have only seen two over #125..Both of them came home with us..I wouldent know how to act if i came across a 400# anvil..Id probably stutter for 10 minutes..

My Anvil is 715#'s with the stand. They are secured as one giant piece of mass. The anvil itself is a Nimba gladiator at 450LB's. It never jumps or moves but I never regret the purchase. Sometimes I see 500-600lb anvils and wonder... lol ;-) but I think 400+ is a good solid everday working anvil that will last you a long long time.