Hello,
I am new to the forum and just picked up a vise, anvil and 8 tongs that I need to ID and place a fair value on. My buddy wants to trade them to me for my labor to build him a NC flintlock longrifle. I want to be fair but not over "pay" him for the items. Its a 82 lb Kohlswa anvil and I have that valued at around $300 but the post vise I have no clue on a fair value. The jaws open and close fine and are pretty square closing. The front jaw does miss align with the rear jaw by about a 1/4 inch. Looks like may be a worn bushing around the screw. Jaws are 5 inches wide.

I am interested in knowing who/where the vise may have been made. I suspect its cast but a large part of it looks like it may be hand forged. I plan on using the vise so I am not interested in selling it only knowing a fair value so I know how much of my labor should go into the trade for this vise.

Here are some photos:

Well it depends where you live; back where I used to live I would expect that vise to go for 75 to 100 US Dollars, where I live now it would be at least double that. Where you live I haven't a clue, though your english is quite good.

Also the most important part of the vise as far as condition goes is the screw and screwbox. Can you post a picture of that? A badly worn screw should drop the price by 50% or more.

There were a large number of vise manufacturers most of whom did not label their product.

The overall shape of the vise is that of a Columbian, most likely made during the first quarter of the 20th century. The offset could be caused by a bent movable leg or cattywampus pivot-beam.

From looking at the hash marks in the jaws it indicates that the vise has seen easy work...and not much of that! As ThomasP mentioned, pics of the screw and screw box will give better story of it's life. I agree with prices mentioned, FWIW. Tongs can go from 3 to 20 buchs a pop, depending on condition and location.

Columbian vises tend toward the utilitarian than towards the "pretty" as such they may go for a bit less than a faceted leg vise. OTOH 5" is a good size, not so big that it's unwieldy; but a bit larger than the most common 4" vises.

Your vise has all the pieces: mounting bracket and spring which gives it a plus---but most smiths can make a set of those in a Saturday morning so doesn't give a *big* boost.

(I tend to buy plain vises missing the loose parts with *good* screws/screwboxes and go for both ends of the spectrum---small and large; but cheap!, myself.)

I wouldn't have a problem paying $100 for that vise. The mounting bracket is in need of some work, and it's not installed correctly, but it's a very "new" looking vise and would last your lifetime and them some.

Here I have run across several 5 inch vises in the 55 to 60 dollar range. Most run closer to a hundred though. I got lucky on the last couple.