So im pretty open by my status as complete newb as far as everything goes. (But i still love learning) A person relatively local to me is moving and offered me this old PW WW2 era anvil for about $1k. Luckily, I have learned from you all to avoid spending the money i do not have on what I now understand is just an ASO. But i wont lie, the aestetics and character still call to me on it.

What do you guys think?

not a bad looking anvil. i have a pw 102 lber that i really like. is he offering for 1k (one thousand)?
is so way out of line. if for 100.00 you have a deal in the works and dont delay.
seldom

_{$1K as in $1,000.00??? way to much money for that anvil, that's almost $10 a lb.}

It's $7.81 per/lb!! Crazy for the condition. $2.00p/lb would be more like it, and IMO, that's fair. Offer him $200 and see what happens! Heck, you can get a darn good NEW anvil USA made for his original price....and I would tell him so....in a nice way of course. Good luck!

that is not a ASO but it is way over priced.

Aparently they had it appraised at $1,200. (how they got this, not sure) I told her whats up with it and lead to a lower price. So we will have to see what she comes back with.

She must watch Matchless Antiques auctions on Ebay.

Or the appraiser does. Many times when an appraiser is out of their field they can't judge the prices they see out in the real world so an ASO worth scrap rate is considered equivalent to a top of the line anvil from a top of the line maker in mint condition.

Hard to find an appraiser skilled in a wide range of oddball things though---why you have to hire several of them if you own weird stuff. (A gun appraiser probably knows zilch about import pottery or art glass; or Textiles, or...)

That's probably full replacement cost for the insurance company buying a modern replacement, not an "I want an anvil for my hobby" price. They probably tacked on a little to the new anvil price to make up for the age of the original. Insurance companies just don't know the details of anvils.

Did you happen to see that on KSL.com? in lehi?

I also was looking at that anvil and didn't seem to be in too bad of shape, judging primarily by the photos provided. Not quite the $1200 "appraised" value that was stated, the last anvil i purchased in lehi from a farrier was a 125 lb hay budden farriers anvil for 30 dollars. :)

you learn good grasshooper.

Did you happen to see that on KSL.com? in lehi?

I also was looking at that anvil and didn't seem to be in too bad of shape, judging primarily by the photos provided. Not quite the $1200 "appraised" value that was stated, the last anvil i purchased in lehi from a farrier was a 125 lb hay budden farriers anvil for 30 dollars. :)

Yeah, thats exactly where i saw it. As an update, she declined the offer and sold it to some other schmo for $700. So i will just keep my eyes open for another deal.

Related to that deal though, in case you (or anyone else is interested)
Theres a melting furnace and crucible that just went up for $1,800: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=21062790
A decent looking blower: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=21332749
And a small forge (That would be very tempting if i wasent in the process of moving or having my machinist friend help me make for free out of scaps from his work): http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=21490628

Wow that's high for the crucible furnace. (Now the *new* price will knock your socks off; but cars sell new for a lot of money too; but you can find used ones for a tenth the price of new ones---and less!)

When the Columbus Public Schools dropped their shop program they sold off a bunch of crucible furnaces for about a tenth of what that one went for.

Thomas is spot on.

Somebody runs in a different market than I do for used melt gear. 300.00 - 400.00 would be more like it. And that 400 dollar mark is only because it looks somewhat good to go. I've got a set up that's twice the capacity that would go for around 400.00. Casting is a vertical market - if you open a CruciblesRus store, no one is gonna beat down your door . . .

I see a lot of "Don't know the market" prices on the net and what's worse---people *trusting* that the seller has an appropriate price.

Caveat Emptor *always* Caveat Emptor

I had an extra mixing box for a Johnson system that I traded to a fellow as I knew he could never afford a new one but I was happy getting a bunch of old beat up top tools that are being converted to bottom tooling for my 1.5" sq hardies.

Related to that deal though, in case you (or anyone else is interested)
Theres a melting furnace and crucible that just went up for $1,800: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=21062790
A decent looking blower: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=21332749
And a small forge (That would be very tempting if i wasent in the process of moving or having my machinist friend help me make for free out of scaps from his work): http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=21490628

I had seen those and was tempted, but I am looking at a pedal harp for my sweetie. So money for my hobbies will have to wait for awhile.