How do you get that many anvils...just collecting over the years?? I recently went to a blacksmith auction and paid 375 for a 200lb fisher that was in great shape just needed clean up. I finally got it cleaned the other day. Once i bought that i was hooked.. I would love to have a huge collection of anvils and power hammers one day. My main goal is to own a few anvils that date back a few hundred years.

How do you get that many anvils...just collecting over the years?? I recently went to a blacksmith auction and paid 375 for a 200lb fisher that was in great shape just needed clean up. I finally got it cleaned the other day. Once i bought that i was hooked.. I would love to have a huge collection of anvils and power hammers one day. My main goal is to own a few anvils that date back a few hundred years.

 

I will assume that the question was meant for me.  My collection was put together over 20 years.  I had a few anvils before Postman's book came out in 1998.  After that, anvils suddenly had a provenance.  He taught me about the manufacturers and history.  After I fell into the Fisher archives, my quest became one to  put together the most comprehensive FISHER collection out there.

 

This has not been a cheap endevour.  I have records for most of my puchases, but I have never added up the cost.  And never will.  Just keep looking everywhere, buy what you can afford, and have extras for "trading" stock.  One never knows what others will want and be willing to trade with you.

I dont remember saying muesums didn't have stock piles of things not on exhibit. I said I don't see the love for the tools there. I don't see how you can say you're passionate about something and then treat it that way. I wouldn't even think of calling that one in New Mexico a "museum".

granted, hyper, and I agree on some parts with your opinion, but if anyone were to see my gear at the moment, under your "no passion" heading, they might think that I am not passionate about my tools.

my swedges, vices, top and bottom tools, and anvils are piled in the only corner of storage I have, they are made of iron, and were lovingly placed there, and they will not be damaged by being in a pile. this fellow has at least got everything there in dry storage, which is more than a lot of people can say!

I stopped by an old mans house yesterday, to see if he would part with his 8" vice, outside in the rain, and the response was "it means too much too me to part with it, it was my grandfathers"

I would rather see a pile of dry vices,in a private collection, than one rusty wet one in a garden for all to see. (the average rainfall on this vice is 4.5metres a year)

Either way no ones using them! At least the old man only has 1 tool that people will more than likely never strike a hammer on, and at least it means something to him. I say better that than an entire warehouse full. I do see your point. Either way no ones using them lol. At the end of it, all anyone has is their will. Be it the old man, or the warehouse man.