JT Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 hello, I ran across this Arm & Hammer Anvil said to be 400 Lbs. I can't make out much in the photo.. its 38 3/4" long with a 25 3/8" X 6" face. It stands 15 1/2" tall and has a base that's 15" X 13" with the photos I have I was wondering what a fair market value would be for it ?? thanks for any responses .. JT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 First get a true weight on it Then test the face for softening in a fire---(this is like seeing if a used car's engine will run and so why I suggest it for all anvil buys, the ball bearing test is a good one!) Hard to see in your pictures the state of the face: if the face is smooth, (not flat, smooth, though both is better), in your location I would expect US$2-$3 a pound would be a working anvil price (hence a "true weight") above that I would consider it as an anvil collector price and expect it to sit out rusting for a long while. What does the bottom look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 According to your measurements, the anvil is at least 400 lb, maybe a bit more. The condition of the face is key. It is hard to tell it the edges are good or worn in the photo provided. But know that A&H anvils are considered to be among the best made, and command top $$, if the condition is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 My 433lb Arm and Hammer is 37in long 16in tall and 5 3/4 in wide. The one you are looking at may be a little heavier but A&H sort of weighed them after the fact and they weren't always to made a strict size. Matchless antiques is sort of setting the market price in your area and they are getting a premium for A&H anvils in good condition so $4/lb would be reasonable for a really big one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 well they are supposed to send me more photos today, here is another poor photo they sent yesterday. they said it was there fathers who is I think they said is 86 and he bought it when he was 20 from a rock quarry.. they said someone told them by looking at the photos and measurements it was 400 lbs.. and they tried to weight it on a scale that only went to 350 lbs. and it immediately maxed it out.. looks closer to 5 3/4" face.. not sure what the bottom looks like waiting on more photos.. they may be a bit high on their price.. they are talking $4.50 a Lb. @ 400 lbs. they may come down a bit , I don't know though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 If Its in nice condition that is a fair price. You don't run across anvils that big everyday and big A&H anvils are super rare. They are are beyond good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 9 minutes ago, Fatfudd said: If Its in nice condition that is a fair price. You don't run across anvils that big everyday and big A&H anvils are super rare. They are are beyond good. thank you all for responding !! I will post more photos when I get them and ask the seller more questions.. as of now, its mine if I want it, I just need to find out a bit more to decide .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 well I must say they aren't very good at supplying the photos I asked for.. although I am dealing with a lady.. I asked for photos of the face, but she didn't know what the face was and asked if they could either lay a yard stick or a level across the length of the anvil to see if it has any sway, but got the photo with the tape measure ... she did admit to not knowing the first thing about anvils.. and she is sorry but anvils just aren't their thing !! but she has come down to $4.00 a lb. based on 400lbs. the last photo is to show the comparison in size to anvils in the 100+ size range.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Beautiful anvil. I never understand this $ x lb concept. That is like buying a car by the meter. Yes, my 4wd is 5 meters long and would go for $6000 a meter An anvil has a price based on location, manufacturer, material, condition and yes, sure, size/ weight. Offer $1000 and see how you go. If you are not ashamed at your offer that means you are offering too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 she's not going to accept that !! someone she respects told her what the prices are going for around her area and advised her not to take any less then $1800 and she already reluctantly came down to $1600.. I don't feel she will come down any further .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Oh well ... I tried. Negotiation skills include not being afraid, but it's your money. Being a rare anvil and a rare size, if you can pay $1500 or 1600, you will not regret it. If you can pay $1400 even better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 It Looks to be in excellent condition, That is a fair price and if I were closer it would be mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 $1600 for a nice 400+ pound A&H won't be around all that long I'm guessing.... Looks like a "1" character in the middle of the side. So guessing 410 to 419 pounds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlinn77 Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 That's a fair price, If it still has good rebound and you have the cash I would get it, you don't trip over big arm and hammers everyday and they make a good Anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjaman Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 I messaged that person. Found it on craigslist. She never replied! And I messaged her the day she posted it. Probably saw my area code and figured I wouldn't drive a couple states to get it and didn't reply. People do that all the time. For 1600 bucks bring take that bad boy home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Marc1 the "unit price" makes it easy to compare the "value" of anvils in fairly similar sizes and conditions. As anvils were originally sold by the pound---you can see it in the old advertisements, I don't understand why you have an issue with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Anvils were sold by the pound, but as the weight changed so did the rate per pound. Sometimes the small anvils were at a higher price per pound than large ones.... The major brands didn't make many small ones, and they didn't make many large ones. The vast majority of anvils made were between 75# and 250#. Once you get outside of that range in today's market, the price escalates quickly as you reach both ends of the weight spectrum. To think a 20# Trenton is going to sell for $40 to $60 ($2-$3 per pound, right?!?) is lunacy unless you stumble into one by mistake. Just as a 600# Hay Budden in decent shape isn't going to be anywhere near $1200-$1800 unless you might find a sweetheart deal of incredible rarity. Today's market cannot be looked the same as the "new anvil" market of 1910. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 So Black Frog you disagree that "the "unit price" makes it easy to compare the "value" of anvils in fairly similar sizes and conditions." Example: which is a better value : a 150 pound London Pattern HB in good condition for $600 or a 175 pound London pattern HB in good condition for $650? I can't see any method of comparing the two that doesn't end up referring to the difference in weight. I agree that it doesn't hold true when you get to anvils of differing styles or greatly differing weights; but I will also say that I wouldn't suggest someone starting out spend more on an anvil than I have on any of the working powerhammers I have owned. I would suggest they buy a smaller anvil and get a powerhammer! As for the outrageous prices for abnormally small anvils. I consider that a "collectors" thing and leave that to them as I'm not interested in that market at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Whether you might be interested or not, has absolutely no bearing on today's market price for anvils. Compare anvils of similar size and condition to themselves, and others like them in your area. Not to a generic ratio of money vs weight for anywhere in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Guess you've missed out on all the times I have said "in your location..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 It's not $ 4 a pound. It's somewhere between free and $ 1 per pound. The only hitch is that you'll have paper money banked in a piece of iron as long as you decide to keep it. Because anvils of good quality rarely get damaged to the point of diminishing the resale price, it's hard to lose money on one as long as you aren't going overboard to begin with. I'm a strong believe in the National Bank of Fe when buying any equipment. Far better to put it in that bank than to blow it on crap like a Taco Bell whim which has zero return except to your plumbing system. Statistically, the average American does fast food to the tune of $ 1200/year (just looked it up)...what a waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 The anvil market has become much less "localized" over the years too with the presence of ebay in particular. We can even see it here with folks willing to travel or ship anvils a considerable distance if the price is right. I used to live in an anvil rich area---central Ohio---(we had 2 anvil manufacturers in the city I lived in: Arm and Hammer and Trenton and another still in the same state Colombian) I noticed as people started pricing the local anvils to match ebay prices some of which were based on prices in anvil poor areas---like NM where I moved to. (Luckily having anviled up before hand) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Yes, Thomas, it does not make any sense. If something is sold by the weight unit, that means you can get an amount in units. Can I have 100 lb of that anvil? Surely not. So what is the point of the price per unit when the price is not determined by its weight alone? There are several other factors much more important than it's weight. The Refflinghaus price list does not list the anvils with their weight and states, $16 per kilo, you work it out. It lists each anvil with it's price and yes there is a relation but it's not raw material sold by the kilo or the meter. My opinion. For second hand anvils and even less for antique anvils that are unique, that idea of price per kilo or pound makes even less sense. However in fairness I can imagine an anvil salesman 100 years ago, running around with a little sample anvil saying I sell XXX anvils at $0.2 per pound whilst Jo from YYY sells them for $0.3, so buy from me ... JT ... GO AND BUY THAT ANVIL AT WHATEVER PRICE YOU CAN !!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 38 minutes ago, Marc1 said: If something is sold by the weight unit, that means you can get an amount in units. Can I have 100 lb of that anvil? Surely not. So what is the point of the price per unit when the price is not determined by its weight alone? Well, it's not that it's purchasable in units, but that it gives a simplified basis for comparison. Similarly, you might buy beef by the pound, but cattle are still sold by the cwt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Yes ... no ... wrong example. Cattle or beef are commodities that are available in any amount required. There is nothing unique about them. Let's say you find a relique from the civil war, a sabre and you say ... Eureka! I found this sabre and will sell it for $10 per ounce. Would that make sense? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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