Trying to find out what my 30 lb Colombian anvil is worth.

Can you tell me how much my vehicle is worth, it's a Toyota!    (Like a vehicle we need to know the Make, Model, Condition, and LOCATION, over 100 countries participate on these forums, anvils are much cheaper in some and much more expensive in others!)

Pictures can be a big help on the Model and Condition parts.

Do you have any pictures? Where are you located? 

Good Morning, Bud

The Anvil you have, is better than the one that lives down the street. It is price-less!!

Neil

Pictures of Anvil

2 hours ago, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

Do you have any pictures? Where are you located? 

I sent pictures I am in Ohio

A 30 pound anvil is only good for light work or as a traveling anvil. Really too light for most hammering in the forge. Still don't know where in the world you are located, but in my area it would sell for $2.00 U.S. per pound so $60.00 provided it hasn't been in a fire and lost it's temper according to the ring & rebound test.

I was told it could go for $800 they are very rare. I never see one

Edited September 30, 20214 yr by Mod30
Remove excessive quote.

I've never seen a Columbian anvil in that style. I love my Columbian. I prefer the solid cast tool steel anvils over the wrought iron anvils. I feel like I move more metal with a smaller lighter anvil.

It is a very pretty anvil. Sorry, I can not shed any light on its history, but I really like it. 

Hello Flatliner!

Robert Taylor

Edited September 30, 20214 yr by Anachronist58
Addendum

When I'm searching for a tool to use in the shop, there are two words that will make me walk away. RARE and ANTIQUE. You may find someone one day willing to pay your price but as far as I'm concerned, no anvil is worth $26/lb. If I wanted it I'd offer $100.

I'm not sure who told you it could sell for $800, but I just don't see that.. You can buy a new, heavier anvil from a modern maker for that. If it's sold as a tool, I think the $60-$100 is a fair estimate. Sold as a collectable the price can vary widely, but finding someone who is willing to spend several hundred dollars on a 30# anvil might take long time.

I'd say the previous estimates of $60-$100 are fair, especially since you can buy a new cast steel anvil online in the same pattern with twice the weight for about $150. Even if you happen to find a collector who's really interested, I still don't think you're likely to get much more.

That said, that is a pretty little anvil. I think I remember IFI member njanvilman telling me something about some anvil makers in the US making these more European style anvils for the South American export market, but I don't remember if Columbian was one of them.

There are collectors who specialize in these small, rare anvils from well known makers and they will pay exceptionally high prices. If you want to sell it contact advertising link removed. To someone looking for a shop anvil it has much less value.

Columbian, cast steel made in Cleveland Ohio and is the pattern for the South American Market; not exceptionally rare; just more like you don't see many Ford Anglias from the 1960's in America; but you can find a lot of them in the UK.

Want to know more?  They are discussed in "Anvils in America" by Richard Postman.

I agree with the US$60-100,  not much of a smithy anvil but a light duty travel anvil.  I always hear about how ANVIL COLLECTORS will pay large amounts for an anvil; but in 40 years in the craft have only run across a couple and they mainly pay *less* so they can collect more!  When someone tells me a collector will pay several times the going rate for an anvil I have to ask them why they are not selling it to them?  Something hinky there....

In my haste to help out the original poster I included a link to an offsite buyer. My apologies for going out of bounds on that.

My recent experiences with collectors and small anvils is different that what Thomas has shared. Just last weekend at Quad State in Ohio I saw several anvils in the 20-30# range with prices in the $800 range. I do know some collectors who will spend that much on an item if they want it bad enough. I think this craze of paying extreme amounts for small anvils is fairly recent, but it certainly is not new for collectors in general to be willing to spend huge sums on something rare. Art, coins, guns and other tools like specialty wood planes are all good examples.

I also saw those anvils marked with those prices, but I don't know that I saw any selling at those prices!

That's the point I have made to people who have 'researched' anvil pricing on that online auction site. Them: "That same anvil as mine is worth $xxx here, so that's what I want."  Me: "That anvil is in better condition, and it has been up for bid and reposted for months now...." Them: 'But thats what I want." Me:'Bye."

Steve

Economically speaking; anvils are not a very "efficient" market.  I've met several dealers that depend on new smiths not knowing that they can buy good new anvils at prices below what they are trying to sell old ones in poor condition at.

I've also seen Fred Moore's collection; I think it was at 600 or 700 anvils when I saw it.  I don't think he'd go that high to buy one.

So when a dealer brings a specialty item into a group of folks with knowledge of such items and their availability new; they can go home with a lot of stock still in their possession. 

As for all these "Anvil Collectors" out there; how many people do you know that qualify, say own over 100 anvils?  I think I've met 2 in my 40 years.

I got curious an googled some of the several current/modern anvil manufactures product line ups, it doesn’t look like that’s a popular weight with most of the manufacturers that I looked up, but I did find Tfs makes a 30# for $165,