Amazing Anvil Collector Buys, Sells, & Trades

2020 - Volume #44, Issue #3, Page #22

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With 1,400 miniature anvils and 800 full-size ones, Fred Moore claims to have the world’s largest collection of anvils. He started his collection some 60 years ago.
    “My dad did blacksmithing for our own farm needs,” recalls Moore. “When I was a kid, I wanted to be a welder and tried to buy a broken anvil from an uncle. He gave it to me as long as I promised to never sell it. Later I got my dad’s, too.”
    Eventually Moore added miniature anvils as well as pictures of anvils and other anvil-related materials.
    Moore followed his boyhood dream and did professional welding for many years before moving to a cattle ranch. He never did take up blacksmithing, but he does many of his own repairs.
    “I have about one of every anvil made, covering about 100 different brands,” says Moore. “I have anvils out of Austria, Germany, France and England, as well as Switzerland and Sweden. Some are 200 years old or more. One was used in the 16th century to make armor.”
    Moore’s largest anvil weighs 1,060 lbs. His smallest weighs about an ounce and is only 1 in. long. “Lots of miniatures were given as paperweights with names and addresses on them,” he says. “Salesman samples made by manufacturers like Peter Wright, Hay Budden or Columbian are worth a lot more. England made the most anvils, and Peter Wright anvils were shipped all over the world.”
    He also has a 900, an 824, and several 456-lb. anvils. He explains that most anvils are between 75 and 150 lbs., with 100 lbs. being most common.
    “The biggest anvils came out of shipyards, railroad yards or factories,” says Moore.
    When evaluating an anvil, Moore advises listening to the ring of a hammer on the anvil and watching how the hammer rebounds.
    “A wrought iron anvil rebounds high,” he says. “I look for the name on it and its condition. Everything is about condition. I may have 50 Hay Budden anvils. Hay Buddens and Arm & Hammers are the Cadillacs of anvils.”
    The collection also includes power hammers and mandrels for ring shapes, swage or forming blocks, hardy tools and other blacksmithing tools.
    “If people are interested in buying, selling or trading an anvil, let me know,” says Moore. “I’m always looking.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Fred Moore, HC 75 Box 8, Mountainair, New Mexico 87036 (ph 505 847-2962 or 505 563-0122; pilotjayson@hotmail.com).

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Amazing Anvil Collector Buys Sells & Trades FARM SHOP Miscellaneous With 1 400 miniature anvils and 800 full-size ones Fred Moore claims to have the world’s largest collection of anvils He started his collection some 60 years ago “My dad did blacksmithing for our own farm needs ” recalls Moore “When I was a kid I wanted to be a welder and tried to buy a broken anvil from an uncle He gave it to me as long as I promised to never sell it Later I got my dad’s too ” Eventually Moore added miniature anvils as well as pictures of anvils and other anvil-related materials Moore followed his boyhood dream and did professional welding for many years before moving to a cattle ranch He never did take up blacksmithing but he does many of his own repairs “I have about one of every anvil made covering about 100 different brands ” says Moore “I have anvils out of Austria Germany France and England as well as Switzerland and Sweden Some are 200 years old or more One was used in the 16th century to make armor ” Moore’s largest anvil weighs 1 060 lbs His smallest weighs about an ounce and is only 1 in long “Lots of miniatures were given as paperweights with names and addresses on them ” he says “Salesman samples made by manufacturers like Peter Wright Hay Budden or Columbian are worth a lot more England made the most anvils and Peter Wright anvils were shipped all over the world ” He also has a 900 an 824 and several 456-lb anvils He explains that most anvils are between 75 and 150 lbs with 100 lbs being most common “The biggest anvils came out of shipyards railroad yards or factories ” says Moore When evaluating an anvil Moore advises listening to the ring of a hammer on the anvil and watching how the hammer rebounds “A wrought iron anvil rebounds high ” he says “I look for the name on it and its condition Everything is about condition I may have 50 Hay Budden anvils Hay Buddens and Arm & Hammers are the Cadillacs of anvils ” The collection also includes power hammers and mandrels for ring shapes swage or forming blocks hardy tools and other blacksmithing tools “If people are interested in buying selling or trading an anvil let me know ” says Moore “I’m always looking ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Fred Moore HC 75 Box 8 Mountainair New Mexico 87036 ph 505 847-2962 or 505 563-0122; pilotjayson@hotmail com

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