This is the anvil I use each year at a living history event.  It has been in this former owners shop for at least 110 years.  Weight is 170lbs. Hay Budden was one of the best.  Got a Peter Wright at home about the same size.

Wow, in the same shop for 110 years! That's a lot of history there.

An old boy in NW Topeka had some anvils and vises and tongs for sale this weekend.  He said he had guys in his yard with flashlights at 6:15 for a 7:00 sale.
They were all gone by the time I dropped by.  I am not into the big iron, but like to see them.  The tongs and hardie/hardy tools? were left behind.

The important parts left behind?   Then he didn't price his stuff high enough.  A real blacksmith/metal pounder is always after hardy tools, and tongs.  Can't ever have too many tongs.   Speculators is what hit him,  buy it to make a profit, no love for the tool at all.  Bid against a few of them, asked what they were going to do with a 300lb. anvil,  I will resell it for profit!   Didn't slap him, but wanted to.   Flippers,  can't say enough bad about them. 

If you want what the flipper is bidding on, you need to remember that he is planning on paying a wholesale price in order to make a profit.
He may keep you from getting a great bargain, but outbidding him is not a bad thing if you are serious about being a buyer.