A precision multidetector neutron time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer and low-mass paral-lel-plate ionization chambers with a 252Cf deposit on the inner electrode are used to measure the spectral fluence of neutrons from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf in the 2- to 14-MeV energy range. Various methodological problems are carefully investigated. The influence of anisotropic efficiency in detecting the fission fragments is determined experimentally and numerically. Formulas are derived for an iterative analysis of the measured TOF spectra taking into account an inverted time scale and a nonextended dead time in the stop chain. On the basis of calculated neutron detection efficiencies, which were recently confirmed by n-p scattering experiments and proton recoil telescope measurements, it was possible to extract the spectral fluence of fission neutrons in absolute scale. The experimental data show significant deviations from a Maxwellian distribution with an energy parameter E0 = 1.42 MeV, but reasonable agreement can be achieved with cascade evaporation model calculations.