101 H-B

I have seen this mark once before on an anvil in Germany, but do not know the name of the maker. I attached a picture, it was an Austrian pattern anvil. I believe the mark is a "Z" in the center of a larger "S", in the circle. They are both cast anvils, probably cast steel. I suspect they were not made in Germany, probably Austria or Czech Republic. Good luck!

ausfire: I've sent you a PM on this topic.

According to Postman's AIA, pg. 361, s/n zero up to 4,000 is estimated to be 1898, the 1st year they made them in Columbus, OH.

Looks like an Old English like Mouse Hole type. Agree with arftist, looks like someone welded a face plate on top of it.

Definitely Trenton with the hourglass impression under the base, overall shape, and the handling hole in the front foot. Nice shape for such an early one. Congrats

I've learned that Tim Kris passed away last Monday, May 31. Tim was a successful businessman and longtime supporter of the blacksmithing community. He was also a skilled craftsman himself in both wood and metals. I had the honor of knowing him and visiting him and his museum in Brasstown, NC while it was at it's peak. Our prayers are with Tim and his family at this time.

Hi Lisa, The anvil is fairly worn on the working edges, a significant detraction. You want something with at least reasonably good working edges. This will become more important as you do more work. You can find something in better condition if you hold out a little longer and keep looking. Best of luck in your search.

Both of them are nice finds, congrats on finding them. The smaller one appears cast, very possibly a Samson given the similarity of the pattern to the 20 lb. one in these pictures. They rarely have markings left because they stamped their logo on the cutting table. Tim South Shore smith was the first to find one marked that I know of. You can see just a bit of CLEVELAND and the edge of the diamond in the (5) picture. A couple consistent characteristics you can check for are a relieved working edge as much as 1/3 of the way back from the front, and the pritchel hole aligned behind the hardy hole. The catalog page shows the whole diamond logo of Van Wagoner & Williams Hdwe. "SAMSON" Cleveland, OH, but I have not seen one marked on the side as the illustration. The profile and blocky square feet of the anvil in the catalog illustration is remarkably accurate to the profile of real Samson anvils.

NORRISEZ with what appears an overlaid larger 'N' centered on the name They are a less commonly found forged anvil made in England. More have turned up in Canada than in the USA. Most likely had a good dealer up that way.

Richard Postman, author of Anvils in America suggests the 5th foot is a visage of churchwindows, albeit simpler. Anvil looks to be in nice condition considering the age and number of years it has seen use.

I think this refers to made in America?

Your anvil looks like a Columbian cast steel anvil made in Cleveland Ohio. They are the only ones I have seen that beveled all four edges of the waist. The rough casting such as the noticeable difference between the upper and lower half of the casting is also seen on their anvils from time to time, but it is cast in one piece. Good luck with the restoration.

Here you go Josh.. wouldn't we like a hot Sunday like that, about now .. ? !

Yes, yours is a Trenton made in Germany ca. 1880-1890 for Boker before they were made in Columbus, OH by Columbus Forge and Iron (SFI) starting around 1900. Anvils in America has information on this. The ones made in Germany have the ledge on the feet and are built up anvils made of 6 or more parts like the old English ones, but do not have a handling hole in the front foot like Peter Wright's. I appears Boker intended them to look like Peter Wright anvils to help sales, even advertising P. W. Pattern in the 1883 ad pictured here. He had Patent put on some as well as the "Solid Wrought" in a circle, exactly as Peter Wrights. Markings and form vary quite a bit as if he used a few anvil makers in Germany. Although the word patent doesn't seem to apply; they're often found in good condition; the wrought iron they're made of doesn't sag like PW's. Early on when CFI started making Trentons for Boker in Columbus, probably before they used cast bases, the bases were forged with a ledge on the feet, but with a handling hole in the front foot like all later Trentons. Some were marked U.S.A. as if to distinguish them from the previous German made ones.

All BK anvils I've seen have the lugs, all sizes. There were a few other lesser known AU made cast steel anvils of the same vintage that also followed the BK lug pattern. Some new anvils that have appeared recently made in AU have been without lugs.

Above solid steel you can make out the S of Sweden, and just a bit of the other letters. The pattern/form is also as other cast steel Swedish made anvils, although I've not seen one stamped Empress here in the USA. If the bottom is flat, it's probably from one of the Söderfors, Paragon, SISCO, foundries. Nice one, enjoy it!

lucky, check your private messages. I've sent you a couple leads, one is up your way. Good luck

Odds are it's a Columbian. Cast steel made in Cleveland, OH. Their marks varied, or were missing altogether, but the beveled edges of the waist continuing down part of the legs. as this one has, is consistent with all Columbians I've seen, all sizes. Usually ring pretty loud and high, you've got the age about right, too. You got a real nice one, congrats!

Looks like what's called a colonial anvil, given the stocky body and the small horn. It appears to be around the time the cutting table first appeared on the horn, around 1800 or so. Not bad shape for that age. It's been listed on *bay and *list a long time for a high price. Maybe the seller's ready to come around finally on price and sell it. Good luck!

The name looks to be FOSTER, I can make out FO__ER. I have a very similar one with both the anchor and an 1800's date like this. Foster was one of the few that dated anvils, the C, or another letter is also typical for them. Some think the anchor means it was a British Navy anvil. You've got enough left of it to do plenty. Enjoy!

TP, you wear those together, right? Can't believe there's no rain in the forecast this week.. anything you'd like us to be on the lookout for in the tailgate section for you ;) ?

Farmweld, Thanks for the link to your post with pictures of your Attwood 1 5 18 , never seen that before.

This has been a fun and educational read, thanks guys! I've not seen higher than a 3 in the middle on an English anvil, would like to see a picture of a 5 as the middle weight mark.

It's interesting to speculate whether Söderfors made a forged anvil from multiple pieces before they made the cast ones we usually see. We see a lot of cast steel John Brooks anvils, but they originally made built up forged anvils like Mouse Hole and other Old English anvils. Brooks forged anvils are occasionally seen. I don't know if we should take the USA ad literally about being forged, advertising was a bit looser in those days. "These Facts Will Not Down" is also not clear literally. The ad appears to be emphasizing that it is one piece vs. built up anvils where a part could break off if a weld was weak. In any case, the ad placed by Potts probably isn't a reflection on Söderfors. The company in Sweden may not have had any input to what Potts put in their USA ad.

I was very surprised to see this thread. Every Söderfors anvil I've seen has evidence of being cast: parting line, pattern wider at the vertical parting line particularly noticeable at the front and back foot, homogeneous cast steel/no top steel plate, hot rasp finish, planed working edges. I have seen Dannemora, Falun, and Stockholm on different anvils marked Soderfors. Rockcrusher's 506# doesn't show much of the hot rasp finish, nor wider at the center of the front and back foot, but the uniform sweep of the legs, the square ends of the feet, and overall symmetry including the horn appears cast from a pattern rather than forged to me. Ed, thanks for all those great pictures on PB.