ukemike

Yes there is definitely a plate on top. And it is absolutely a keeper. It has some contour on the top but the rebound is great and it's a joy to work steel on it.

I made this rubbing of apparent numbers on the base under the horn. It looks like 6050, but seems like some of it must be missing. Based on the threads I've been reading (lots because it's really interesting) the inspectors mark on the waist under the horn, the apparent serial number on the foot, and the general shape suggests a Hay Budden. But the flat bottom, I think, suggests otherwise.

I bought this ~200lb anvil maybe 15 years ago and forged on it for a while until life changes took away my outdoor space for doing this sort of thing. It lived with my ex-father in law since then, and I recently bought a house. My son brought it here when he visited his grandparents this week. I've always wondered who made it. It has a hardy and pritchel hole, it has a handling hole in the front and back of the waist. The bottom is completely flat with a hole in the center of the bottom. There is a 5 stamped into the waist under the horn. I cannot find any other markings.