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I Forge Iron

The History of my First Anvil


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I've done some work researching the history of my anvil and thought I'd share it with everyone here. This might bore some of you, but I'm a historian so when I get things I like to know about their past so this was a natural progression for me upon acquiring my first anvil.

I acquired my first anvil a few days ago. 129 lbs. I've been searching for quite a while now and had located an anvil with my former high school calculus teacher, of all people, as I remember him telling me when I was still in school he was a farrier before becoming a teacher. He told me he had three anvils and I was intending to give him a call to discuss potentially purchasing one from him. After being home from college for my Christmas Break, my Dad said we had to go pick something up--but wouldn't tell me what. Turns out after I had been telling he and my mom about the teacher having an anvil they got in touch with him and purchased one for me as a Christmas present! What a fantastic present!! He doesn't know much about it, other than he's had it for quite a while and is glad it is going to someone who can use it. A few hammers and tongs were thrown in with it, as well. He's still got a few more anvils, so maybe down the road I'll be able to purchase another from him.

Anyways, the only markings I could find were BH & M CO stamped into the front along with a string of numbers punched into the side of the base. I did some research on these markings and came up with BH&M CO standing for Belknap Hardware and Manufacturing Company of Louisville, KY.--not far from my home. After some research on Belknap, I found they only began to use the name B H&M Co. from around 1912 onward, so I had a starting date for my anvil. It couldn't be older than 1912. To compliment the anvil, I also got a copy of Anvils in America which was the key to unlocking the rest of my anvil's history. Turns out to be made by the Columbus Anvil and Forging Co., the makers of the Arm and Hammer anvil. It's a cast base with a wrought body and steel plate welded to it, so was made before CA&F stopped using wrought iron. Further research in AIA showed CA&F stopped marking anvils for other companies after the mid-20's, so my anvil was now dated to between 1912 and ~1925. Considering CA&F manufactured around 80% of their anvils before 1920, I believe it is safe to say this anvil was manufactured between 1912 and 1920. Postman notes CA&F anvils lacked mouseholes by serial number 21910 (1913/14); mine lacks mouseholes as well which bumps the birth date up a few years. The first number of my serial has so far been impossible to make out, so I cannot be entirely sure the serial number. The markings on mine are 129 [the weight] ? 9? 8? 51. Once I figure out what the first number is, I will be able to relate it to the dated CA&F anvils in Postman's book and by using the manufacturing statistics given for the company will be able to match it up, hopefully, to within a year or two of its manufacture. This is what I've got on it so far.

I will be sure to update as my research continues!

And the obligatory picture of said anvil (excuse the quality, it's from my phone)...

post-15960-0-10929700-1293600006_thumb.j

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I do the same with my machine shop equipment. I have the original 1946 sales brochures, and correspondences for my Monarch lathe. My 24" Grob bandsaw left the factory in 1957. Kinda cool to know from whence it came.

What are the sizes of the remaining anvils, and are they farrier patterns, or London?

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That is great that you have been able to follow back on some of the history of your anvil. I hope that you can nail it down to a real close date. I had someone check the numbers on my Trenton and found the date it was "born". That was awhile back. But I have a copy of AIA coming in the first week of January. So I'm going to look it up again. Good luck and thanks for posting. :D

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I do the same with my machine shop equipment. I have the original 1946 sales brochures, and correspondences for my Monarch lathe. My 24" Grob bandsaw left the factory in 1957. Kinda cool to know from whence it came.

What are the sizes of the remaining anvils, and are they farrier patterns, or London?


I'm not sure, he was hesitant to even sell one but was able to be convinced. It'll probably be a while before he's ready to sell anything else, but once I get my forge built when it warms up we're going to do some forge work together.
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Congratulations onyour Christmas present!

Great job researching and I look forward to hearing more from you on it. I also recieved an anvil for Christmas but mine was fron an unknown benefactor. It just showed up on a previously empty stump next to my forge. Looks like we both had a good Christmas! I don't know anything about mine yet. I haven't found any markings. Plan on looking this afternoon. I think its an orphan from the planet zorg but its the prettiest thing because it's mine :D .

Happy forging!
Mark<><

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