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HELP with OLD Family Heirloom Anvil


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I inherited an anvil that belonged to my great gradfather and have tried hard to identify it, but need help. It is difinately a Mousehole anvil, but the date escapes me because it is in poor condition. In shape it is much like the photos I see from the 1820-1835 era anvils. But the logo seems to either be missing key parts one would expect to see, or else it is too worn.

First- "Mous Hole" is clear and deep. I can't see any sign of an "e" in the "mouse" portion. Were there any made without the "e" or was it just worn away?

Second- I can find no other markings on that side except, CENTERED directly below the word "hole" is the top of a larger letter (about twice the size as the letters in "Mous Hole". Since only the top portion of that letter is visable, it's difficult to tell if it's a "C" or an "S" or even a "G". Of course one may assume it is the "G" from "Forge", but the word would have to be extremely off center for that. And there is no sig at all of any other letters to the right or left of it.

Third- The weight is on the OPPOSITE side as the logo. It is I I 9. (The scale weight is 135, but the heel of the anvil is missing so the full weight may have been 149-ish.) I've never seen a Mousehole with the weight on the opposite side as the logo. is that uncommon?

Finally- The shape is almost identicle to the photos I've seen of 1820-35 versions including the curves of the sides and how the step slopes down and blends into the sides of the horn. HOWEVER- the heel portion is missing so it is impossible to know if there was a hole in it.

I realize this is not an extremely valuable anvil to collectors, but its value to my family is beyod words. If I could find it's date it would be a VERY big deal! PLEASE HELP!

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One more note about the letters...

The four letters in "Mous" are centered directly above the four letters "Hole". True, the "S" is worn more than the other letters, but if an "E" followed that "S" and is completely worn away, it would have made the word strangly off center.

Also- the larger, partial letter below "Mous Hole" that looks like the top of a "C", "S", or G" shows no sign whatsoever of having a bottom half, nor any other letters aroud it. Perhaps it is a nick and not a letter? There are a lot of nicks in the side as if someone used it as a chopping block. One cuts right into the mystery letter. Even very close examination shows no sign of a botton half of the letter, if it is one. I assumed it was a letter because it is a curved mark with a little nub on the end like one would see in the top half of a "C".

I know the early Mouse Hole anvils had only the simple name logo. But this one has a step, which those early oes (I believe) did not.

ALSO- I have done some VERY careful examination and can't find ANY other letters or parts of letters on the side of the anvil. Since the letters "Mous Hole" are so deeply stamped, one would expect at least a couple of the letters from any other original markings to remain!

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Maybe the guy that could spell was out sick that day. If it is a Mousehole the weight would have been as follows; 1=112, second 1 =28, 9=9 for a weight of 149 but I guess you knew that. Off center lettering is not uncommon. The lack of a heel makes exact dating hard, since the pritchel or lack thereof is important in dating mouseholes.

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Yes, it is unfortunate that the heel is missing, for more reasons than one! But the logo should be useful. Have you ever seen a logo that just says "Mous Hole" and nothing else besides the late 1700's models, yet ALSO has a step above the horn (which weren't introduced until the early 1800's)?

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