David E. Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Picked up an anvil yesterday that I bought on Ebay. Only paid £56.00 (approx $90.00) so I didn't ask too many questions about it. Weight marks are 3 0 15 indicating 351 lbs in fairly decent condition apart from a couple of small chips on the far edge, rings true with an excellent rebound, better than my working anvil so a change is on the cards. It looks a bit smaller but weighs about 50lbs more. On the side is marked I HILL birmingham I did a bit of googling and found Isaac Hill made anvils and such about 200 years ago in Digbeth Birmingham. If anybody knows anything about these anvils I would love to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 From memory (Anvils in America is at home), Hill made anvils through about 1850. Can you post a picture? They tended to be an older-style, with a similar look to a Mousehole. They didn't seem to change over style to match the Peter Wright look that came to be so clearly identified as the "London" pattern. Is this correct? If it has a pritchel, according to Postman, it should date between 1830 and 1850. Of course, if they just didn't ship to the US after about 1850, it may be newer. YMMV. I picked up a Hill about a year or so ago. 186 pounds. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 On the other hand sometimes pritchels are retrofitted to an earlier anvil---usually you can check to see if it was drilled later or punched at time of manufacture---check for a swell on the underside at the base of the pritchel to see if it was punched Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David E. Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 I have taken a couple of photos but I will have to learn how to post them as I have never posted any.It has a pritchel at the front near the cutting table which has been drilled to a depth of around 2 inches. It is a London pattern but not as elegant as a PW, more squat, but surprisingly heavier than it looks, Thanks for the replies, I shall try to post the photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I had a 200# Hill for a while, decent enough anvil, had a bit of a ridge on the underside of the horn towards the waist IIRC. Otherwise looked a lot like a Mousehole. Good buy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Cherish that squat look! It means that the sweet spot on the face is enhanced and the anvil is more suitable for heavy work than the "ethereal" American version of the London Pattern anvil from the late 19th century! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David E. Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 I have wasted over 2 hours trying to post photos, I have given up. Apologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 If you send me the pics, I'll post them up. PM sent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 That really is in pretty good shape - and a right decent price to boot. Good score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Cherish that squat look! It means that the sweet spot on the face is enhanced and the anvil is more suitable for heavy work than the "ethereal" American version of the London Pattern anvil from the late 19th century! I agree with that, Thomas. My Hay-Budden's narrow waste reduces the sweet spot to a fraction of the anvil's face. Why did they do that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 Why did they breed horses for "daintier" feet that now have lots of problems with the weight and size of the modern horse? The ethereal anvil shape is certainly handy for a lot of ornamental work; just not so handy for heavy hammering with strikers. To quote Big Trouble in Little China "Marry them Both!" My Fisher is a squat anvil and my Trenton is more gracile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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