oof Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 stopped at a sale last weekend to look at an anvil that was listed on craigslist. the horn was broken off, but repaired by someone a long time ago. i got the guys # and went home. needless to say it ate at me while having breakfast so i jumped back in the truck drove back and bought it. it has a name stamped in it but i can't quite make it out. also got a pair tongs that are 45" long. it's stamped 1 0 21 so it should weigh 133 pounds. with the added strap it weighs 140#. no ring 'cause of the horn, but it has nice rebound, good hardie/ pritchel. i picked up both for $80. mark Quote
Thomas Dean Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 Good deal! and it looks in decent shape. Interesting repair, is that all that is holding the horn? Quote
ThomasPowers Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 I saw one at Quad-State one year that had the same sort of prosthesis for a broken horn. Wonder if it's the same one as this was in OH, right? Might be an Armitage Mousehole as a common english brand to show up in the USA. Look over the following and see if any might fit what you have: From Postman's book on the Mousehole Forge "Mousehole Forge anvils can be dated from their logos: (These are all cicra - about - dates and the words would be stacked): 1780 - 1795: MOUSEHOLE 1795 - 1820: C&A MOUSEHOLE 1820 - 1835: M&H ARMITAGE MOUSEHOLE 1835 - 1854: HENRY ARMITAGE MOUSEHOLE 1854 - 1875: M&H ARMITAGE MOUSEHOLE FORGE 1878: BROOKS & COOPER MOUSEHOLE FORGE SHEFFIELD WARRANTED (with the outline of a mouse and HOLE for the first time) 1879: M&H ARMITAGE MOUSEHOLE FORGE SHEFFIELD WARRANTED (mouse) HOLE PATENT 1880: M&H ARMITAGE MOUSE HOLE FORGE (mouse) HOLE WARRANTED 1895: M&H ARMITAGE (mouse) HOLE SHEFFIELD 1896: M&H ARMITAGE MOUSEHOLE FORGE SHEFFIELD WARRANTED PATENT (mouse) HOLE 1911: M&H ARMITAGE MOUSEHOLE FORGE SHEFFIELD ENGLAND WARRNANTED (mouse) HOLE PATENT 1927-1933?: OWEN-THOMAS THE OLD FORGE SHEFFIELD ENGLAND Notes: - C&A = Cockshutt & Armitage - M&H = Morgan and Henry - Mousehole Forge is the only known manufacturer to use dots/periods between the weight numbers, such as 1 . 3 . 14. Sometimes all which remains of the logo is the dots. - Weight markings are in the British stone system to where the first represents multiples of 112 (1/20th long ton), the second multiples of 28 and the third remaining pounds. Usually off from scale weight a bit. - Mousehole Forge was one of the last British anvil makers to change from the old style to the modern (more blocky) feet. They did so cicra 1895. - The origins of the name of Mousehole is not certain. The square handling holes in an old anvil are called mouseholes. In England a bend in a river with a deep spot is known as a mousehole and Mousehole Forge was located at such as spot. There is a coastal English town named Mousehole and it was well known as the site of a brief French invasion about the time the forge was started. - Mousehole Forge contined to use water power (heave or tilt hammers) long after other manufactures switched to mechanical hammers. All Mousehole anvils are pretty well 'handmade'. Source: The Mousehole Forge by Richard A. Postman (with John and Julia Hatfield) " Quote
oof Posted May 31, 2012 Author Posted May 31, 2012 td, there are two pieces of steel shoved into the handling holes front and back that hold everything up. no welds, feels surprisingly solid. tp thanks for that info, and yes it's in ohio. i'll have to try and clean it up some, but part of the stamp is covered by the repair. if it helps any there is a handling hole in the bottom, and a 1 stamped right in the middle of the front foot. i couldn't see any dots between the weight stamps. mark Quote
PCornett Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 I converted the pic into negative form and it seems to say HATFIELD AND SANDERS?? or something close. Does that sound like any makers? Quote
Don Shears Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 Oof; I make it to be a HADFIELD AND SANDERSON from the stamping. The repair to hold the horn is imaginative. I would have to guess that it was done by one or two people without access to a larger size forge, power hammer, or welding equipment (gas or electric.) If only it could speak. An interesting find. Congrats. Don Quote
oof Posted May 31, 2012 Author Posted May 31, 2012 turning it to negative is a pretty good idea, i fiddled with a few adjustments and couldn't see anything. don i think you're right in there. a search with that name turns up some very similar ones. thanks fellas mark Quote
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