Hi guys, picked up what I understand to be a chain makers anvil for £50 today. There is no makers stamp or weight markings sadly. It's clearly seen some serious use.
The face is fairly flat but has some sway to it, nothing major.



Any information would be appreciated though I understand there is very little to go on.

Either way, I'm pleased with the bargain price and its got plenty of life left in it yet.

Andy

I think those are usually known as coach or wheel wrights' anvils.

A swayed part of the face is very useful in straightening bars, as well.

Nice score!

Sorry to drag this back up but what makes it a wheel wrights anvil as opposed to a chain makers?

Cheers

All of the chainmaker's anvils I've seen had the side "horn" replaceable.  It acted a lot like a hardy tool, but was stuck through the side.

 

A variety of changeable bits were needed depending on the size of the links you were forging.  You might be working on an anchor chain today, but tomorrow you would do smaller chain with, obviously, smaller links.   At least, that's how I reasoned it from what I've seen in the old videos.

 

Of course, I should say that I've never seen a wheelwright or cooper working on an anvil like you have, so I don't fully grasp why they needed or liked a second horn like that.

 

Here's a neat video of a chain-maker in action....

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zn6HSuO-VY

I cant see that video for some reason. But cheers for the information. 

Chainmaker's anvil usually have a sq hole horizontally all the way through the body of the anvil so that the extension can be moved closer in or farther out to fit the size of chain being made.

 

A coachwright's anvil has a small side horn of squarish cross section to make clips for coach building with

Here are a couple of pix. One of a chainmakers anvil, the other a page from a Mousehole ad identifying various shapes available. The carriage makers anvil is clearly identified.

Complete with the two holes and everything. Cheers John.

Shame there's no makers mark or anything on the anvil to identify its origins or even it's weight.

Cheers