An unusual Anvil , how old?

[Joe C B]

We encountered this hornless anvil at a historic farm site in Pennsylvania. The folks there had no information on it's origin or history. From what little that I know about this subject it appears to be quite old, predating the London pattern. Any idea as to just how old?  No marking that could be seen.

Joe B

[Jim Coke]

Greetings Joe,

 

Looks like a sawmakers anvil to me...  Could be a Fisher...  Or anything English...  I'm sure anvilman can tell if is a Fisher...   Nice find

 

Keep pickin    Jim

[MLMartin]

Not a fisher, it is clearly forged, the sharp corner feet and thick waist would probably date it to colonial period english make

[Frosty]

I don't know Joe, looks old but it's hard to say. Are you going to clean it up and put it to work? I like the looks of the swage block. It looks to have been cast to minimize weight with the depressions around the shapes on the face.

 

I look forward to seeing pics of it cleaned up.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[neg]

I'd love to see it cleaned up. I love those types of anvils. I just wish I could find one in my area...

[Joe C B]

I wish that I could clean it up and use it, unfortunatly the anvil is the property of a historic preservation site and will only be viewed by visitors. Since the site is a farm stead that has origins way back into the American colonial period It's very possible that the anvil came over the pond from England.

Thanks for the responses,

 

Joe B

[ThomasPowers]

No that was a style that was made in parallel to the london pattern.  So English made and most likely 19th century.

[MLMartin]

Your right that the hornless style was produced along side the English pattern for as long as anvils were made. But if you look at examples from the 19th century they normally have a much narrower wast and the top is longer and thinner. The hardy hole is normally set farther into the face for 19th century anvils, not right on the edge. Also you can see a slight swell on the bottom in between the feet were the 5th foot is just being phased out. On anvils from the 19th century there is generally a nice half round between the bottom feet and no trace at all of the 5th foot.

I believe it is more likely late 1700s 

[Frank Turley]

Tom Joyce of Santa Fe has a similar anvil that he brought from England.