Help identify anvil

[Adrian Crunkhurn]

Hello everyone, I was hoping someone out there can help me identify my anvil I recently bought. The only marks/writing on it that I can see are on one of the sides, and from what I can make out (after cleaning it up) it says 'wh attercliffe' with what looks like a number underneath, which I think is '18'. Now I've tried googling it and all I can say is I think it was made in Sheffield (in the UK) but I was hoping someone may be able to give me a date and how good, or poor of quality it is, any other info would greatly be appreciated as I am fascinated with finding out about it. I will post pics to help identify it. The first one has clearer writing and on the second one you see the number better, it's on the right side of the image under the writing. Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Frosty]

Have you done a pencil rubbing? Or tried rubbing the anvil with chalk and wiping it off LIGHTLY? Oblique lighting is also helpful for bringing out surface features.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[John B]

Attercliffe was a centre of the steel making, engineering and tooling industry, there were many anvil makers in Sheffield, http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic/7011-anvil-manufacturers/ may shed some light on the makers,

It is possible the stampings were to identify the items maker or owner, or its factory ID for inventory purposes.

Judging by its condition if it could speak, it would be able to tell a fascinating story, I would like to know the significance of the wear marks on the bick and why /how they were made. I had a similar one with an identical type of marking on the bick, often speculated what was done to produce it so markedly.