Reading Creek Forger Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Some time ago my brother-in-law was given a large anvil. I would estimate its weight at 250 plus pounds. It is marked with a raised X near the waist on one side. The former owner told him it came from Pearl Harbor but had no other information on it. There seems to be a light green coat of paint near the original surface but it has been painted since then so I have no idea what it looked like originally. Lots of what appear to be chisel test marks on the sides and surface appears to be in good shape. I can't find any other marks indicating weight or manufacturer info but it currently sits in a heavy iron base with angle iron supports that hide the lowest surfaces of the anvil. Any ideas who the manufacturer of this anvil might be and does the Pearl Harbor story make much sense. One of the local smiths suggested that the London style of this anvil make it unlikely that it was ever a ship's anvil. My brother-in-law is more of a car guy and a fan of WWII stuff but not a blacksmith. I don't have access to the Postman book now so this is my best shot in the near future to help him ID it. He gave me a Henry Wright anvil when he got this one so my payback it to help him ID it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Any pictures? They can help a ton.... But if it was a raised "X", that would indicate a cast anvil. There were some wrought anvils that could be interpreted as an "X", but it would be stamped. If the stamp was faint, maybe all that would be legible out of the following: Wilkinson had a x-type of stamp looking like this. Also, later Trentons used a large X in the middle position instead on an N. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reading Creek Forger Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 No pics right now but maybe I can get him to e-mail me some. This may take some time but thanks for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Most US ship's anvil were Fisher anvils. But I have never seen any that were just marked with an X. Documentation is always important to establish provenance. I once had someone try to sell me a Fisher Sawmakers anvil for more than double the going rate for this type of anvil because "Granda brought it home from the Wright Brothers factory". I asked for a photograph or some other documentation showing the anvil at the factory. None was to had. Heresay only goes so far. Their story probably was correct, but without proof, it is only a story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reading Creek Forger Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 I don't think provenance was what he was thinking about since he has no designs on selling it. More of a curiosity to him and a surface he uses to work on heavy metal parts at waist height. The Pearl Harbor question only makes it historically interesting and likely won't change his mind on keeping it. I may have to have him lift it up with an engine hoist to look for more manufacturer, weight or identification info, Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I may have to have him lift it up with an engine hoist to look for more manufacturer, weight or identification info, Thanks Roll it over, it's an anvil, not a Ming vase. In this case X does not mark the spot! :) Often what looks like "chisel marks on the side are marks left by horseshoes when the farrier is working with one"leg on top of the face and a "leg" is whacking the side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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