August 21, 201312 yr I recently acquired my first anvil, a near perfect HB 200 lb beauty and I would love to narrow down it's age. I've researched most of the HB threads in the forum and learned that the letter A prefix dates it to after 1917 and that they went out of business somewhere around 1926. If anyone could crack open their copy of A/A and look up S/N A19897, I would be grateful. (And I promise to post some photos after I clean her up and give her a bath!)
August 21, 201312 yr Sweet man nice find I'm hopin to get a 200+ lbs trenton some day hay budden has some really cool history from what I have read in anvils in America James hay and Frederick budden started the company both being smiths they had this idea of making anvils and did it until about 1926 like you said. Anyway I'm not gonna give you a history lesson but nice find. get hot metal on that beauty as soon as possible!
August 21, 201312 yr Author Thanks for the info and history lesson, I appreciate both. Picked up a Champion 400 blower and home made forge table last night, and started working on an anvil stand so I should be working metal soon.
August 21, 201312 yr If you want to know you should pick up a copy of "Anvils In America" By Richard Postman The author spent years and thousands dollars of his own money compiling this information.
November 9, 201312 yr how about sn 88746? I plan to buy AIA for myself also, but until I do, i'd love to know when my anvil was made.
November 18, 201312 yr Hey guys new to this site and blacksmithing, i picked up a new anvil a few weeks ago, i believe it to be an HB but i'd really like to find out some more info (ie yr born) if i were to ever sell and it always helps to tell my wife "see i told you it was a good buy" i've looked so dont think im being lazy. only markings i found were on the front foot, ^170 A122616 i know the 170 is most likely weight.
November 19, 201312 yr 170 on the left says Trenton. Weight on a budden is on the side below the logo.
November 19, 201312 yr What does the uinderside look like? HB have an indentation that's bounded by a rim that follows the edge of the anvil base, Trenton's may have one that looks like a caplet.
November 20, 201312 yr its hallowed out in a cone shape sort of follows the outline of the base i suppose. , about as clear as mud i know, heres a pic, ill take one of the bottom tomorrow.
November 20, 201312 yr there's no noticeable logo that i noticed anyways, anytime i get a second to go out i fire up the forge and hardly wanna waste the time to look for it. :-) thanks guys for the feedback
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