nice find in that special safe place..  

Seems like the stamp was modified on purpose..  Was this the only one left? 

I have one other.  This one matches the imprint on the stands exactly.  It could be from 1892, when they first made the stands.  Too bad it is missing the letter and &, but better than nothing.

Hope I can make it to Saratoga for the display.  Also, the book.

1 hour ago, Farmall said:

Hope I can make it to Saratoga for the display.  Also, the book.

The 2020 ABANA conference should be the best one yet.  They have a wonderful line-up of demonstrators plus everything else that goes with it.

Oh, it's going to be crazy.. I have no idea how they are going to fit it all in..  Watch, this or that.. there is going to be so much going on.. 

My stuff is in the afternoon so at least Ill be able to catch some stuff. '

Hello all,

I picked up this beauty a few weeks ago. The gentleman I purchased it from said he could remember it in his grandfather's garage when he was 6 or 7 years old. So he has know of it for over 75 year. It has been passed down through his family, and has now come to me; along with all of the details he could remember of its history. He has no idea how or why his grandfather had it. It was not used until he did some blacksmith work with it several years ago. It is in great shape, and I am now its custodian. 

Any light you fisher experts out there may be able to shed on its pedigree would be greatly appreciated.

Have a great night,

W

That is cool.. Nice job, I didn't see any weight?  My only suggestion is to be gentle with it and try not to hit the face with the hammer. 

A welcomed treasure for sure. 

Hello JLP,

Sorry about that 119 pounds of fun in this little guy. As of right now I will be sticking to using my Trenton anvil. This one will be stored until it is needed. 

As I was taking pictures of the anvil tonight I noticed the reinforcement under the heel, that seems like a great design feature I have never noticed before. Then again this is my first Fisher. 

Have a great night,

W

Thanks I had seen the 119 but usually the Fishers are marked on the foot so wasn't sure..  This is the first one i have seen with the inscription just below the face..  I wonder if that was a show  room model or something.. 

Fisher anvil man should be by to help you with info. 

Thanks You too. 

Nice anvil Steven. Amazing condition!

I wonder if the stamping was done by a previous owner who added the weight. Plus the “cast steel” is questionable to me. ??

You have an 1880's era Fisher anvil.  Look under the anvil on the base....there "might" be a date there.  Either way, your anvil was made 1879 or 1880.  They did not start marking the date under the heel with this model until some time in 1880.

The Cast Steel refers to the horn plate, they were cast steel.  Just a marketing thing by F&N.   The 119 weight stamp might have been added later.  The rest of the stampings are original.

The anvil was made in Trenton, NJ.

Welcome to the Fisher Family....stay tuned here or on my FB page: Fisher & Norris Factory Museum, for the announcement of my book coming soon on the complete history of this company.  Guaranteed it will be in interesting read.

Thank you all!

njanvilman : Thanks for the information, from it's condition it is hard to believe it is 140 years old, clearly it was well cared for. I will continue that tradition. I do plan to use it a little just to see how it works, but it will not be my main shop anvil. I will check the base and let everyone know if it is stamped with a date. I will also put it on a scale to check the 119 stamped on the side, maybe that is not a weight marking. 

Again thank you all for the kind words and information.

Have a good one,

W

njanvilman,

 

I enjoyed your post regarding Fisher anvil that was made for the military. I believe I have an almost identical one. It also has olive drab paint, I have often wondered if it was for the military. Other than the 10 on the foot mine has no other markings than P D F W stamped into the side (no idea what it means). Do you think this anvil was made for the military too?

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

On ‎1‎/‎18‎/‎2020 at 8:24 AM, D Ravizza said:

enjoyed your post regarding Fisher anvil that was made for the military. I believe I have an almost identical one. It also has olive drab paint, I have often wondered if it was for the military. Other than the 10 on the foot mine has no other markings than P D F W stamped into the side (no idea what it means). Do you think this anvil was made for the military too?

 

Probably military spec FISHER.  The stamped in letters were added sometime during its life.  100 lb Fishers were very commonly made for the military.  Your's is probably 1951 vintage.  It looks almost unused.

There is something that is sexy about the later Fisher's shape..  Has those perfect lines and the sculpting on the waist under the horn and tail.. 

My only complaints are the hardie hole sizes.. They always put in these monster holes.. When I first started I could barely forge 1/2" never mind 1.25 for a shanked hardie tool in a 250lbs.. (I'm guessing size here.. All I know is that for a given size they were slightly larger. Same with PW and HW anvils. 

I know the larger sizes is because of the wrought iron but dang..  I was so excited when I found my 175HB and it had a 1" hardie hole..  Now my 3 main anvils all have 1" hardie holes and its is so nice not having to make new tools or shank adapters. 

With this said, If I ever come into a 300 or 350 Fisher it will find a home with me.     I'd love to find a Double horn model..  Really that would be the best. 

For your viewing pleasure....a 1970s Fisher/Crossley....new mounting lug location.  Done only on 100 lb sizes in the 1970s.  This anvil is almost factory new....99 pt.

 

Sure is, that is gorgeous..   did all the fishers come with pre finished face corners near the horn? 

They came all ways.  Even though Fisher anvils were cast from a pattern, there are very few that are identical.

The few that I have seen that were in like new condition the part that always has stuck me. is  the corners of the face near the table have wonderfully finished radius,  In the faces it looks like you can see the way the cast iron flowed into the mold and where the steel bonded as the cast moved across it and the radial grinding marks in the horn and the longitudinal grind marks in the faces..  

All very cools stuff.. I've maybe seen 3 that were like new but shared the common items mentioned overall (100-150lbs range) I've only seen like 5 in person so have a very limited knowledge. 

Visit the museum to see a few hundred, including many factory fresh anvils.

Njanvilman,

Thanks for the info!

Best,

Dan

Recently added to the Fisher & Norris Factory Museum:  sign from Crossley Machine Co. from the outside of the factory.   Crossley made Fisher anvils from 1961 to 1979.  The factory complex was demolished in 2001.

 

So ready to revive the brand????

Thomas Powers   Please so not comment on my posts!   Your crude attempts at humor are poor at best.

Sorry that was a serious question.  My largest shop anvil is a Fisher and I love it's quiet massiveness and would like others to be able to enjoy such anvils as well.

I'll add you to my ignore list if that is your wish; you would be #2 on it.