Gergely Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Dear All, In Hungary we usually have only anvils of Austrian pattern. But there is this very piece on an auction site which is a London pattern. I contacted the seller but he could give me very few details. All I got is this: Overall length: 97 cm (38") Height: 37 cm (14,5") Weight: there is -208- on the side of the anvil, the seller told me it must be the weight in kg-s, because his 200 kg scale wasn't able to weight the anvil. Hardie hole size: 4,5 cm (1,8") NO pritchel hole If you have any idea what this monster can be, please do tell, I'd be very thankful. Best wishes Gergely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Sounds like a monster with a 1.8" hardy hole and above 200 kilos. I would wonder if that leading 2 was actually a 5 or a 7.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I don't think the 2 could be a 5 or a 7 that would put the weight well over 1000lbs. 208kg seems about right (38in puts it in the 500 lb + or - class 208x2.205=458lb) But the shape of the feet make it out to be more of a colonial pattern. I can't see from the pictures if it has a pritchel hole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I wonder when the european makers first went with the pritchel hole? Does the lack thereof make it pre-1830? Or, is the pritchel simply plugged up? Overall, it looks like a quality anvil and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. I don't see any signs of parting lines, so I feel good about it being a forged anvil. No way to tell the maker, though, especially when you consider how many there were back in old Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Well, Thomas, if the first number is 5 and we assume that means pounds, it makes this 508# or 230 kg, which may be correct. At least if its weight is marked as 508 pounds that could clear one cloud of confusion: if this is an english pattern anvil why would be the weight written in kg-s on it? Fatfudd: There is no pritchel hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 I wonder when the european makers first went with the pritchel hole? Does the lack thereof make it pre-1830? Or, is the pritchel simply plugged up? Overall, it looks like a quality anvil and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. I don't see any signs of parting lines, so I feel good about it being a forged anvil. No way to tell the maker, though, especially when you consider how many there were back in old Europe. I can't see on the pics whether there is no pritchel at all or is it plugged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 If the marking was in the english stone weigh, a first number of "2" would mean the anvil weighed 2x112 + 8, or 232 pounds, and it would give us a reasonable time-frame and place of construction. But the weight in stones doesn't jive well with the measurements you've given, so either the first number is wrong or the weight isn't measured in stones. The lack of a pritchel hole generally indicates that the anvil was made in the early 1800's, but it could be a later build that was either flawed or custom-made without the pritchel. Makers stopped using the stone-weight system after awhile, so that could also help date the anvil. It could be an english anvil, or it could be something that was made in Hungary by a local shop that simply copied the look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 WaughnT: you're right, I called the seller, he said that it's definately a 2. So it has to be 208 and kg-s. There are some letters above the number, an E and O was recognizable. Were there manufactured any anvils of English pattern in the continental Europe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yes, several manufacturers in Sweden, also German makers made London Patterns for export. Probably others as well. E and O recongnizable? Sodefors? Bocker? The general shape is more elongated than we tend to see in earlier American/English London Patterns so I would expect to see a pritchell hole but that's just an American perspective, in Hungary it could be an import, a locally made item, or something that fell off the back of a Russian tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 In Europe we get to add the possibilities of 'something left behind by a retreating army', or 'spoils of war' to the list of how things end up in odd places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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