A&H anvils are one of my favorite utilitarian anvils! According to Postman there were only about 51,000  of these anvils produced and as such are harder to find. The quality of the anvils are outstanding even though the anvils themselves are a little rougher looking than the other wrought iron anvils. Apparently A&H felt it was better to put the quality into the production of the anvil and not worry about prettying them up. You find that in many instances there will will be a clear line between the face plate and the anvil body as well as rough forging marks on the underside of the tail. Usually the face  plate is in pretty decent condition unless someone really went out of their way to mess it up. Here  are my two; a near mint 98 lber and a well used 189 lber which is one of my most used shop anvils. 

One of the two upper tier brands of anvils made in Columbus OH, (the other is Trenton),  as mentioned the underside of the heel usually shows the steam hammer blows---something I find neat!

 

I have one in the low 90's# and it has been my travel anvil for about 30 years.  It has a really thin heel---great for a lot of tasks and it generally is "stored" close to my 500+# Fishers who's heel is not thin, (probably about 10 times thicker...).  These are ringing anvils---and so good for a demo anvil as they bring in the crowd.

My A&H weighs 145 and is VERY cut with lines. It looks to have been forged with many pieces if metal, rather than one. Also, the horn is tilted and pointing off to one side. I love it though.

Like Fatfudd mentioned, A&H’s anvils did not have all that many produced in comparison to other manufacturers, but I own more of them than any other brand.

I have a 217#, 227#, 362#, and 527#.

The A&H’s I have, and many others I’ve tested at auctions, all generally seem to have very good rebound.

The 362# I have is my favorite, and I use that as my main shop anvil. 

This 362# has exceptional rebound, probably tied as the best I’ve ever tested, and better than my other A&H's. But all A&H's I've seen are great preformers.

217#: 

225#:

 

 

527# sitting on top of a 1920 Fisher swage block stand:

 

But getting my 362# A&H was probably my best “find” yet.

Local seller had a rusty anvil for sale, said it was around 200 pounds.

I asked for more information, seller said there were no markings on the anvil (which is rarely ever true), and this is the picture provided:

I saw that tape measure and closely observed the length, 34.5”!

I KNOW that a London pattern anvil of 34.5” is nowhere near 200#’s.

 

I figure the 28”-30” ballpark is about right for 200#, depending on the make.

300# is where you seem to get up to the 32”-34” range.

My guesstimate was 325# from the limited picture information.

 

When I got there (as fast as I could!) I tested the rebound in a few spots on the face, and did a quick water bottle thumb rub on the side to possibly reveal some markings.

I couldn’t pay the guy quick enough before he might change his mind….

 

362# Arm & Hammer!

$1.45 a pound for this beauty that was born around 1918, but it took some work to get her looking good.
I’ve found better price-per-pound deals in the past, but I consider this to be my best find yet considering the size/condition. :) 

Cool thing is that this anvil’s serial number is only about 100 off from one of my other A&H’s.

 

This A&H is also stamped with the Bullock H. Channon Co. stamp that they put right on top of the A&H logo.

Columbus Anvil and Forging made A&H anvils also stamped for H. Channon Hardware Company for a while.  Below is the shot of their catalog page I found.

I can’t make out the “BULLOCK” in the upper part of their stamping, or the “CHICAGO” in the lower part (possibly the C and the O), but the “H. CH…… CO.” is plainly visible.

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like someone forged some ball-shaped divots into the face of the heel area, looks intentional but for what reason I’m unsure, possibly rivets?  The rebound of this anvil is fantastic, even out on the heel area I’m impressed, so I’m guessing those divots were made before hardening.   Or possibly before the faceplate was welded on?  Maybe this was a special ordered anvil, and the care they took in making this anvil accounts for the exceptional hardness and rebound.

 

 

 

I found the H. Channon reference after paging going through Postman’s book (again). 

After finding that H. Channon catalog page when doing some searching, I finally realized what the faint marking was on a 225# A&H I had.   That 225 A&H also carries the Bullock H. Channon Co. stamp on it, but it was located on the opposite side of the anvil up near the heel.  Didn’t know what it was at the time.  At least on this stamp I can now make out more of the “CHICAGO”, and see some of the “..LLOCK” in the upper part.  These two anvils are not that far apart in serial number, and have similar depth (or lack of) stamping for this H.Channon indication.

 

Here's a pic of that one from the other A&H with the Bullock stamp:

My A&H has a 90% rebound 
(NOT KIDDING!!!)

It's heel scares me to death. I dont want it to fall off as it looks like a cliff face balancing on a sandstone pebble. The waist is way too thin in my opinion, but I love the anvil to death. So do the thieves in the area.

Arm and Hammer anvils are great forged anvils.  I rank them up there with HB anyday.  Frog, those are some beautiful examples of anvilmaking.  Can you imagine the forging process to create any of those?

Adamfrd; I'd be happy for you to hide your A&H at my place in NM; the thieves will never think to look there and I live in a "shoot them and bury them in a desert" neighborhood; haven't even had my scrap pile bothered...

Adamfrd; I'd be happy for you to hide your A&H at my place in NM; the thieves will never think to look there and I live in a "shoot them and bury them in a desert" neighborhood; haven't even had my scrap pile bothered...

I am not sure how to reply to this XD

I'm new here and this is my first post.  I ran across a 199# Arm & Hammer.   The present owner got it 50 years ago.  It was once in a shop fire and was glowing red.  There's what appears to be some sort of defect on the side just below the Hardy hole.  You can see it in the second picture, it's a square area with a crack around it.  Does anyone know what this is?  Possibly it could be some sort of square bar attached to the top plate to help it bond to the anvil body?  I don't know if it will have any affect at all on the usefulness of the anvil.

I ran across it unexpectedly so wasn't prepared to do any sort of ball bearing or hammer bounce tests.

I'd sure appreciate any comments anyone may have concerning the square cracked area, or any comments on the anvil in general.

Thanks,

Bob

Welcome aboard Bob, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

It was glowing red in the fire? If so the temper's run, basically annealed and about as soft as it can be. Not knowing where you are I don't know who to recommend you contact about heat treating. That's one of the rare instances an anvil really could use "fixing."

I don't know about the squarish mark in the side, it might be slag inclusion or an affect from the fire. They're cast bodies with a foundry welded high carbon steel face. I can't think of a reason for something like that in the casting.

She's a beauty I hope we can find someone with experience heat treating an anvil and get her in fighting trim again.

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty, A&Hs had forged wrought bodies, not cast.  You might have been thinking Fisher. 

 Every time I think about tempering an anvil I get this grand vision I my head of a boom pole mounted to the back of a speed boat, a bon fire on the beach, a 12 volt air mattress blower and several brown bottles.....maybe on my bucket list..I don't know..

 Anyway, back on topic, maybe. I have an A&H 100 lb. that I use in the shop I really like. Take this for what it's worth....when I go to a meeting or another shop to work, I find my self fumbling around some on a different anvil. I guess that thin heel kind of  spoils me at home. No big deal just my lack of experience. Am I alone on this ? There is just some things I do, that feel normal on that nice thin heel.          Dave    

After reading AIA and the reviews here I wanted a arm & hammer and came across this in a trade it's a 150lbs number 49,XXX something, chilling in my living room for now, till I get my own shop.

On Tuesday, March 04, 2014 at 7:33 AM, Black Frog said:

Like Fatfudd mentioned, A&H’s anvils did not have all that many produced in comparison to other manufacturers, but I own more of them than any other brand.

I have a 217#, 227#, 362#, and 527#.

The A&H’s I have, and many others I’ve tested at auctions, all generally seem to have very good rebound.

The 362# I have is my favorite, and I use that as my main shop anvil. 

This 362# has exceptional rebound, probably tied as the best I’ve ever tested, and better than my other A&H's. But all A&H's I've seen are great preformers.

217#: 

225#:

 

 

527# sitting on top of a 1920 Fisher swage block stand:

 

But getting my 362# A&H was probably my best “find” yet.

Local seller had a rusty anvil for sale, said it was around 200 pounds.

I asked for more information, seller said there were no markings on the anvil (which is rarely ever true), and this is the picture provided:

I saw that tape measure and closely observed the length, 34.5”!

I KNOW that a London pattern anvil of 34.5” is nowhere near 200#’s.

 

I figure the 28”-30” ballpark is about right for 200#, depending on the make.

300# is where you seem to get up to the 32”-34” range.

My guesstimate was 325# from the limited picture information.

 

When I got there (as fast as I could!) I tested the rebound in a few spots on the face, and did a quick water bottle thumb rub on the side to possibly reveal some markings.

I couldn’t pay the guy quick enough before he might change his mind….

 

362# Arm & Hammer!

$1.45 a pound for this beauty that was born around 1918, but it took some work to get her looking good.
I’ve found better price-per-pound deals in the past, but I consider this to be my best find yet considering the size/condition.

Cool thing is that this anvil’s serial number is only about 100 off from one of my other A&H’s.

 

This A&H is also stamped with the Bullock H. Channon Co. stamp that they put right on top of the A&H logo.

Columbus Anvil and Forging made A&H anvils also stamped for H. Channon Hardware Company for a while.  Below is the shot of their catalog page I found.

I can’t make out the “BULLOCK” in the upper part of their stamping, or the “CHICAGO” in the lower part (possibly the C and the O), but the “H. CH…… CO.” is plainly visible.

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like someone forged some ball-shaped divots into the face of the heel area, looks intentional but for what reason I’m unsure, possibly rivets?  The rebound of this anvil is fantastic, even out on the heel area I’m impressed, so I’m guessing those divots were made before hardening.   Or possibly before the faceplate was welded on?  Maybe this was a special ordered anvil, and the care they took in making this anvil accounts for the exceptional hardness and rebound.

 

 

 

I found the H. Channon reference after paging going through Postman’s book (again). 

After finding that H. Channon catalog page when doing some searching, I finally realized what the faint marking was on a 225# A&H I had.   That 225 A&H also carries the Bullock H. Channon Co. stamp on it, but it was located on the opposite side of the anvil up near the heel.  Didn’t know what it was at the time.  At least on this stamp I can now make out more of the “CHICAGO”, and see some of the “..LLOCK” in the upper part.  These two anvils are not that far apart in serial number, and have similar depth (or lack of) stamping for this H.Channon indication.

 

Here's a pic of that one from the other A&H with the Bullock stamp:

What are those numbers for turned 90 degrees and to right of the logo, 28X?

I found a Arm an Hammer Anvil it has a 6 inch horn and has a stamp 38 and below it on the bottom has a circle 20 can any body tell me the year this anvil was made and how much it is worth by looking at it does not look like it was hardly even been used at all. 

It might be  worth several thousand Mexican Pesos; you are in Mexico just like I am right now?

However is it an Arm and Hammer anvil with the logo stamped into the side of the anvil or is it a Vulcan anvil with the Arm and Hammer logo cast proud of the surface of the anvil? Should make a difference of a factor of two in the price!

Welcome to IFI... I always suggest reading this. READ THIS FIRST

Where in the world you are located will have a big influence on the price, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show it. Showing pictures of it will help with answers.

23 hours ago, DouglasDawson said:

I found a Arm an Hammer Anvil it has a 6 inch horn and has a stamp 38 and below it on the bottom has a circle 20 can any body tell me the year this anvil was made and how much it is worth by looking at it does not look like it was hardly even been used at all. 

Please post pics of the side logo stamp, and the serial number on the front foot if it is a real (forged) A&H.

So I’m new here from South Georgia I just had a #100 a&w gave to me can anyone tell any thing about one 

So I found serial #on it 22930

58 minutes ago, Ben86 said:

from South Georgia

We won't remember that once leaving this post, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show location. READ THIS FIRST

Pictures will help. You say A&W did you mean A&H. Someone with a copy of Anvils in America will probably weigh in, what did you want to know about it.

Yes a&h 100 serial number 22930 age. Weight anything anyone can tell me

When you say you're from South Georgia, is that the country in the Caucasus (Europe) or the state in the USA?

USA 

Are you posting with artificial help? A&W is good root beer.  A&H are good anvils made in Columbus Ohio.