I just found this anvil while cleaning out my family's garage.  Not sure what I have here but maybe someone can help.  I would like to sell it so I would appreciate any help including description, approximate age and what the numbers on the side represent.  There is some writting on the side below the little number plate but I would have to work on cleaning it up a little to get an idea of what it says. My dad passed away in 1975 so it's just been sitting in the garage since then.  Thank you all in advance!

If you could clean up the sides and around the base of your anvil, you should find a name and maybe some numbers.  They would help in the identification of your anvil. Take some more pictures and I'm sure some of the blacksmiths that visit this site will be able to help you.  Good luck.   

Brush it off so any marks can be seen in photos. Oblique lighting will help show stamped marks show up. You don't want to shine it up, just brush the dusty and loose rust off and clean up the stamped markings.

 

It looks to be in pretty good condition, sure you don't want to take up the craft?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Also if you live in Australia you will get different answers than if you live in the USA.

 

Turn it over if it has an indentation on the bottom it's shape can narrow down what brand too.

Soderfors maybe?

Is hard to make out the writing from the picture. Clean it up best you can with a wire brush then rub some talcum powder into the writing. That should help it show up a lot better.

George

Thank you everyone for your thoughts.  I will clean it up a little and see what's there.  There is a metal plate on the side that reads 69 67 484. I was wondering what that stands for.   My dad use to make horseshoes for our ponies back in the 60's and I can remember him using it then.

The tag has nothing to do with the manufacturer. Normally there is some kind of makers stamp on the side(s) of the anvil.

Sometimes there are numbers on the sides of the feet.

As Frosty said, don't clean it up too much, brush some chalk or something similar on the sides, this will make the imprints partially legible.

 

It takes more than one lifetime to wear out an anvil!!

 

Neil

First thing is to post where you are located. Anvil prices vary widely depending on location.

Location will also possibly connect you with a member who is close to you.

The tag may be an inventory control tag. I have one on a Vulcan that my Dad got from a school district auction.

Arm and Hammer

First thing is to post where you are located. Anvil prices vary widely depending on location.

Location will also possibly connect you with a member who is close to you.

The tag may be an inventory control tag. I have one on a Vulcan that my Dad got from a school district auction.

 

 

Arm and Hammer

Agree with both. Not sure what that number tag means but it sure looks like an arm and hammer.

George

..........blacksmith or not I would be thrilled finding my dad's anvil stash of 40 years !! a light wire brushing as been mentioned and a beautiful keepsake in memory........ ;) 

if you need the cash that's a different story, it'll fetch you some cash but just knowing it was dad's is of way more value......to me that is     

A blacksmith really cherrishes his anvil. Your dad must have loved it to keep it for so many years. I'd set it aside, just in case one day you think of taking up smithing. If you ever do, it'd be great knowing you were forging on your father's own anvil. And that's worth a whole lot more than the couple hundred bucks you might get for it.

If you would please post your location someone on this site might be interested in purchasing your anvil. Looking at the few pictures you have posted it looks more like a cast steel anvil to me. It does not resemble any of my Arm and Hammer anvil. The edges do however look just like my Colombian anvil with a slight over hang. It could also be a Swedish anvil. 

Arm and Hammer

 

I can see some marks underneath and around that attached ID tag.   If you can get the tag off and then wire brush that area, I think you'll find some manufacturer markings.  This anvil has all of the earmarks of an Arm & Hammer (Columbus Anvil & Forging Co.) product to my eye.

 

Flip the anvil over and post a picture of the underside. Also take post a photo of the underside of the heel (where the pritchel & hardy holes come through).  Check the front edge of the floor for a serial number.

The long thin heel makes one think of the later American anvils like A&H.  If the underside of the heel shows the steam hammer blows---undulating surface then it's pretty much identified as an A&H as they tended to not clean them up in that location.

 

Also give some thought to the next generation or two.  While you may not be interested in smithing it's a sad thing to find out that your great grandfather was a smith and *NONE* of his tools are left in the family.  (At least *I* was very sad...)