Hi folks, I found a wooden farmers forge and was wondering about it's value and any history.

I appreciate any help I can get with this.

Thanks,

Rick

It would really help to know where you are located on this Earth. It appears to be a side blast forge which I'm assuming this is something from the Europe area???? you know what they say about assuming - but without a location that's all any of us can do. Update your Profile please.

Thanks for the reply. I am in upstate NY, but as the one photo shows, the forge was made in Saranac Michigan.

It's amazing how blacksmithing equipment travels around the world, value is determined by where it is at currently. Just remember ppl frequent this site from all over the world and may not know cities or states from other countries than their own.

Unfortunately that forge is not worth much to a blacksmith save as a historical curiosity.  Most of us are hunting things to use and I'd say that was more of a museum piece.  Might check to see if there was any local history museums around it's original place. 

Definitely an interesting design.  I get the impression that the wooden body was intended to serve as the shipping crate, too.  Much like cavalry forges, you pop the top and get to work.

 

Value?  If you found a museum that wanted it for a display, you might get them to buy it for a hundred dollars, but that's absolute top dollar.  It's not a very good forge design and it's not something a hobby smith could keep outside without the wood rotting away in a year or so.  That, and it still needs lined before you could use it.

Greetings Rhots,

 

That is indeed a treasure..  I do not have much info on it but it should be preserved ..   I would suggest donating it to a museum that would appreciate it.  It was probably shipped without fire bricks for expense reasons assuming that local bricks where available..  Great find please locate a good home..  I live in Michigan and there are a few worthy museums here..  A better suggestion would be get ahold of Josh the NJ anvil man for his museum.. 

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

well, you don't see those every day! not very practical to use but a pretty neat find!

I don't know about a good farm forge but it'd sure be a dandy traveling forge. You can pack the lower, your tools and materials in it then when you get where you need it pack the box with damp earth and go to work. When done, knock the dirt out, pack it back up and move on.

 

I don't know what it's worth, not a lot to a modern smith but well worth conserving and displaying at a museum. I wish we could've told you it was worth a mint but . . . it's a box, an old box and a little hardware. Got the blower? That'd be worth a bit.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Looks sort of like most of the blower (minus the belts and what isn't showing in the pics) is there Frosty. Simple handle and gears then a fan box below.

The blower is there...just needs a belt.

The blower is there...just needs a belt.

It sure is there. Good thing I moved where there are no snakes!

 

Frosty The Lucky.

What about snow snakes...  LOL