I found this old anvil today in an old mans back yard.. He gave it to me, with a few other odds and ends. Very happy with my catch of the day
Must be very old ,date stamp 1898
Weight about 40kg

Here in the States we don't consider anvils to be "old" till they are pre-1800; Many a smith is still working on anvils over 100 years old or older---I still hammer on one from 1828. (William Foster date stamped their anvils too)

That mousehole has another 100 years or even more of life left in it---get to hammering! (Hammering hot steel on the face is probably the best method of shining up the face of an anvil...)

Please note that Thomas Powers OPINION on the age of anvils is his alone.  It might be an attempt at humor, never really sure with his statements.

Nice anvil.
It is rare to see a mousehole stamped like that, and without a cutting shelf.

1898! What a treasure! 86# by the look of the stamping. Lots of work left in that. No doubt you will use it to make the old man something as a memento.

that is just a baby, an old anvil would be 1000 years old not just over 100.

the oldest one I normally use is from around 1730 so I gather.

 

it is a nice anvil, use it and make a gift for the old man

NIce anvil, it possibly got here when the power supply was still reliable, and that was so long ago? :)

Thanks for all the comments, , i really thought it to be very old, but now i know better, yeahhh i will create something on it for the old man. Regards

When you talk about a craft that is over a thousand years old, and most of the tools we use (those we don't make ourselves) are "antiques" 100 years is prety average, lol,

I think it's old!  Anything pre-1900 is dang near ancient, in my books.

 

I've never seen an anvil with so much writing on the side.  Regardless, you're a lucky fellow to have run across such a good deal.  Congratulations!

We colonials think that something is old if Sherman didn't burn it, Europeans don't think it is old unless the Romans didn't burn it. :o

We colonials think that something is old if Sherman didn't burn it, Europeans don't think it is old unless the Romans didn't burn it. :o

I was flying to Baltimore to be met by Bill Gichner and travel with him to the Saint Louis Abana conference in the early nineties....mentioned only to qualify for blacksmithing relevance....and was exchanging pleasantries with the American beside me.

I shared my favourite Oscar Wilde witticism about the Americans and the British being "divided by a common language"

His offering was that the British think 100 miles is a long way, and the Americans think 100 years is a long time....

Which has reminded me that I was very impressed with the Fred Borchard's response when I asked him how far he lived from Tom Joyce (they had travelled to the Alfred conference together) "Oh about a day and half!"

Good chunky looking anvil by the way OP.

Alan

Shoot, 's just a baby. My go to anvil is a 1816 Foster, and I've used the proverbial big rock. Made a lousy anvil, but it's gotta be what, couple of million yrs?

@ Alan, a day and a half? You'd think he would have sold that old banger :)

@ Alan, a day and a half? You'd think he would have sold that old banger :)

 

Ha Ha!

 

It is true though, he didn't specify whether that was walking, riding, driving or flying!

 

I was thinking about it after posting the tale. He may even have said "quite close, about a day and a half" especially for my awestruck benefit! He did have a bit of a twinkle in his eye!

 

Alan