Fuzz557 Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Hey guys I just kinda stumbled across this anvil and have no clue what it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 When you're taking pics of iron and steel try lighting it an oblique angle, shallow from one side so the stampings are more clearly visible. You can rub it with chalk, charcoal, etc. and wipe the surface clean to enhance details as well. A possible name is on the tip of my tongue but I'm not terribly good at IDing anvils. She looks to be a beauty from what I can see. Next time get some pics of the face too please, this edge looks pretty clean. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 129lb Vulcan, great looking English anvil. Any photos of the top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz557 Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 The edges are a little worked but the top is in good shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 That's a great looking top, Congrats and happy forging! I've seen lots of Vulcan Arm and Hammer anvils but never a Vulcan marked Sheffield. Maybe someone will have more info. It's marked in hundred weight and looks a lot like a mousehole but clearly it's a Vulcan. Got me curious now...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionel h Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I agree it looks identical to my mouse hole and would've sworn it was one also had I not saw what was stamped on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz557 Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 Is this anvil cast with a forged face? Like the Vulcan with the logo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 The one with the Arm and Hammer raised logo is American. I don't know how they were made. The English anvils are cast iron with a steel top forge welded on. In the first photo with the cordless drill I can see the demarcation line between the iron body and steel top. Some of the English anvils were made of two castings for the base forge welded at the waist but that one doesn't show a weld line around the waist section so it looks to be a one piece base with forge welded top. Did I mention the top looks great? No saddle or other serious wear. I can see one lifting hole in the front under the horn. I'm guessing there is another in the back under the heel and possibly a third on the bottom. It looks to be a classic London pattern, 19th century but I'm not familiar with the brand. How's the rebound? PS What is that widget in the pritchel hole? I've never seen tooling used in the pritchel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 The English anvils are not cast iron they are forged wrought iron with a steel face plate. Vulcan anvils and arm and hammer are different companies. Arm and hammer are forged anvils and a better quality than Vulcans. Vulcan was tring to mimic fisher. They are a cast iron anvil with a steel face plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjaman Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 6 hours ago, TwistedCustoms said: That's a great looking top, Congrats and happy forging! I've seen lots of Vulcan Arm and Hammer anvils but never a Vulcan marked Sheffield. Maybe someone will have more info. It's marked in hundred weight and looks a lot like a mousehole but clearly it's a Vulcan. Got me curious now...... Why do you say "clearly it's a Vulcan"? From what I thought Vulcans, like the one in the background from one of those pictures up there are cast iron. Sheffields from what I know could come from a couple different origins but some were made by mousehole which are forged wrought. According to postman the best way to tell if it is a mouse hole or not. There should be a pointed ridge from the back leading to the front of the horn on the underside. I don't have my anvil book on me to do some more digging. Vulcans are definitely American cast iron anvils. Vulcan and Sheffield or mouse hole are 2 totally different style anvils. Correct me if I'm mistaken but this is what I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thief_Of_Navarre Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 A few other makers had their anvils made by mousehole forge but rudely skimmed and marked their own brand in. Sanderson was one of them, Vulcan 'may' have been another. The shape of the horn makes me think mousehole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timgunn1962 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Given that Vulcan was the Roman God of Fire and therefore very closely associated with Smithing, coupled with the fact that anvil making has been going for much longer than trademark registration (which only started in the 1870s), it would seem somewhat presumptious to suppose that there could only ever have been a single anvil manufacturer associated with the name. There was an Ebenezer Burdekin, anvil maker, at Vulcan Works, South Street, Sheffield in 1828. http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Ebenezer_Burdekin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz557 Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 Now it light outside I got a few pictures of the sides and bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I can almost see Vulcan Works in the lettering on the side. Mousehole Forge did have other dealers strike thru their name, and rebrand them, but this does not seem to have had this done. Also, the bottom of the horn does not have the pronounced ship's keel shape so common in Mousehole products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz557 Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 The rebound is awesome and it's heavier than the Vulcan with the arm and hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 14 hours ago, Benjaman said: Why do you say "clearly it's a Vulcan"? From what I thought Vulcans, like the one in the background from one of those pictures up there are cast iron. Sheffields from what I know could come from a couple different origins but some were made by mousehole which are forged wrought. According to postman the best way to tell if it is a mouse hole or not. There should be a pointed ridge from the back leading to the front of the horn on the underside. I don't have my anvil book on me to do some more digging. Vulcans are definitely American cast iron anvils. Vulcan and Sheffield or mouse hole are 2 totally different style anvils. Correct me if I'm mistaken but this is what I thought. In the first photo it looks like the stamp says "Vulcan -----(maybe Norris for the second word?) And Sheffield underneath. I have seen Fisher Norris, I have seen an anvil marked Vulcan with the Arm and Hammer logo, but never with the word Sheffield. The Sheffield makes me assume it's English. 20 hours ago, matto said: The English anvils are not cast iron they are forged wrought iron with a steel face plate. Vulcan anvils and arm and hammer are different companies. Arm and hammer are forged anvils and a better quality than Vulcans. Vulcan was tring to mimic fisher. They are a cast iron anvil with a steel face plate. Forged wrought, not cast... Thanks matto! I have two Mouseholes and always thought they were cast bases. That's why I love this site! 10 hours ago, John McPherson said: I can almost see Vulcan Works in the lettering on the side. Mousehole Forge did have other dealers strike thru their name, and rebrand them, but this does not seem to have had this done. Also, the bottom of the horn does not have the pronounced ship's keel shape so common in Mousehole products. Looking at the stamp in the first and second photo I think it is Vulcan "Works" When I first zoomed in on it I wrongly thought it might say Vulcan "Norris" Blame it on old eyes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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