GreyGhost27 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Found a 158 # Black Prince anvil. There is not a whole lot of information on these other then Columbus Forge made them for Shapleigh Hardware. Its got a few chips but nothing terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisPTF Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 According to Anvils In America pg. 354 it should have a serial # on it. The Black Prince a (Trademark of Shapleight Hardware Company) was made around 1920-1930! There was only about 300 of them made! Very Nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyGhost27 Posted February 10, 2017 Author Share Posted February 10, 2017 .I weighed it and it is 158 # so the158 under the makers name is the weight. The 095 must be the serial number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Hay Budden also made Black Prince hardware brand. Your is a HB anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyGhost27 Posted February 10, 2017 Author Share Posted February 10, 2017 I am pretty new to this game so wondering how you can identify that its a Hay Budden? Thanks for this info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Each anvil maker had their own particular style, and you learn to spot the differences fairly quickly. For example, no-one would confuse your Hay-Budden with the Mouse Hole in my profile picture: most of the MH's mass is in the center and the horn is much longer than the heel, while the HB has a much more slender waist and the heel and horn are about the same length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyGhost27 Posted February 10, 2017 Author Share Posted February 10, 2017 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyGhost27 Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 Cleaned the rust off using electrolysis and a wire brush. It has some rough edges but I am going to leave it as is, would hate to make it worse and I had that happen to me in the past on some other equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I like it! Now you have to polish it with some hot iron ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 looks in very good condition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeticowboy Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 I'm new to blacksmithing. I have one of these anvils also. There's not very much info out there about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 8 hours ago, Yeticowboy said: I'm new to blacksmithing. I have one of these anvils also. There's not very much info out there about them. Welcome to IFI. It looks like your anvil is ready to go to work. BTW if you put your general location in your profile you may be surprised how many of the gang are near you and some answers are location dependent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 Back before "Anvils in America" was published; anvils tended to be grouped in a few buckets: Great, OK, and ASO; knowing all the details about your anvil will not increase your blacksmithing skills as much as applying that time to using it. You have a great anvil USE IT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Yeticowboy, Please post a closeup picture of the side logo stamp, and another of the serial number on the front foot under the horn! Yeticowboy, Please post a closeup picture of the side logo stamp, and another of the serial number on the front foot under the horn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeticowboy Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 I will be posting more pictures, I've got to wait until I get off of work. The stamping on the anvil was kind of faint. I just could barely make out the words Black Prince on the side with St. Louis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeticowboy Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Here we go, sorry it took me so long to get more pictures up. Work has been pretty busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Thanks for the pics, I'm guessing there is an obscured digit in the serial number, either a leading or trailing digit not visible. The serial number is not going to be 10332, it is the wrong base style for that vintage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeticowboy Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 I looked for a number below the Black Prince stamp. It was really obscured. Almost can make out a 15 but it's really small and obscured. This anvil sat outside a barn my entire life. It was my grandfather's and belonged to his dad before him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ntryt2 Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I have an old Black Prince 169 pounder serial # 193510. Anyone able to give me an opinion of age and condition? I'm new to the world of anvils and got this one with a great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Welcome to IFI. I always suggest reading this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST Your anvil looks like a good 169 pound Farrier's pattern anvil. I think it was made by Hay Budden in 1912. We would love to hear the story about it. Someone with a copy of AIA (Anvils in America) will be able to give you an idea of when it was made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Well, let's hear the story. It's not fair to bait us like that and then not tell. Welcome aboard. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 5 hours ago, Ntryt2 said: I'm new to the world of anvils and got this one with a great story. Welcome aboard glad to have you and all that but if you're not going to tell the "Great story," we'll get all sulky and maybe say unkind things when you're not looking. I haven't been tagged as a curmudgeon for nothing you know. If you'll put your general location in the header you get to know how many of the gang live within visiting distance. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ntryt2 Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 This came out of the basement of an old mental health asylum. Place had been around since the early 1900's. At one time the "colony" as it was referred to was home to some 3,000 plus mentally ill and otherwise "unfit" in society. They raised their own cattle for slaughter and their own crops as well all with labor from the ill. Makes me wonder what it would tell if it could tell its story!?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 That is a great story and when the metal is giving you fits while hammering on it, you can blame it on the crazy anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Oooooh excellent story, thank you! Right now my mind is buzzing with stories about the, "Crazy Black Prince!" I love a good straight line and that one's a beauty. I'm sure it's spirit hides in the shadows when its roaming. I'll bet the insanity of everyone cured at the asylum was drawn out and absorbed by the Black Prince of the asylum! Oh yeah, that is just too juicy! I have a Sorceress but she just doesn't spark stories like yours does. What fun at demos, you can tell crazy spooky stories while you forge shackles or whatever. I'm suffering anvil envy for a strange reason. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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