Newbie with mystery anvil

[jAnderson]

Hello, This is my first post and hope I'm on the right forum for my question.  I recently bought a 225 lb anvil (224 lbs on certified scale) I can't identify.  I used paint remover and a hand wire-brush to reveal stampings of any kind but nothing is readable.  The only marking I can be fairly certain of is a "6" stamped into the lower center of the front base.  It has semi-circular divet in the rear base under the hardy hole which gave me the idea it might be an American Star.  It has a delamination crack under the rear table near the hardy hole.  Rebound is good except in that area.  If I end up using the anvil, I'll just avoid this area.  I don't want to grind and weld.  I want to preserve it the way it is.  Any input would be appreciated.  

 area.  

[JHCC]

Without seeing any markings, I'd say something in the mid-19th century, probably English, probably made by someone who trained at Mousehole Forge. It has a Mouseholic feel to it, but the semicircular divot is uncharacteristic.

I'm no expert on American Stars, but I was under the impression that their waists tended to be a bit lower than shown here, giving them an appearance that was simultaneously squat and top-heavy.

[jAnderson]

Thanks for your input JHCC.  I too thought it was possibly a Mousehole but after viewing countless images came to the conclusion Mouseholes never had a divet in the base.  I've ordered Postman's AIA and hope I can learn something about it.  I may never get to the bottom of this but the research is fascinating. History was never this much fun in school!

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard J, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the Iforge gang live within visiting distance.

I'm no help with your anvil, seems you have a decent handle on the things.

Frosty The Lucky.

[C-1ToolSteel]

I doubt it is a Star, but if it is, it will have a large (something like 2" diameter) hole in  the bottom of the base extending 3/4+ of the way up.

[turbo7]

Very interesting that the front feet are different to the back. Finally someone who doesn't want to re-work their anvil tho IMO one anvil that does need repair/grinding. That cracked peice would be better off being removed or ground and welded, not a high use area tho.

[Thief_Of_Navarre]

Looks like a Sheffield London pattern (probably late worker from mousehole as JHCC suggested.) The divot in the base is an odd one though.. I've seen a Sanderson like this but I suspected at the time it had been cut to mount on something. 

[JHCC]

By the way, you need to change the sign. That's an anvil, not mushrooms.

[ThomasPowers]

There were over 100 known anvil manufacturers in the UK; many of them learned the process working in one of the others and then set out on their own making pretty much what they knew so there are a LOT of different anvil makers that were "close" to the mousehole or PW shapes.