Colonial anvil ID/age help

[CoyoteGear]

Hey all,

I just picked up this 5th foot colonial anvil this afternoon, appears to be stamped 1-1-2 (circle) giving a stone weight of 142# bathroom scale says 143# so that checks with chart. Not sure what the circle means other than perhaps an inspectors mark or added by an owner over the years.

Looking for any additional info. Thank you all in advance.

[CoyoteGear]

I don't think it was a 20, the o isn't the same size as the other numbers, and I think it being stamped 142# and getting a reading of 143# on the scale is more likely than getting 143# and having it stamped 162#... That's a lot of weight to lose over the years with so little wear.

You are correct that it can be up to 27.

I've been looking for about a year for a Sawyers anvil, I wanted something in the 200-250# range, but this one popped up and the price was right so I couldn't pass it up. And I like how the 5th foot looks, it'll be me new baby

[C-1ToolSteel]

Well, as far as additional info, you might find this interesting.

 There has been a lot of superstition about anvils and blacksmiths in the past. Much of this, I'm sure, is because anyone who could beat hot steel surely had some kind of extra power. The church window stile anvil, before they were cast, actually had the window part forged on separately, in most cases, then forge welded to the body. Why would somebody go to that much trouble just for something decorative? You guessed it. Pure superstition. Richard Postman's theory about the 5th foot is that it was a MUCH easier way to get sorta the same look. I would imaging that forge welding church windows to every anvil you make would get old after a while. This sounds like a pretty good guess, to me, because I can't think of anything they could be used for, and you never see any wear there. Anyway, just thought that might be interesting.

Beautiful anvil, by the way.

[forger]

very nice find, especially out here. I really like the old colonial anvils.

I got a new one from Jymm Hoffman out of pittsburg Pa

Mike

[George Geist]

48 minutes ago, C-1ToolSteel said:

 I would imaging that forge welding church windows to every anvil you make would get old after a while. This sounds like a pretty good guess, to me, because I can't think of anything they could be used for, and you never see any wear there. Anyway, just thought that might be interesting.

 

Church windows are a must for making armor. They might make handy swages for other types of sheet metal artistry too.

Have a look at them being employed for their intended use:

George

[C-1ToolSteel]

Interesting. I can't see the video with this devise, but I will check it out when I get a chance.

[Thief_Of_Navarre]

Cool video, I can see why you would want one now