I just recently acquired a black prince anvil Shapleigh hardware company St.Louis Missouri. I have done just a little research found out a little information. I do have a number on the front, 132 which I'm guessing is the weight and then an A90613 which I'm guessing is the serial number I'm just wondering if anybody knows how to decipher the serial number to tell me information about it. I would really appreciate  as many responses as possible.  This anvil belonged to my grandfather  which was from Texas. Then was given to my dad. Now that my dad has passed it belongs to me.

Your anvil is a Trenton made for Shapleigh Hardware Co. Serial # puts it around 1910 according to AIA. Trentons are very high qualtity anvils!

Could we get a closeup of the side logo stamp, and another of the serial number?  I'm keeping a database of Trenton logos and would like to add this one.

Thanks!

Yes I can get you pics of those. Can you tell me how many of these anvils were made?

Anvils in general? Millions. The anvil in varoius shapes and materials has been around since the copper age (4500BC to 3500BC)!

For that particular Hardware Company or by the OEM that was rebranded?   (The latter we may have some idea; for the former probably not.)

There are very few people in the market that care how "rare" the anvil they are buying is---in fact for decades before the publishing of Anvils in America folks didn't care about dates for their anvils.

On 12/12/2017 at 10:22 AM, Billytr11 said:

Yes I can get you pics of those. Can you tell me how many of these anvils were made

Technically, your anvil isn't a "Trenton".  Columbus Forge and Iron made anvils with many names on them, with Trenton being the name they sold as their own brand.  When they made them for others they had a variety of names stamped on the side.

Assuming Anvils in America is correct, CFI only made around 300 anvils for Shapleigh Hardware Co....so it's definitely unusual and a great find!

Unfortunately, some folks always seem to semi-scold someone for asking if their newly found anvil is rare, or how old it is, or how many were made.  You just have to ignore that.

Billy - don't tease us, post pictures of the whole anvil if you have them

Are those weld repairs on the waist?

I think what some are trying to convey is that age has nothing to do with an anvil's ability to produce great things so in a sense it doesn't matter.  I think for most it's just a healthy curiosity as far as age and rarity.  Usually the first thing people ask me is how old my anvil is so it's nice to have some information to give them. 

What I wish we could do is know how many and which blacksmiths used the anvil before each of us bought them.  That to me would be a great bit of knowledge to have, a sort of genealogy for your anvil.  I suppose some family anvils have this, but my Trenton is a big question mark being an early German Boker anvil.  If anvils could talk........ 

I'm not the OP but heres a closeup of my Black Price anvil logo stamp. This anvil is well used but still rings true.

RonL, do you have a pic of the serial number?