So I have had this for many years and I would like to know information on this. The markings on the bottom are what I would like to know more about. I am new to this so thanks so much! It weighs 142 lbs. 

Edited June 11, 20187 yr by Carlene
included weight

It's a mousehole.  Wrought iron with a toolsteel face plate.  pretty good anvil. the bottom markings are english  hundredweight.  first number stands for units of 112 lbs, second number stands for units of 28, third number stands for units of 1. you add all the numbers together. 

1x112= 112                                                                                                         

+

1x28= 28

+

4x1= 4

=144 pounds.   it is normal for stamped weight to be a tad off from actual weight. 

Is it worth anything?

it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it.  I would give $200 for it, maybe max $300 if I'm feeling saucy. Also, if it is in northeast US.  In Siberia someone might pay 10,00 rubles.  Location?

I might give $100 for the vise.

Then again you might find someone desperate to buy their first anvil that would pay $400-$500.  Depending on location.

Southeast Iowa

It looks in decent using shape; however there are two tests that need to be run on it---they correspond to starting the engine on a used car and driving it to test the engine and transmission---hard to give a good price on a used car if you don't know if those work right?

Anyway the two tests are:

The Ball Bearing Test: this checks to make sure the anvil's face has not lost it's temper in a structure fire. On a clean anvil face take a 1/2" to 1" Ball Bearing and a ruler. Stand the ruler on the face of the anvil. Hold the ball bearing with the top at the 10" mark and drop it and see how far it bounces back up. I'd use anything 70% (7 inches) and 80%-90% are not unknown.

The other test is the ring test:  That type of anvil, unconstrained to a base, should give a clear TING when tapped with a hammer anywhere on the face. If the tap results in a thwap sound or a buzz, there is a hidden crack.

Failing either of these tests is like finding out that a used car has a blown engine, failing both---a blown engine and a wrecked transmission. It would still have some value but it goes WAY down!

If it passes both tests; your anvil should sell for minimum of US$2 a pound and a max of $5 a pound  in *my* opinion with the upper range based on how desperate folks in your area are for an anvil.

(The main selling points on a postvise are how worn the screw and screwbox are and how wide the jaws are with total weight a lagging third. Most sizes of post vises came in a light and a heavy version; blacksmiths tend to like the large heavy ones! 4" jaws are fairly standard, 6" jaws get a premium and 8" jaws may cause a ruckus from smiths fighting to buy it. Given a good screw/screwbox of course)

Thank you!