JHCC Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 CTC, you'll like this: two of the instrument gifts I've worked on for our conservatory have interesting histories. One is a copy of the "Vieuxtemps" Stradivarius that was made around the turn of the century by the Voller brothers for Hart & Son in London (who owned the "Vieuxtemps" at the time, and had the Voller brothers make a few direct copies). The very first purchaser was a woman in Iowa who passed it down to her daughter, who passed it to her daughter, who gave it to us, along with the original receipt and the correspondence between her grandmother and John Hart. The other instrument is a cello by Carlo Tononi, made in Venice around 1725. We don't know its early history, but it was given to us by an alumna of the class of 1969, who had been given it by her mother-in-law, who in turn had been given it by her father when she was little. It turns out that the father (a doctor in Bern, Switzerland) had bought it from a Russian cellist who needed the cash to pay for tuberculosis treatment. That cellist was Anatoly Brandukov, who was Sergei Rachmaninoff's good friend (indeed, he was the best man at his wedding) and who had premiered the Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata -- quite probably on this very cello! CGL, Congratulations! Enjoy your new anvil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Exactly the same kind of history I'd love to have for my violin, JCHH. I was and stringed instrument repairman back in the late 90's and early 00's and had the opportunity to remove the top of a "Strad" for an internal repair one time. I prayed before doing it. Durn near wet my pants during the repair. Think my heart stopped two or three times during the process. Instruments such as those are precious beyond belief. Sorry CGL, I really didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'm just so happy for you and your new anvil that I wanted to impart the importance of keeping it's "life" record both intact and with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 JHCC, not JCHH. I also worked in a violin repair shop for a couple of years, but never got so far as taking the top from a Strad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Sorry. I'm not good at all these initials and such. Good to know their is a kinship more than pounding steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 Thank you for all the well wishes gentlemen. I feel very blessed to have it. I figure they may start dropping out of the sky now, because they seem to attract each other. Chris and JHCC. I've enjoyed reading yalls posts. History is important. Especially family history. Even more so to me than it used to be. Some here may remember back in November of 2017, a tragedy took the lives of my two young grandchildren. They were 5 and 3. I had just started my blacksmithing journey a couple of months prior. For a long time afterward, I didn't care about much except taking care of my family. And just getting up and breathing every day was hard. I'm not as far in skill as I'd like to be because it took me a long time to get back to it. It's kind of bittersweet to be at the forge because I had already planned out how I was going to teach them not only blacksmithing, but so many things. On the other end, my mother has had a bad year with her health and it makes me ponder the meaning of life. Family history and legacy are at a forefront in my my mind. My first hammer blow will be dedicated to them and I hope more generations after me will know something of the specialness of this anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 I'm truly sorry for you loss CGL. That's a tough one to grasp and work through. I can't even imagine what your journey has been like. I'll put you and your Mom on my prayer. list. And may your future in pounding steel be a fulfilling one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 Thank you. I didn't mean to make anyone feel bad. Just got to thinking. I really meant to say I didn't think you were hijacking the thread. I like the talk of history behind things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 To cheer up your shop I would suggest making a red rubber nose for the point of your anvils's horn. Prevents OUCHes too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 I remember the tragedy now you remind me, I didn't associate you till now. My memory is so shot. A little prayer sent as I type. May I suggest once you have your Emerson mounted you just ring the anvil 3 times for each passed soul. Light blows are good you just want it to ring a little while you hold a fond memory and say a prayer. Keeping a journal to hold it's history for the future is a good way to look forward. If you use a wood block as a stand, perhaps cut a slot or get crazy and make a little drawer to hold the journal to Log your anvil's history, a log log so to speak. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 May i too offer prayers and condolences. I know loss is hard but i like to believe there is a greater plan and it is all for a reason. I am also fond of the history of things. It holds a story. My post vice was my great grandfathers, i remember my granddad using it in the barn, then my dad in the garage, and now has a home in my shop. I hope that one day my grandson will use it. Before i started smithing i just looked at it as an old vice. No idea what it was worth. That was when it was in my dads garage. He asked me one day if i wanted it. I almost said no and he would have scrapped it. However knowing it was in the family so long and the memories of me and my papa working together with it i said yes. So glad i did now, at least i can teach my grandson its value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 Thank you guys for the prayers and warm thoughts and ideas. I truly appreciate it. I didn't realize the purchase of an anvil could be such an emotional thing. I have a hard time smithing sometimes because I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Like I shouldn't be enjoying something so much without them. My son that I speak about on here is their father. Spending time with him in the shop is precious as well. Billy Bones, thank you for sharing that story. I hope your grandson cherishes the history of your family as much as you do. Sorry to be such a bummer. One of those days. I'll try to be much lighter in tone. I'm excited about my anvil. Now I need the time to build a stand for it and get to know it a lot better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 You never need to apologize for vocalizing or exposing your grief, CGL. I spent 13 years as a facilitator for a Grief Recovery Support Group, so believe me when I say just feel what you feel when you feel it. Most people understand grief.................they just don't understand the process of the journey. Prayers being sent your way. Like Frosty said, set up that beautiful new anvil and gently ring it 3 times for each of your grandchildren and yours and your family's loss. God Bless you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 Thank you Chris, I appreciate that more than you know. I just try to stay away from all the personal stuff here to not bring anyone else down. I'm one of those people that try to stay busy. Keeps my mind occupied. Blacksmithing is one thing I do that is not a necessity. It's purely for my enjoyment, and I didn't realize how much I've limited my enjoyment of it because of the events of my life. Thanks for letting me talk about things everyone. I just really was proud of my new anvil. I still can't believe it's mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Yup, it's yours. Now go smash some hot steel on it. Anxious to see what you get started with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 Tools. That's what I have in mind right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 So the anvil stand is done! I haven't got to forge yet, but if all works out, hopefully this evening. Got errands to do today. Sorry if the picture is huge. Tried to resize it, but my connection isn't working great today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Speechless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 Thanks Chris. My husband did most of the work. I'll work on it and see if it needs tweaking. We studied anvil stands here on IFI for ideas for design and stability and deadening the ring. It definitely quieted the ring considerably. It's just a tink sound now and the feet have a solid thunk sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Wanna see what you forge on it for the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomas W Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Great setup. I do have a question. Is the base made from a bunch of 2x4s? Or what wood setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Nice, i like that. Wish i would have thought of the turn buckles coming to a central point. Mine criss cross. Absolute pain in the behind to tighten. Time for a change i suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Griffin Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Nice anvil and stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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