Zozon Posted December 25, 2019 Share Posted December 25, 2019 Hi guys, I will try to present You my favorite anvil in this topic. In this part of world Austrian pattern anvils are very common, I knew they were made in Austria, of course and in Hungary ... one day I've found a very nice anvil that shape, 202 lbs (91.5 kg). It was just a few hundred miles from me and I decided to take it. The owner could not tell me what make it is, the photos in the add were bad but it was so, so similar to Johann Elias Bleckmann (JEB) anvils. It turned to be a Skoda, made in Czech Republic ... they are well known of heavy industrial forged anvils but this is a cast anvil with beautiful shape, three-step base, church windows, round horn and a hill. It was not cheap but I took it home, when I cleaned the rust and dust I saw it has top plate forge welded of tool steel. There is another fact that make this anvil my favorite. The old man who sold it to me was a blacksmith for whole his life, he bought this used anvil from his teacher (boss) when he become a blacksmith himself. The old man has retired but his anvil is still alive in my workshop surrounded with his fellows! That's all folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 that sure is a beautiful anvil.. Congratulations.. What a great story behind it.. Did you get a photo of the gentleman you purchased it from. That would be a classic story 50 years from now.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Nice to see it being used, and not just stored away, or out in a garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Beautiful anvil and nice story. I bet the seller was not happy about parting with his tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilentForge Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Great anvil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zozon Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 Thank You guys, I could not take a photo with the old man who sold this anvil to me, he was too weak, I only talk with him on the phone, his nephew help me to load the anvil and took the money from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatLiner Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 This is one of my favorite looking anvils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartW Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Gorgeous anvil. Use it well. I have 2 skoda's, and I find their steel quality is exceptional (HRC 60 or more) , even compared to Refflinghaus or peddinghaus, and I absolutely love them. pictures are here: skoda anvil twins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zozon Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 1/5/2020 at 10:59 PM, FlatLiner said: This is one of my favorite looking anvils. Mine too! It rally looks amazing, very elegant shape and sound of this anvil is unique! On 1/6/2020 at 5:12 AM, BartW said: Gorgeous anvil. Use it well. I have 2 skoda's, and I find their steel quality is exceptional (HRC 60 or more) , even compared to Refflinghaus or peddinghaus, Great looking anvils, I love the story about the trade :-) Congratulations ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zozon Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 Well guys I have news. I've decided to sell one of my anvils, a young blacksmith came to see them and fell in love with Skoda ... he was so enthusiastic that I decided to sell it to him. I missed Skoda a little but I was not sorry, no doubt he was the right person to continue working on that anvil! Just a few days later an ad appeared, a big Skoda, South German form with side wing, upsetting block and a wooden stump. I couldn't wait until morning to call at a decent time, did not discus about price at all, just asked about condition ( there was just one small picture in the ad), weight and time to pick it up! They did not know the weight or manufacturer, actually they did not know anything about anvils ... they are export-import company and this came within a whole workshop they have bought. It turned out it is a 159 kg (350 lbs) and I knew the rest before :-) As usual it was just a couple hundred miles away from me but this time it was cheap ... I've enjoyed that journey ! I didn't have time to clean the paint but it looks very good, rings like a bell and edges are almost untouched. Now a few photos. That's the story, cheers guys, I'll add some more photos when I clean it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 I know you are posting that just to get me banned for bad language!!!! Moderators; you said intent counts so I guess this counts: " "! Lovely large anvil and I envy your possession of it. Are you willing to say what you paid for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Your good deed, selling the first one to a student, has been rewarded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 It's lovely, congratulations. I'm feeling a little anvil envy. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Wow , that is an anvil of beauty. congrats.. That is fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 I had no Idea Skoda made anvils. Now I’m envious because it is a beautiful anvil and because it is a Skoda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zozon Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 On 1/8/2021 at 6:06 PM, ThomasPowers said: I know you are posting that just to get me banned for bad language!!!! Moderators; you said intent counts so I guess this counts: " "! Lovely large anvil and I envy your possession of it. Are you willing to say what you paid for it? I paid 350 EURO - 420-430 USD for that ... no comment :-) On 1/8/2021 at 6:40 PM, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said: Your good deed, selling the first one to a student, has been rewarded. Yeah, but this young man is a real MAN, when he saw an ad, he called me and said " ... look Zoran, there was a big Skoda for sale but it was sold so fast ... don't know how ..." I appreciate him very much! On 1/8/2021 at 6:50 PM, Frosty said: It's lovely, congratulations. I'm feeling a little anvil envy. Frosty The Lucky. Thank you Frosty ! On 1/8/2021 at 6:58 PM, jlpservicesinc said: Wow , that is an anvil of beauty. congrats.. That is fantastic. Thank you jlpservicesinc ! On 1/9/2021 at 1:01 AM, Davor said: I had no Idea Skoda made anvils. Now I’m envious because it is a beautiful anvil and because it is a Skoda. Hi Davor, yes, they made anvils ... i did not know it until I saw some ads ... it turned out Skoda was so serious heavy industry ... probably anvils are just a small part of this Czech Republic giant ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 That deal just seals my envy! Great anvil at a really great price! Where I am at an anvil like that would be considered cheap at over US$1000 and might go $2000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zozon Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 I know anvils are much more expensive in America than in Europe, in my country normal price is about 3 - 4 Euro/kg (1.6 - 2.2 USD/lbs) but this time I was a very lucky to buy this one for 1.22 $/ lbs. Maybe I should not tell price to you, didn't want to make you envy guys ... well ... maybe just a little :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 Yes that does rub salt into the wound---but we can be happy for you while at the same time grinding our teeth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartW Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 Awsome anvil; use it well. These are top-of-the-line anvils, they are solid cast tool steel, and can be harder than a file. If you use the sharp corners a lot; they can chip (farriers drawing out toes for example). Also; they ring like a church-bell; verrrrry uncomfortable. They need to be silenced before you can work without getting a head-ache. But if you take care of it, polish the face by working on it, you are set for your great-grand-children. Anvils in the old world are cheaper; true. On average they go for around 1.5€ / pound around here for the decent modern cast tool steel ones. For some reason it's fairly hard to find wrought iron anvils around here. I started with a Press block; then recieved a vulcan, then my first Skoda; then my second skoda, and then I recieved a Belgian UAT. All 3 cast tool steel anvils. All I did was make sure everyone knows I'm looking for anvils. Didn't even cost me much. If I contrast that to how long, and how hard some people are looking for an anvil in the USA ... All I can say is that I am extremely lucky in the anvil departement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 Bart; there has been a lot of wars in Europe gobbling up older anvils for scrap; I've seen pictures of exquisite railings that were scrapped for the war effort. When I was travelling in Europe I tried to find guidebooks that predated the world wars as they had pictures of stuff that wasn't there anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 Thomas as usual your thought process is wonderfully simple but complex.. What a briliant idea to use the old guide books. I'd love to find a true Swedish pattern anvil for my shop.. Something in the 400lb range.. I really love the narrow faces with lots of mass under it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 In Germany I found a pre-WWI one that showed a lot of ornate village well surrounds, some have been remade...Europe has history like North America has space. Understanding some of what went on can make a visit much more interesting. Of course I hit all the fleamarkets I could and my High School German helped a lot---yes most speak English; but when you are digging for old books being able to ask in German gets you further! Here's an easy one for John: "Schmiedeeisen", 47 Bilder , text von Franz Nabl; printing is in fraktur so more fun puzzling it out---but one of the nicer versions. Some of the pieces are even dated: 1772, 1499-1505, 1589-1590, 1611, 1668, 1723, 1740, 1765, 1767. Ornate gates, grill work, well surrounds, etc. Nice clear black and white photos. Interesting; most of the ones I find online only have 39 photos instead of the 47 my copy has... I wonder if the later ones included pictures that were subsequently dropped. My copy of Kunh's "Geschmiedetes Eisen" published in Germany in 1939 has a number of pictures that were removed for the post war english version. (And was sold under the table to me at the Frankfurt fleamarket.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Beautiful anvil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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