This anvil was in an old auto mechanic shop and gas station that my grandpa owned for a while in Western Nebraska. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like a 176# Trenton anvil, created by "Z", with the serial number A34797. From the searching I've done, I'm guessing it was made around 1903. If anyone with an AIA copy would look it up for me and confirm the exact year, I'd be very grateful.

More backstory, if you're interested. My grandpa worked at the station again in his 80s and 90s. He had sold it decades earlier. It was still a full service station 25 years ago, so he would pump peoples' gas and wash their windows. He worked there until his mid 90s and went on to live to nearly 103. Really glad I found this old anvil and can find more out about it!

Dreams,

Anvils in America puts that anvil in the year 1903.  They started their serial numbers in 1898 presumably with 0.  It looks like you have one of 8,000 or so anvils that were made that year.  If I'm right, I guess that would qualify as an "early" Trenton anvil.  We tend to think of "early" anvils as some of the first of it's kind made, or at least I do.  The early Trenton's were the German Trenton's like this one.

Notice the "feet" on the base?  That's a dead ringer for an early Trenton, but Peter Wright anvils have the same feet and some think the early Trenton bases might have be made by Peter Wright or were surplus purchased or something along those lines.  The early Trenton's have the diamond logo and the weight is between the legs like the below picture.  That's a great story about your grandpa's shop.  It's good that you kept this anvil.  For being in a service station it's in pretty good shape.  Most service stations weld on anvils and pound cold metal on them causing terrible damage that we all have to live with today.  Hope this helps.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and providing such interesting info. Much appreciated!

Edited July 10, 20206 yr by Mod30
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Welcome aboard Dreams...Have you read the Read This First thread located up in the blue banner. It is full of tips on how to get the best out of IFI and some may help in flying under the moderators radar.