Hi I got this Anivl from a garage sale it was covered in about four layers of heavy thick paint. When I finely got it off I found out it was a Trenton Anvil. On the base it has several numbers an a very strange symbol I was hoping to get help identifying. One stamp is 150 which I assume is the weight (feels about right). I think the T means it was made by “Doggie” Taylor. I’m not sure about the rest which is why I’m here. 
check out the picture. I’m located in the Bay Area. 
I appreciate any help

Welcome aboard... I hope you have read about not doing any grinding, milling or welding on that fine anvils hardened face.

I think the serial number on the right is 210508 and Taylor substituted his T for the 1. If so someone with a copy of AIA may be able to verify that and date it. I think the Trexton logo was used on the later Trenton's.

Thanks!  I check the library system and could not find a copy so anything helps. 

I have found some hard to get books through the ILL (inter library loan) system, you might ask them about that.

Great I’ll check it out!

ILL for the win!  I live in Rural New Mexico and was able to ILL a book with no problem that had been on an amazon book search for over 10 years with no hits.

What a pretty little Trenton, and in California too.  You must have lived a good, clean, wholesome life.  My second thought was that somebody didn't love it very much.  Too much cold work on it, left all those little rings and wallowed out the hardy hole some.  Looks like you cleaned up some mushrooming too, and they got welding spatter on the feet. Poor little guy.  Fortunately Trentons will take some abuse if it's not applied wholesale.  Keep it warm and feed it lots of hot metal daily until it feels better. Nice find.

I have a little 100 pound Trenton I just found and picked up. SN:    100  2T3277. Would love to know more if anyone has access to the AIA book, as its in pretty fine shape. If anyone on the forum could tell me more about it, I intend to woodburn its history into the stand it sits on. I am proud to be it's temporary caregiver until my time is up. It has been cleaned up, put on a new stand and is already hard at work. 

To start with 100 is not the serial number it's the weight!

Where's the picture of the underside of the base?

Thank you Thomas, I understand that the 100# stamp is to the left of the serial number, then the serial number to the right. The base has an OVAL depression. I do not have a photo of it right now. 

 

According to AIA if I'm reading the S/N as 213277...1943 to Apr of 1945.

Cool anvil.

Thank you very much!! I appreciate it. I have scoured our local (large) library system and could not find a copy, I appreciate your time. Yes, I was checking FB marketplace 5 times a day and it popped up, I went after it immediately. Very happy to have found it in this shape. 

 

If you are a history type geek, AIA is a fascinating book. Richard Postman did a fantastic job researching and compiling the info. There is more info out there and I hope somebody can add to the reference.

Any way you found a very nice condition and very usable sized war baby TreXton.

If you fill the location info on your profile you might find a few folks near you.

(The oval puts it as later than the hourglass trentons for a "rough date".)

Thanks guys, I will fill out my profile, I bought this to help me with bladesmithing, but find myself spending as much time teaching myself blacksmithing as anything else. I am so glad to have found this forum. 

I generally use the analogy that Bladesmithing is like car racing and blacksmithing is like learning to drive a car.  Yes you can jump right in with racing; but expect to spend a lot more on body work and totaled vehicles!

I think it's interesting that this is the second Trenton with a T as the second digit in the serial number string I have seen. The anvil just prior to this one also has a T there.

Search Essentail Craftsman on YouTube. He has great black smithing videos, plus a great deal of knowledge on other craftsman related topics. Out of all my years watching YouTube his channels and videos are simply the best, start in the beginning years. 

Mr.  A. O.,

Great site!

Thanks,

SLAG.

Andy O,

I didn't see a date reply to your orig date question, from AIA, it looks like it was born in 1943. Another nice war baby TreXton.

I'm interested in all your anvil pics and knowledge. I have inherited a Trenton anvil from my uncle that came from his family's farm many years ago. I believe it was his grandfathers and I'm 72 years old making it pretty old. The numbers on it look like B152  A18553 as best as I can see. Can anybody tell me anything about this anvil ?I have taken some pics but don't know how to insert from my tablet?

Welcome from the Ozark Mountains. The B 152 should be the weight in pounds when it was made and A18553 is the serial number which will date it, as soon as someone who has a copy of AIA comes along.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

I know this is an older thread but if anyone is still out there I have a Trenton Anvil that I am trying to identify. The base is stamped “T   A1991”. Any info would be appreciated.

Edited November 19, 20232 yr by Jboothe
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What's the underside look like?  Does it have an hourglass depression?

If so from what I'm seeing it was manufactured by the Columbus Forge & Iron Company of Columbus OH.  The anvil bible shows that serial number indicates it was manufactured in 1898