Glen K Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 I know I'm not giving too much to go on, but was hoping someone could recognize the marking in the middle of the first picture. This is up for sale a few hours away from me, so haven't seen it in person, nor can I get other pictures. It's on a stand that says fairbanks morse & co with numbers below of 216 or maybe 2L6 on the stand, but I wasn't sure fairbanks-morse made anvils from what I can tell, but since they make so much stuff, maybe they did at one time. Seller says "been in family 4 generations" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 I've zoomed in till it's a blur and can't tell. It "LOOKS" like there's part of a heater type shield or the letter J around part of the badge but that's all I can sort of make out. It looks like a useable anvil IF it passes the rebound test though I don't know about the stand, it's height would be a dice roll. It could be good for other stuff, it's hard to say no to a stand. Trying to judge the anvil face's height from the pic using the face length as 13.5" and calipers I guestimate the face height at about 26". That'd be low for me, mine are 31" and I'm only 5'7". If you're taller I'd use a bad stand height as a bargaining chip. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 I just checked the "A Blacksmith's & Hammerman's Emporium for Fairbacks & Morris. It seems the United Hammer Company made them in 1917. Although there is no picture of an anvil, there is a footnote about steel anvils. It says "It is advisable to equip the hammers with steel anvils when they are to be used for classes of work like cutlery, scythes, files and other thin work of similar nature, where the dies are brought close together". Just wondering if United Hammer Company made the anvils or sublet-ted them out to say Trenton or Hay Budden. If the emblem looks like UHC it's a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted December 29, 2022 Share Posted December 29, 2022 My guess is that the anvil and stand are not related. Dosent look like an anvil stand to me, more like grinder pedestal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 29, 2022 Share Posted December 29, 2022 I thought the same and looking at Fairbanks Morse I couldn't find anything that looked like that stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branding Iron Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 The stand was definitely not made for an anvil. This anvil is not worth driving several hours for even at half the current asking price. There is damage to the face and significant damage on the edge. Not sure if the Brooks or Fisher anvil that show in the same general area are any closer, but they might be a decent option to consider if you can get the price down. At the current prices for any of those anvils I’d be looking at a new anvils! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen K Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 10 hours ago, Branding Iron said: Not sure if the Brooks or Fisher anvil that show in the same general area are any closer, but they might be a decent option to consider if you can get the price down. Those are only about an hour away. Same guy also has multiple other ones as well. It seems like there is one "anvil guy" here in Utah and if you want one, you get to pay him a premium price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatLiner Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 Unfortunately that anvil is a good anvil out here in Utah. Good anvils are slim Pickens out here, a lot were donated to the war effort in WWII and what's left seems to be riden hard on ranches where they where cold shoeing horses. That is what usually does the damage that you are seeing on the edges. If you keep your eye out in KSL or Craig's list a hidden gem will pop up every now and then but you have to have cash on hand and be willing to drop everything in a moments notice to go get it. The one guy selling English anvils brings them in by the pallet load, he has connections in Britain. He sells them on the internet and he doesn't budge on price. I told him once that I refuse to pay more per pound for a used anvil than what I can buy a new one for, he just told me that there are a lot of people out there who are willing to pay just for the name on the anvil. Don't overlook the value of a forklift tine or large block of steel, and be willing to travel into Wyoming and Idaho for an anvil. I picked up a Sisco anvil in Evanston for $100 the gentleman threw in a 45 lb trunkated Columbian anvil for free with it. The Sisco's edges looked similar, I just flap wheeled them to take the sharpness off and now it's my go to anvil. Good luck, if I see anything I'll let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen K Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 Yeah, I've been having an internal argument with myself if I should just fork over the $1000 for the 1887 196lb fisher anvil for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branding Iron Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 It won’t make you a better smith, but it can certainly bring personal satisfaction to own a nice anvil. It might be worth a trip to see the anvil man - just to make comparisons of different types if nothing else. Bring a ball bearing to test rebound just in case! Otherwise $1,000 can get you a whole lot of tooling and a nice chunk of steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatLiner Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 For $1000 I would take the Brooks over the fisher, but that's my personal preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 Spent a lot of time in the hospital watching Japanese bladesmiths using anvils that look like pieces of heavy fork lift tines. Here is an example of a USA version that cost US$25 IIRC: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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