cbl4823 Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 For all you anvil collectors and smiths out there...Whats the rarest anvil you have actually seen or heard of? Yes there is obviously a 900+ pound Hay Budden out there somewhere, and an 11 pound Hay Budden just sold on ebay for $3600. Ill post my find in a couple of days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I saw an old Fisher ad the other day that said they make anvils up to 1300# Id like to have one myself but the biggest fisher ive seen was a bit over 500# Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 (edited) KYBoy, The biggest anvil Fisher made (i think) was the 1400 lb anvil at the 1876 centennial exposition. Fisher & Norris Anvil Works IIRC that was a one off "look at what we can do, we are so great" type of deal. I don't believe that size was manufactured in any quantity. I've seen somewhere some pictures of (what remains of) a few renaissance era anvils, I'd say those are pretty rare. The oddest anvil I've seen is that tri-anvil that popped up on ebay a while back, I think there is a picture of it in the gallery here somewhere. -Aaron @ the SCF Edited October 8, 2008 by the_sandy_creek_forge speeling mistackes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I'd say the "rarest" were early iron age anvils. I'm not into collecting anvils; I have a number of them and use all of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl4823 Posted October 9, 2008 Author Share Posted October 9, 2008 By "early iron age anvils", Do you mean anvils with no table? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highlander Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 not a collector, just a user. my oldest is a mid 1700's mousehole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 The old cathedral window anvils from Europe are pretty rare as are the really old stake anvils that predate the London pattern. The Fisher exhibits at the Centennial and various World Fair's they participated in had many large ones - 400, 500, 650, etc. up to the monsters. IIRC, I saw a pic from the Chicago Word's Fair where they had about 15-20 anvils set up at the exhibit. I would love to have any one of them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 KYBoy, The biggest anvil Fisher made (i think) was the 1400 lb anvil at the 1876 centennial exposition. Fisher & Norris Anvil Works IIRC that was a one off "look at what we can do, we are so great" type of deal. I don't believe that size was manufactured in any quantity. I've seen somewhere some pictures of (what remains of) a few renaissance era anvils, I'd say those are pretty rare. The oddest anvil I've seen is that tri-anvil that popped up on ebay a while back, I think there is a picture of it in the gallery here somewhere. -Aaron @ the SCF Thats cool! Thanks for the link.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 The rarest anvil seems to be an affordable 150-200 pounder. Everyone is looking for that one! Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Caradoc Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Finnr I just bought a 168# mousehole a couple of weekends ago for $200.00 I have not posted pics yet cause I can't find the camera. The affordable anvil is out there if you are patient. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mende Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 The old cathedral window anvils from Europe are pretty rare as are the really old stake anvils that predate the London pattern. The Fisher exhibits at the Centennial and various World Fair's they participated in had many large ones - 400, 500, 650, etc. up to the monsters. IIRC, I saw a pic from the Chicago Word's Fair where they had about 15-20 anvils set up at the exhibit. I would love to have any one of them... In Europe you can only find those types of anvils ( cathedral and stake). In Romania for example . .as well as surrounding countries. .you could easily fill a truck with a couple of thousands of dollars and a local guide. But who has the time and money for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateDJ Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 LOL ... My anvil is a very rare one... in fact it is the only one I have ever made! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 The Fisher exhibits at the Centennial and various World Fair's they participated in had many large ones - 400, 500, 650, etc. up to the monsters. IIRC, I saw a pic from the Chicago Word's Fair where they had about 15-20 anvils set up at the exhibit. I would love to have any one of them... Check a few posts up the line from yours for the pic (it makes a real purdy desktop image for a computer screen ) -Aaron @ the SCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 There is a lovely example of an early anvil in the Roman museum in Bath, England. It is a squarish stump anvil with a beautifully mushroomed head, no horn whatsoever, no hardy or pritchel holes. (and it looks amazing like a Spanish Colonial travel anvil on display at the Camino Real museum in New Mexico that is over 1000 years later!) I was lucky enough to get a very fine replica of this anvil at Quad-State this year and now have to start on the several centuries of use to produce the lovely mushroom effect. (Which may be a bit difficult as my copy is heat treated medium carbon steel instead of soft wrought iron). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Yes, the cathedral anvils are very, very rare. I would love one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highlander Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 my mousehole i posted a pic of on page one weighs 149# according to my bathroom scale. guy who sold me it at the scrap yard told me 160. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Within 10% some of the early anvils seems to have some slop in their weighing for stamping and of course usage wear will trim a bit off. Also bathroom scales are nortorious for being "off" you may want to try to calibrate yours and re-weigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Ill post my find in a couple of days! We're waiting, cbl4823. And it has been a couple of days!;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devon blacksmith Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 How do you tell the age of an anvil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl4823 Posted October 11, 2008 Author Share Posted October 11, 2008 I will post pics tomorrow once I get them out in the sun for some pictures. For everyone saying church window anvils are rare, they are not. I have a picture of a guy in Europe with about 60 of them in his yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchmancreek Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 I paid $150 for my 300 pound Hay Budden......is that rare enough for you? Oh and I have a 131 pound Peter Wright that I paid $75 for. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmercier Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 There's a big difference between rare in the US and rare in general. Some of the rarest in my experience are the artistically decorated armorer's anvils and the LARGE stake anvils as were used in the 15th and 16th centuries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 My Main anvil is a KeenKutter. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highlander Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 i have an old unknown london pattern and my antique mousehole. the mousehole is sitting bagged up in oil for storage to keep it protected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Devon, the age of anvils can be hard to pin down. Certain brands were only made during a limited time span. Some brands have a serial number that folks can put a date on. Others the style can help date it---exp The pritchel hole dates to the early 19th century so an old anvil without one is pre that date, (though some old ones were retrofitted with one) Very old anvils would be dated using archeological methods. Here in the USA there is a great book called "Anvils In America" by Richard Postman that has a lot of good info on anvils that were used in the USA and a lot of dating info in it too. Finally William Foster anvil manufacturer date stamped their anvils; mine was made in 1828. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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