My new old anvil

[Pieter-Paul Derks 323]

Hello everyone,

 

I have recently bought this beauty, and I thought some people on here would like to see this too.(and a to show off a bit )

 

I bought this as a bit of an impulse decision and I expected it to only be suited for decoration.

But when I saw the anvil in person I was very impressed with how heavy the anvil is for it's size, and how hard the face is.

The anvil weighs 44 kilo's (90 pounds) and a file just skates over the face

I love how rustic and crooked this thing is but it still works just fine.

 

The funny thing is, lately someone asked on this forum how long an anvil is usable, this one is a few centuries old and there is still nothing wrong with it!

 

I also wanted to ask for help with dating her, I estimate she is over 250 years old, but I don't know half of what some people on this forum do.

So feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

[BCROB 13]

COOL !

[Wesley Alberson 151]

Are you still going to use it, or have it as a decoration? I wonder if blades forged on an ancient anvil will have ancient powers....

[N. Runals 16]

So darn cool!

[Doug Lester 414]

Because that it has a relatively small horn and heal most of the mass will be under your work. I think you'll be surprised how well it moves steel. Just don't try to dress the face.

 

Doug

[Alan Longmire 3,887]

I can't help much with the age, I just don't know continental anvils that well, but I'd say 200 - 300 years old is as good a guess as any. Nice find!

[BCROB 13]

If only that anvil could talk......

[Pieter-Paul Derks 323]

Thanks everyone, I think it's really cool too.

 

I do plan on forging some things with it, if only for the fun of it.(and for the ancient magic that this will surely give my work.)

I noticed already that it is a much more efficient anvil than I expected, I think this might have to do with the somewhat piramid shape of the anvil.

[Brian Dougherty 1,422]

Think of all the history that may have literally been made with (or on) that anvil

[Brian Myers 134]

I would GUESS that is a journeyman's anvil. Probably made for him by his master to begin his own career.

[Alan Longmire 3,887]

I would GUESS that is a journeyman's anvil. Probably made for him by his master to begin his own career.

If such things had existed that would not be a bad guess, but alas even then anvil-making (and all other aspects of smithing) were already highly specialized. The guild system did not allow much overlapping of the type of work done in each shop.

 

It's a nice romantic idea, though!

[Brian Myers 134]

Lol, like I said it was a guess. I do know a journeyman was usually gifted a set of basic tongs, hammers and punches. Of course once out the door he was pretty much on his own. If he was lucky and skillful enough, he could apply to a guild to attempt his master's piece and start getting access to benefits between guild members.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Brian Myers

[Justin Mercier 65]

That tall thin style originates before the clunkier 5 foot 'colonial' anvils but remained in use in some places into the early 1800s The earliest dated anvil I know of in that style is 1533. My guestimate would be early 17th century for that, probably pushing 400 years old.

 

EDIT: and by earliest dated i mean, it has the creation year stamped into the side of it by the maker, the style certainly pre-dates that specific anvil.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Justin Mercier

[Brian C Madigan 14]

It looks kinda like an anvil-shaped Bog Man. Nice find!