Anyone familar with this Anvil?

southriv

southriv

Joined
Feb 28, 2002
Messages
751
I picked up this anvil yesterday for $190.00. It weighs 150 lbs and is stamped "mouse hole" - supposedly for the hole underneath.

The face is pretty level and smooth for its age. A 1/4" ball bearing dropped from about 18" bounced back almost to that height. A 32 oz ball pien from about 10" yielded about the same bounce - nice ring , too.

I really know nothing about anvils - think this was a good find? -worthy of strapping onto a stump of hard maple?

Bob
 

Attachments

  • anv.jpg
    anv.jpg
    26.8 KB · Views: 221
nah...it's really really really bad...let me know when i should come by and take it off your hands...i'd hate for you to be stuck with this thing...

d;o)
 
If it's stamped "mousehole" you may just have a keeper and quite possibly a very rare find. The "Mousehole" forge was a smithy in england, ever hear of "Peter Wright" anvils? Here's a snippet I copied from another web page with some info about your anvil:

"Apparently, The Mousehole Forge in Sheffield, England was the first company that made anvils as an industry. Prior to The Mousehole Forge, anvils were made by local smiths, but not as an industry.

Peter Wright worked for Mousehole Forge and left to start his own anvil making business at Dudley, England. The Mousehole anvils were welded together from several pieces. Peter Wright conceived of making anvils in two parts and obtained a patent for the process in about 1850."

Sounds like you may have quite a nice anvil. 150lb is a good working weight for most knifemaking too!


Hope this helped,
Derek Melton
 
That anvil looks fantastic to me.

I love that old English shape. Sounds like a good price. Bit hard to tell across the world. But I went to the steel merchant last week to
pick up a few bit. There was a crummy little anvil there must have been only 30 to 50 lbs $220. I could not believe it I ask the woman if it was correct. I recon you got a bargan.
 
I did some research that I didn't have time for when I found the anvil. The Mouse Hole anvils were made by M.H/ Armitage in England.

Derek - you've got it right on the construction & origin. Its forged welded from pieces if wrought iron. Today, its a popular anvil among blacksmiths. These do date from the early to middle 19th century. Those that I have found pics of are in the same condition (they withstand the test of time( and go from 250 - 350).

I guess I'm on my way , then........

Bob
 
I know nothing about prices, but ya got a real piece of history there. Course, ya know the best treatment for a piece of hsitory like this, right? Beat some steel on it. :D Good find, and have fun
 
I just paid $300 for a 160# Peter Wright, and I thought I'd found a pretty good deal.

As long as we're talking about anvils, let me ask if any of you have ever worked with, used, or heard of Star American. I've got a line on a 175 pounder that looks like it's in really nice shape and I might just spring for it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top