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#1
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Anvil needs identification
I've been looking for a decent anvil for over a year now, with no results and then suddenly I get two calls from a couple of blacksmiths offering to sell me an anvil. I ended up buying both - just in case - at $125 each. They're both 175lbs (although one seems more like 150, I still need to weigh it). One is a Peter Wright, probably 1860's, definitely pre-1900. The other has me stumped: It's stamped with the following (partial) inscription. Does anyone know what it is? It doesn't really matter so much as it seems like a good anvil, and does what it's supposed to do. Just curious.
A EENS DUDLEY The first letter looks like an A, but could be a J. Then there are two, maybe three spaces where the original casting has an indent and the lettering did not take. The next letter could be an E, a B, maybe an F or R. The last three letters are definitely ENS. Beneath the word DUDLEY is clearly visible. There is also the number 10 stamped below on the base. I think I can also make out a 1. If it's English, it would make sense to have it marked in hundred weights. If it's 1 1 10, that would make it a 150 pound anvil... Any thoughts?? __________________ Chris K. Two Mountains Forge Delta, BC, Canada www.twomountainsforge.com |
#2
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If you got a Peter Wright - ANY Peter Wright - for $125 you got a real bargain! If that anvil is is good condition a more appropriate price would be in the $500 - $700 range. As for the other I don't have a clue but you might post a picture of it along with your question on Ed Caffrey's forum. Somebody over there is almost sure to be able to give you some info ....
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#3
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Quote:
IIRC Dudley, England is the city where Peter Wright anvils were made. |
#4
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Hmm... Maybe another Peter Wright? This one has a shorter bick than the other, and it's definitely marked in hundred weight. Upon closer examination I think the number is 13, not 10. I put it on the wife's bathroom scale and it came in at 153lbs. So, 1 1 13 would make sense...
__________________ Chris K. Two Mountains Forge Delta, BC, Canada www.twomountainsforge.com |
#5
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There were a few makers from Dudley
You might want to check out ABANA |
#6
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I spoke with another old-timer yesterday who gave me another clue, and thanks to the internet I was able to identify this anvil: it was made by William Wilkinson and Son at Queen's Cross, in Dudley, Worcestershire. The letters are actually a partial Q, not an A, and the ending is correct EENS as in QUEENS. The clue is the cross above the name, which I thought was just a random mark. It is two crossed ovals, very faint, but once I took a brass wire wheel to it, it became visible. Nobody seems to know what they mean, but it could refer to the CROSS in QUEEN'S CROSS. Through the internet I was able to find out more about Wilkinson - the first to make anvils was born in 1827, possibly related to John Wilkinson who built a famous bridge across the river Severn. By 1881 William employed 194 men and 45 boys at his foundry, making anvils and vises. Dudley is in the heart of "Black Country", one of the hubs of the Industrial Revolution due to its rich mineral deposits: iron ore and coal. By 1867 Dudley was so crowded that recurring epidemics wiped out a large portion of the population. The mean age of death was 16 years at that time. Dudley foundries were known for their products world-wide, among them Peter Wright and Wilkinson. The foudry which made the 12 ton anchors for the Titanic was in Dudley, too. William's son Henry is listed as a "clark" in the business - an administrator. I don't know how long the business lasted, or exactly how old the anvil is. I will continue to check. It's fascinating history, even if it seems trivial compared to other historic events...
__________________ Chris K. Two Mountains Forge Delta, BC, Canada www.twomountainsforge.com |
#7
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Oh, BTW Ray, your assessment of the Peter Wright anvil made my day! It's in good shape - for its age. I checked it with a carpenter's square when I looked at it, and it is perfectly straight in both length and breadth. Sure, some dings and a chunk taken ot of the edge which the fellow who sold it to me was able to put a small weld onto. The anvil is actually made of several parts, forge-welded together. There is a seam above the foot, where it meets the "neck". Thanks for your help!
__________________ Chris K. Two Mountains Forge Delta, BC, Canada www.twomountainsforge.com |
#8
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Some years back most used anvils were generally priced at about $1 per pound but the Peter Wrights were always more. Then, a few years back the Wright anvils were fetching about $4 per pound for anvils in good condition. This is the price I used in evaluating your anvil. With all the inflation we've suffered lately, it might be that even that estimate is a bit conservative ...
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#9
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Thanks, Ray. In any case, it's a beautiful thing. There is something about the shape of an anvil - like a boat - the lines just get to you and you - at least I - can't help but look at it with some form of attraction. It signifies stability, eternity, strength and all that. One of those "unsung heroes" like tug boats and steamers. Maybe I'm getting too philosophical here, but I like my anvils...
__________________ Chris K. Two Mountains Forge Delta, BC, Canada www.twomountainsforge.com |
#10
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What's in a "pedigree"? If it's sound and does the job well it's a good thing. One of my favorites is a no-name/no-marks 200#r. It likes hot steel and hammers and so do I. Great deal on both anvils....congrats!
And yes......only thing sexier than a good anvil is a woman with a good anvil! __________________ Carl Rechsteiner, Bladesmith Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild, Charter Member Knifemakers Guild, voting member Registered Master Artist - GA Council for the Arts C Rex Custom Knives Blade Show Table 6-H |
Tags |
anvil, blade, brass, forge, iron, post |
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