Often mistaken for "traveling" anvils these are leather workers' or saddle makers' anvils used to support leather while tooling, cutting and riveting.
This collection was seen at the 2007 CSI Hammer-In in Tennessee.
The single leg/knee anvil to the left is virtually new.
It has a lathe turned face and chamfer that has been varnished for protection.
The scratches in the surface are in the varnish.
Primitive Lap Anvil on Wooden Knee Bridge
The lap anvil above shows many small hemispherical dings which would show up from riveting on a soft anvil.
The dings extend down the sides and all around the anvil. There are also circular punch marks in the wood.
Photos by Jock Dempsey
This lap anvil would be clamped between one's legs or knees while sitting.