Matchlessantiques is offering collectors and smiths this RARE Continential Pattern "Church Windows" Blacksmith Anvil. This anvil comes from the famous Lynch collection. It features tall and deep "church windows". It was made with an "angled side" over the windows and stair step feet. The anvil has a beautiful ancient patina.

This actual anvil is pictured in Anvils In America on page 16. This anvil is obviously very old, but putting an actual date on it is very difficult. It has no markings that would lead directly to a date. Anvil shapes changed very slowly during the ages and were influenced by tradition, religion and supersition. The best of the few early sources of reliable information is Denis Diderot’s Encyclopedia of Trades and Industry published in the mid 1700s. That encyclopedia included many illustrations of the early trades. And it showed several dozen anvil illustrations - the anvils these tradesmen used. Pictures of some of those illustrations are shown including another similar anvil shown in an early circa 1760 European publication. This old anvil is very similar to the anvils in these illustrations. So, for now, because of this similarity, it’s a safe guess that this anvil dates back to the mid 1700s. And who knows, it might date several hundred years earlier.

This anvil was part of the Kenneth Lynch collection in Connecticut until the early to mid 1980's. Mr. Lynch was an Internationally known and respected metal smith. He passionately collected tools of the trade throughout his life and acquired tools throughout Europe. No museum or collector had a more extensive - and finer - assortment of ancient smithing tools than Mr. Lynch. Among Mr. Lynch’s accomplishments are the total repair of the Statue of Liberty in 1928, the creation of the magnificent eagles on the Chrysler Building, the Pegasus figures at the headquarters of Reader’s Digest. several large sculptures at the 1939 World’s Fair, and so on. His weather vanes and sundials have taken on legendary status. The Lynch studio also created fine garden statuary - his clients included the Rockefellers and the Astors.

The measurements are: overall length 24 1/8", face width 3 1/4", height 13 1/4", base 12" x 16 3/4", hardie hole 1", weight 268 lbs. Don't miss this chance to own this ancient piece of anvil history. Satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back (does not include shipping). Shipping rates are reasonable, please include your zip code when writing for a quote.