From the Josh Greenwood Collection.
This is a very fine expample of an old English anvil imported to America during the Colonial era.
It is now in the Colonial Williamsburg collection.
- Marks : "Alsop"
- Age : 18th Century
- Dimensions : About a 17" long
- Weight : 115 lb. (52kg.)
The crack at the front of the anvil shows a detail of the build up process.
These anvils start as a large rectangular block. Then pieces are forge welded on to create the final shape.
In this case a slab was welded onto the front of the anvil to make the boss to which the horn is attached, OR is possibly part of the horn.
Horns and heels breaking off were a common failures on old anvils.
Generally horns break off at the shoulder where they were butt welded on.
This one was seperating about an inch under the face plate.
If the boss under the plate was part of the horn then Alsop had a better construction method than those that butt welded the horn on (dashed line).
For more on the anvil build up process see,
A Day in the Life of a Blacksmiths Apprentice.
Historical fiction desvribing the making of an anvil.
Alsop Anvil #1
Another anvil in the Greenwood Collection.
This is a very fine expample of an old English anvil imported to America during the Colonial era. It is now in the Colonial Williamsburg collection.
The crack at the front of the anvil shows a detail of the build up process. These anvils start as a large rectangular block. Then pieces are forge welded on to create the final shape. In this case a slab was welded onto the front of the anvil to make the boss to which the horn is attached, OR is possibly part of the horn. Horns and heels breaking off were a common failures on old anvils. Generally horns break off at the shoulder where they were butt welded on. This one was seperating about an inch under the face plate. If the boss under the plate was part of the horn then Alsop had a better construction method than those that butt welded the horn on (dashed line).
For more on the anvil build up process see, A Day in the Life of a Blacksmiths Apprentice. Historical fiction desvribing the making of an anvil.
Alsop Anvil #1
Another anvil in the Greenwood Collection.