[TheForge] Need anvil ID help, please

Mon Mar 11 19:52:15 2002

Jeff:

By "the anvil book", I assume you're referring to Richard Postman's Anvils
in America. Near the front of the book (page 12 to be exact) are three
photos of the "Moses" anvil. However, "Moses" doesn't appear to be a type of
anvil or the name of an anvil manufacturer. Rather, it's the family name of
the original owner. Mr. Postman credits the Moses anvil with being the
oldest smith's anvil in this country that can be dated. The anvil pictured
in the book is a single anvil that was brought to America, by a Mr. John
Moses of Plymouth Massachusetts, in 1632. The manufacturer of the "Moses
anvil" is apparently unknown. If you have access to both the anvil, and Mr.
Postman's book at the same time, you may be able to identify the anvil via
pictures, descriptions and anvil markings. Mr. Postman did a thorough,
outstanding job. His book can be extremely helpful.

Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Barking Crow
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 10:12 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [TheForge] Need anvil ID help, please

At our FABA meeting I saw an old beat up anvil for sale for $300 and
wondered what made it so pricey and it turns out it was probably a Moses
from 1700 or so.  The guy showed me the anvil book which had its picture on
maybe the first page and seemed to identify it as a Moses.  Unfortunately I
didn't pay much attention and would like someone who has the anvil book to
read up on it and tell me what they can about the moses.  It was as I
remember on the lower left hand column of the left hand page and on the
righthand page were two pictures of a similar anvil but one that had a fifth
leg.  I'm suddenly interested as when I got home and studied the old anvil
that I thought had the pritchel hole broken off it seems to be the same
anvil which never had a pritchel and which may be several hundred years old!

So, I'd be  very interested to know as much about that Moses as the book has
to say, especially, when and where they were manufactured.  I'm a lot more
fond of that little homely anvil now.  May have to move it indoors or try to
get the rust off.

Thanks,   Jeff Valentine

Barking Crow
http://www.barkingcrow.com
[email protected]

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